The Murder of King Tut

The Plot to Kill the Child King

By: James Patterson, Martin Dugard

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Since 1922, when Howard Carter discovered Tut's 3,000-year-old tomb, most Egyptologists have presumed that the young king died of disease, or perhaps an accident, such as a chariot fall.

But what if his fate was actually much more sinister?

Now, in The Murder of Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard chronicle their epic quest to find out what happened to the boy-king. They comb through the evidence--X-rays, Carter's files, forensic clues--and scavenge for overlooked data to piece together the details of his life and death. The result is a true crime tale of intrigue, betrayal, and usurpation that presents a compelling case that King Tut's death was anything but natural.

©2009 James Patterson (P)2009 Hachette

disappointing

I have, until now, enjoyed James Patterson's work, but I think it may be because most of his works that I have read are of this century. I think perhaps he needs to stay in this century. The authors' (James Patterson and Martin Dugard) references to historic scenes and dialogs did not match the times in which they were depicted. References to "whiskey breath" in the alleys of ancient Egypt are glaringly out of touch with the times. One or two such mistakes in a book are excusable, but 3 or 4 within a single chapter is excessive and not what I expect from a professional. I found this very distracting, and I was reminded of a high school freshman's first efforts as writing fiction as a class assignment. I am unable to finish this book. I find it poorly written, which makes it wholly unbelievable. To be fair, this may be a reflection of his collaboration with Mr. Dugard, but as his name is on it, Mr. Patterson must share the responsibility for this book. I will be reluctant to buy another James Patterson without looking closely. I certainly will avoid his attempts at historical fiction. He does not seem to have the knack of putting himself and his readers into another time.

Don't bother

I am disappointed that James Patterson took time from his regular genre' to write this. It was boring, nothing new, and the transition from past to present was jerky.

not up to James Patterson's standards

Worth reading, but not great.

Painful to listen to!

This is by far the worst book that I have listened to in the last 20 years. Maybe Patterson was trying to be like the River Gods book, which was fantastic, but it just drags on and never really gets going.

This was a waste of time and money!

Narration is odd

The narrator is reading this book as if it was a childrens book. All of the voices and accents are over the top. I'm not sure if 'll be able to finish it. The preview doesn't give a good idea of these voices.

Cheesy story, horrible narrator.

This was so awkwardly narrated and so badly written that I didn't even make it through the whole thing. Terrible. Really. Not even good historical fiction. It uses long-debunked theories about King Tut to build the story.

Dissappointing - more fiction than fact

Don't waste your time on this one!

James Patterson's writing was mostly fictional; indulgent to the point of fantasy. I was bitterly disappointed.
A fan of Martin Dugard, all his books are well researched and told with the kind of passion one has for their hobby. His work is gripping. That's the main reason I gave this book, "novel", 2 stars; for his research.

As a history buff and fan of antiquity, this book was a mistake. As a schoolboy I read of Howard Carter who remains an intriguing character. I was fortunate to travel to Egypt last year, visiting the boy Kings tomb in the Valley of the Kings. The wonders of this place, his mummified body and the recovered artifacts in the museums leave you breathless.

Although passionate about this subject, even a casual reader of this book might be irritated. 100 chapters that bounce back 'n forth from 1334 BC to 1922 in a dizzying manner to create tension. Annoying! This alone may illustrate the books other shortcomings. The alliteration describing the lust over Nefertiti seemed right out of a popcorn romance novel. Finally, slaves built the tombs and were murdered afterward? Come on! the village where the artisans lived is still there behind the valley.

James Patterson has his place and is a very successful writer. Kudos for taking on this difficult topic and mystery. But I'll steer clear of future "non-fiction" he takes on. Sorry Mr. Patterson, I mean no offense at all, this one just wasn't for me.

unbearable narrator

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

the book is not bad but the narrator makes the listening unbearable, when he speaks like a woman it is the most annoying sound ever. i can not understand why the producers allowed the butchery of this book.

Would you be willing to try another one of Joe Barrett’s performances?

not in a million years and not even if was paid to!!!