Getting carnal with a carnivour.... (The Sphinx - Graham Masterton)

Member Name: sparkymarky1973

Product:	The Sphinx - Graham Masterton
Date:	20/03/09 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A nice idea and certainly an original Egyptian myth that I had not encountered before

Disadvantages: Story is poorly executed and not a great deal occurs compared to his usual novels...

This is one of the earliest Masterton novels I have read and is a decidely average affair delving deep into Egyptian legend and a little known myth. Gene Keiller, an American politican, is drawn towards Lorie Semple at a diplomatic dinner and despite her protestations, or perhaps because of them, becomes obsessed with getting to know her better. His intrest is piqued by the air of mystery that surronds her and her family and her reluctance to let him beneath her guard. Only by stalking her and breaking into the grounds of her house does he finally find himself winning her over, much to the apparent delight of her mother, but before long, Keiller begins to regret the very day he set eyes on Lorie as her secret is revealed and Gene finds himself drawn further towards a fate he cannot hope to escape....

This is very typical Masterton territory- a mystery enclosed in ancient myth and superstition with more than just a hint of the preternatural about it. This time around, there are no demons to contend with just simply something more earth-bound but the threat is no less fiercesome for our unlucky protaganist. It is fairly plain from the writing style and the crudeness of the story-line that this is an early work published long before Masterton honed his writing skills to near-perfection and produced an ongoing list of gripping chillers and though this is a light and enjoyable read, it is nowhere near as good as his later novels. All through, a sense that something subtle is missing pervades. If you want a real Masterton novel, try The Walkers ( insane prison inmates escape their jail by entering the walls and becoming trapped inside the stone waiting for victims) or The Pariah ( A man, haunted by the ghost of his wife in Salem, makes a terrifying deal with an ancient and terrifying being who considers itself to be a demon). Either of these are far superior to this and much more scary, horrorifying, fast paced and well written. Failing that, pick up his Manitou series for blood and gore of the like you have never heard described before!

This is one for the hard-core devoted fans only and even they might end up disappointed!

Summary: One man becomes obsessed with a beautiful woman whose family hide a deadly legacy..