I have a fairly broad approach to reading, rather than limiting myself to one genre. So I am quite happy to dabble in this history/conspiracy genre that has become so popular since the Da Vinci Code. The problem is that some readers are more interested in the historical side of things, while others veer more towards action. The same goes for authors. THE MOSES LEGACY is quite balanced in that respect, paying equal attention to both. But this strength is also its weakness, as I get the impression that it is trying to be "all things to all men" so to speak - neither a sheep nor a goat.
The book starts with archaeologists finding some engraved stone fragments that they think contain the original Ten Commandments. This leads to the kind of "quest" and chase that is typical of this genre as the hero and his sidekick move from one ancient relic to the next. Unlike some of the more prolific authors who churn out pseudo-historical conspiracy thrillers without much knowledge of history, Palmer is clearly an educated man or at any rate one who has done his research. But he does not allow academic rigor to become a straightjacket to his literary creativity. He presents some interesting - if at times whacky - speculations about the connection between Egypt's 18th dynasty and the early Israelites.
Whilst I couldn't quite buy into these theories, I was able to enjoy the author's sense of place. Palmer doesn't just evoke the locations; he draws them into the narrative, and especially into Jewish history (which may antagonize some people). He manages to relate everything to the Israelites from the turquoise mines of Sinai to the Snake Monument in Petra. (At one point, his hero quotes passages from the Bible as they are taken at gunpoint to this isolated location.)
In order to fit the genre - and presumably the reader's expectations - the book also has some action sequences, such as a daring speedboat chase under heavy gunfire. It also has a catfight and a life or death struggle between the hero and a giant homicidal maniac who goes by the codename "Goliath". But The Moses Legacy is not by any means an action-dominated book. Palmer's hero is no overblown SAS action-man caricature. He is an expert on ancient Semitic languages and a flesh-and-blood family-man who rises to the occasion. This really is a case of Cometh the Hour; cometh the man. And he also has depth. In the down-time, between action, we learn about his background. One gets the impression that with Daniel Klein, his characterization is very much part of the original conception and not some afterthought that the author felt compelled to add on to prove that there is more to his writing than raw action and history (or pseudo-history in the case of some writers).
What we are left with then is a book that is no literary masterpiece, but a good example of contemporary commercial fiction. It has a fair balance of ingredients and as long as one isn't looking for pure literary fiction on the one hand or unadulterated schlock on the other, this is the kind of book that will give many readers a few good hours of enjoyment.
