What one reviewer at amazon said about The Jewel of Seven Stars:
At the time of the novel's writing, the British Empire was still in place. Many artifacts from the outside were brought back to England. Many "gentlemen" were bringing their "discoveries" back for study. All things needed to be explained in terms of modern-day science. Is this Bram Stoker's response to this? Does he feel that some things are better left alone?
This story was published in 1904 (seven years after "Dracula"). Unlike its well-known predecessor, this novel was not written in the journal format that does take an edge off of the pace. This story is told from the perspective of a barrister, Malcolm Ross. He is brought into the events by Margaret Trelawny after meeting her days before.
Egyptology, a common passion at this time in British history, is at the heart of the novel. Margaret's father, Mr. Trelawny, is an Egyptologist who has made a major discovery of a powerful woman who lived over 14 centuries previous. The story of the find is told late in the novel by him in retrospect. More than the first half of the novel is setting the stage of the mystery and of the telling of the find. Like today's parodies of teen horror, you would think the characters would realize that it is time to leave.
The climax of the novel is over in a couple of pages at the end. I felt a little bewildered. Even "Dracula" has a bit of a post script explaining what happens afterward.
I would recommend this book for Stoker fans and horror fans. This book is stronger when you reflect on what his readers would be familiar with in the early 1900s.
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