Review: The Book of Saidi?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 5, 2013
Eternal Infinite by Pam Kesterson is a compelling read that combines elements of speculative fiction and spiritualism to provide us with a unique and multi-layered suspense drama. Set against a futuristic pan-Arabic backdrop, the novel takes us to a Tribulationist setting where ‘people of the book’ (as defined by post-Mohammedan Islam) are oppressed for their beliefs. Their blessings include an anti-aging quality that is supernatural in character, and they find themselves confined and subject to experimentation as the regime tries to uncover their secret.The novel is centered on the exploits of Saidi Nosretsek, a member of the Infinites sect who suffers from amnesia and finds herself as an Esther in the palace of the king. Only she awakens from a comatose state and is not aware of the subjugation of her people. Her only ally in the palace is Shenser, a personable man who is also the object of the attention of Dr. Fray Tonicee. The Doctor is the officiating physician at the Lexic Camp, the most notorious of the regime’s prisons. She is in a strong position within the infrastructure, and will stop at nothing in her bid for power – including the elimination of King Camon himself.Kesterson weaves an intricate tale of intrigue and romance as Saidi’s recovery is paralleled by the plot and character development, the pieces coming together as Saidi and the audience are able to see the big picture. Part of the epiphany comes as King Camon, a master of disguise, infiltrates the facility at Copenica and gets a first-hand look at its deprivations. He finds nothing as brutal as the conditions at Lexic, yet returns to the palace resolved to end the suffering of the Infinites. This places him on a collision course with Tonicee, who has already launched her own plans to subvert Camon’s rule. It anticipates the suspenseful sequences bringing the author’s tale to its climactic finale.The storyline blends the tension and drama of prison life with the stylish attraction of royalty and its majestic trappings. Saidi is a sympathetic character who endures against all odds, finding the truth about herself just as Camon learns the dark secrets of his own kingdom. The contradictions and similarities are intriguing and provocative, taking us to a world not all that dissimilar to ones we know. Eternal Infinite by Pam Kesterson takes you on a magical mystery tour you won’t soon forget.