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The Free Library of Philadelphia. Search Search Search Browse menu. Sign in. The Alexander Cipher. Description Details Reviews Workers in Alexandria are excavating for a new building when they discover the ruins of an old tomb, and all work crashes to a halt.
According to federal law in Egypt, all discoveries must be properly catalogued by archeologists and this tomb has unusual relics and representations, apparently contemporary with Alexander the Great. Daniel Knox's first love is history and archeology, specifically on Alexander the Great. When he pisses off a local mobster on the coast of Egypt, he heads to Alexandria to an archaeology colleague's apartment to hide out for a while.
He learns his friend is getting to participate on the dig for this newly discovered tomb. Sneaking in with his friend, Daniel sees signs that the find is far bigger than anyone realizes and might hold clues to finally unravelling one of the world's greatest mysteries: Where is Alexander the Great buried? In his lifetime, Alexander was beloved as a god, and across the Mediterranean, everyone wanted to be close to him.
But I'm a sucker for "sense of place" and Adams' ability to put me in Egypt with the archeologists and thugs who populate this book held my interest until the very end. Reading the plot and the characters, unfortunately, was not that enjoyable.
There are twists upon twists, crossed back stories galore, and characters who speak in multiple English dialects for no known reason. The historical refe If it weren't for the very well written setting of this book, I don't think I would have finished it.
The historical references in the story were interesting and educational, but there are times that the story stops being a story and becomes a History Channel episode on the many legends of Alexander. It's good information to know, but a dead stop for a thriller, especially when it's done flat out tell, not showm dialog.
This book makes an attempt to mix history with thriller, but soap opera got thrown into the mix and the outcome is less it could have been.
Jun 11, Juliet Doubledee rated it really liked it Shelves: mystery-and-suspense , history. Written in an Indiana Jones genre, author Will Adams has created a character who uses his intellect, rather than physical force, to escape one predictament after another. The main character Daniel Knox is a knock-around archaeologist in Egypt with a special interest in Alexander the Great.
After having a run in with a well connected millionaire Egyptian and escaping to Alexandria to figure out where he can safely go to avoid being killed; Knox becomes involved in a site that has been uncovered b Written in an Indiana Jones genre, author Will Adams has created a character who uses his intellect, rather than physical force, to escape one predictament after another.
After having a run in with a well connected millionaire Egyptian and escaping to Alexandria to figure out where he can safely go to avoid being killed; Knox becomes involved in a site that has been uncovered by a construction company and holds clues to where the final resting place of Alexander is located. The Alexander Cipher beautifully blends the history of Alexander and his successors into an entertaining, action-packed adventure.
I found the information on Alexander's rule, his mysterious death, and the fact that his body was coveted as a justification for power by his successors in Egypt, the Ptolemys, and Alexander's native Macedonians quite interesting. Also, I enjoyed how the author blended in current politics by adding a rich Macedonian nationalists to the story by describing how this character was intent on using Alexander's body as the means, after more than 2, years, of fomenting revolution to establish a separate Macedonia out of Greece and Balkan states.
I would strongly recommend this book to amateur archaeogists, history buffs, or those craving suspense. Apr 29, Kristen rated it really liked it Shelves: action-adventure , series-thriller , When I read the first book in the Daniel Knox series by Will Adams, The Alexander Cipher is a total package of action-adventure and historical fiction for this thriller.
Set in Egypt, this is reminiscent of the Indiana Jones movie trilogies. Plenty of action, danger and suspense, when we're introduced to Daniel Knox and the characters in the novel. My heart sank, when Gaille and Daniel revealed about loss in their family, the same for Elena on her husband, and my heart ache on Mohammed's sick da When I read the first book in the Daniel Knox series by Will Adams, The Alexander Cipher is a total package of action-adventure and historical fiction for this thriller.
My heart sank, when Gaille and Daniel revealed about loss in their family, the same for Elena on her husband, and my heart ache on Mohammed's sick daughter.
He would do anything to save his daughter's life, even illegally. We learn about the secrets of Alexander the Great's tomb and his origins between Macedonia and Egypt.
The location is exotic and interesting. The historical aspect of Alexander's life and Egyptian customs--then and now--makes this for a good read. We're really set in the throes of danger and adventure in every page with a shocking conclusion, and a cliffhanger for the other four books in the series. Get ready to plunge into heart-pounding danger in Egypt.
View 2 comments. I have a huge thing for mystery thrillers. The beginning was way too boring and long. It kinda mattered in the end, but there were way too many details which just were not important at all. It really turned out to be a pageturner. But then, there was the ending.
Maybe the end made kinda "sense" regarding the topic but I just found it stupid!! Plus, some plotlines had no end at all. Seriously, you could have made this a lot better. Apr 12, Karsyn rated it it was ok Shelves: audiobooks-read Had this book been pages shorter, with just the digs, it might have been ok, but never "non-stop action".
Sucks, and it took forever for me, a week is forever to finish it. Nov 12, Carol rated it liked it. The book was interesting but it lacked the suspense factor that would have made it an outstanding book.
I liked the character of Daniel Knox and I believe he will develop over time Fans of the thriller genre with an interest in Egyptology and Alexander The Great will find that there is a great deal to like here Shelves: auckland-library , audiobook , read-in , fluff. Note: I listened to this as an audiobook. Also it is possible this review includes material that some sensitive souls may regard as spoilery. If you are a sensitive soul, not only should you stay away from this review, but the actual book as well I think!
Had a love hate relationship with this one, and consequently find myself torn between the 2-star "it was OK" rating and the 3-star "liked it". Aspects of it were utterly fascinating, but all too often I found myself shouting in frustration at t Note: I listened to this as an audiobook. Aspects of it were utterly fascinating, but all too often I found myself shouting in frustration at the author, who had a terrible tendency to bang on and on with the melodrama, trying to artificially heighten the suspense by chucking big long descriptive passages at various scenes, dwelling on minutiae of what characters were thinking and doing.
I got the feeling at times that he was anticipating the book being turned into a movie, and was actually including notes for the film-maker. The result: boring, pointless detail. Characters were taken apparently well past the point of certain death time and again, just to be rescued - usually by the hero.
Tedious, tedious. I hated most of the female characters most of the time. I hated the way Gaille was referred to as "the girl" so often, although admittedly this was sometimes a device to indicate the contempt with which a particular one of the many arrogant men in the book regarded her.
I hated the way that in spite of her having little discernible gumption, courage, chutzpah or personality, she became the hero's romantic interest. I can only say thank God there was no sex scene between them. Alexander is one of the most interesting and amazing leaders in history, and I really enjoyed all the details of his legend woven into this book. For me, that was what made it worth finishing. Will I read the next in the series? But not until time has numbed the irritation I felt from this one.
View all 3 comments. My review is not going to bee to good even though I gave it three stars. I think it is mostly because it was not the right time for me to read this book. Everything seemed good about it but for some reason it just dragged on for me. Characters I did not care about and his writing style was not very good for my taste.
HE kept trying to keep the suspense moving by having people in conversations about stuff that is not important and then when it comes to the last line of the conversation he moves o My review is not going to bee to good even though I gave it three stars. HE kept trying to keep the suspense moving by having people in conversations about stuff that is not important and then when it comes to the last line of the conversation he moves on to another part in the book.
Sorry man but I just did not care. I do hate it when authors put in a stupid sex scene that has nothing at all about the book, nothing about the plot and it seems that he is just trying to fulfill some sexual fantasy that I have to read.
At the end I started to like Knox but I think I am done with this author. Dec 26, Samyuktha rated it liked it. The book is not as captivating as the title! The history is difficult to follow without being properly introduced and explained to the reader,the thrill and adventure seems a bit pointless at times and the characters are lacking development. Overall, disappointed in the book since I'm usually a lover of archeological thrillers! Aug 30, Bogdan rated it really liked it.
Just what I needed in-between epic fantasy series. A quick, easy read. It was a fast page turner, with an exciting plot. Maybe the characters weren't very strongly built, or maybe the Points of View swapped between too many of them, but it was very enjoyable. Sep 26, Emmie rated it really liked it Shelves: thriller , suspense.
I loved this book. Can't wait to read the rest of the series! Jun 06, Karen rated it did not like it Shelves: i-quit , fiction. Barely readable. Because Alexandria is my home city. I liked this novel very match. Will Adams succeeded to build a full scene for my city as a background for his thriller about Alexander the great tomb.
Adams weaves history, suspense and modern Balkan politics in his debut novel, which is centered around the various tombs of Alexander the Great. The hero of our tale is Daniel Knox.
He was a well-respected archaeologist before some controversial event happened a number of years previous. Now, he lives in Egypt and makes a modest living as a dive instructor and leading tours in the waters around Alexandria.
His quiet life takes another turn after he helps rescue a woman from the clutches of one H Adams weaves history, suspense and modern Balkan politics in his debut novel, which is centered around the various tombs of Alexander the Great. His quiet life takes another turn after he helps rescue a woman from the clutches of one Hassan al-Assyuti, a local dabbler in the underworld.
As a result, Knox finds himself on the run, seeking help from a French friend working on a dig in Alexandria. He ends up helping with the dig, placing him in the center of a race to find the true tomb of Alexander the Great, with possibilities in Alexandria proper, the nearby oasis of Siwa, and even in Alexander's native Macedonia. Area archaeologists know that finding the tomb will make a career. The problem is that a wealthy Macedonian sees the recovery of Alexander's preserved body as an opportunity to bring about the independence of a Greater Macedonia, an area currently split between Serbia, Greece, and Romania.
Knox, like any adventure archaeologist, needs a romantic lead, and his takes on the form of Gaille Bonnard. She is a specialist in ancient languages and cryptography. The two are brought together as everyone seems to work together to find the tomb. Gaille and Knox find not only an interest, but an interesting in recovering history and a shared past that might tear their relationship apart. The story is filled with a number of background characters that run the gamut to ruthless villains to sympathetic fathers, allowing for a realistic three-dimensional world for Knox to inhabit.
Adams does a nice job of including a plethora of information about Alexander, the Ptolemies, and Graeco-Egyptian history so novices will be able to understand the consequences of the search for the real tomb, including a belief that possession of Alexander's body will make any nation all-powerful. Personally, I found such information to be very interesting and a strength for the book, but those looking for pure action may find that these sections bog down the pacing of the plot.
All-in-all, I found this to be an enjoyable read. Those interested in ancient cultures will probably like it, too. If you are looking for the quick pacing of an Indiana Jones movie, though, you will probably find this novel a bit slow. Dec 10, Andrea Roady rated it it was ok Shelves: audiobooks , thrillers. The pillar itself occupied pride of place on the small hillock at its center, but in fact the whole enclosed area was historic as the onetime site of the famous Temple of Serapis. Knox had always felt a great fondness for Serapis, a benign and intelligent deity who had somehow fused Egyptian, Greek, and Asian religious myths into a single theology.
According to one thesis, he was a Babylonian god; in fact, when Alexander had lain dying in Babylon, a delegation of his men went to the Temple of Serapis to ask whether Alexander should be brought to the temple or left where he was. Serapis replied that it would be better for him to be left where he was.
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