Publisher's Synopsis
Children of the Eclipse
by Samir Sukkar
Set in an unspecified modern era, this is the story of a couple who are radically transformed after participating in a research experiment run by a shadowy company. After having enjoyed colourful days as a student, years later, John and Elisa Hunter have fallen into a stagnant rut in their lives after a car accident while under the influence. They are childless and have financial troubles. They discover a possible answer to their situations- an ad in the paper requesting the paid participation of couples in an assisted fertilisation project. At the same time, an upcoming eclipse is announced over the radio-and this incident will shape the events of everyone's life. Eventually, they decide to participate in the experiment. While preparing himself to provide his sperm, he has a metaphysical encounter with Isis, the Egyptian goddess of life, magic, women and childbearing. They realize that the rather impressive pay for their participation comes with many strange stipulations. Alexander Setinian, an academic and scientist who heads up the Osiris Project, is having moral and personality conflicts with his old schoolmate, Jim Norton.Ruth Mulligan is the technician working with the childless couples, but due to the eclipse, a mistake was made but was kept quiet. While successful, the technique used in the experiment resulted in clones of the father and mother, a fact hidden by MFGR and discovered by John and Elise only after many years. The children, Sun and Moon, born at the same time but technically not twins, grew up, grew close and flourished. With new life in their home and the addition of the money they were given by MFGR, things were improving for the Hunter family. John and Elisa take a trip to Egypt, where they learn about the ancient Egyptians and where John recalls his strange meeting with Isis and falls sick. They are befriended in a chic Cairo club by Alexander Setinian, not knowing of their previous connection through the Osiris Project. While John is home feeling sick from his mystical experience, Elisa begins to discover her sensuality in a Turkish bath, and afterwards, continuing her exploration, she gets close to Alexander during an archaeological dig, experiencing real passion that wasn't happening at home with John. Back home, they discover that Sun is experiencing extreme allergic reactions to people in general and is moved away from his boarding school back home to their remote cottage on Mount Shasta, where he is isolated with only his family for company. Moon, on the other hand, rejects the isolation her brother lives in and wants to travel, partly because Sun's dependence on her weighs heavily on her. Sun and Moon grow up to look exactly like their parents when they were younger but suspect nothing. Sun then begins to develop an unhealthy attraction towards Moon, which he tries to repress but feels conflicted. But life goes on until one day, John and Elisa die suddenly in a tragic accident on the mountain. John's last words left Sun wondering about his true origins. Sun and Moon survive with the help of a judge of their inheritance while Moon learns to take care of her brother's affairs, but this leaves her fatigued. Sun soon transforms his enormous grief into music, and despite living in isolation, he becomes an upcoming young composer. During a trip to Japan to receive a prize for her brother, Moon develops an intense relationship with Sugita, a Japanese girl who shows her the way to liberate her heart and mind. She decides to stay for months, and when she re-energises, she decides to put an order in her life and help her brother cure his allergies so he can be free to see the world.
....