Review: The Egyptian - Layton Green

Series: Dominic Grey #2

Genre: mystery/suspense

Pages: 327 (ebook)

Date Published: August 27th 2011

Source: For review

Review by Lis

At a mausoleum in Cairo’s most notorious cemetery, a mercenary receives a package containing a silver test tube suspended in hydraulic stasis. An investigative reporter tracking rogue biomedical companies is terrified by the appearance of a mummified man outside her Manhattan apartment. A Bulgarian scientist who dabbles in the occult makes a startling discovery in his underground laboratory.

These seemingly separate events collide when Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, private investigators of cults, are hired by the CEO of an Egyptian biomedical firm to locate stolen research integral to the company’s new life extension product. However, after witnessing the slaughter of a team of scientists by the remnants of a dangerous cult thought long abandoned, Grey and Viktor turn from pursuers to pursued.

From the gleaming corridors of visionary laboratories to the cobblestone alleys of Eastern Europe to a lost oasis in the Sahara, Grey and Viktor must sift through science and myth to uncover the truth behind the Egyptian and his sinister biotech – before that truth kills them.

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*Squee* Remember how a while back I reviewed Layton Green’s The Summoner? Remember just how much I loved it and recommended you read this book too? Well a while back B. was contacted by the author to do a pre-release of the author’s latest book: The Egyptian. Let me tell you, I was one happy happy woman when she got me that request. Needless to say I got right down to reading, but the knights put me of from writing the review. So here I am with my notebook full of squee about this book. Let’s see if I can get you to squee right along with me.

To tell you the truth, this book is not a girly, squee, romantic kind of book. It’s quite the thoughtful and scary story, full of details of myths and history, occultism, background and world building, and a mystery to rival The DaVinci Code.

Remember Dominic Grey? In The Summoner he worked for the Diplomatic Service, but since then he started working for our other hero: Professor Viktor Radek, who specializes in religious phenomenology. Basically, he consults high ranking clients on dangerous, obscure cults. Grey is James Bond to Viktor’s Indiana Jones and together they make one heck of a team.

This time the mystery involves a mummy. Alright, I’m kidding. There is a mummy but the mystery goes much deeper than that. Initially Grey and Radek are hired by an Egyptian company to locate stole research on something oh so interesting – I’ll let you find that out for yourself – but it isn’t long before they run into a dangerous cult and things get real interesting real quick. You know how cults, religion and science make a very bad mix? Well you ain’t seen nothing yet!

Like in the first book there is a lot of information in this book. There is a lot of background on myth, history and the occult and cults (and the cult featured in this book actually made my skin crawl). The flow of information in this book is well balanced by both the story and the characters. Grey is just as interesting and rogue as in the first book and Radek is just as mysterious. While they are the main characters in this story, they are supported by a well-balanced cast. These characters are not just your average story characters. They are complex, interesting and mysterious. The author gives you just enough to keep you wondering as to what they role in the story really is. One character I found most interesting was Veronica.

The setting in The Egyptian is breathtaking. Layton knows how to write the characters’ surroundings in such a way that it almost feels as if you’re actually there. Just like in The Summoner this story takes you places: from Egypt to Eastern Europe. It’s nice to see a setting that doesn’t feature America predominantly.

The Egyptian is a rare gem that puts the DaVinci Code to shame. It’s a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, makes you want to grab your teddy bear and hide under the covers just as it keeps you from putting it down because you want to know what happens next. I sure hope this author keeps writing!

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A quick Note from me regarding this weekend and a great deal. The Summoner (which is the first book) and this book, The Egyptian will be

On Sale for $.99 for The Release Weekend Only!