Author: Amin Maalouf
Publisher: Vintage UK

Overview:Amin Maalouf's The Hundredth Name is a captivating tale woven with magic, mystery, love, and danger. Set against the backdrop of 1666 on the eve of the apocalyptic 'Year of the Beast', the story follows Balthasar Embriaco, a Genoese Levantine merchant, on a quest that spans Constantinople, the Mediterranean, and London just before the Great Fire. His mission is to find a rare and highly coveted book called The Hundredth Name, which is believed to hold the key to saving the world. The book's contents are of immense significance, and Balthasar's pursuit of the secret hundredth name—a name thought to possess divine power—drives the narrative. His journey is one of peril and discovery, blending historical intrigue with mystical elements, as he seeks a salvation that hinges on uncovering divine secrets.