From
Christoph Fischer:
Voracious
reader, Successful writer, and Gallant Indie-supporter.
* * *
"After the
Cataclysm" by Inge H. Borg is her third book with an Egyptian theme, all
three belong to the "Legends of the Winged Scarab" series. On this
occasion the story is set in a post-apocalyptic / post-cataclysmic world where
most of the US is wasteland and power and wealth are now in South America and
Venezuela.
Art theft, smuggling and
material survival form the story of this book that brings back Egyptologist
Naunet Klein from the previous book. She finds herself invited together with
her husband, to join Egyptian archaeologist Jabari El-Masri and art
collector Lorenzo Dominguez on an abandoned cruise ship in the Caribbean to
help translate the inscription on Ancient Golden Tablets.
Legends around the
inscriptions and their threatening nature make this a difficult task for her,
as does the entire set up of illegality and bribery and with untrustworthy
partners in crime on board.
The story is like an
adventurous dream, ornate and meticulously set up. It tells with often
sarcastic wit and Borg's signature dry sense of humour the motifs and hopes of
our characters while checking those ideas constantly against the harsh reality.
With her all-knowing
point of view Borg lets us look into all of their minds - a technique that I
value.
Obviously well researched
and knowledgeable about Egypt and its culture Borg’s writing style is full of
ornate and beautiful descriptions.
Weaving in the ancient
Egyptian mythology and legends lends an almost philosophical and moral aspects
to some of the writing and plot.
The boat that our heroes
use is real and, once again, the precise descriptions make it come alive
easily.
At the same time, the
futuristic setting does not distract from the story. What could have been a
major component in the plot is merely a writer's tool in my eyes to show once
more the enormity of time. Book 1 one (Khamsin, the Devil Wind of the Nile) was
set in 3080 B.C, Book 2 (Sirocco, Storm over Land and Sea) in the present, and
now Book 3, "After the Cataclysm," takes place only a couple of years
into the future. It pays homage to the indestructibility of the legends and the
artifacts and with that made a lasting impression on this reader’s mind. While
dystopian in nature the book spares us distractions that would not befit the
story.
Naunet and her husband,
the art collector and the archaeologist are all excellent characters that make
the reading experience a very enjoyable one.
* * *
Read a detailed description of
Cataclysm on Christoph Fischer’s interesting website here:
And while you are at it, bookmark this
website. It’s a great place to hang out, reading about new releases and great author
interviews. And while you are at it, don’t forget to check out Christoph’s own
Trilogy.
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