by Geoff Ryman
First published 2006
Archaeologist Luc Andrade uncovers a manuscript written on gold leaves in Cambodia. Before he can study it properly, Pol Pot loyalists kidnap him and steal the ancient text. His captors force Andrade to translate the manuscript to save his life. Meanwhile, his friends search across Cambodia to find him. One is a former Khmer Rouge agent, the other a young motorcycle taxi driver. As Andrade works on the translation, he discovers the manuscript tells the story of King Jayavarman VII. The ancient text reveals the king's youth, his path to the throne, his marriage, and his embrace of Buddhism during Cambodia's golden age. Two stories unfold side by side. Andrade fights for survival in modern Cambodia, still scarred by decades of violence. Jayavarman builds a civilization centuries ago guided by Buddhist compassion. The question becomes whether ancient wisdom can offer hope to a country haunted by its recent brutal past.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, archaeology
Vibes: lyrical, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Cambodia
Period: 20th-century, ancient
485 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins Publishers
Content warnings: violence