Warlock - Breathtaking Fiction

Warlock is a novel by Wilbur Smith released in 2001. 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 if one is going on a long journey or if one is looking for some nail-biting fiction and then Warlock is an ideal companion.

I must admit that this is the first Wilbur Smith novel that I read and I must say that I was really impressed with the narrative, the pace of events and last but certainly not the least, the plot. I was constantly battling with the emotion of turning to the last chapter and reading the end to bring the gripping suspense to an end. I dare say that I was barely able to manage and keep a check on my emotions.

I’ve read a lot of novels and I must say that ‘Warlock’ is one of the most fascinating works of fiction that I’ve ever come across. I found that this book is a highly researched one. The same can be concluded once we go through the paces with this book. The book has very vivid descriptions of the customs and beliefs of the people, with a rich level of detail. The detail is neither too much nor too less. It is just apt enough to help the reader understand the world and times that Wilbur Smith is talking about. It does not for a moment feel like a history lesson.

‘Warlock’ is a sequel to the earlier work of Wilbur Smith titled ‘River God’. Even though this book is a sequel to an earlier work, it makes for perfect sense even to read it on its own (this is what I did). The commonly accepted etymology derives ‘warlock’ from the Old English ‘wǣrloga’ meaning deceiver, or "oath breaker". The plot of ‘Warlock’ is set in Ancient Egypt. The story starts with the murder of the Pharaoh Tamose (the father of Nefer) & the subsequent struggle to survive & retain the right to rule of his son Nefer.

‘Warlock’ follows the adventures of young ‘Pharoah Nefer Seti’. The whole story revolves around him. He is assisted throughout by an ancient Egyptian magus called ‘Taita’, a slave and a eunuch, and a highly respected friend to the ‘Pharoah Tamose’.

‘Warlock’ details the life of Taita 30 years after the death of Queen Lostris, (the grandmother of Pharoh Nefer Seti). Taita is no longer a slave but a powerful warlock (Over the years that follow the death of Queen Lostris Taita devotes himself to the study of the mysteries of the occult until, armed with extraordinary powers, he gradually transforms himself into the Warlock) with great fame throughout Egypt and the surrounding nations, and has become the most influential man in Egypt through his close connection to the Pharaoh Tamose.

When he returns to the world of men, he finds himself plunged into a terrible conflict against the forces of evil which threaten to overwhelm the throne and the realm of Egypt, and to destroy the young prince Nefer, who is the grandson of Queen Lostris. It is under the able guidance of Taita that Nefer trains to change from a young and sentimental person to a wholesome, confident, intelligent, handsome and strong personality. Nefer uses Taita’s wisdom to win back the rightful kingdom that was usurped by ‘Naja’.

A noteworthy feature of ‘Warlock’ is the ‘life’ of its characters. One spends such a long time going through this book that one starts to feel that they are real people. Needless, to say that the book fired my imagination (the cancer-crab person is born with dreams in his eyes) to such a level that I even started empathizing with the whims & fancies (add miseries) of the characters. The characters are so vividly described that they evolve as you run through the pages. One can visualize them growing, becoming stronger.

My Verdict: 8.5/10.

An obsessive, compulsive, satisfying read. An evenly paced book with a fathomable plot. You’d be tempted all the time to flip to the end. This novel is certainly worth reading, and is highly recommended by me.