Egypt. It is a mysterious land where ancient history and modern living can’t help but become entwined as millions of people try to carve out an existence in the poverty stricken remnants of one of this world’s oldest known civilizations, one whose secrets are still being reveled every day as archeologist, both well known and unknown, slowly try to brush away the sands of time. One of those
Book Reviews - The Lost Army of Cambyses by Paul Sussman
mysteries involves an army sent by the Persian ruler Cambyses to lay waste to the Oasis of Siwa in the western deserts of Egypt, an army which disappeared several days into its campaign, thought swallowed up by a massive sandstorm. For thousands of years people have been trying to find this army without any luck, something which has caused many to question whether or not the story of this army was true or simply a myth. If true many claim that the eventual discovery of this army would be the greatest Egyptian archeological find ever, one that would make the uncovering of Tutankhamun tomb seem trivial.
In his novel The Lost Army of Cambyses Paul Sussman shows us what could happen if evidence of this lost army’s location were unknowably uncovered in a small tomb and the artifacts from within illegally sold off to antiquity dealers. Time passes and eventually several murders occur, the victims being those that handled these artifacts. Unfortunately the connection between these murders is not realized due to the distances between them and a lack of communication between police departments, something which looks to be a regular problem within the country and allows the motive behind the murders to go unnoticed for a long period of time. Thankfully one police detective, Khalifa, does think there is more to the murder he is investigating that meets the eye and does everything he can to solve it, something which causes him to run afoul of his bosses and those who wielded the murder weapon. At the same time a young woman from England named Tara Mullray arrives in Egypt after being invited by her father, a famous archeologist who she has been distanced from for many years, only to find him dead. At first the death seems natural, but then Tara realizes she is being followed and eventually discovers an artifact her father had hidden as part of a fun little treasure hunt he was planning for her. Once this happens Tara becomes the focus of the killer’s attention, along with Khalifa, both of whom slowly but surely learn the truth behind the artifacts and their connection to the lost army of Cambyses.
Well written and incredibly engaging, The Lost Army of Cambyses is a fun thrill ride that is hard to put down and will leave the reader feeling as if they have just gone on a harrowing journey through the crowded cities and harsh deserts of Egypt, one which requires them to brush the sand out of their windswept hair every time they close the book. In addition, it is refreshing to finally have an adventure novel like this that is believable and doesn’t have a dozen main characters all betraying each other time and time again. Now, I’m not saying there aren’t betrayals within this book, but they are all grounded in a reality that one could easily picture on the five o’clock news rather than the silver screen. All in all a great read, one that fans of international intrigue and archeological adventure should not pass up.
The lost army of Cambyses may not be lost any longer. Recent archeological digs in Egypt claim to have uncovered a large army, one that dates back to the time of this mass disappearance. Only time will tell if it is actually the army of Cambyses.
In his novel The Lost Army of Cambyses Paul Sussman shows us what could happen if evidence of this lost army’s location were unknowably uncovered in a small tomb and the artifacts from within illegally sold off to antiquity dealers. Time passes and eventually several murders occur, the victims being those that handled these artifacts. Unfortunately the connection between these murders is not realized due to the distances between them and a lack of communication between police departments, something which looks to be a regular problem within the country and allows the motive behind the murders to go unnoticed for a long period of time. Thankfully one police detective, Khalifa, does think there is more to the murder he is investigating that meets the eye and does everything he can to solve it, something which causes him to run afoul of his bosses and those who wielded the murder weapon. At the same time a young woman from England named Tara Mullray arrives in Egypt after being invited by her father, a famous archeologist who she has been distanced from for many years, only to find him dead. At first the death seems natural, but then Tara realizes she is being followed and eventually discovers an artifact her father had hidden as part of a fun little treasure hunt he was planning for her. Once this happens Tara becomes the focus of the killer’s attention, along with Khalifa, both of whom slowly but surely learn the truth behind the artifacts and their connection to the lost army of Cambyses.
Well written and incredibly engaging, The Lost Army of Cambyses is a fun thrill ride that is hard to put down and will leave the reader feeling as if they have just gone on a harrowing journey through the crowded cities and harsh deserts of Egypt, one which requires them to brush the sand out of their windswept hair every time they close the book. In addition, it is refreshing to finally have an adventure novel like this that is believable and doesn’t have a dozen main characters all betraying each other time and time again. Now, I’m not saying there aren’t betrayals within this book, but they are all grounded in a reality that one could easily picture on the five o’clock news rather than the silver screen. All in all a great read, one that fans of international intrigue and archeological adventure should not pass up.
The lost army of Cambyses may not be lost any longer. Recent archeological digs in Egypt claim to have uncovered a large army, one that dates back to the time of this mass disappearance. Only time will tell if it is actually the army of Cambyses.
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