Egyptian series goes on a brutal, bloody trek

The Quest is not a book for the easily queasy. After reading the scene about Bronze Age brain surgery, you'll never look at bamboo shish kebab skewers the same way again. It is a novel that is violent, fast moving and utterly engrossing.

Wilbur Smith is a hugely popular writer of more than 30 novels. The Quest, like the rest of his novels, is carefully researched and intelligently presented. Although Smith writes for the general populace, he does not compromise in his presentation of either characters or storyline.

This book is the fourth in Smith's Egyptian series, which began with River God. It continues the story of Taita, an adept warlock and magician. What makes The Quest different, though, is that Smith crosses a line to write a story that is pure fantasy, rather than historical drama of the other books in this series. Unlike most books of the fantasy genre, though, there is nothing romantic about this book. People defecate, suffer long and believable effects of disease, and frequently die in ways that are anything but heroic. Smith tells his story with enough grit in it to make it believable.

Egypt is in real trouble, as the story begins. The Nile has almost entirely dried up, there is an infestation of carnivorous giant toads and a new religion has arisen that seeks to overthrow both the Old Gods, and Pharaoh Nefer Seti. Pharaoh commands Taita, a "Long Liver" (but not an immortal) to seek the cause of these plagues.

Taita, a servant of The Truth, sets off with his trusted friend Colonel Meren Cambysis and a well-equipped company of armed men to discover what it is that has blocked the Nile. The country into which they venture is virtually unknown; for although Pharaoh has sent men there before, they have never returned.

In preparing for the journey, Taita has become aware of Eos, a very powerful entity who represents The Lie; and he knows he must confront and defeat her if Egypt is to survive. His only clue as to her whereabouts is that her power comes from fire near water.

Their journey lasts five years -- long enough for some of the men to acquire wives and become fathers along the way. The group must defeat enemies as varied as cannibals and tsetse flies as they travel.
Eventually, having met some of the survivors of previous expeditions, they come to the Red Stones, a dam blocking water from an enormous lake that feeds the Nile.

To their surprise, a flotilla of boats meets them and transports them to Jarri, a Shangri-La that is not quite what it seems. It is then that they come to realize just how evil Eos really is. Taita must, of course, confront her; and he does so in a way Frodo would never have dreamed of.

Although the novel is not romantic, there is romance in it. There is also loss, and hardship and danger. Mostly, though, Smith carefully points out that there are some temptations that are impossible to resist, no matter how much we try.

Robin Carson, The Edmonton Journal, Sunday, July 8, 2007

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