OK - first of all, BLW Summer Book Club Rocks! But we all knew that. So what about The Murder of King Tut: A Nonfiction Thriller?
Well, overall I thought this book was pretty interesting - and obviously I liked it enough to read it all the way to the end (I never read past 50 pages if I'm not hooked by a book early). So in that sense I was pleased with Patterson's work here. BUT...sincethe subtitle says "nonfiction thriller" I actually expected to read a nonfiction account of King Tut's history.
Make no mistake, this book is clearly NOT nonfiction. It'a actually more of a formula-style historical fiction novel, complete with purely evil villains (the advisor to the king is plotting to usurp the throne!) and pure-as-the-driven-snow heroes (King Tut practically walks on the Nile he's so good!). The scenes reenacting King Tut's life often came across as fabricated and clumsy, almost soap operatic. Disappointing.
HOWEVER, I really got into the scenes about Egyptian expert, Howard Carter. Maybe because there's a lot more to the historical record about Carter, these section seemed more believable and interesting. (Of course, since Carter is a hero in this story, his many flaws are often glossed over...but still...)
As for the shocking "smoking gun" about the death of King Tut, I found the authors' theory to be flimsy and convoluted at best, and downright unbelievable at the worst. But that's a debate for more learned men than I.
Overall, I did like reading this though. If it had been advertised as what it is - historical fiction - I would probably have given it 4 stars. But since it makes that absurd claim at being "nonfiction," I just can't do that. So its 3 stars from me for The Murder of King Tut.
Rock On BLW-ers!Get more detail about The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King - A Nonfiction Thriller.
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