Kings of Stone

The Hittite Enigma

By: R Jay Driskill

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Award-winning exploration of the lost empire that rivaled ancient Egypt and Babylonia. Winner of the Outstanding Creator Award for Best Nonfiction Book 2025, First Place in Educational & Reference, and Best Research.

For centuries, the Hittites slipped into near oblivion, until archaeologists pieced together their astonishing legacy from ruins and clay tablets.

Drawing on decades of research, archaeologist R. Jay Driskill brings this enigmatic civilization vividly to life. From their sudden rise in the early second millennium BCE to their collapse around 1180 BCE, the Hittites reshaped the ancient Near East with innovations in law, diplomacy, and the art of war.

Blending the latest archaeological discoveries with translations of cuneiform texts, Driskill reveals the inner workings of Hittite society, its Indo-European language, its religion, and its people's daily struggles and triumphs. Both accessible and deeply researched, this book offers a compelling portrait of a forgotten empire whose influence still echoes across history.

R Jay Driskill brings his unique blend of journalistic storytelling and archaeological expertise to this compelling exploration of the Hittite world.

Good review

Dreary AI reader. But pretty good information. It was helpful to follow on a map of Bronze Age Anatolia.

Decent book ruined by AI

Whoever decided using an AI voice for this book was the right plan has done it a terrible disservice. The fact that they couldn’t even be bothered to get it to render things like “I/II” as “the first and second” instead of “eye slash two” shows just how little effort they put into bringing this to audio.

Book itself is decent, nothing mind blowing but a solid history text. If you’re interested in the subject, I recommend the physical book or ebook instead of this trash AI voice.