- Paperback
- Publisher: HarperCollins (7 Jan 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007260881
- ISBN-13: 978-0007260881
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,693,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Alexander Cipher
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Product Description
Review
‘A cracking adventure…Enthralling’ The Observer
‘The action crackles along’ Daily Mail
‘This is a hugely entertaining thriller, very much in the vein of Matthew Reilly: an adroit mixture of action, character, and history. The author does an excellent job of keeping the story moving at a brisk clip while giving us all the historical background we require to understand what all the fuss is about, Surprisingly, considering its high quality, this is Adams’ first novel.‘ Booklist
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.Product Description
Non stop adventure and death defying chases in Will Adam’s outstanding debut novel.
It's 318 BC in the deserts of Libya, and Alexander the Great is buried as only a God should be, placed in a Crystal Sarcophagus in a catacomb of chambers, each packed with diamonds, rubies and gold. This was how he should have remained, but time waits for no-one.
2007 and underwater archaeologist Daniel Knox has been on the trail of Alexander's Gold ever since he can remember. When a tomb is uncovered on the construction site of a new hotel, Daniel believes he has found the clue to what he has been working towards for years. But the discovery has alerted two of the most dangerous men in the world, and Daniel is now a marked man.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Will Adams joined a Washington based firm of business history consultants, where he wrote a number of corporate histories and biographies. After working in London for a while, he resigned and sold his home to give himself the opportunity of fulfilling a lifelong ambition to become a writer. If this first novel is anything to go by he will achieve his ambition, with many more books to follow this one and I for one will look forward to reading them.
There has been a spate of novels about that delve back into history. Usually the plot mimics the now infamous Dan Brown book, the Da Vinci Code. It now seems to be the done thing to slate this particular book at every opportunity but I can't help it, I enjoyed that book and also some of the ones that were published on the back of it's success.
This book however is a little different and concentrates on the greed of treasure hunter's, rather than a race against time to save the world from imminent disaster. The overwhelming greed of a number of people rushing to uncover, what in all probability will be the greatest treasure ever found, surpassing even that of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
The tomb of Alexander the Great, one of the most important men in history, has been sought for centuries, but no one has ever come close to revealing the place of his burial. That is until a group of construction workers unwittingly dig open the entrance of an Alexandrian catacomb and the race is on to find the final resting place of Alexander himself. There are many ruthless men who are prepared to kill to be the first to set eyes on the remains of Alexander and the treasure that was undoubtedly buried with him . . .
There has been a spate of novels about that delve back into history. Usually the plot mimics the now infamous Dan Brown book, the Da Vinci Code. It now seems to be the done thing to slate this particular book at every opportunity but I can't help it, I enjoyed that book and also some of the ones that were published on the back of it's success.
This book however is a little different and concentrates on the greed of treasure hunter's, rather than a race against time to save the world from imminent disaster. The overwhelming greed of a number of people rushing to uncover, what in all probability will be the greatest treasure ever found, surpassing even that of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
The tomb of Alexander the Great, one of the most important men in history, has been sought for centuries, but no one has ever come close to revealing the place of his burial. That is until a group of construction workers unwittingly dig open the entrance of an Alexandrian catacomb and the race is on to find the final resting place of Alexander himself. There are many ruthless men who are prepared to kill to be the first to set eyes on the remains of Alexander and the treasure that was undoubtedly buried with him . . .
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really, really enjoyed this book - short, snappy chapters; believable and well defined characters with clarity of purpose; an excellent historical basis (ie. Search for the tomb of Alexander The Great); fast pace, keeping the reader bumping along... all good stuff to me, which is why I'm slightly surprised by some of the more lowly ratings this debut novel has received.
The central character of Daniel Knox is likeable and completely believable. He's flawed (but knows it), has high levels of knowledge in some area's but doesn't have the answer to and for everything (ie. not at all like the 'know-it-all' Robert Langdon from the Dan Brown books) and his reactions to events and circumstance are understandable, including the twist at the end, where the good guys don't necessarily triumph over the baddies.
The action runs along at a quick pace, with the various story strands and characters all well interwoven to ensure that the various elements remain current and connected, even if distanced by space/ time in the book.
I especially enjoyed the historical and archaeological aspects of the book, which the author presented well and I'm pleased he didn't shy away from the shocking loss of an ancient artefact (which was written as the lesser of two evils, providing food for thoughts perhaps).
Top marks from me - would highly recommend as a good summer beach read.
The central character of Daniel Knox is likeable and completely believable. He's flawed (but knows it), has high levels of knowledge in some area's but doesn't have the answer to and for everything (ie. not at all like the 'know-it-all' Robert Langdon from the Dan Brown books) and his reactions to events and circumstance are understandable, including the twist at the end, where the good guys don't necessarily triumph over the baddies.
The action runs along at a quick pace, with the various story strands and characters all well interwoven to ensure that the various elements remain current and connected, even if distanced by space/ time in the book.
I especially enjoyed the historical and archaeological aspects of the book, which the author presented well and I'm pleased he didn't shy away from the shocking loss of an ancient artefact (which was written as the lesser of two evils, providing food for thoughts perhaps).
Top marks from me - would highly recommend as a good summer beach read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Indiana Jones in a modern Egypt but, as with all these capers, based on the search for a maybe mythical lost tomb of Alexander The Great.
Daniel Knox wants to be this character but the story is a bit too long-winded to give him the standing he might otherwise deserve.
If you wanted to know anything about the historic leader of men or, indeed, about the vagaries of modern Egyptian life, this book will give even more than you need. But it's a good story, a decent enough character ensemble but with half the world seemingly intent on finding the tomb all at the same time, it does make you wonder how they all found out just at the right moment.
Anyway, enjoy the adventure, relish the descriptions of Alexander's time when he ruled the world and beware of Greeks offering gifts. In fact, beware of just about everyone in this book. No wonder Knox seems bemused half the time. Still, he survives to live another day and as I have not read any other of Will Adams's books, I've no idea if he turns up again in another novel. I can't say this book makes me want to rush out and see but, if by chance, I come across him, I will probably pick up a copy.
Daniel Knox wants to be this character but the story is a bit too long-winded to give him the standing he might otherwise deserve.
If you wanted to know anything about the historic leader of men or, indeed, about the vagaries of modern Egyptian life, this book will give even more than you need. But it's a good story, a decent enough character ensemble but with half the world seemingly intent on finding the tomb all at the same time, it does make you wonder how they all found out just at the right moment.
Anyway, enjoy the adventure, relish the descriptions of Alexander's time when he ruled the world and beware of Greeks offering gifts. In fact, beware of just about everyone in this book. No wonder Knox seems bemused half the time. Still, he survives to live another day and as I have not read any other of Will Adams's books, I've no idea if he turns up again in another novel. I can't say this book makes me want to rush out and see but, if by chance, I come across him, I will probably pick up a copy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Faction not fiction
This was one of those books where the hero always managed to escape every impossible odds. It was also a book that relied heavily on faction to fill its pages with characters... Read more
Published 28 days ago by Mr. M. Levine
Not the best book I've read
I haven't read the whole book so I can't honestly review it but having got a fourth of the way through it I too had to put it down. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Alastair Rosie
Plot fiizzles out - no characterization
The writing isn't quite as bad as some reviewers have said, and there are at least some sub-plots to add interest, but at the end you just have to admit it was a waste of time. Read more
Published 4 months ago by thegoodbook
Good book
I agree with some of the other reviews that there are maybe too many supporting characters. At times it does get confusing remembering locations and who characters are but on the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Victoria
Action!
I like this style of archeological mystery and intrigue and it's great to find one that reads like a good film. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mr. M. A. Turnbull
Good....but not great
Daniel Knox, a outcast Egyptologist who has seemingly made an enemy of almost everyone is on the trail of the tomb of Alexander the Great. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Aunt Allie
Captivating!
It is hard to find a book where the author grabs you from the first sentence, a book where language is used sparingly yet beautifully (which in turn makes it very easy to read) and... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Zontania
Too many characters
It's acceptable for a début book, it's definitely readable - but I found there were far too many characters - I kept losing track of who some of the fringe figures were. Read more
Published 24 months ago by N. Pearce
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PACKAGED WELL, GOOD CONDITION, FAST DELIVERY
NOT READ IT, IT WAS A GIFT FOR SOMEONE ELSE
NOT READ IT, IT WAS A GIFT FOR SOMEONE ELSE
Published on 6 Feb 2010 by A. J. Redcliffe
Poor poor poor!
I cannot believe I managed to finish this nonsense. I find it harder to believe people have given this 4 and 5 stars! Read more
Published on 13 April 2009 by Tw Parker
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