A Thorny Path is a historical novel set in ancient Egypt, portraying a tale of young girls Melissa, daughter of Alexandrian gem-cutter and artist Heron. "Above the huge stone edifice which was thus lighted up, the dome of the Serapeum rose high into the air, its summit appearing to touch the sky. Never had the gigantic structure seemed so beautiful to the girl, who had only seen it by daylight; for under the illumination, arranged by a master-hand, every line stood out more clearly than in the sunlight; and in the presence of this wonderful sight Melissa's impressionable young soul forgot the trouble that had weighed on it, and her heart beat higher. Her lonely life with her father had hitherto fully satisfied her, and she had, never yet dreamed of anything better in the future than a quiet and modest existence, caring for him and her brothers; but now she thankfully experienced the pleasure of seeing for once something really grand and fine, and rejoiced at having escaped for a while from the monotony of each day and hour. Once, too, she had been with her brothers and Diodoros, Alexander's greatest friend, to see a wild-beast fight, followed by a combat of gladiators; but she had come home frightened and sorrowful, for what she had seen had horrified more than it had interested her. And yet she had loved Diodoros from her childhood, and she would have enjoyed sitting quietly by his side more than looking on at the show."

Georg Ebers (1837-1898) was a German Egyptologist and novelist. He is best known for his discovery of the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical documents in the world. Ebers early conceived the idea of popularizing Egyptian lore by means of historical romances. His first novel, An Egyptian Princess, obtained a great success. His subsequent works of the same kind were also well received, and did much to make the public familiar with the discoveries of Egyptologists. Ebers also turned his attention to other fields of historical fiction especially the 16th century.