Epic Egypt (Warlock - Wilbur Smith)

Member Name: SWSt

Product:	Warlock - Wilbur Smith
Date:	13/12/07 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interesting plotting, superbly well-researched, really evokes sense of Egypt

Disadvantages: Overlong, unoriginal plot and characters, highly predictable

Wilbur Smith is one of those authors whose books I have often seen at airports and train stations, but never actually read. Having read Warlock, I now understand why his books are seen in such places!

Make no mistake about it, Warlock is a brick of a book. The paperback version which I read comes in at just under 700 pages long. Such size may be a little daunting for some, but given that I was going on a long journey and needed something substantial, Warlock was my ideal companion.

Plot-wise, Warlock is never going to win any prizes for originality. It follows the adventures of young deposed Pharoah Nefer Seti, as he tries to regain his kingdom from Naja, the man who killed his father and usurped the throne. It's been done hundreds of times before and is a staple of books, plays and films the world over. This could have hamstrung the book right from the start, as the startlingly unoriginal plot contains no surprises whatsoever. Within less than 100 pages, it will be very clear how the book is going to end. In some ways, it's a bit like a rom-com. The interest comes not from the final conclusion, which is predictable, but from how many obstacles the author can put in the way of the chief characters before they reach their goal.

Despite this startling lack of originality, Smith still manages to wring quite a bit of excitement from the plot. What could have been a plodder turns in a pretty decent page-turner through his interesting (if predictable) story telling and his exciting descriptions of places and battles. Without even realising it, you will get swept up in the action and almost immediately forgive the book for its plundering of other works.

One of the things which makes the book pretty good is the characters. Like the plot, in one sense, they are paper thin and pretty stereotypical. There's Nefer - the wholesome, handsome, strong and kind rightful heir; the cruel, evil, usurper Naja, who has "Vizier" written all over him; Nefer's love interest - beautiful, intelligent and strong-willed etc. Again, they've been done a million times before. Indeed, pop into pretty much any pantomime performance of "Aladdin" this Christmas and you'll see all these characters up on stage. Yet somehow, they manage to rise above this and you will find yourself caught up in their destiny, interested to find out what happens next.

Part of the reason for this is that you spend so long with some of the characters that they actually start to feel like real people. Paper thin they might be, but Smith gradually develops them over the course of the 700 pages, so that we see them change. Nefer, in particular, develops from a slightly cosseted little boy into a strong young man; brave, intelligent and ready to fulfil his destiny. The same is true of Mintaka, Nefer's love interest. You feel like you know them, have watched them grow up and develop and you want them to succeed.

Sadly, the other characters remain stereotypical. From the wise old titular warlock, Taita (think an Egyptian Obi Wan Kenobi) to the evil, cruel Naja (you can practically hear the cackling) these characters behave exactly as you would expect them to. Like the plot, though, this doesn't actually damage the book at all. Rather, it gives proceedings a comfortable familiarity, which means you can just settle down and enjoy the ride!

So, does the book justify its prodigious size? Well, that's a tricky one. There's no doubt that the book is superbly well-researched. Smith manages to bring Ancient Egypt back to life, evoking the sights, smells, architecture and feel of the ancient civilization. There are very vivid descriptions of the customs and beliefs of the its people, which makes it feel very real and it's easy to become immersed in the society. Yet, this same rich level of detail can also drag the book down and hold back the pacing. There is so much detail, that occasionally it gets in the way of the plot and slows things down quite significantly, making you feel like you're back in a history lesson, rather than reading a piece of light entertainment.

There are some elements of the plot, too, which feel a little contrived. Like that rom-com analogy earlier, you sometimes feel that obstacles are being placed in the path of the characters just to eke things out a little further. There are, for example, several chase sequences where one character escapes and is pursued by another. The first couple of times, they are interesting and exciting. On the third or fourth occasion, they start to become a little dull. After all, how many different ways can you describe pursuit across desert?

The plotting can also be a little lazy at times. The titular warlock is so all-powerful and wise that there is never any sense of danger. Indeed, at times, Smith uses the character as a convenient Deus Ex Machina to get him out of a plot event from which there is no logical escape. Trapped in the middle of the desert with no water? No problem. Just get Taita to use his wisdom and he'll find water. Pursued by hostile forces? No problem, just get ol' Obi Wan, sorry, Taita to conjure up a storm. It's all perfectly logical within the structure and tone of the book, but like the chase sequences, it becomes a little too predictable and convenient after multiple use.

Some readers will also find the constant references to sex or bodily organs highly offensive and vulgar and the violent acts of cruelty to both humans and animals disturbing and distasteful. It makes perfect sense within the confines of the book and is faithful to the attitudes and ideas of the Ancient Egyptian culture, but it may offend some 21st century sensibilities and ideas of "right" and "wrong."

Overall, Warlock is an epic book... but you can't help feel that it's just a little too epic. An interesting setting and well-researched ideas makes for a gripping read. However, the paper-thin plot and characters at times reveal the fact that this is a 500 page book dragged out to 700 pages through lengthy descriptions. As I said at the start of this review, Warlock is perfect reading for long journeys. Long, undemanding and satisfying. Certainly, if the opportunity arises, I would happily read another Wilbur Smith book. On the other hand, I won't be racing out immediately to buy any of his other books

Basic Information
----------------------
Warlock
Wilbur Smith
Pan Books, 2002
ISBN: 978-0330376303

© Copyright SWSt 2007

Summary: Perfect holiday reading - long, undemanding and satisfying