The Dream Of Scipio

In 1999, An Instance of the Fingerpost provided Iain Pears with a critically acclaimed bestseller, and devotees of his ingenious style of historical mystery have had a long wait for this equally imaginative follow-up novel. Pears is also renowned for his extensive writings on both art history and history, and he uses his expertise to tie together this ambitious tale. Spanning the centuries between the dying days of the Roman Empire and the Second World War, it's set in Provence, and concentrates on slowly revealing and developing the three main characters, ensuring they can always rely on our sympathy. The dangers and madness of love sweep across the years, connecting the three, as does the classical text after which this book is named. Manlius Hippomanes, a fifth-century French aristocrat, despairs of a world where men come to power who have never even heard of Plato, as the growth of Christianity destroys the intellectual heritage of paganism. Eventually he decides to become a Christian himself - not out of belief, but in a last-ditch attempt to save something of the past. Whether dilettante or miracle worker, his impact touches the honest, hopeful 14th-century poet, Olivier de Noyen, and percolates down to Julien Barneuve, a French intellectual in the days of the Vichy government. Eternal philosophical questions taunt them, whether they are surrounded by the pleasures of a luxurious Roman villa, the wonders of the papal palace in Avignon, or even on a Mediterranean cruise where a young Julien fears falling in love. Dealing with the contrasting historical backdrops with obvious ease, Pears's attention to detail is faultless, and he invests each page with a rich seam of quality. Although the story takes on such vast and weighty matters as religion, philosophy, war and corruption, the fact that the reader continues to turn each page with such eager relish is a fitting testament to this compelling work of fiction. Well worth the wait. (Kirkus UK)