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amy_sweat's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ptothelo's review against another edition
3.0
At one point in my life I really wanted to be an archaeologist, I guess the next best thing is to read an action/adventure based on that. I don't know much about the historical basis around the book. All I rememeber about Alexander the Great is the Gordian Knot and the poorly received Colin Ferrell attempt at a movie. But this book kept me more or less engaged because I was interested in all the historical plots surrounding Alexander and his corpse. I wasn't that invested in the present day characters.
etherealtree's review against another edition
1.0
I could tell this wasn't the book for me in the first chapter after the main character gratuitously described a coworker's boobs. And then I looked at other reviews and apparently it doesn't get any better.
inkstndfngrs's review against another edition
2.0
I found Gail (listened to the audio, so I'm not entirely sure how that's spelled) to be very obnoxious. Maybe more so than people found Knox himself. I understand why a lot of people didn't find him particularly American, but I think they forget to take into account that when you live and work among a certain culture for an amount of time, you're going to take on traits of those people. His best friend is an Austrailian: hence he (annoyingly) uses the word "mate" and several other words. Also, he's an archaeologist that has been living in Egypt for the past 10 years. That aside...it was an OK story. I found the Augustive/Elaine sex scene a little much (and pointless), and everything was rather graphic at the end, but over all...it was all right.
hislibraianshiprecommends's review against another edition
Archaeological thriller. Fun read with some history thrown in.
git_r_read's review against another edition
4.0
Whew! I now want to become an archaeologist and dig in the dirt and learn more about Alexander the Great...
There was a lot of backstory that I hope will be covered in the future books of this series. The explanations of Alexander and his demise were interspersed with a whole lot of action and people getting whacked and drugged and kidnapped while searching for the final resting place of Alexander. A good mixture for me to get me back in the thriller mode that I've been neglecting for, lo, these many months.
I could compare the style to a Dirk Pitt novel, but Daniel Knox actually feels pain and takes a while to get up from getting beat up. I've never had the feeling that Dirk ever really feels pain, but that's okay. I read the Dirk Pitt books for other reasons, mainly because I picture Matthew McConaghey as I read them thanks to the movie Sahara. Still working on who I cast as Daniel Knox....
Four treasure trove beans.....
There was a lot of backstory that I hope will be covered in the future books of this series. The explanations of Alexander and his demise were interspersed with a whole lot of action and people getting whacked and drugged and kidnapped while searching for the final resting place of Alexander. A good mixture for me to get me back in the thriller mode that I've been neglecting for, lo, these many months.
I could compare the style to a Dirk Pitt novel, but Daniel Knox actually feels pain and takes a while to get up from getting beat up. I've never had the feeling that Dirk ever really feels pain, but that's okay. I read the Dirk Pitt books for other reasons, mainly because I picture Matthew McConaghey as I read them thanks to the movie Sahara. Still working on who I cast as Daniel Knox....
Four treasure trove beans.....
foiltheplot's review against another edition
3.0
Full Review at Foil the Plot
"An unconquerable warrior king, Alexander was the single most powerful man on the planet and thought to be a god. Now, nearly 2,500 years later, the discovery of his tomb, seemingly lost forever, is within reach, triggering a deadly hunt for one of the greatest treasures of all time. Knox is not the only seeker; others are after the prize, and they would kill to win it." –Amazon.com
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What do you get when you cross Alexander the Great, Homer (not Simpson) and Ancient Egyptian lore? You get The Alexander Cipher—a race to discover the lost tomb of the ancient world’s greatest warrior. Anyone who’s met me knows that I’m a self-professed historical fiction/adventure enthusiast. If Indiana Jones had a secret affair with Michael Bay, the resulting love-child would be my favourite kind of book. Something like, say, this one. Written in the style of Clive Cussler or Steve Berry, Adams has crafted a riveting narrative full of action and adventure with a twist of compelling mystery.
Alexander the Great is an incredibly intriguing figure and it’s evident that Adams has done his homework. His research blurred the lines between fact and fiction seamlessly and there’s definitely something to be said for that. The main problem I’ve found with this genre is that there’s a thin line between need-to-know fact and tedious detail. Many novels go so far in-depth with the facts that you’re left feeling like you’re sitting in a classroom. Adams balances the nitty gritty detail with just enough flair to keep you feeling engaged, not bored. There are plot twists and cliff-hangers looming around every corner; enough to keep you on your toes. Any novel that can blend the likes of history with the throes of an edgy thriller is a total winner in my book.
I guess my only real problem with The Alexander Cipher was the lack of an appealing main character. It’s not that they weren’t likeable, for all intensive purposes, they could be worse; it’s just that they aren’t notably strong. Adams missed the mark in making our main man, Daniel Knox, identifiable. He’s an enigma with one too many personality shifts—American to British to Egyptian—it’s just distracting. Our leading lady, Gaille, is way too weak and fickle for my tastes. One minute she hates Knox and the next minute she loves him. I couldn’t quite keep track. And look, I get it. Archaeologists aren’t action heroes. Understood. But would it have been too much to ask to take a little fire from Gaille’s overbearing boss, Elena, and shove it into her instead? Her timid act was just not relatable from a reader’s standpoint. I wanted to shake the meekness right out of her the entire time I was reading.
While this might seem like a huge issue (believe me, in most cases it is) Adams supplements this loss with an amazing cast of supporting characters. Tell me you’re not intrigued by a man like Mohammed, who risked everything to save the life of his terminally ill daughter. Tell me you wouldn’t like to kick some serious ass with the likes of Knox’s Aussie pal, Rick. Tell me you weren’t floored by the dedication of Dr. Ibrahim Beyumi. I’ve never seen someone who loves their job so much and it’s inspiring. Oh and the honorable goon Nessin. Honorable goon? An oxymoron, yes, but still true nonetheless. These guys are worth reading about and these guys made me overlook the book’s inherit flaws. Girlish side note here: I have a bit of a bookish crush on Knox’s wayward friend, Augustin. He’s just so damn charming! I’d be like total putty in those French hands of his!
Despite the book’s shortcomings, all in all, the twists and turns kept me satisfied enough to overlook them. There was an unpredictability in where Adams was going with storyline and enough action to keep the Bay in me at bay. When I finish a historical book and feel an immediate thirst for more knowledge on said subject, I know something was done right. The Alexander Cipher accomplished such a task and did exactly what a book of this genre should do—kept me turning the page and wanting for more.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
"An unconquerable warrior king, Alexander was the single most powerful man on the planet and thought to be a god. Now, nearly 2,500 years later, the discovery of his tomb, seemingly lost forever, is within reach, triggering a deadly hunt for one of the greatest treasures of all time. Knox is not the only seeker; others are after the prize, and they would kill to win it." –Amazon.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you get when you cross Alexander the Great, Homer (not Simpson) and Ancient Egyptian lore? You get The Alexander Cipher—a race to discover the lost tomb of the ancient world’s greatest warrior. Anyone who’s met me knows that I’m a self-professed historical fiction/adventure enthusiast. If Indiana Jones had a secret affair with Michael Bay, the resulting love-child would be my favourite kind of book. Something like, say, this one. Written in the style of Clive Cussler or Steve Berry, Adams has crafted a riveting narrative full of action and adventure with a twist of compelling mystery.
Alexander the Great is an incredibly intriguing figure and it’s evident that Adams has done his homework. His research blurred the lines between fact and fiction seamlessly and there’s definitely something to be said for that. The main problem I’ve found with this genre is that there’s a thin line between need-to-know fact and tedious detail. Many novels go so far in-depth with the facts that you’re left feeling like you’re sitting in a classroom. Adams balances the nitty gritty detail with just enough flair to keep you feeling engaged, not bored. There are plot twists and cliff-hangers looming around every corner; enough to keep you on your toes. Any novel that can blend the likes of history with the throes of an edgy thriller is a total winner in my book.
I guess my only real problem with The Alexander Cipher was the lack of an appealing main character. It’s not that they weren’t likeable, for all intensive purposes, they could be worse; it’s just that they aren’t notably strong. Adams missed the mark in making our main man, Daniel Knox, identifiable. He’s an enigma with one too many personality shifts—American to British to Egyptian—it’s just distracting. Our leading lady, Gaille, is way too weak and fickle for my tastes. One minute she hates Knox and the next minute she loves him. I couldn’t quite keep track. And look, I get it. Archaeologists aren’t action heroes. Understood. But would it have been too much to ask to take a little fire from Gaille’s overbearing boss, Elena, and shove it into her instead? Her timid act was just not relatable from a reader’s standpoint. I wanted to shake the meekness right out of her the entire time I was reading.
While this might seem like a huge issue (believe me, in most cases it is) Adams supplements this loss with an amazing cast of supporting characters. Tell me you’re not intrigued by a man like Mohammed, who risked everything to save the life of his terminally ill daughter. Tell me you wouldn’t like to kick some serious ass with the likes of Knox’s Aussie pal, Rick. Tell me you weren’t floored by the dedication of Dr. Ibrahim Beyumi. I’ve never seen someone who loves their job so much and it’s inspiring. Oh and the honorable goon Nessin. Honorable goon? An oxymoron, yes, but still true nonetheless. These guys are worth reading about and these guys made me overlook the book’s inherit flaws. Girlish side note here: I have a bit of a bookish crush on Knox’s wayward friend, Augustin. He’s just so damn charming! I’d be like total putty in those French hands of his!
Despite the book’s shortcomings, all in all, the twists and turns kept me satisfied enough to overlook them. There was an unpredictability in where Adams was going with storyline and enough action to keep the Bay in me at bay. When I finish a historical book and feel an immediate thirst for more knowledge on said subject, I know something was done right. The Alexander Cipher accomplished such a task and did exactly what a book of this genre should do—kept me turning the page and wanting for more.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
lazylys's review against another edition
2.0
Sarà che non sono in periodo di thriller, sarà che avevo la testa via mentre leggevo, ma questo libro non m'ha preso più di tanto.
Si fa leggere, questo sì, ma m'è parso con un po' troppa carne al fuoco a livello di intreccio, con un po' troppe coincidenze fortuite (o meno) e con un stile troppo secco per i miei gusti.
Un po' forzate anche alcune "spiegazioni per tutti" sugli eventi e le peripezie del post-morte di Alessandro, forzate per non dire assurde: chi si metterebbe a spiegare il perché e il percome delle guerre di successione quando si hanno pochi minuti per uscire da un sito archeologico in cui ci si è avventurati illegalmente?
Si fa leggere, questo sì, ma m'è parso con un po' troppa carne al fuoco a livello di intreccio, con un po' troppe coincidenze fortuite (o meno) e con un stile troppo secco per i miei gusti.
Un po' forzate anche alcune "spiegazioni per tutti" sugli eventi e le peripezie del post-morte di Alessandro, forzate per non dire assurde: chi si metterebbe a spiegare il perché e il percome delle guerre di successione quando si hanno pochi minuti per uscire da un sito archeologico in cui ci si è avventurati illegalmente?
ameliediva's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
carolynf's review
3.0
Nice beach read - fun modern archaeological thriller, with an Indiana Jones vibe.