*No Major Spoilers*
Saqqara, Egypt, 1888, and in the booby-trapped tomb of an ancient sorcerer, Rom Hardy, a young Egyptologist, makes the discovery of a lifetime: five coffins and an eerie, oversized sarcophagus. But the expedition seems cursed, for after unearthing the mummies, all but Rom die horribly. He faithfully returns to America with his disturbing cargo, continuing by train to Los Angeles, home of his reclusive sponsor. When the train is hijacked by murderous banditos in the Arizona desert, who steal the mummies and flee over the border, Rom – with his benefactor’s rebellious daughter, an orphaned Chinese busboy, and a cold-blooded gunslinger – must ride into Mexico to bring the malevolent mummies back. If only mummies were their biggest problem…
I love historical fiction, and I was excited about Fury From the Tomb because it reminded me of the Indiana Jones series. I couldn’t wait to go on an adventure to Egypt amidst the craze of Egyptology and discover an ancient tomb that wasn’t supposed to see the light of day.
The book sold me on the first fifty or so pages. I can understand Dr. Hardy’s drive to follow the feverish whims of his wealthy benefactor. The possibilities for future trips to Egypt were in the balance. Dr. Hardy wanted to make at least one discovery before he resigned to teaching a lecture hall full of students.
“Mummies became exotic party favors rich people unraveled for their own titillation and gruesome delights, only then to be discarded like so much used gift ribbon and leftover bones. Disgraceful and unscientific plundering was commonplace.”-S.A. Sidor, Fury From the Tomb
After the excavation of the forbidden crypt, mysterious people come to smuggle the mummies out of Egypt illegally. Once the doctor and company return to the United States, the story gets interesting and starts to drag simultaneously.
Perhaps this wasn’t a good time for me to read this novel. Maybe it’s just not for me as a reader. I enjoyed what I had read I wish it wasn’t dragging along. I initially had a tough time describing why I felt the novel was dragging after the train hijacking. I think it was the dialogue that forced me to throw in the towel.
Overall, I would check it out at your local library. I thought the premise and characters were interesting, but I feel that the story drags once Dr. Hardy leaves Egypt. If you enjoy the Indiana Jones franchise or magical realism in historical fiction, then I would say this novel might be for you.
Elisha's Book Reviews 
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