London, 1969 – and the headstrong and beautiful Isabella Courtney dazzles all. Yet the years that follow will test Isabella to the extreme of her endurance. It will be a time in which brother is pitted against brother, as they are drawn into the lair of the golden fox.
All Wrapped Up
John Threlfall of Monday Magazine asked some famous mummies what they think of Wilbur Smith's latest Egyptian opus, The Quest.
High Priest Imhotep (right): "I love a good action sequence, and Smith is still at the top of his game when it comes to thrilling battle scenes -- which The Quest has in abundance. Plus, the darn thing's so heavy you could probably kill someone with the book itself."
Rick O'Connell, mummy fighter (left): "Hey, we're in a life-and-death struggle here. Bit of focus, please?"
Nazca mummy: "Nothing against Mr. Smith, who, with 30 novels behind him, I'm sure is a fine writer -- but ancient Egypt was not the only culture to have mummies. I'm just dying to have someone write somthing about us South American mummies for a change."
Ardath Bey: "I was particularly fond of the scenes where the Nile dried up and the plagues struck Egypt. Mmm, plagues. Besides, who else but Wilbur Smith could get away with writing a line like, 'By Seth's sweaty testicles, I recognize him now!' I have lunch with Seth every now and then, and that's a pretty accurate description. I give The Quest two rotting thumbs up!"
Tutankhamun: "I'm so glad 21st century readers have Wilbur Smith around to inform them of the beauty and grandeur of ancient Egypt. Museum displays are one thing, but Smith's crackerjack storytelling prowess brings the old days to life like nobody's business. He's second to none . . . well, second only to me, that is."
Anck Su Namun: "Nobody writes a historical romance like Wilbur Smith, but since my heart was removed with all my internal organs, I can't say The Quest really moved me. And at 504 pages, it was a bit of a tough go at times. But on the plus side, with no bladder, I didn't have to take any pee breaks."
Ramses II (left): "Given that I'm the second in a series myself -- although I was much more thrilling than the original Ramses -- I'm naturally a fan of sequels. And since The Quest is the fourth book in Smith's Egyptian series, I just can't get enough."
The Goddess Hathor (right): "Can I get Julia Roberts to play me in the movie version?"
Dr. Griffin: "How many times do I have to explain it to you journalists? I am not a mummy -- I am the Invisble Man. Does Smith have any invisible characters in The Quest? Of course not. Now stop bothering me; can't you see I'm busy? I have my bandages to remove and this poor woman to freak out."
– John Threlfall,Monday Magazine, Wednesday, May 23, 2007