The 100th Generation

This book covers it all, mystery, romance and laughter. I loved it and could not put it down. Will definitely buy the second in series.

START OF BACK COVER TEXT - Ancient curses, modern day villains, and a most intriguing woman who keeps appearing when least expected and then...disappearing. Archeologist Valerie Foret has spent a year searching for a tomb in the Egyptian desert--a labor broken only by high risk trysts with a powerful man's wife. When she finally makes the discovery of a lifetime, she is set upon by jealous rivals and religious fanatics. Worse, she is drawn into the depths of the desert by forces that offer knowledge of vast mysteries and at the same time threaten to destroy everything she knows. For what she's found is a glimpse into the hereafter, and it's nothing like it's supposed to be. Brilliant scientist that she is, she has loved most unwisely and learned what she does not want to know. Follow her adventures through modern and ancient Egypt, through this world and the next, with Book One of the Ibis Prophecy. - END OF BACK COVER TEXT I was really looking forward to reading `100th Generation,' mostly because it is set in Egypt and is published by Bold Strokes Books. The book description was intriguing and I was anxious to read this first novel by author Justine Saracen. However, the book was nothing like I expected. Being published by BSB, I was expecting a lesbian romance, but this book is nothing of the sort. Don't get me wrong, the main character is a lesbian. She also has an illicit affair with an Egyptian dignitary's wife, but this is hardly a romance and the affair is merely an afterthought. Once I got past that fact, I enjoyed the book. Saracen has a great imagination and tells a really good story. The strong leading character - Valerie Foret - along with an interesting supporting cast, colorful `ghosts' and a mystical setting make this an enjoyable read. I'm not sure I'll read the sequel, `Vulture's Kiss,' but am glad I took the time to read this one. If you're into archaeology, science, and ghosts, take a chance.

For some reason I thought this was going to be an Indiana Jones type story with women as both heroes and lots of passionate romance in exotic locations. Instead I was treated to the story of thirty-something archeologist Valerie Foret during a time in her life when every facet is in flux and all tumultuous. There is so much going on in the story and I hesitate to give any of the plot away so I appended the summary from the publisher's website. I have always loved books set in Egypt from Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney to Dorothy Eden and Joyce Verrette. I found this exceptional modern day novel a nice read chock full of information and interesting characters. I especially liked how Valerie used her intellect to circumvent the bad guys to ensure the integrity of the artifacts and the dig itself. I enjoyed how the author was able to ground the speculative aspects of the story in the real world and not make it an over the top story more Sci-Fi than fiction. Our book club chose this title as our book of the week and all were enthusiastic in their comments with many very impressed as to the similar aspects of ancient and modern religions. We are looking forward to The Ibis Prophecy: Book Two Vulture's Kiss (August 2007) From the publisher's website - Ancient curses, modern day villains, and a most intriguing woman who keeps appearing when least expected and then...disappearing. Archeologist Valerie Foret has spent a year searching for a tomb in the Egyptian desert--a labor broken only by high risk trysts with a powerful man's wife. When she finally makes the discovery of a lifetime, she is set upon by jealous rivals and religious fanatics. Worse, she is drawn into the depths of the desert by forces that offer knowledge of vast mysteries and at the same time threaten to destroy everything she knows. For what she's found is a glimpse into the hereafter, and it's nothing like it's supposed to be. Brilliant scientist that she is, she has loved most unwisely and learned what she does not want to know. Follow her adventures through modern and ancient Egypt, through this world and the next, with Book One of the Ibis Prophecy. Justine Saracen is something of an "old hand," having traveled to the dense streets and markets of much of the Arab world, in Egypt, Morocco, and the West Bank. After two trips to the Ptolemaic temples along the Nile, however, she lost her heart to the desert and its ancient cultures. Together with her Egyptologist partner, she became immersed in the colorful theology that "lives" in the temples and tombs of Egypt. Speculation on how much fun it would be to throw together the Egyptian gods and the modern world, and to put a lesbian at the center of it all, led to the Ibis Prophecy books. The first novel of the series, The 100th Generation, was a finalist in the Queerlit Competition

Valerie Foret is this novel's star. She's an archeologist and doesn't always follow the rules. She and her crew have found an unknown tomb and have razed the mummy. Along comes Valerie's power hungry boss to spoil everything. He's going to steal her show and it appears some of the items they've been uncovering have found their way into personal collections rather than remaining with artifacts or going to the museum. The mummy has two spirits a Ka and Ra. It's strange for everyone to be talking to the two spirits and a predetermined event to be reenacted during this century. Totally sci-fi and enjoyable.

For all of you out there who have enjoyed Indiana Jones, Lara Croft or even the Da Vinci Code... this is a pure treasure and MUCH better written! The archaeology and Egyptology facts are all well researched, and at the same time, it does not feel like a text book. This is a real page turner, in which the character happens to be a lesbian. The main theme, thankfully, is not the character's sexual life (like TOO many novels of the genre), but the exciting discovery of great mysteries spanning millennia, from ancient Egypt to modern days. I personally liked this because it is well-written, with real literary style, exciting and the well developped main character is an intelligent woman, who sets her far apart from Lara Croft. Imagine this novel as an actually well-written Da Vinci Code (for the mystery part - not the same theme, though!), where the female character is not a clueless follower of the male lead.