The Gold of Cuzco (Incas) [Paperback]

This book is a wonderful mix of history and fiction. I have just moved to Peru and I read this book within my first few days of being here. The history described in the book is present everywhere in this country and reading it here made it so much more real to me. Many of the main characters are real figures in the history of the country and the events that took place in the book were real events.
The characters are well formed and exciting, I love Anamaya's mystery and air of spirituality, which is a contrast from Gabriel's down to earth and practical personality.
Their 'impossible love' is a wonderfully created and developed aspect of the story and creates much tension and drama in the book.
I must read the next one: The Light of Machu Picchu, I have to find out what happens!

After `The Puma's Shadow' `The Gold of Cuzco' continues the dramatic story of Governor Don Francisco Pizzaro's drive into the Incan Empire. The Spaniards (with our main protagonist, Gabriel) are firmly ensonced at Cajamarco, looting it of all the gold they can find. The Inca King, Atahualpa, is held captive and the Coya Camaquen, Anamaya, is at his side, her love for Gabriel continuing to grow ever stronger.
During Part One, which culminates in Sebastian's unjustified execution of Atahualpa, Gabriel further distances himself from the majority faction of the conquistors, headed by Hernando Pizarro and portrayed as bloodthirsty, gold-devouring parasites on Incan culture and society. The authors overemphasis on the Spanish disregard for an alien culture serves to portray Gabriel as the beacon of light in the terrible times. His contemptuous mockery of Hernando creates an enmity that burgeons over the pages and Governor Pizzaro's peacemaking attempts barely hold the group in check. After Atahualpha's foretold death (and Inti Palla's suicide) the conquisadors leave for the fabled city of Cuzco to take is wealth. With them go Anamaya and the captive Inca general Chalkulchimac. Anamaya has become the revered mystical Coya Camaquen and nominates Manco to become the next Emperor. They meet near Cuzco, at Rimac Tambo and the Spaniards are ambushed by the Incas. Gabriel nearly loses his life and Anamaya saves him through means, as Brother Bartholomew wrly notes, that would have her in front of the Inquisition in Spain.
From here we move to the fabled city of Cuzco and most of the remainder of the novel is spent there with Pizarro's evil brothers, Gonzalo and Juan taking greater hold of the city. Don Francisco and Manco bar Anamaya and Gabriel from seeing each other but covert meetings in the dead of night allows their tryst to continue. Eventually, the Sacred Double is smuggled from the city and Gabriel is ordered by Franscisco to leave in order to participate in founding a new city (turns out to be Lima).
Through the course of eighteen months the atrocities continue apace and the lack of response from the Inca to them grows increasingly frustrating. Manco's attempt to flee Cuzco ends in his capture and degradation. Gabriel's eventual conscience, fuelled by both overwhelming disgust at what is occuring and his love for Anamaya, forces him to return to Cuzco, but he falls ill whilst attempting a desert crossing before finally reaching Anamaya at the Inca war camp. At the end, Manco has been freed, the Incas have decided to go to war and Anamaya and Gabriel part each for the opposite camp, as their sense of duty is greater than their sense of love. All of which neatly sets us up for the final installment which sees them fufill both their own and the Incan destines.
`The Gold of Cuzco' commences somewhat slowly, but by the end the authors have firmly brought us to the brink of war, ensuring our empathy for the Incan plight is established and the gripping story of Gabriel's and Anamaya's love as they move through a world that is crumbling certainly ensures reaching for the third installment.