Raiders of the Arcana

I have had a life-long fascination with archeology and ancient history, so when I discovered the Raiders of the Arcana series by Jacquelyn Benson I knew I had to read them. The series combines real history with swashbuckling adventure and a little romance in a way that's reminiscent (in all the best ways) of Indiana Jones or the 1999 cinematic masterpiece The Mummy.

Ellie, the heroine, is a staunch suffragette and crack historian, but due to the times (late 1890's) is not taken seriously in her profession by the men in power. She finally gets to go on the adventure of a lifetime when she accidentally pockets an artefact that is furiously sought by dangerous and powerful men.

She finds herself swept away to central America in a desperate attempt to protect an ancient, mythical city from falling into the clutches of looters. She hires Adam Bates, a rugged American surveyor, to guide her through the jungle. Along the way they discover that myth is a lot closer to fact than they've ever suspected and that objects of power, or arcana, are being hoarded by the powerful elite.

After barely escaping Central America with their lives, Ellie and Adam find themselves in Egypt in the company of Ellie's step brother (and Adam's best friend) Neil and Ellie's best friend Constance. They once again tangle with the group seeking arcana in the deserts of Egypt as both sides race to be the first ones to get their hands on the Staff of Moses, an object of immesurable power. But even after they protect the Staff, there's no rest for the intrepid adventurers, because Constance's grandmother, who is royalty from India, takes them all to India to search for another dangerous bit of arcana.

The main antagonist the group comes up against is an exceptionally dangerous man named Jacobs, who is one of the best villains I've read recently. He's willing to do whatever unsavory things it takes to get his job done, yet he's not the one-note villain he initally appears to be. With each encounter between the opposing sides, more layers get peeled off the incredibly dangerous antagonist. He's not exactly sympathetic, but as his motivations get uncovered he's easier to understand.

I love how Jacquelyn Benson weaves real historical facts in with wild adventures and a touch of magic without sugarcoating the bad parts of the history. Ellie and Constance are both strong willed woman who have to navigate a society designed to keep them beaten down. As the group travels the world they are eyewitnesses to the damages perpetuated by colonialism and the ideas of Western exceptionalism. I can't wait for book 4 because they'll be traveling to Korea and taking on Adam's awful father.