Eunuch: A Novel

Len Lustgarten
iUniverse (2009)
ISBN 9781935278900
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (04/10)


Len Lustgarten combines his background knowledge as a successful medical internist with his unique creativity, imagination, and a gift for story telling to craft the novel “Eunuch.”  He carefully builds a compelling plot while developing a strong cast of characters.

As a young boy Mohammed Nasser was kidnapped, cruelly castrated and sold into slavery. He was taken from a small Muslim village by the Red Sea to serve in an emirate prince’s harem, in an Arab nation on the Persian Gulf. He was later trained to replace the eunuch in charge of Prince Ahmed’s harem.  As a young man he plotted with Nicole, a harem wife, in a dangerous plan of escape. Mohammed and Nicole married and settled in Marseilles, France where Mohammed found employment in a branch of a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Biodynamique specialized in genetic testing for possible heritable risk factors for planned children and other medical genomics studies, DNA, as well as secretive research into human cloning.

In a desperate plan to leave his mark on the world and with a driving desire for immortality, Mohammed became a part of the biotechnological experiments of Drs. Chevalier and La Fleur and is rewarded with a cloned son, Osama. In a fast-moving drama Mohammed and Osama are involved in an adventure of international intrigue, a border dispute with the small country of Eritrea, a mission with a UN commission, family interaction, and a search for self-identity.

In addition to the fast-paced storyline, I appreciated the background information on genetic testing, molecular biology, vitro fertilization and neuroscience. I found the information on the methodology and ethics of cloning, the ongoing dispute between theologians and scientists on the subject especially interesting, as well as the insights into the modern technology available in Arab countries which are still steeped in ancient traditions and customs.

Another reoccurring theme throughout the story was the struggle with loyalty to Allah and becoming an infidel with the resultant inconsistency in lifestyle. Lustgarten builds into his characters a personal philosophy for looking at transience outside the parameters set by traditional religious teaching, Muslim or Christian. Readers may take offense at this or may be stimulated to a self examination, strengthening their own personal convictions. Graphic descriptions of life within the harem, nights in the prince’s bed chamber and other illicit relationships will also meet with varying levels of acceptance as to the value in the unique tenor of the Lustgarten’s stirring novel.

“Eunuch” by Len Lustgarten is intriguing, instructional, and entertaining, an amazing reading adventure.

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