• The Alexander Cipher

  • Daniel Knox, Book 1
  • By: Will Adams
  • Narrated by: David Colacci
  • Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
  • 3.7 out of 5 stars (338 ratings)

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The Alexander Cipher  By  cover art

The Alexander Cipher

By: Will Adams
Narrated by: David Colacci
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Publisher's summary

Egyptologist Daniel Knox's lifelong fascination with Alexander the Great and his tomb, a fabled wonder of the ancient world, could be the death of him. After construction workers excavating in Alexandria expose a catacomb dating back to ancient times, Knox eagerly sneaks in to scout the cavernous and dusty site. Among the relics he finds clues that may solve one of the world's greatest mysteries: the last resting place of Alexander the Great. An unconquerable warrior king, Alexander was the single most powerful man on the planet and thought to be a god.

Now, nearly 2,500 years later, the discovery of his tomb, seemingly lost forever, is within reach, triggering a deadly hunt for one of the greatest treasures of all time. Knox is not the only seeker; others are after the prize, and they would kill to win it.

In the spirit of the great adventure-thrillers by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Clive Cussler, Raymond Khoury, and Steve Berry, The Alexander Cipher is a rip-roaring ride through history, archaeology, and the great deserts of Egypt.

©2009 Will Adams (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

“A razor-edged thriller that delves deeply into crumbling tombs and ancient secrets. Explosively paced and tautly told.” (James Rollins)
"This is a hugely entertaining thriller, very much in the vein of Matthew Reilly: an adroit mixture of action, character, and history." ( Booklist)
"A plausible, fun heist-thriller that compels the [listener] to wonder, What if?" ( Library Journal)

What listeners say about The Alexander Cipher

Average customer ratings
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  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very strong start to a (hopefully) lengthy series

I chose this author because my library system stated his stories/style were similar to Clive Cussler's. While Mr. Adams' characters are well developed through this story, and the historical and geographical research is quite impressive, Will has more road to travel before he can be accurately compared to Clive Cussler.

That said, the story was VERY enjoyable. The plot and characters were believable and the conclusion pulled all of the loose ends together quite nicely.

David Colacci's narration was stellar! He made the story come alive through his mastery of dialects, making each character's dialog sound unique and genuine.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, strong storylines, and superb narration.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A lot of fun

As an amature Ptolemaic archaelogist, I'm a sucker for this kind of book. Along with the Holy
Grail and Ark of the Covenant, Alexander's tomb is one the great lost treasures of the past. The Alexander Cipher although lightweight, is fast paced, well-written and from an historical and archealogical standpoint is pretty much dead on. The author knows ancient and modern Egypt as well, and he uses his knowledge of the country to serve up some unexpected twists. It's a fun way to fill up twelve hours or so, and you pick up some interesting information as well.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An exciting adventure

Egyptologist Daniel Knox is hired by a marine archeologist friend to dive in a newly discovered catacomb discovered at a hotel building site in Alexandra. This leads to a hunt for Alexander the Great's tomb. Lots of action, bit of history of Ptolemy tossed in and information about Alexander the Great. Suspense, humor, chases and good character build up for possible a series. Will Adams has a writing style similar to Clive Cussler. This is an action historical fiction book. I have always enjoyed listening to David Colacci and he does his usual great job narrating the book.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A great thriller, excellent

I really did enjoy this book right from the start. The characters are excellent, the pace never bogs down, the book is very well written and the history woven into the story is terrific. The book reminds me of work that was done in an earlier time when the story and the setting was brought to life and you were transported to the place where the action was happening. I look forward to the next book written by Will Adams.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fast Paced Fun "Read"

For me its always fun to get a fast paced story while I learn something interesting - makes you want to check how much is based on historic fact. I was not disappointed. The narration is excellent. Look forward to more from this author.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Pace, good historical account & nice action

I wasn't expecting a lot from this one for some reason and just wanted something different after doing te Ender's Game Trilogy. This was a pleasant surprise. Great Historical backstory, good character's and well read. I will purchase more will adams in the future.

If you like Clive Cussler because of the historical aspects more than the action itself, you will like this book. It has action, but more history. I actually learned a lot about macedonia that I did not know.

Definitely recommend.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Archeological Adventure

Yes, I enjoyed the story and thought David Colacci did a good job of bringing Daniel Knox and the supporting cast to life. I thought hte premise was really neat. Finding Alexander's Tomb and the history behind it was well done and I thought the descriptions were good, but there were some plot lines that didn't get fully fleshed out. One man's daughter has a plot line that doesn't get resolved. I do enjoy the fact that there is no supernatural elements brought in. It makes the story more believeable in this setting. I enjoy fantasy, but this story didn't require it and it was made better for it. I thought it was a little weak with some of the other characters who were chasing Knox and some of Knox's allies didn't seem all that real. Some of it was a little too convienent. But like a summer movie, I had fun and want to hear the next chapter in the Daniel Knox saga, even though this adventure didn't WOW me, it was still fun. It also helps, that I like Egyptian Lore and the idea of treasure hunting and archeology along the lines of Indiana Jones, Nathan Drake, Dirk Pitt etc.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exciting adventure!

I really enjoyed this book! This had a lot of elements that I enjoy. History, mystery, adventure, treasure hunting, and a smattering of romance! It was a cross between Indiana Jones and National Treasure!

The character development was excellent in this book. There were subtle under and overtones in the relationships between each of the characters. I felt like I really knew each one of them.

The narrator was excellent. He kept the characters identities separate and kept the story exciting.

Yes, I'd recommend this book to any adventure-loving archeologist wanna-be!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Pace, good historical account & nice action

I wasn't expecting a lot from this one for some reason and just wanted something different after doing te Ender's Game Trilogy. This was a pleasant surprise. Great Historical backstory, good character's and well read. I will purchase more will adams in the future.

If you like Clive Cussler because of the historical aspects more than the action itself, you will like this book. It has action, but more history. I actually learned a lot about macedonia that I did not know.

Definitely recommend.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining Egypt Mystery

What did you love best about The Alexander Cipher?

Who doesn't enjoy a story including Egypt, archaeology, mystery, suspense, bad guys and a bit of romance?

What did you like best about this story?

The idea of being a fly on the wall as a find of major significance is made.

What about David Colacci’s performance did you like?

He did a good job of narration. I appreciated that he didn't try to sound like a woman when voicing a female character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The characters created by Will Adams seemed to fall clearly in two camps, one which I liked and the other which I thoroughly disliked. As usual, I listen to stories out loud at work but there were quit a few F-bombs in the dialogue so I used headphones for this one.

Any additional comments?

The book was entertaining but with a language warning.

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1 person found this helpful