The Abyssinian

infobox Book |
name = The Abyssinian
title_orig = L'Abyssin
translator = Willard Wood


image_caption =
author = Jean-Christophe Rufin
cover_artist =
country = France
language = French
series =
genre = Historical novel
publisher = W W Norton (USA Eng. trans.))
release_date = 1997 (orig) (October 1999 - US Eng trans.)
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 448 pp (US Eng trans.)
isbn = ISBN 0-393-04716-4 (US Eng trans.)
preceded_by =
followed_by = The Siege of Isfahan

"The Abyssinian" ( _fr. L'Abyssin) is an 1997 historical adventure novel by Jean-Christophe Rufin.

Plot introduction

The Abyssinian tells the story of a young French physician who is sent as part of a diplomatic mission to Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia). Along the way he must face various perils while trying to win over his true love.

Characters in "The Abyssinian"

*Jean-Baptiste Poncet a French apothecarian who has been practicing medicine without a formal license.
*Maître Juremi a colleague of Jean-Baptiste who has fled France because of his Protestant religious beliefs
*Monsieur de Maillet the French consul in Cairo
*Monsieur de Macé an expert linguist who works for Monsieur de Maillet