Etched In Stone

Etched in Stone by Mark Lew beautifully blends archeological mystery, supernatural intrigue, and spiritual currents to deliver an exhilaratingly breezy read. Jodie is a biochemist sent to a remote, dead zone in the Kalahari Desert to investigate a baffling anomaly: the absence of cyanobacteria in a vast area where they should be abundant. She discovers an ancient stone with Hebrew writing and imbued with supernatural powers. She and her team struggle with the strange effects of the stone, including resurrections, visions, and inexplicable phenomena. They uncover a link to Biblical history and the possibility that this could be Cain’s stone. Meanwhile, a charismatic influencer exploits the discovery while Jodie is caught up in a firestorm of ideology and must confront a story that has been widely misinterpreted and weaponized.

Mark Lew’s novel is one that should be ranked amongst the works of James Rollings. It is hugely imaginative, and the clever exploration of strange phenomena makes it even more gripping. I marveled at how well the author explored the themes of myth, reason, grace, and memory in this spellbinding tale. This is a story that banks on how ancient artifacts can alter history and reality. I found the characters to be elaborately written and intriguing. Jodie was my favorite — clever and flawed; her skeptical colleagues Dylan, Ricardo, and the devout Shmuel are equally fleshed out and believable. The suspense is expertly delivered, and Mark Lew uses plot points like Dylan’s obsession with the destruction of the stone and how he shifts the narrative timeline between contemporary day and ancient times to build suspense. The writing is superb, and the descriptions are terrific. There is something delectable about the writing, and I felt like enjoying drippings of the honeycomb. Etched in Stone was, for me, an explosive story, one that ticks all the boxes of a bestseller.