THE HITTITE

Marduk, a high ranking officer in the army of the Hittite emperor, has troubles of a nature similar to many men before and after the golden age of the sophisticated empire that flourished in the first millenium B.C. -- in a beautiful, unfaithful and ambitious wife. But unlike most husbands in his position, Marduk is young, handsome and brave--qualities that at first avail him little since his wife's lover is second in power only to the emperor. When he finds proof of the lover's traitorous intentions against his country, Marduk becomes a refugee with a price on his head and an army at his heels. He takes refuge with Joshua, the Hebrew general, and falls in love with Leah of Beersheba. Marduk performs mightily when the Hebrews ally themselves with the Hitties against the Egyptian hordes of Rameses the Great. All ends well--Marduk is divorced from his wife who is banished, the lover repents and Marduk is sent to Jerusaleum as ambassador to the Hebrews. There he will be able to decide whether he truly believes in the one God of the Hebrews and can thus marry Leah. The plot--foolproof whether placed in 1350 B.C. or 1860 A.D.--is enhanced by the novelty of the setting and a swift narrative pace. This, one of Noel B. Gerson's better efforts, should make a fine spectacular with its battles between sixty thousand warriors, exotic religious rites, valiant soldiers, sinuous slave girls, etc.