Readers familiar with the terser style of some other Tarr novels may be surprised by this one. Its prose is descriptive as well as direct and straightforward. Settings are portrayed in lush and sensory detail. Cool crystalline fountains in shaded gardens, the damask rose scent of the women's quarters, the noisy confusion of a camel caravan arriving in a city — all seem to exist right in front of the reader's eyes. The love scenes are written in splendid prose that touches the heart as well as the senses. The author is always interested in the historical and character elements of her story. In this book she has taken the same care with the material background, and it shows. Besides building a bigger, more colorful novel, this expansion has other effects. It enables readers to share Aidan's journey more fully. The exotic cultures come alive. The characters' emotional...