REVIEW TOUR: The Shattered Radiant - Luca Ottonello

The Shattered Radiant is the first in a series of fantasy books that follows an irreverent archaeologist by the name of Artemis Stark, an adventurer who comes into possession of a mysterious artefact that is linked to the spirit of a girl from ancient Palmyra, who can only inhabit animals.

Choosing to accompany Artemis by possessing a cat, together they unwillingly end up in a race against time to search for a series of powerful stones, each granting abilities Artemis struggles to control. The situation turns deadly when a mysterious antagonist arrives at the museum where Artemis works and murders the director using one of the stones.

Their epic journey takes them across the Americas, Europe, and Africa and even through time to the 1700s. As the story unfolds, the stones are revealed to be part of an ancient prophecy tied to advanced technology from a previous version of Earth, connected to a mysterious device called the Radiant. This discovery uncovers a far greater threat: an alien race that was nearly wiped out by humanity billions of years ago and is now heading their way.

 

What did I think?

I was drawn to The Shattered Radiant as I enjoy archaeology as a subject and the promise of a possessed cat sealed the deal.  Luca Ottonello's debut novel, and the first book in The Shattered Saga, certainly delivered on both counts.

It's like a cross between Indiana Jones and The Mummy as we follow the adventure of treasure hunter/archaeologist Artemis Stark and Bandit the cat who is possessed by a spirit.  It's a little bonkers at times but it's constantly entertaining with a lot of adventure and the appearance of some unexpected characters from science and history.

It's very entertaining and although some threads of the story are incomplete (with it being the first book in the series) it was still a satisfying conclusion.  I am invested in Artemis' story and can't wait to find out what happens next.

Imaginative, amusing and enjoyable, The Shattered Radiant is a fun and eventful adventure that will appeal to fans of Indiana Jones and it's well worth a read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Literally PR Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Mark of Eternity (The Egyptian Stones Book 2) - Murray Bailey

An ancient code. A deadly killer. A truth buried beneath the sands of time.

FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb thought the Surgeon - a notorious serial killer - was a ghost from the past. But when a new series of murders erupts, each marked with strange, arcane symbols, the trail leads Rebb across continents to Egypt... and to a chilling revelation: the Surgeon has returned, and this time, his killings follow a pattern—one tied to a purpose more terrifying than anyone imagined.

Meanwhile, in Egypt, Alex MacLure has uncovered more encoded messages in ancient tablets. An ancient Egyptian was searching for a forgotten symbol. His name appears in a programme written by a brilliant AI student. The student reaches out with a wild theory - but before MacLure discovers the truth, he’s arrested for a murder he didn’t commit.

Thrown together by fate and hunted by forces beyond their understanding, Rebb and MacLure must unlock an ancient secret. They must stop the Surgeon before he unleashes a plan, millennia in the making.

 

What did I think?

Murray Bailey is really giving Dan Brown a run for his money with this fantastic Egyptian Stones series and having read The Heretic Cypher, I couldn't wait to read The Mark of Eternity.  You could definitely read it as a standalone as it has its own contained storyline featuring Egyptologist Alex MacLure.

Now I have to say that I thought I had opened the wrong book on my Kindle when I started reading as the story starts with what looks like religious murders in Atlanta, Georgia.  Well this isn't Egypt, I thought...but it's not my first Murray Bailey book so I knew that everything I was reading would fit together somehow and wow it sure does.

The pacing is blistering as the case in Atlanta moves to Cairo and there's always that magical element of mystery and buried secrets where the ancient Egyptians are involved.  I had my heart in my mouth at the end and couldn't read fast enough to get to the breathtaking conclusion.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I am enjoying The Egyptian Series more than The Robert Langdon series.  Yep, Bailey is better than Brown!  It almost feels unfair to compare them but with codebreaking and ancient mysteries they do have similarities.  I am completely invested in Alex MacLure's story and Murray Bailey is such a skilful writer that every word is there for a reason and there's no padding required.

Riveting, action-packed and mysterious, The Mark of Eternity is an absolutely cracking thriller and I can't wait for the next book in the series.  Very highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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The Heretic Cypher (The Egyptian Stones Book 1) - Murray Bailey

When Egyptologist Alex MacLure’s friend and mentor dies he’s stunned to discover she’s left a message—hidden, encoded, and meant only for him.

With a mysterious artifact and a trail of cryptic symbols, Alex is thrust into a deadly race against time. What begins as a quest to finish her research quickly spirals into a chilling conclusion: her death was no accident. She was murdered for what she discovered.

Now he’s the next target.

Hunted by a ruthless adversary, Alex finds himself swept from the academic halls of London to the heart of Egypt’s oldest sites.

As he races to decode a forgotten truth buried beneath centuries of deception, powerful enemies close in—willing to kill to protect a secret—a revelation so explosive, it could rewrite everything we know about ancient Egypt and religion.

 

What did I think?

What an absolutely cracking start to a new series!  I love Ancient Egyptian history so I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of The Heretic Cypher, the first book in The Egyptian Stones series. It's a breathtaking thrill ride filled with danger and deceit and I couldn't put it down.  

The pacing is rapid as Egyptologist Alex MacLure finds himself in a race against time to decipher clues left by his friend Ellen before she died.  Alex soon realises that the secrets with which Ellen has entrusted him have put him in danger and he doesn't know who he can trust.  Eeeeek! I didn't know who he could trust either and see-sawed back and forth between adding certain characters to my baddie list.

I was completely entranced by the book from the start and the writing is so evocative that when the location switched to Egypt I really felt as if I was there.  Although I already have some knowledge of Ancient Egyptian history, you don't need to have any prior knowledge to enjoy this book but it may whet your appetite to learn more.

Filled with mystery and danger, The Heretic Cypher is an outstanding thriller that had me on the edge of my seat right until the very end.  Move over Indiana Jones, there's a new archaeologist in town!  I can't wait to catch up with Alex MacLure in the next book in the series, The Mark of Eternity, that comes out next year.  Do not miss this very highly recommended read.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: Disturbing the Bones - Andrew Davis and Jeff Biggers

Chicago detective Randall Jenkins has not been back home to the historic Civil Rights hotspot of Cairo, Illinois since the disappearance of his mother, a well-known journalist, several decades ago.

That all changes the day Dr. Molly Moore, an ambitious young archaeologist in the national spotlight for her groundbreaking high-tech discoveries, uncovers a set of strange bones at a huge 12,000-year-old site at a highway construction project.  With retired military general and contractor William Alexander breathing down her neck to cover up the dig, Molly and Randall soon find themselves in the middle of a wild military conspiracy.

The detective and archaeologist’s entwined family mysteries suddenly thrust them into the central position as the only people who can ensure the safety of the ongoing Chicago global peace summit. They must take on the rogue general who views any disarmament agreement as a clear and present danger to the United States. The fate of global peace and the lives of Molly and Randall hang in the balance.

Disturbing the Bones is a rip-roaring techno-thriller in the grand tradition of Michael Crichton, Scott Turow and Frederick Forsyth - a perfect Autumn blockbuster for those cosy nights in.

 

What did I think?

I was drawn to Disturbing the Bones because I have a keen interest in archaeology so I loved the setting; it's not Cairo, Egypt but Cairo, Illinois.  Finding bones at such a site is to be expected, but these bones are not ancient...

I loved Molly and her passion for archaeology, along with her protectiveness about the site, even when it places herself and her team in danger.  Veteran Chicago detective has a vested interest in Molly's find as he thinks the bones are those of his mother.  While all this is going on, America has a new president and she has plans to amend the constitution to which lots of people are opposed.

The plot is more political than I expected but it adds some extra spice to a gripping thriller.  I was incensed when certain things happened at the dig and I couldn't read fast enough to see how it would all play out.  The pacing certainly ramps up in the final third of the book and I couldn't put it down.

Fast-paced and action-packed, Disturbing the Bones is an entertaining and thought-provoking thriller.  I wouldn't be surprised to see it on the big screen at some point, especially as Andrew Davis is a renowned film director.  I enjoyed the book and would definitely be interested in seeing it on the big screen.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Chasing the Dragon (Betancourt Mystery Series Book 2) - Mark Wightman

Singapore, 1940

A local fisherman finds the body of a missing American archaeologist

Detective Inspector Betancourt of the Singapore Marine Police is first on the scene. Something doesn't quite add up. He finds out that the archaeologist, Richard Fulbright, was close to deciphering the previously-untranslatable script on a pre-colonial relic known as the Singapore Stone. This was no accidental drowning.

Is there more to this case than archaeological rivalries?

Betancourt also discovers that Fulbright had been having an affair. He is sure he is onto something bigger than just academic infighting.

A government opium factory draws criminal interest.

In his investigations into the death, Betancourt finds his own life in danger, and now he has also put himself on the wrong side of British Military Intelligence, and he is unsure which set of opponents he fears the most...

 

What did I think?

Wow!  I thought Mark Wightman's debut, Waking the Tiger, was fantastic but this next book in the Betancourt Mystery series, Chasing the Dragon, is absolutely stunning.  There's even a map at the start of the book and I do love a map in a book, although I didn't refer back to it as often as I expected because that would have slowed down my reading of this completely gripping novel.

Mark Wightman's writing draws you in and sets a very vivid scene of Singapore in 1940.  The era and the location is very film noir and so atmospheric that I felt as if I was reading through a fug of opium smoke...chasing the dragon that can never be caught.

Max Betancourt's latest case is investigating the death of an American archaeologist which the powers that be seem determined to rule as accidental death...but Max smells something fishy and it's not the whiff from the docks.

I love not only the main character of Max but the whole cast of returning characters, for those readers who have read the first book.  You can totally read Chasing the Dragon without reading Waking the Tiger, but it's wonderful to see how the characters develop as they each have their own personal challenges.

The plot is very intricate but Mark Wightman's vivid writing makes it easy to follow all the strands of the story and how it all comes together at the end is nothing short of breathtaking.  I couldn't read it fast enough and with a virtual bomb thrown under Max at the end, I'm already chomping at the bit for the next book in the series.

Atmospheric, gripping and immersive, Chasing the Dragon is an unforgettable and unmissable crime thriller.  I really can't recommend it highly enough and I'm having an Oliver Twist moment: please Mark Wightman, can I have some more?

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Hobeck Books

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