This was an okay thriller from Child. I've read a couple of his other stand-alone novels and to me they just don't seem as well-written as the novels he co-writes with Douglas Preston. Anyway, in this one, Jeremy Logan, an "enigmalogist" or an investigator who specializes in analyzing phenomena that have no obvious explanation, is contacted by an old colleague named Dr. Ethan Rush, who invites him on an expedition into the Sudd in southern Egypt. The expedition, led by famed archaeologist Dr. Porter Stone, seeks to finally locate and excavate the long-lost tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Narmer, located at the bottom of the swamp. Along for the ride is Rush's wife, Jennifer, who experienced a near death experience that lasted for 14 minutes when she was in an auto accident. This left her with amazing psychic abilities. She and Logan are part of the expedition to try to help locate the tomb and to communicate with any spirits within the tomb. Jennifer appears to get possessed by the spirit of Narmer leading to possible catastrophe. But is it Narmer that has possessed her, someone else, or is it all in Jennifer's mind?
This was a pretty fast read and for the most part enjoyable. However, it didn't really grab me like some of the Preston/Child novels. I did find the information about the Sudd, a vast swamp formed by the White Nile's Ba?r al-Jabal section, to be fascinating. Child references Alan Moorehead's book about early explorations of the Nile, The White Nile, for further descriptions of the Sudd and how it hindered early explorations. I need to read it! Also, the information about Narmer was also interesting. He was evidently the first Pharaoh of Egypt to unify upper and lower Egypt.
This was a pretty fast read and for the most part enjoyable. However, it didn't really grab me like some of the Preston/Child novels. I did find the information about the Sudd, a vast swamp formed by the White Nile's Ba?r al-Jabal section, to be fascinating. Child references Alan Moorehead's book about early explorations of the Nile, The White Nile, for further descriptions of the Sudd and how it hindered early explorations. I need to read it! Also, the information about Narmer was also interesting. He was evidently the first Pharaoh of Egypt to unify upper and lower Egypt.
This book is recommended for anyone who really likes adventure mixed with reality and fed to them as fast as they can devour it.
Good story; what I'd call a "slow burner" to use another's words: the action, while slow in coming was a bit exciting, if not somewhat predictable. I enjoyed the story, but in my "humble" opinion it isn't what I would term a "page turner". If you're the type of reader that loves a story to "grab" you from page one and keep a hold of you throughout, this isn't the book for you.
Great book always enjoy Lincoln Child books.
Lawrence Child has once again taken historical fact and produced an excellent adventure.
An operation worthy of Eli Glinn is dedicated to finding the tomb of the first unified leader of Egypt...at least that's what they think.
Things begin to go arwy almost from the beginning as unexplained disasters repeatedly occur on base.
An enigmatic investigator attempts to explain the occurances and the involvment of a woman who experienced an extreme NDE.
This novel is full of action and historical fact/fiction which is interesting as well as educating. Another winner from one of the top writers currently in the business.
An operation worthy of Eli Glinn is dedicated to finding the tomb of the first unified leader of Egypt...at least that's what they think.
Things begin to go arwy almost from the beginning as unexplained disasters repeatedly occur on base.
An enigmatic investigator attempts to explain the occurances and the involvment of a woman who experienced an extreme NDE.
This novel is full of action and historical fact/fiction which is interesting as well as educating. Another winner from one of the top writers currently in the business.
I decided to read this book because I had read Wilbur Smith's "The Seventh Scroll" over ten years ago. Even after all this time, I thought Smith's lost pharoah's tomb story better than this one. Both stories are absed in the old Kingdom period, albet at slightly different times.
The action is all present-day with barely any mention about the Why behind Dr. Romero's assessment of the tomb's contents. I'm not sure what Egyptian history one can really learn from this action-mystery-technogadget story. There's nothing really new from the little that's mentioned in the 2-weeks of world history most grade schoolers whiz through. There are blatent mistakes - like pliability of 5000+ year old papyrus paper scrolls or the power of the ancient batteries (given the components). These are not acceptable if you're trying to use them as critical plot points.
It says a lot about the plotline that I am nitpicking on the archaeology and chemistry instead of the book's story or characters.
--Kuzu
The action is all present-day with barely any mention about the Why behind Dr. Romero's assessment of the tomb's contents. I'm not sure what Egyptian history one can really learn from this action-mystery-technogadget story. There's nothing really new from the little that's mentioned in the 2-weeks of world history most grade schoolers whiz through. There are blatent mistakes - like pliability of 5000+ year old papyrus paper scrolls or the power of the ancient batteries (given the components). These are not acceptable if you're trying to use them as critical plot points.
It says a lot about the plotline that I am nitpicking on the archaeology and chemistry instead of the book's story or characters.
--Kuzu
