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balthazarlawson's review
3.0
Curtis O'Connor, CIA agent, is on holidays in Egypt with his semi-girlfriend, Aleta Wiezman, an archaeologist. They make a discovery in an old shop in a bizarre that puts them, unknowingly, on a collision course with the world's richest man, Sheldon Crowley, who, along with his rich associates, has plans for world domination.
Unfortunately, this is where it kind of gets convoluted as a novel as there are so many different story lines. There's the American presidential election, the reporters covering that, the terrorists trying to destroy the west, the greedy Pakistani general trying to acquire stolen art, the discovery of ancient ruins and so many more events. It just gets confusing and then there is the huge time jump without really realising that it's taken place. There are so many themes that the ending is extremely rushed and unsatisfying. Plus there is the bad editing to contend with as the wrong character names are used in several places and it leaves the reading confused and have to check if what was written is correct or not or did I just miss something.
The story needed streamlining but it's still mildly entertaining.
Unfortunately, this is where it kind of gets convoluted as a novel as there are so many different story lines. There's the American presidential election, the reporters covering that, the terrorists trying to destroy the west, the greedy Pakistani general trying to acquire stolen art, the discovery of ancient ruins and so many more events. It just gets confusing and then there is the huge time jump without really realising that it's taken place. There are so many themes that the ending is extremely rushed and unsatisfying. Plus there is the bad editing to contend with as the wrong character names are used in several places and it leaves the reading confused and have to check if what was written is correct or not or did I just miss something.
The story needed streamlining but it's still mildly entertaining.
tricky's review against another edition
2.0
I was lucky enough to be given an advance copy by Penguin Books Australia for an honest review and I promise to do that.
There are rumours that in Egypt that there is a lost papyrus that will reveal the true source of the pyramids and that they just maybe a new source of energy. CIA agent Curtis O’Connor and archaeologist partner Aleta Weizman are cast into a complex scheme hatched by the mysterious Pharos group as the strive for domination of the world’s economic markets.
This is the third book in the series and I found that no deterrence at all. There is no need to have read the previous two as this book stands alone.
O’Connor and Weitzman are on well deserved holidays in Egypt soaking in the history and political upheaval happening around them. Weitzman discovers in the back of a shop two very old pieces of parchment both purporting to be about a great mystery and this triggers off a roller-coaster ride around the world of action, intrigue and mayhem.
For a novel like this to really work you need a mix of good guys and bad guys and some massive crisis to be averted and it is all here in this story. What makes a novel like this work is the telling you need plenty of high octane action and lots of twists and turns. Adrian d’Hage rolls together big conspiracy theories, self interested business men and politicians. It is all here and it works, just. At times the story became bogged down with these facts being thrown in. The story would pick up pace and you are about to be rushed into an exciting world and d’Hage needs to stop and give a paragraph on how many Aston Martins were built or what the Bagdad battery is or how many famous people had stayed at the Mena House Hotel in Cairo. It really did slow the story down at times. Don't be put off by that as it is a very minor quibble.
I enjoyed the novel, the scenarios of terrorism that d’Hage has created are believable and that is frightening. It is the kind of book I would buy for my Dad who loves this adventure thriller spy novel genre and then I would read after he had finished it.
There are rumours that in Egypt that there is a lost papyrus that will reveal the true source of the pyramids and that they just maybe a new source of energy. CIA agent Curtis O’Connor and archaeologist partner Aleta Weizman are cast into a complex scheme hatched by the mysterious Pharos group as the strive for domination of the world’s economic markets.
This is the third book in the series and I found that no deterrence at all. There is no need to have read the previous two as this book stands alone.
O’Connor and Weitzman are on well deserved holidays in Egypt soaking in the history and political upheaval happening around them. Weitzman discovers in the back of a shop two very old pieces of parchment both purporting to be about a great mystery and this triggers off a roller-coaster ride around the world of action, intrigue and mayhem.
For a novel like this to really work you need a mix of good guys and bad guys and some massive crisis to be averted and it is all here in this story. What makes a novel like this work is the telling you need plenty of high octane action and lots of twists and turns. Adrian d’Hage rolls together big conspiracy theories, self interested business men and politicians. It is all here and it works, just. At times the story became bogged down with these facts being thrown in. The story would pick up pace and you are about to be rushed into an exciting world and d’Hage needs to stop and give a paragraph on how many Aston Martins were built or what the Bagdad battery is or how many famous people had stayed at the Mena House Hotel in Cairo. It really did slow the story down at times. Don't be put off by that as it is a very minor quibble.
I enjoyed the novel, the scenarios of terrorism that d’Hage has created are believable and that is frightening. It is the kind of book I would buy for my Dad who loves this adventure thriller spy novel genre and then I would read after he had finished it.
tien's review against another edition
3.0
I had my doubts about reading this –mostly because it seems to be a part of a series though that’s not clear on Goodreads. I think The Alexandria Connection is the third book of Curtis O’Connor (main character); CIA Agent. However, being persuaded that picking it up out of order will not make much difference, I did and it was a pretty good read.
I loved a thriller involving ancient artefacts –who doesn’t love Indiana Jones!? so it wasn’t hard to convince me to pick up this read; especially noting the Egyptian connection! I love anything with Ancient Egypt! Regrettably, the book is fairly different to my expectation. It was more espionage thriller with a bit of an archaeology spin (I expected it to be the other way around). I loved Ludlum’s Bourne but just couldn’t get into Clancy’s thrillers. I just couldn’t get into the espionage / terrorism part of this book, especially when it involves politics.
The history spiel was interesting though I found it barely scratched the surface. I don’t know whether it’s meant to be followed on with the next instalment but it seems that certain things are referred to but aren’t developed enough. The thriller part of the book, however, didn’t really have to do with the archaeology side of things so it appears it was really only as an addition to what’s really the main event of the book. It seems a little disjointed to me and somewhat unfinished.
It was, overall, a pretty average read for me noting that it didn’t quite meet my expectation and I floundered quite a bit through the reading. I also think that not having that initial connection with Curtis O’Connor from earlier books wasn’t helpful. It might make a better read, if you had a more relevant expectation and have that initial relationship with the main characters.
Thanks, Penguin Books Australia for eARC via NetGalley
I loved a thriller involving ancient artefacts –who doesn’t love Indiana Jones!? so it wasn’t hard to convince me to pick up this read; especially noting the Egyptian connection! I love anything with Ancient Egypt! Regrettably, the book is fairly different to my expectation. It was more espionage thriller with a bit of an archaeology spin (I expected it to be the other way around). I loved Ludlum’s Bourne but just couldn’t get into Clancy’s thrillers. I just couldn’t get into the espionage / terrorism part of this book, especially when it involves politics.
The history spiel was interesting though I found it barely scratched the surface. I don’t know whether it’s meant to be followed on with the next instalment but it seems that certain things are referred to but aren’t developed enough. The thriller part of the book, however, didn’t really have to do with the archaeology side of things so it appears it was really only as an addition to what’s really the main event of the book. It seems a little disjointed to me and somewhat unfinished.
It was, overall, a pretty average read for me noting that it didn’t quite meet my expectation and I floundered quite a bit through the reading. I also think that not having that initial connection with Curtis O’Connor from earlier books wasn’t helpful. It might make a better read, if you had a more relevant expectation and have that initial relationship with the main characters.
Thanks, Penguin Books Australia for eARC via NetGalley
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