SPECIAL GUEST REVIEWER!! Review of: "The Murder of King Tut" by James Patterson

"The Murder of King Tut"

by

James Patterson

A Secret Buried for Centuries

Thrust onto Egypt's most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut's reign was fiercely debated from the outset.  Behind the palace's veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King's most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history.  To this day, his name remains shrouded in controversy.

The Keys to an Unsolved Mystery

Enchanted by the ruler's tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-ol mystery, Howard Carter made it his life's mission to uncover the Pharaoh's hidden tomb.  He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.

The Clues Point to Murder

Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence-- x-rays, Carter's files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages-- to arrive at their own account of King Tut's life and death.  The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

My Review:

First off.....

Who is this "guest reviewer"???  What gives him the right to review at TLGBRS???  Why would he review a book on "King Tut"???  Those answers will follow, but first, let's see what he had to say....

James Patterson's book, "The Murder of King Tut", deals with an unsolved mystery over 3,300 years old.  As a mystery, this easy-reading book kept me quite riveted throughout the entire book anticipating the known facts and the historical fiction used to sew the story together.  

The fun part was the bouncing back and forth from Tut's life to Howard Carter's search to prove the existence of the Boy King. Having a long time interest in ancient Egypt, I realized that Patterson really did his homework on the known Pharonic order from Tut's grandfather to his successors after death.  I also got a really good sense of ancient Egypt and the world of archaeology in the early 1900's.  

The book climaxed with the death of Tut and the historical find of the tomb, which was practically undisturbed for over 3,000 years!  As for Patterson's detective work and theory on "who did it"... (the "meat" of the book) well, you will just have to read the book to find out :o)  For the truth, perhaps some day, an Egyptologist will unearth evidence to support or deny Patterson's theory.  A well written book, my hat is off to Patterson for his thorough accounts of the Gift of the Nile.

Ron Lateiner

To answer the questions posed before the review, the guest reviewer is Ron Lateiner,  Dave's "old man", which basically gives him the right to review here (for if it were not for him, technically TLGBRS would not exist).  In all seriousness, Ronny has been an avid fan of "Ancient Egypt" for many, many years.  Having read hundreds of books on the subject, he probably could even write his own book.  When the book arrived for review, I thought it would be interesting to have him read it and to get his opinion.  Many different stories of King Tut have surfaced over the years and I wanted him to read Patterson's, knowing very well that Patterson was an all-star in the industry, but not in this genre.  It was very nice to get the "extended" version of the review and hear what pops had to say.  Hopefully, we can put him to work and get him to read some of the fun stuff you guys are used to!

Thanks,

Dave