LitPick Review
The Tomb Of Ptahmes by C.W. James is an adventure novel that takes us on a gripping journey as Carter Pinsent, an archeologist's son, indulges himself in the mystery of an ancient Egyptian priest which is to be kept a secret. Carter and his father, Mr. Pinsent, were in the desert of Egypt. They were studying an archaeological site with Carter being the hieroglyph's translator when they had a visitor. Sir Robert Ottley, along with his daughter Miss May Ottley, had come to request for some Arab men to assist them in bringing up a sarcophagus which Sir Robert believed held the mummified body of an ancient Egyptian priest. Unfortunately, the Arabs he took from Mr. Pinsent stole all the valuables found in the sarcophagus and ended up injuring Sir Robert. As Carter's father attended to Sir Robert's wounds, Carter himself decided to walk around before stopping at a room where the tomb was. Surprisingly, it was empty, but he was not alone; someone was there with him, a figure lurking in the shadows. After this encounter, life changed drastically for Carter as he was visited by unknown beings who put his life at risk. Why was his life at risk? Do you think he would survive all this? Was the encounter connected to the empty tomb he found? Why not read and find out!
Opinion:
The Tomb Of Ptahmes, being an adventure book, has some mystery attached to it. As a reader, I was keen on finding out if Ptahmes was really alive as claimed and if Dr. Belleville, who was a doctor and spiritualist, had anything to do with the sickness that struck both Carter and May's father. As for the adventures experienced in the book, I was drawn to the series of events, some of which were deadly, that were presented to Carter and May as they try to stop Dr. Belleville from his next move. The plot was eerie and a page-turner that kept me on the edge as I awaited the next action.
Furthermore, the book was set in an Egyptian desert. This was not the only location used in the book, but it stood out to me as the author gave a detailed explanation of the environment where Carter and his father camped, including May and her father. From the dry sand to the dusty air, the clear features of this environment matched the place where an Egyptian mummy like the Ptahmes could be found.
The characters are not left out, each role was played perfectly, but at the end I loved Carter and May for their cooperation and tolerance which they demonstrated while working together. Carter, most especially, showed a great deal of bravery since his first encounter with the mummy which seemed to haunt him. His act of bravery helped him during near-death experiences that nearly claimed his life. These qualities possessed by these two young adults are undoubtedly worthy of emulation to both young and old readers.
