The Egyptologist, Arthur Phillips

It's hard to talk about this one without giving the book's "surprise" ending away. This is the story of Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush's archaeological expedition to open the tomb of King Atum-Hadu, a pharaoh whose very existence is questioned by most Egyptian experts. Trilipush hits Egypt in the same season that Carter opens the tomb of Tut-ankh-amen, though without quite the same results. We get the story via letters and journals kept by Trilipush, and through those that correspond with him, and through letters written years later by a detective named Ferrell who is convinced that Trilipush is a fraud. It quickly becomes obvious that the well-born Trilipush is quite the raving egomanic, whose talent for historical revision rivals even mind. The book has a "surprise" ending that I'm sorry to say wasn't much of a surprise, though it was throughout an engaging read. The best way to sum it up: entertaining.
Posted by supersusie at July 23, 2005 11:35 AM