This page-turning novel follows the story of British scientist Simon Archer, who heads to Malaysia seeking a cure for his daughter’s leukaemia. His marriage is rocky, but he is determined to do whatever he can to somehow save his daughter, hoping to find a particular plant with the properties to cure her. But while in Malaysia, Simon ends up swimming in a pool of water and being sucked into an underground tunnel, almost drowning – before he wakes up in the time of King Solomon.
This sets up a story that alternates between the current day and King Solomon’s time, each with their unique problems – but as Simon travels from past to present and back again, few believe his story. Can Simon save his marriage and his daughter? And what does it mean when Simon turns from atheist to believer at the same time as King Solomon’s faith fades.
I particularly enjoyed the sections of the book that transport the reader back to biblical times. It is well-researched and intriguing, a book that is action-packed and suspenseful, but also with more significant themes.
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
Koehler Books, $34.95