THE GREAT MAGICIAN.

THE GREAT MAGICIAN by CHRISTIAN JACQ.

Thamos, Count of Thebes, is one of the last members of a spiritual brotherhood, keeping alive the secrets of the pharaohs. Now he has been entrusted with a vital mission. He must leave Egypt for the cold lands of Europe to find and protect the 'Great Magician', a genius whose work will save humanity.

When he encounters a child prodigy, a six-year-old composer lauded throughout Prague, Vienna and Frankfurt, Thamos senses that he's found the one. Is this young musician really the 'Great Magician' as foretold by Osiris, the one who can pass on the light of the East to mankind? And if he is, can Thamos succeed in saving the boy from the traps that lie in wait for him.
..... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter 1): The ten Mamelukes bore down on their victim, determined to slit the young monk's throat.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 36 ): Surely this proved that if you sincerely experienced something in your mind, it could become reality? The world of the mind, like that of music, was not imaginary. All you had to do in order to bring it into being was to want it very much.

MY THOUGHTS: Normally a big fan of this author, as far as I'm concerned he was the best when it came down to fiction based in Egypt at the time of the pyramids and Pharaohs.

I say was as I didn't enjoy the last book of his that I read, I found The Judgement Of The Mummy (see my review HERE) bitterly disappointing, and was hoping that this one would be better only to find, if anything, it was even less to my taste.

Book one in the Mozart (aka The Count Of Thebes) series, The Great Magician is another of those books that though it has ancient Egypt at its heart is set not during the time of the pyramids/Pharaohs but during the childhood of Mozart (yes, that Mozart) who may or may not be the 'Great Magician' foretold by Osiris.

Reading less like a novel and more like an essay (grief how I dislike foot notes in fiction) this was a tale that seemed to concentrate on the childhood, early career, travels and disappointments of the then six year old  Mozart along with the rise of Freemasonry during the fifteenth century ..... all very well and, I dare say interesting, if you wanted to read a book about these subjects but I didn't.

Received as a Christmas present a few years ago now, I also received books 2 and 3 in the series (I believe there is now also a 4th available) and whilst I did persist in reading this one I have no desire whatsoever to read any further books in the series.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: No, I shan't be keeping this.