The Egyptologist

By: Arthur Phillips

Narrated by: Gianfranco Negroponte, Simon Prebble, Gerard Doyle, Bianca Mato

Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Critically acclaimed author Arthur Phillips won the L.A. Times First Fiction Prize for his debut novel, Prague, which landed on top 10 lists across America and was a New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Chicago Tribune best seller. In The Egyptologist, Phillips displays his gift for brilliantly constructed, labyrinthine stories infused with imaginative wit.

Howard Carter has just made one of the great discoveries of all time, the unveiling of Tutankhamun's tomb. At the same time, Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush finds himself in a slightly less spectacular position. He has staked everything on a scrap of hieroglyphic pornography. Halfway around the world, an Australian detective sets off on a globetrotting quest to find a murderer. Or two. Or three. These events, seemingly unrelated, are about to collide in a spectacular yet utterly unpredictable fashion.

©2004 Arthur Phillips (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Witty." (The New Yorker
"Vastly entertaining." (Publishers Weekly)
"Phillips proves himself once again to be a wildly creative storyteller." (Booklist)

Worst Book I've ever listened to

I'm in the middle of this book now but I'm not sure I will finish it. If the main character uses himself as a reference one more time I may not finish it. Don't waste your money there are lots of other great books out there. The plot is so predictable and drags in so many parts of the book.

A treasure

Another favorite from Arthur Miller, beautifully performed by a fantastic ensemble cast. Like all of Miller's books, The Egyptologist is a delicious combo of richly detailed, subtly rendered, deeply human characters and an inventive plot, relentlessly driving forward through innumerable twists and turns. The world he creates is so beautifully immersive that there's no less joy in diving in even when you know the outcome. Adding to the magic are phenomenal performances, perfectly illuminating each character's inner shame and anguish even as they burnish the truth or lie.

Loved this from start to finish, and can't wait to listen again.

Second worst book I've ever listened to

The concept of telling the story from different perspectives by providing only the correspondence and jounal entries of the characters is interesting but that is the only good thing I can say about the book and my pleasure with this novelty lasted about 10 minutes. All of the characters are annoying and you have to listen to them tell the story!!! It moves slow, and there is no historical education benefit. This is the first bad review I've ever written and the second worst book I've listened to in over 400 books on tape.

Too long and repetitive

The story is written from the perspective of three characters each of which is communicating by writing letters. It concerns an old detective at a nursing home who reports in letter form to a relative of an old woman about his investigations of the wowan’s fianc? when she was young. Simultaneously there is a journal from the fianc? who is an explorer of Egyptian antiquity trying to find the tomb of a long lost king. There was a disappearance of some other explorers a long time ago and the detective was trying to solve the murder many years ago. The plot goes over the old events via these letters, plus some letters from the woman to her fianc?.

The reviews of this book were very favorable. I found the story boring and repetitive. Many of the passages kept being repeated over and over again. I guessed the major conclusion of the novel early on and by the time the story finally revealed the answers, I had long since lost interest and become angry for making me wait so long for nothing new and exciting. I do not recommend this book.

The Egyptologist

Pretty awful. I stuck with it to the end, though, thinking it might be worth it -- it wasn't. Don't waste your time on this -- it's quite boring. I don't even think it rates 1 star, but assume at least one must be checked in order to post my review.

Superb

Simply the finest novel I have read in the last 20 years. Trilipush will live on as he so fervently desired. Now for my copy of Trillipushes Desire and something in ancient Egypt.

terrible

hours of boring naration. this is not mystery or history of Egypt. Unhappy gay man with graphic details, girlfriend is drug addict, future father in law sick wierdo. takes no skill to write this. Title and front cover has nothing to do with story. Minor parts by Carter, Egypt. Sorry to give my first negative review of many great books on audible.com

Disappointing

This was a tough listen. For the most part this is a one person narrative from a very disturbed troubled person. There are some twists but you have to slog thru hours of comtemplative narrative that is just depressing. If you like psychological introspection it might be for you, it was a disappointment to me.

This is a very well read and entertaining book

Interesting study into obsession and the time period. This book is very well read and entertaining to listen to. It is long, but that is a good thing, you can immerse yourself in it.
There is a diverse cast of characters, each with their own problems and issues.

Still a favorite: three listens in 10 years

I have never convinced any friend to love this book, and few have made it to end. But I return to it again and again. I believe the audio edition is the perfect format and the perfect performance, but a love of the absurd, and very dark sense of humor and an appreciation of societal parody is a must. The only book I can compare this one to is "The Seven (and a half) Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle", which is another with which I'm enthralled, and another VEDDY acquired taste!