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National Geographic Societyis one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, it reaches more than 285 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and its four other magazines, as well as the National Geographic Channel, television documentaries, radio programs, films, books, maps, and interactive media. National Geographic has funded more than 8,000 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy.
Thompson (The Paradise Garden, 1998, etc.) offers a castigation of greed that is too long-winded and lacks his usual buoyancy. A king's lust for gold is the culprit here, and the conduit of that lust is the alchemist Spinifex, who is trying to conjure gold from just about everything. His assistant, Arthur, is the foil, an innocent who finds greater value in golden sunflowers, canaries, and egg yolks. Spinifex is particularly anxious because he has a deadline; the king has given him until the fast-approaching millennium to get it right, or off with his head. Spinifex ransacks the castle's old library for clues, pulls his hair, fumes, and conducts reckless experiments, all to no avail and all testing readers' patience. When he at last disappears in a whoosh after his final demonic machine turns him into cinder, it's an effect that is too little, too late. As a cautionary tale of gold's corrupting power, this one is tedious. (Kirkus Reviews)
