The Third Translation
Inspired by an Egyptian antiquity in the British Museum, Matt Bondurant completed this book while working there. Walter Rothschild, an American Egyptologist, is working on unlocking the riddle of the Stela of Paser, a centuries-old funerary stone. Six days before his contract ends, he meets a young woman in the pub, invites her back to the museum, and wakes up next morning to find her and a priceless artifact gone. Being told of the theft, he realizes that his career—and life—are on the line. All the time he’s searching for the woman, he also finds himself trying to reconnect to a daughter he’s lost touch with.
Interspersed with flashbacks to his youth, spent in Egypt with his father, and college days, readers get a full picture of Rothschild. His character is fantastically well developed and interesting to read. The plot is intriguing and has great twists. There is also a plethora of Egyptian history and translation that is integral to the plot, but at times it got in the way of the story. Overall, The Third Translation is well written and interesting, most especially if one is fascinated with all things Egyptian.
