The novel River God by Wilbur Smith is set in ancient Egypt, in a time when kingdoms were beginning to collapse and Upper and Lower Egypt were separated between two rulers. The story is from the point of view of Taita, a multi-talented eunuch slave. At the beginning of the story, Taita belongs to Lord Intef and helps manage his estate as well as taking care of his beautiful daughter, Lostris. She is in love with Tanus, a good soldier and also Taita's friend. Unfortunately, Lord Intef despises Tanus' father, Lord Harrab, and Intef was actually the one who caused the fall of Harrab's estate, unknowingly to Lostris and Tanus. Taita's goal is to restore Egypt to its former glory, but with so many bandits and invaders it would be a difficult task. At the beginning of the novel, Taita has to organize a show for the Pharaoh and inserts Lostris and Tanus into the play. . The Pharaoh is so surprised by Lostris' beauty that he decides to marry her, which Taita had no intention of doing. Tanus at the end of the play made a speech in which he talked about all the unrest in Egypt, which angered the Pharaoh and he sentenced him to death if he failed to eliminate the bandit problems, mainly those called Shrikes, in two years. When Lostris marries the Pharaoh, she asks for Taita as a wedding gift from her father. Lord Intef, unable to refuse the pharaoh's wife, must give up Taita, who knows all his secrets. Intef makes several attempts to kill Taita without success. Taita then goes to help Tanus defeat the Shrikes. In two years, they defeat the entire band of Shrikes and capture many of their leaders, and when Tanus presents them to the Pharaoh, Tanus' sentence is revoked. When the Pharaoh demands to know who their commander is, they all point to Lord Intef. Intef is captured and sentenced to death, but escapes before it is executed. Then, during a terrible sandstorm, Tanus and Lostris finally manage to be alone, but Lostris becomes pregnant with Tanus' child. Taita makes Pharaoh believe that he is his son, so when the child is born, he is called Memnon and no one ever knows who his real father is except Taita, Lostris and Tanus..