Azazel

A monk encounters the devil and faces terrible temptations during a physical and spiritual journey. Set in the 5th century AD, Azazel is the story of the journey of Hepa, a Coptic (Egyptian Christian) monk, from Upper Egypt to Alexandria and then to Syria during a period of great turmoil in the early days of Christianity. Sometimes able to resist the temptations inflicted by the demon Azazel, other times nearly giving in to his desires, Hepa learns that physical pleasure and spiritual enlightenment can be two sides of the same coin. In brilliant prose that reflects the arid beauty of the Syrian landscape, the book highlights how the history of our civilization has been marked by greed and avarice since its beginnings, and tells us how one man's faith is challenged not only by the malice of the devil, but also by the corruption of the early Church. • Winner of the International Prize for Arabic Literature.