The Rock of Tanios

About “The Rock of Tanios”

The novel The Rock of Tanios by Amin Maalouf is set in the 1880s in the mountains of Lebanon, during a time of political conflict. Tanios was the illegitimate son of a powerful sheik whose actions created turmoil in his village. After his adopted father killed a political rival, they fled their homeland. While in hiding, they became involved with spies and politicians, and Tanios took on the role of mediator between European and Middle Eastern powers. The story begins with a recollection of the rock where Tanios was last seen, weaving together the legend of his disappearance.