Nefer The Silent - Christian Jacq - paperback book.

NEFER THE SILENT

The Stone Of Light

by

Christian Jacq

Book One of The Stone of Light series

The first book in the Stone of Light series. Egyptologist Christian Jacq has created in The Stone of Light, a series based on archaeological discoveries made on the western bank of Thebes at Deir el-Medina - the remains of a village named the Place of Truth. The marvellous works of art of Egypt were created and guarded by small secret brotherhoods who lived in communities like that called the Place of Truth. Jacq brings the village (and its fictional inhabitants) to life in this series and transports us back in time to Ancient Egypt of c. 1550 BC to 1070 BC.

Silent is a young man from the village of the Place of Truth. He is privileged to have been born and brought up in the secret community of artisans but unfortunately has not yet heard the call of the gods, which he needs in order to become a part of the brotherhood and begin training as one of the few chosen craftsmen of Egypt. Silent has taken a long journey across Nubia in the hope of hearing the call whilst on his travels exploring the outside world. Still not hearing the call from the gods, he returns to Thebes to be near his birthplace, and joins a group of workmen building houses. Ardent is just sixteen, but he knows exactly what he wants from life. His family have farmed the land for generations, but Ardent has no intention of settling for the life of a peasant. He has a passion for drawing and a burning desire to devote his life to art. He knows little of what goes on behind the closed walls of the Place of Truth. All he does know is the certainty of the happiness to be found if he could only be admitted to the brotherhood; the place fabled to have crafted beautiful temples, the tombs of the Pharaohs and other beautiful works of art. Ubekhet radiates beauty and goodness, and is the only daughter of a wealthy builder. She spends her days tending a garden on the Nile, practices a little healing and is content with her lot. The paths of these three, Silent, Ardent and Ubekhet, become intertwined as they each find their purpose in life and search for a greater meaning to their existence. Meanwhile, a death has befallen one of the security guards at the Place of Truth and the Nubian head of the guards Sobek is worried... the Place of Truth may be at risk. Senior Theban officer, Mehy, is also obsessed with the Place of Truth. As an outsider, he is excluded from the village just like everyone else, but he has seen the dazzling secret stone, the fabled Stone of Light. Is he going to protect the village, or will his obsession start to take on sinister undertones...?

A great story, well-written, keeps you reading and is set against a well-researched historical backdrop of this secret artisans brotherhood of Ancient Egypt. Four books in the series: Nefer the Silent, The Wise Woman, Paneb the Ardent, and The Place of Truth.

Book is in very good condition and seems unread. Top right corner of front cover creased.