The Book of the Dead is the
third in a trilogy of books about the amazing struggle between two brothers. 
The main location of this novel is the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. 
In a previous novel there was a major theft of millions of dollars worth of
diamonds, and this one starts with them being returned to the museum having
been ground to grit.  It’s a terrible embarrassment to the museum, so they
decide to put on a new exhibition quickly, reviving an old exhibit of an
Egyptian tomb.  It will be a multimedia experience run by computers.  But the
tomb is cursed, and it is clear that there will be trouble for the Museum.  The
story plays out as an incredible battle of minds between these two genius and
almost supernaturally talented brothers, Aloysius and Diogenes Pendergast.  The
novel includes scenes of romance, prison violence, memory regression, racing
against time to prevent disaster, and of course, mummies coming to life.

Such works of fantasy are enjoyed
by some and not by others.  I found the book entertaining but very silly and
often clichéd.  The plot is fairly complicated, but not much hangs on grasping all
the details.  The climax of the book is meant to be some kind of vision of
hell, but it sounded more like a Nine Inch Nails concert, and was ludicrous. 
Yet, some of the reviews at Amazon.com hail the book as a masterpiece, and it
is selling very well.  The performance of the unabridged audiobook by Scott
Brick is appropriately hammy. 

© 2006 Christian Perring. All
rights reserved.

Christian Perring, Ph.D., is
Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island, and editor
of Metapsychology Online Reviews.  His main research is on
philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.

Categories: Fiction, AudioBooks