The Fascination of Evil

When the unnamed narrator receives an invitation to visit Egypt as the guest of the French Embassy in Cairo, he anticipates a boring week of literary discussions and official dinners. But from the start, his fellow author—Martin Millet—seems determined to stir up the tensions that underlie the politeness of Egyptian society. He offends Islamic sensibilities with his views on art and the novel, and his entire stay eventually degenerates into an obsessive search for an Egyptian woman willing to have sex with him. The atmosphere between the two authors becomes one of mutual mistrust bordering on open dislike. As the narrator finds himself dragged ever deeper into Millet’s obsessions, he begins not only to fear for his own and Millet’s safety, but also for the future of Western civilization.