A három márványfej: Regény, kritikával elegy

The opening of this tale feels more like a lively symposium than a conventional novel, with a self‑aware critic and author sparring over the meaning of three marble heads. Set in a remote Dalmatian monastery from the early Crusades, the story claims the stone busts house the preserved bones of three biblical men who miraculously survived a king’s furnace. The author playfully refuses to reveal the final explanation, inviting listeners to follow the debate as it unfolds in the first chapter.

Enter Galeatoris János, a flamboyant patrician whose warehouse is stocked with exotic relics, copies of sacred artifacts, and the occasional curious curiosity. When King Endre of Hungary commissions a batch of these holy objects from him, the stakes rise and the mystery of the marble heads deepens. Through witty footnotes and vivid descriptions, the narrative weaves archaeology, theology, and a dash of satire into a compelling first act that promises more intrigue.