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UK Authors - Historical fiction - |
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The Stone of Light I: Nefer the Silent |
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 The Stone of Light I: Nefer the Silent byChristian Jacq Simon & Schuster 390 pages, 2000 ISBN 0684866285 Reviewed by our UK Editor Rachel A. Hyde Following on from his internationally successful Ramses quintet, Jacq has returned again to tell of a mysterious village. From 1550 BC to 1070 BC, The Place of Truth was a secretive place out in the desert where a group of craftsmen lived. They were the artists who created the monuments that still exist today, and according to Jacq they also possessed The Stone of Light. This was a marvellous item that could transform barley into gold - the original Philosopher’s Stone. Nefer wants to return to his village to be a stonemason, but has to wait until he has heard the call of the gods. While he is in the outside world, he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Ubekhet and is rescued from thugs by Ardent. It is Ardent’s wish to become an artist. But getting into the Place of Truth is very difficult. Much of this book is about the trials and tests he has to undergo in order to be accepted as a member of the village. Meanwhile, Mehy is a Theban military officer with an eye on greater things. He has seen the stone – and killed to keep this secret – and wants to discredit the village to seize their assets. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means more murder. As in his earlier novels, Jacq’s easy prose style makes for a fast and informative read. I personally wonder if Egypt was quite as enlightened as he portrays it. His characters tend to be somewhat two-dimensional; either virtuous heroes or mean villains without a lot of shading in between. He spins a likeable and entertaining tale though, and is adept at putting into a few words what a lot of authors spin out to many pages. It will be interesting to see where he takes this story in the remaining two books in the trilogy. |
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