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brennanlafaro's review against another edition
5.0
I’m going to preface this by saying that I love when mythology twines together with my horror. Whether it be aspects of Greek, Norse, Celtic, Japanese, or in this case Egyptian, I love diving into the complex explanations and stories created by ancient cultures. When these stories break into the modern, or semi-modern day, driving into the lives of real people, I’m there for the ride. That said, this book had an A from the get-go, but it had to work to keep that A.
Tomb of Gods is precisely the type of novel I can never imagine myself writing. I mean, I would absolutely love to sign my name to something like this, but there’s an unparalleled depth of imagination on display here. It feels like everything, including the kitchen sink, is thrown at us, but it never feels like too much. The foundation is based heavily in Egyptian mythology, but Moreland is still able to put his own unique stamp on the world building that takes place here.
The story follows Imogen Riley, an Egyptologist whose Grandfather’s team disappears during an expedition. He reappears a year later covered head to toe in markings and symbols, and no longer in his right mind. Imogen leaps at an opportunity to retrace the steps of the expedition in question and try to unravel the mystery of what happened. What follows is a journey into the heart of Egyptian gods and lore, the underworld and afterlife associated with the mythology, and all the creatures that come along with it, some natural, some decidedly not. There is a kind of labyrinthian element to the way the dark realm leads our cast of characters through puzzles and challenges, ramping things up toward the conclusion.
The pacing here is top notch, using short chapters and consistent action to keep the reader perpetually engaged. I saw this book described somewhere as an R-rated version of Indiana Jones, and this comparison definitely works. There’s almost a moment where we go full Crystal Skull, but thankfully Moreland spares us and we end up with a satisfying conclusion that explores the origins of the main set of Egyptian gods.
Tomb of Gods freaked me out at some times, and entertained me at all others. People who enjoy horror interlaced with action and adventure will enjoy this. Anyone like me who likes mythology-based horror will love this.
I was given a copy by the publisher for review consideration.
Tomb of Gods is precisely the type of novel I can never imagine myself writing. I mean, I would absolutely love to sign my name to something like this, but there’s an unparalleled depth of imagination on display here. It feels like everything, including the kitchen sink, is thrown at us, but it never feels like too much. The foundation is based heavily in Egyptian mythology, but Moreland is still able to put his own unique stamp on the world building that takes place here.
The story follows Imogen Riley, an Egyptologist whose Grandfather’s team disappears during an expedition. He reappears a year later covered head to toe in markings and symbols, and no longer in his right mind. Imogen leaps at an opportunity to retrace the steps of the expedition in question and try to unravel the mystery of what happened. What follows is a journey into the heart of Egyptian gods and lore, the underworld and afterlife associated with the mythology, and all the creatures that come along with it, some natural, some decidedly not. There is a kind of labyrinthian element to the way the dark realm leads our cast of characters through puzzles and challenges, ramping things up toward the conclusion.
The pacing here is top notch, using short chapters and consistent action to keep the reader perpetually engaged. I saw this book described somewhere as an R-rated version of Indiana Jones, and this comparison definitely works. There’s almost a moment where we go full Crystal Skull, but thankfully Moreland spares us and we end up with a satisfying conclusion that explores the origins of the main set of Egyptian gods.
Tomb of Gods freaked me out at some times, and entertained me at all others. People who enjoy horror interlaced with action and adventure will enjoy this. Anyone like me who likes mythology-based horror will love this.
I was given a copy by the publisher for review consideration.
rowena_m_andrews's review against another edition
4.0
As someone with a long-standing interest in archaeology, and who never really grew out of that ‘Ancient Egypt’ phase – the best topic we ever did in history, and we only touched it once – there was no way I could resist ‘Tomb of Gods’. Especially with fantasy and horror thrown into the ring at the same time, and this book did not disappoint.
This is not a factual book, and you have to have some suspension of belief – but then if you read the summary, hopefully, you would know that. However, saying that, the research was clearly there and woven throughout the book, giving it that necessary grounding before hooking us into the unknown. Between the research and the writing, I found myself being transported into the world that was being described, it was very vivid, authentic, and carried the same awe that you feel when watching anything exploring Ancient Egyptian ruins/sites.
Tomb of Gods was a thrilling and chilling read, cleverly weaving together history with mythology, with the creeping presence of horror underneath. It was very atmospheric horror, it seeped into every corner of the story without being overwhelming or overdone, and played very cleverly with the reader’s own imagination by focusing more on the aftermath, the evidence, offering us glimpses of what lay underneath and letting us fill in the rest. This combined with the fast pacing, and short chapters, keeps everything moving and leaves you on edge, holding your breath, and it was a brilliant sensation (if a little unnerving at times).
Imogen was a fantastic character, and I could have happily followed a story entirely focused on her, but I enjoyed the entire cast and liked that we were able to see from their points of view throughout the story too. I would like to have seen more from some of the characters, particularly the locals and the other archaeologists involved, and there was at times an almost lack of emotional consequence from the casualties being incurred. However, that is very much a minor complaint in light of the rest of the book.
I would highly recommend Tomb of Gods; it was a gripping read that I couldn’t put down from start to finish. Yes, it played with some common ideas, but it did it in a very fresh, unique way that makes this book stand out brilliantly, and has left me wanting to read more of the author’s work.
This is not a factual book, and you have to have some suspension of belief – but then if you read the summary, hopefully, you would know that. However, saying that, the research was clearly there and woven throughout the book, giving it that necessary grounding before hooking us into the unknown. Between the research and the writing, I found myself being transported into the world that was being described, it was very vivid, authentic, and carried the same awe that you feel when watching anything exploring Ancient Egyptian ruins/sites.
Tomb of Gods was a thrilling and chilling read, cleverly weaving together history with mythology, with the creeping presence of horror underneath. It was very atmospheric horror, it seeped into every corner of the story without being overwhelming or overdone, and played very cleverly with the reader’s own imagination by focusing more on the aftermath, the evidence, offering us glimpses of what lay underneath and letting us fill in the rest. This combined with the fast pacing, and short chapters, keeps everything moving and leaves you on edge, holding your breath, and it was a brilliant sensation (if a little unnerving at times).
Imogen was a fantastic character, and I could have happily followed a story entirely focused on her, but I enjoyed the entire cast and liked that we were able to see from their points of view throughout the story too. I would like to have seen more from some of the characters, particularly the locals and the other archaeologists involved, and there was at times an almost lack of emotional consequence from the casualties being incurred. However, that is very much a minor complaint in light of the rest of the book.
I would highly recommend Tomb of Gods; it was a gripping read that I couldn’t put down from start to finish. Yes, it played with some common ideas, but it did it in a very fresh, unique way that makes this book stand out brilliantly, and has left me wanting to read more of the author’s work.
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a lot of fun to read and I wasn't able to put it down turning pages as fast I could.
It begins as an old-style adventure book set in Egypt, it develops into an interesting horror with some mystical undertones.
I loved the plot that flows and the great world building, the interesting cast of characters and the how the POV changes giving you an insight into all the characters.
I look forward to read other books by this author.
It was a gripping and entertaining read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It begins as an old-style adventure book set in Egypt, it develops into an interesting horror with some mystical undertones.
I loved the plot that flows and the great world building, the interesting cast of characters and the how the POV changes giving you an insight into all the characters.
I look forward to read other books by this author.
It was a gripping and entertaining read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
sunsoar25's review against another edition
4.0
received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tomb of Gods is my first novel by Brian Moreland, but I guarantee that it will not be my last. I was totally sold on the Egyptian mythology, mummies, archaeologists, and Egyptologist in a pre-WWII setting. Everything else was just the icing on the cake. I can officially say that I greatly appreciated Moreland's brand of horror. He definitely gets the job done of scaring the heck out of his readers with his incredibly atmospheric and claustrophobic writing style. I also enjoyed getting to know his characters, especially Imogen, an Egyptologist, who undergoes quite a journey over the course of her story. If you're a fan of The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001) which are a couple of my all time favorites, I have a feeling you'll get a kick out of this action-packed horror novel. I'm looking forward to trying more from Brian Moreland in the future after my first outing here.
Tomb of Gods is my first novel by Brian Moreland, but I guarantee that it will not be my last. I was totally sold on the Egyptian mythology, mummies, archaeologists, and Egyptologist in a pre-WWII setting. Everything else was just the icing on the cake. I can officially say that I greatly appreciated Moreland's brand of horror. He definitely gets the job done of scaring the heck out of his readers with his incredibly atmospheric and claustrophobic writing style. I also enjoyed getting to know his characters, especially Imogen, an Egyptologist, who undergoes quite a journey over the course of her story. If you're a fan of The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001) which are a couple of my all time favorites, I have a feeling you'll get a kick out of this action-packed horror novel. I'm looking forward to trying more from Brian Moreland in the future after my first outing here.
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