Christian Jacq, author of the international triumph Ramses, brings the people and the passions of ancient Egypt to life in an enthralling epic novel in four volumes.

Yet another great book from Jacq   January 8, 2006

Nefer the Silent   October 5, 2005

Based on some facts, boring to amazing   September 19, 2003

The weak of Jacq, however, is that his view of Egypt is somehow biased. In his eye, Egypt is a paradise. The Pharaohs are always justice. They love his own people, his country, reigning according to Ma'at, which I believe is not always true.


Somewhat simplistic   July 28, 2003
  1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Christian Jacq's latest novel is technically very punchy in style, sacrificing scene development for action. His characterisations also seem to follow the same pattern. In 'The Stone of Light' opener, we see several contrasting characters, most of which are not as simple and forthright as Paneb the Ardent, yet still come across as sketches rather than blooded characters. Perhaps the later installments of The Stone of Light will add more flesh to their sparse bones.
After the Ramses series, Jacq once more plunges us into his version of Eygptian history, this time taking us to West Thebes, to the secret village known as the Place of Truth where rigorously selected craftsmen who have see the `Way' work on the tombs and edifices within the Valley of the Kings. It is fairly near the end of Ramses reign and he has a walk-on part, purely to emphasize the importance of the Place of Truth as we are more concerned with the `giant' sixteen year old Ardent (whose all consuming desire is to become an artist, but both his birth and circumstance preclude entry) and his peer, Silent, (who was born to the village but is currently wandering Egypt in search of his own personal light). Silent's wandering through Thebes neatly allows Jacq to ensure that the two meet and, after saving Silent's life, gives Ardent the necessary means to approach the village. Silent also meets and elopes with Ubekhet (destined to become a priestess, along with Ardent's future wife, Uabet, and mistress, Turquoise - interesting name as it originates in 14th century old French).
Most of the action surrounding these characters is taken with Ardent's somewhat Herculean efforts to prove himself along every step of the regimented way to gaining entry to the village. Jacq overemphasizes his tenacity, simplicity, efficiency and effectiveness all of which would be a trifle too good to be true save he is affected by an arrogance born of sheer over-confidence. Nevertheless, he surmounts all tasks and is admitted to the village to become Paneb the Ardent, in the same manner that Silent becomes Nefer the Silent.
The real story that runs through is the use of Mehy, an ambitious man (whom we see committing a murder in the opening scenes) who marries, murders, cheats and lies his way up through the highest echelons of Pharaonic Thebes. His desire to destroy the Place of Truth (no real reason is actually given) eventually gives way to an attempt to murder Ramses which fails (though time eventually achieves his aim) through Ardent's preceptivity. With his equally secretly ambitious wife, Serketa, they spend most this opener gleaning information, setting up a network of spies and establishing themselves. However, at no point do the youg artisans ever come into direct contact with the scheming Mehy, only through the medium of the Place of Truth's security commander, Sobek (who provides some levity throughout).
This opening novel (of four) is a refreshing read, similar in style to Rameses and moves along at a nice pace. It is usually the mark of a good book that you can get to the end and be entertained, yet realise that nothing really happened throughout as it seems to setup the remaining novels. If you like the Rameses series then The Stone of Light should be just as enjoyable.


I can't believe this was all I had for travel reading!   July 4, 2003
  1 out of 3 found this review helpful

I must say that I enjoyed the Ramses series before I launch into this wholehearted criticism, so that everyone understands that I am capable of appreciating this man's work. The Ramses series was hardly a challenge to read, but the descriptions were so vivid that I was almost able to smell and feel the scenes as they took place on the page. I picked up this book looking for a similar experience-- an interesting travel book. How wrong I was.

As said by other reviewers, the characters are one-dimensional and vapid. The villain might as well be a cartoon character-- he is so poorly put forth that Jacq has to have him say to himself, "They won't get away with this..." It's almost like Gargamel planning to punish the Smurfs. Maybe I am harsher than I have to be because I had just finished reading The Fountainhead when I started this book-- and depth is something that comes in a downpour in The Fountainhead. Anyway, I thought that this could perhaps be a good children's book, but Jacq talks quite a bit about rape and sex, which is a little inappropriate for a child of six or seven. And trust me, the sentence structure and content is too elementary for anyone much older than that. So it's useless to all people, big and small. I was stuck reading the whole thing because I was in Spain with no other unread books...I kept lamenting to my companion that I was reading the world's worst book, but I saw it through to the end. I won't be wasting money on a sequel.

Long story short, buy this book under no circumstances.