Breath of Allah (Fantasy and Horror Classics)

<p><strong>In the exotic labyrinth of Cairo a highly sought-after secret is guarded by a lethal ancient tradition.</strong></p><p>Sax Rohmer the creator of the sinister Fu Manchu transports the reader to the sun-drenched shadowy backstreets of the Near East in <em>The Breath of Allah.</em></p><p>The story centers on a narrator a Westerner in disguise who is commissioned by a powerful London consortium to unravel the secret formula of a legendary Oriental perfume known as the Breath of Allah. This rare and priceless fragrance is the exclusive hereditary property of an ancient and aristocratic Egyptian family and its manufacture is a closely guarded secret surrounded by myth and tradition.</p><p>The quest for the formula leads the narrator to a hidden Cairo perfumer and eventually to an old man who reveals the truth behind the scent: its creation is not merely chemistry but a magical ritual involving a ceremonial distillation that must begin precisely at midnight on the eve of the Prophet's birthday with each essence blessed by an Imam. The perfume is not just a commercial product; it is tied to an ancient powerful family secret stretching back to the time of the Khalif.</p><p>The story is a tense exploration of occult secrets Eastern mysticism and the danger faced by a Westerner attempting to steal a sacred secret transforming a simple commercial espionage mission into a perilous confrontation with Arabic magic and tradition.</p>