The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz

By Russell Hoban

In a not-so-distant future when lions are extinct Jachin-Boaz, a middle-aged mapmaker, leaves home with the wonderful map that was to tell his son where to find everything. In the ruins of a palace at Nineveh his son Boaz-Jachin finds the wall-carving of a great lion dying on the spear of an ancient king. In a series of rituals he evokes the long-dead lion and sends him out to stalk his father. Then he follows on the lion's track.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Jun 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781408835692

Russell Hoban

Russell Hoban (1925-2011) was the author of many extraordinary novels including Turtle Diary, Angelica Lost and Found and his masterpiece, Riddley Walker. He also wrote some classic books for children including The Mouse and his Child and the Frances books. Born in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA, he lived in London from 1969 until his death.

Reviews for The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz

[myopicbookworm · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rather baffling. Hoban seems to write each book in a different genre, and here he does symbolic not-quite-magic realism in a form which falls somewhere between Eastern Europe and the Latin America of Marquez or Borges. I couldn't get a grip on it.MB 26-iii-2011

[esta1923 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin Boaz by Russell HobanThe book jacket of my edition (Jonathan Cape 1973) states this is Hoban’s “First adult novel.” Fans of “The Mouse and His Child” may dispute that. I have always called Mouse “A book for children and intelligent adults.” But let’s not split hairs.Like “Mouse” this book requires intelligent adults. Hoban set the bar very high by naming father and son with mirror names. Although I have read it many times I still must stay alert ( p.147 actually used wrong name!) Each rereading, however, increases my appreciation of its beauty. Rather than try to give a synopsis I urge adventurous readers to find the book, and follow the trail(s) that lead to London’s embankment where a constable, a young woman, a telephone booth, a father and son AND a lion (?) collide.