The Lion’s Silk: The Isfahan Deception
This book, more an extended novelette than a traditional novel, tells the tale of Alessandro de’ Medici, a lesser heir to the family fortune who sets out to make his fortune on the Silk Road. He leaves Venice, eluding bandits and overcoming harsh conditions while seeking his fortune. His only entrée to the trading world is a family signet ring, and he’s guided by a mysterious letter from his partner.
On the Persian plains, in the Safavid city of Kuful, he falls afoul of the local guilds, in particular the printer’s guild. They are desperate to keep the secrets of block printing to themselves, while Alessandro dreams of bringing the technology home to Venice and building a fortune of his own.
A beautiful, mysterious woman named Parniss appears with a document carrying the Medici emblem. She says a member of the family has passed through this way, and the mystery of who it was and what he sought overtakes Alessandro’s original mission. Going from city to city along the Silk Road route, he seeks the answer to the puzzle.
The book is full of beautiful images and fragments of Persian poetry, making this more of a lyrical study on the power of poetry and literature than a traditional historical adventure. The details of Persian life are rich and descriptive, painting a picture of a world where poetry, beauty, and intellect are prized above everything. The language is poetic and beautiful and is the appeal of this work, even at the expense of realistic characters.
