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    The Egyptian
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    The Egyptian
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    The Egyptian
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Egyptian

    Written by Layton Green

    Narrated by Peter Berkrot

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    "Stirring and imaginative, with an engaging premise that is briskly paced. Both the characters in the story and the reader are in for a wild ride." - Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The King's Deception

    At a mausoleum in Cairo's most notorious cemetery, a mercenary receives a package containing a silver test tube suspended in hydraulic stasis.

    An investigative reporter tracking rogue biomedical companies is terrified by the appearance of a mummified man outside her Manhattan apartment.

    A Bulgarian scientist who dabbles in the occult makes a startling discovery in his underground laboratory.

    These seemingly separate events collide when Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, private investigators of cults, are hired by the CEO of an Egyptian biomedical firm to locate stolen research integral to the company's new life extension product. However, after witnessing the slaughter of a team of scientists by the remnants of a dangerous cult thought long abandoned, Grey and Viktor turn from pursuers to pursued.

    From the corridors of visionary laboratories to the cobblestone alleys of Eastern Europe to a lost oasis in the Sahara, Grey and Viktor must sift through science and myth to uncover the truth behind the Egyptian and his sinister biotech - before that truth kills them.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateDec 17, 2013
    ISBN9781480572027
    Unavailable
    The Egyptian
    Author

    Layton Green

    JOIN LAYTON'S VIP READER'S GROUP (http://laytongreen.com/contact) FOR UPDATES ON NEW RELEASES, SPECIAL PROMOTIONS, AND MORE.  Layton is a bestselling author who writes across multiple genres, including mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, and fantasy. He is the author of the popular Dominic Grey series, as well as other works of fiction. His novels have been optioned for film, nominated for multiple awards (including a two-time finalist for an International Thriller Writers award), and have reached #1 on numerous genre lists in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Layton is also the co-editor of International Thrills, an online magazine for ITW (International Thriller Writers) that interviews crime authors from around the world. In addition to writing, Layton attended law school in New Orleans and was a practicing attorney for the better part of a decade. He has also been an intern for the United Nations, an ESL teacher in Central America, a bartender in London, a seller of cheap knives on the streets of Brixton, a door to door phone book deliverer in Florida, and the list goes downhill from there. Layton lives with his family in North Carolina. You can also visit him on Facebook, Goodreads, or on his website (www.laytongreen.com).

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    Reviews for The Egyptian

    4.5/5

    13 ratings13 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I'm not sure what kind of complement I am paying to a thriller when I say that I found the multiple expositions in the story -- about Bulgarian life and culture, anti-aging research, primitive Egyptian gods, and jujutsu -- is as interesting as the story. I liked the story well enough, and the characters, especially the soldier of fortune whose career was launched by his deep need to get the heck away from rural Oklahoma.
    • 5/5
      Again, Layton Green has delivered a mystery that is not only a great story that is fast paces action with every turn but delivers a philosophical question of old, immortality, into the hands of the 21st century ethics of this search. The what-ifs of living encompassed by the secrets if the ancients. What would happen if there was such a thing? What are the implications to the world population? How do we muck around in these questions without losing our humanity?

      Dominic Grey and Viktor may cine at this from to different positions but their passion is relentless. Answering the questions we all have while searching for their own soul in these questions. Their place within these mysteries.
    • 4/5
      One of the oldest quests in history...the quest for the secret of eternal life. This is the root of The Egyptian. This is a first-rate thriller with elements of history, martial arts, and just the right amount of spy games and conspiracy theories. Think The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons without all the religious symbolism. All of this is enough in itself, but what I really like about it is that the writing is terrific and the characters are interesting and engaging. Dominic Grey would be a great movie character and I couldn't help wondering who would play him in a film adaptation. Speaking of which, this book would make an excellent film. I see it translating well to the screen, much in the way Tom Clancy's Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger did. Dominic Grey could be the next Jack Ryan...well, sans the family anyway. If you're looking for a book that grabs you from the start and keeps you interested throughout, then this is the book for you. Oh, and there is a nice homage to a certain horror film that adds a measure of creepiness to the story. Looking forward to Mr. Green's future offerings.
    • 5/5
      By Lis on my blog: Book Girl on Mur y Castell


      *Squee* Remember how a while back I reviewed Layton Green’s The Summoner? Remember just how much I loved it and recommended you read this book too? Well a while back B. was contacted by the author to do a pre-release of the author’s latest book: The Egyptian. Let me tell you, I was one happy happy woman when she got me that request. Needless to say I got right down to reading, but the knights put me of from writing the review. So here I am with my notebook full of squee about this book. Let’s see if I can get you to squee right along with me.

      To tell you the truth, this book is not a girly, squee, romantic kind of book. It’s quite the thoughtful and scary story, full of details of myths and history, occultism, background and world building, and a mystery to rival The DaVinci Code.

      Remember Dominic Grey? In The Summoner he worked for the Diplomatic Service, but since then he started working for our other hero: Professor Viktor Radek, who specializes in religious phenomenology. Basically, he consults high ranking clients on dangerous, obscure cults. Grey is James Bond to Viktor’s Indiana Jones and together they make one heck of a team.

      This time the mystery involves a mummy. Alright, I’m kidding. There is a mummy but the mystery goes much deeper than that. Initially Grey and Radek are hired by an Egyptian company to locate stole research on something oh so interesting – I’ll let you find that out for yourself – but it isn’t long before they run into a dangerous cult and things get real interesting real quick. You know how cults, religion and science make a very bad mix? Well you ain’t seen nothing yet!

      Like in the first book there is a lot of information in this book. There is a lot of background on myth, history and the occult and cults (and the cult featured in this book actually made my skin crawl). The flow of information in this book is well balanced by both the story and the characters. Grey is just as interesting and rogue as in the first book and Radek is just as mysterious. While they are the main characters in this story, they are supported by a well-balanced cast. These characters are not just your average story characters. They are complex, interesting and mysterious. The author gives you just enough to keep you wondering as to what they role in the story really is. One character I found most interesting was Veronica.

      The setting in The Egyptian is breathtaking. Layton knows how to write the characters’ surroundings in such a way that it almost feels as if you’re actually there. Just like in The Summoner this story takes you places: from Egypt to Eastern Europe. It’s nice to see a setting that doesn’t feature America predominantly.

      The Egyptian is a rare gem that puts the DaVinci Code to shame. It’s a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, makes you want to grab your teddy bear and hide under the covers just as it keeps you from putting it down because you want to know what happens next. I sure hope this author keeps writing!
    • 5/5
      This is another excellent read, The Egyptian is the second in the Dominic Grey stories. I love the style and precise vocab. I'd be happy to to read a third book if it is written.
    • 5/5
      An exceptionally good thriller well worth the read.
    • 4/5
      The Egyptian is an engaging blend of corporate espionage and paranormal conspiracy wound together a tense, gripping thriller. It has a tight, well constructed plot, engaging characters and did a nice job of pulling me, the reader, through to the end while retaining that air of mystery.The Egyptian is the second novel featuring Dominic Grey first introduced in the novel The Summoner. In this go-round Grey is working for Viktor Radek, professor of religious phenomenology, investigator and consultant on the subject of dangerous cults. Viktor is contacted by an Egyptian businessman, Al-Miri, and he puts Grey on the case to track down a mysterious stolen test tube. As the case progresses Grey has to unravel lies, murder and the secrets of a strange and ancient Egyptian deity, while navigating the perils of a possible romance with a beautiful reporter, Veronica Brown.I liked the book and found it a compelling read. The characterizations in this novel are excellent, bringing vigorous personalities to life with both strengths and flaws. All the individuals portrayed are absorbing as they play their parts in the taut cat-and-mouse drama of the story. And I appreciated that the romance subplot was built without the overkill of the typical “damsel-in-distress” mentality.I enjoyed the subtle undertone of the arcane in the book. It never develops into a full-blown paranormal, but maintains its hint of the unknown enough to keep the reader intrigued. The author walks the fine line between realism and fantasy expertly. Also, the plotline was logical, flowed with a good pace and the science was worked in to the story without boring the reader. A few times I thought the book was headed into standard thriller territory, but the plot never became overly predictable. The ending was an especially nice surprise, avoiding any inevitable showdown clichés.The Egyptian is an entertaining, fully satisfying book that kept my rapt attention from start to finish.
    • 5/5
      Article first published as Book Review: The Egyptian by Layton Green on Blogcritics.Searching for the ever-elusive fountain of youth has driven different governments, factions and cults for centuries trying to find that special liquid that can hold off the effect of aging. In The Egyptian by Layton Green, he takes us into the ever interesting and precise world of scientific facts and experiments, with an analytical eye towards the verbiage and histories of the different sciences.As he takes his wonderful and exciting protagonist, Dominic Grey, now working for Professor Viktor Radik in his religious investigations, we take a quick and marvelous journey into the unknown. With Radik involved in his own work, Grey as his partner is engaged to retrieve a missing item that has disappeared from a corporation. At this point after his most recent investigation where he and several others including Radik and Nya, the woman he loved, ended up in the hands of a madman, this seemed to be just a routine job. Ready for anything that would take his mind off Nya and the despair he felt, he needed the distraction. She was no longer returning his calls or emails, and while he understood, it hurt in a way for which he was unprepared. His initial impression of those he would be working for seemed a bit odd. The bodyguard of Al-Miri, the man who was filling him in on the theft, was only 5 feet tall and almost as wide, appearing as though he may have been a body builder at some point in his life. He also sported an abnormal growth on his back and Grey had a difficult time keeping his eyes from tracking back to him during his discussion of the case. He exuded a kind of flatness, a lack of caring, and he made Grey uncomfortable. Heading out and beginning the investigation, he found himself in the middle of a protest at the biotech lab he decided to check with. It is here, at this lab and protest that he runs into woman, one who would become a vital part of his investigation as he moved forward. Veronica Brown a reporter for the UN is also hot on the trail of the different genetics and DNA testing going on with the different biotech laboratories, following the different stories and reporting the news. She immediately senses a story attached to Grey and is determined to follow it to the source. What began as the tracking a missing object becomes a mystery into the very fabric of longevity, and the history into the beginnings of alchemy and the lives of the gods and goddesses of Egyptian lore. Radik becomes involved as the genre becomes more to what his own investigations involve and they find that they are searching for something that is not supposed to be. The vial that has disappeared is rumored to carry some of the very water, which is known to prolong life. As the search moves on, Grey finds the lab holding the sample, but even as he begins to understand and come to enjoy the company of the scientist involved, he finds that his client is not only intent on retrieving the vial but in erasing anyone that has knowledge of its content. As death and destruction begin to follow, he is again brought into contact with the bodyguard he had only previously met briefly, small but powerful, Nomti is also adept at and enjoys torture, just for the sake of watching the pain. As Grey and those traveling with him try to escape the clutches of those who will stop at nothing to hide their agenda, we are taken into the labyrinth of secret societies and the mysteries that men have killed for since the beginning of time. This is a well-written and absorbing tale, full of twists and turns that keep you guessing. What is really in the vial and can it really do what some are saying? The characters are at once charismatic or evil and the dialogue is exceptional. Green has delivered another story that takes us to a place outside our comfort zone, and puts us right in the middle of the conflict. The story melds into the perfect scenarios that flow together flawlessly, taking you into the story along with the characters, sharing their pains and fears. As smooth and flowing as the story is, it seems as though Green himself was a part of those involved. The intrigue was great and the science written in a style that was easily digestible. I would recommend this book for those that enjoy action and adventure. It would also please those who like a bit of science fiction or fantasy, and some great history as well. This would be a great book club choice or one for a discussion group. Green has written this one for your library, to pick up and read over and over.This book was recieved as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
    • 4/5
      Layton Green debuted his Dominic Grey series with The Summoner, an terrific thriller that I was impressed by (read my review). The Egyptian picks up where The Summoner left off, as Dominic begins his first case in the employ of academic cult expert, Viktor Radek.Layton Green’s detailed research is complimented by his creativity resulting in an intriguing premise that embraces biotech development and Egyptian cult worship. The Egyptian is a fast paced story as Greytravels from the US to a tiny village in Bulgaria and an oasis in the middle of the Sahara Desert in pursuit of the truth about the contents of a stolen vial that Grey and Radek were hired to find. Yet this story is more than an action packed thriller, its also an intelligent and tightly plotted mystery.While Radek remains elusive on a seperate case for most of the story, Grey is paired with investigative journalist, Veronica Brown and scientist, Stefan Dimitrov. Veronica follows Dominic to Bulgaria sensinga story that will help boost her career and the two become involved during the course of events. Stefan is initially the target of Grey’s investigation but circumstances result in him joining Dominic andVeronica after an assassination attempt.The author continues to develop Grey’s character making much of his internal conflict between the violence he is capable of and his reluctance to resort to it, even when his choices are limited. Greyis also struggling with the collapse of his relationship with Nya and his attraction to Veronica. I was hoping to learn more about Radek but apart from glimpses here and there he remains a mysterious figure.If I was to be picky, I don’t think the writing isn’t quite as sophisticated as in The Summoner, sentences seem shorter and sharper and it’s not quite as descriptive. However Green has put more thought into his character development and the plot remains strong and exciting.As a successor to The Summoner, The Egyptian proves that Layton Green is a talented storyteller who has created an exciting and orginal series. I am already looking forward to Dominic Grey’s next adventure.
    • 4/5
      The Egyptian is the second book in Layton Green's Dominic Grey series. (The Summoner was the first book and The Diabolist is the next one in the works.) Grey is now working with Professor Viktor Radek as a private investigator. They accept a case from an Egyptian who had an employee steal something of scientific value from his company.Grey's temporary home base is New York and Radek is based in Prague. The case includes locations in Egypt, Bulgaria and the Caribbean.Along the way, Grey picks up Veronica Brown, a freelance investigative journalist. Her specialty is biomedical reporting and she's looking for the story that will make her career.The Egyptian is a solid thriller with romance and action scenes thrown into the mix. The mixture of science and myth should be appreciated by anyone who likes a good story.Grey is still the romantic tortured loner he was in The Summoner. More of his background story is revealed to explain why he's a loner determined to live by his moral code.
    • 3/5
      Who wouldn’t like to stop aging; even possibly regress a bit? Of course you would! And so would the men in Layton’s Green’s newest novel The Egyptian. It’s the lengths these men are willing to go to that separates you from them.Dominic Grey is working for a man named Viktor who is in charge of religious phenomenology and is getting a crash course in all this “odd.” Odd being a silver tube which was stolen from its maker and given into the hands of someone who shouldn’t have it – ever.Dominic has more than silver tubes on his plate. He has Veronica who is interested in everything. Who does he work for? What is he investigating? Why isn’t he flirting back? And the questions continue.This is not a humorous story. I doubt anyone in even cracks a smile. The characters are well thought out and the places Dom visits are well described. Apparently it is the second phase of Dominic Grey stories and I will go back and read The Summoner to see where I missed certain issues. I didn’t know this was a sequel and you certainly don’t have to read the other first. Not exactly my cup of tea but I’m sure it will be yours!
    • 4/5
      Dominic Grey works for an investigator specializing in cults. Their new case involves a test tube full of a mysterious substance that has disappeared from Egypt. With the help of an investigative reporter, Dominic follows the trail to Bulgaria. Threw a series of twists and turns Dominic and crew try to figure out where the test tube is, what is in it, and why someone wants it bad enough to kill for it.This book starts off with excitement, and it never really lets up. The action takes you from New York to Bulgaria and then on to Egypt. I enjoyed that. There were also many surprises, which made for some fun. I enjoyed the combination of science and the discussions of different cults. Some of the most interesting parts for me involved the discussion with the Egyptologist. That was fascinating. Dominic was an interesting character, but I felt like I was missing something about him having not read the first book in the series. I liked that everyone seemed to be a little grey. There were many reasons for the people doing what they did, and it was all very complex.I was slightly disappointed in the end, but overall I thought it was a good book. There is mystery, action, and adventure. If you have an interest in Egypt or in the science of aging, you will also find things of interest in here. So if you're ready for a fast-paced story with lots of intrigue, definitely pick up this book.Book provided by author for review.
    • 5/5
      I'm about to make a pretty bold statement here. Layton Green's The Egyptian is the strongest, best written indie book I've ever read. Now, it's not my favorite indie book, I prefer a bit more humor in a book, but the basis of pure technical writing skill, on the ability to craft a story and have it hang together, The Egyptian is the best one I've seen so far.What makes the Egyptian so great?Let's start with the characters. Dominic Grey, the leading man, is back from The Summoner, older, and a bit wiser, and ready to start on something new. He's working for Viktor now as a full time investigator of situations where religion/cults and the real world mix in unfortunate ways. And, while Dominic isn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination, he is, in this partnership with Viktor, the muscle man. He does the legwork, the investigation that involves going to scary places and dealing with creepy people, and occasionally showing us that Jason Stratham has nothing on him when it comes to martial arts. Which brings us to Viktor, who is still my favorite of the crew, who is for lack of a better term, the brains. Viktor is the Religious Phenomenologist, the guy who actually knows what they're looking for. Dominic finds the pieces, Viktor puts them together. New to The Egyptian we get to meet Veronica, who is basically a Bond Girl. If you've ever read/seen a James Bond story, you will understand her role in the book. (Look good, move the plot along, have sex with the hero). Lastly, Jax, also new to the cast, adds an extra layer of brightness to the story with his jaded character and devil may care attitude. (He put me in mind of a mercenary version of Han Solo.) These four very different characters are expertly balanced throughout the story to keep the plot running, the tension high, and the reader caring about what happens next. Getting to spend time with them is a joy.From there we go to the plot. The Egyptian is solid. Each aspect of the book makes sense, each scene flows into the next, there are no moments of wishing someone with a delete button had gotten a hold of certain bits, and no sudden wondering what happened in a given scene. I had a small complaint with The Summoner, where on occasion it was a little too obvious that the characters were doing things because Green needed them to to keep the plot going. That never happens in the Egyptian. All the action, all the motivation, it all flows naturally. You never see the hand of the author in this story. The groundwork is properly laid, the middle adds new interests and possibilities, the climax takes care of business, and then we wrap up with a tidy ending.Wait, you actually want to know what that plot is? Okay. On the surface level, it's about returning some stolen property. Deeper in, that stolen property is a vial of the water of life, a serum that stops people from aging. Who are the thieves? An anti-aging biotech firm. Who lost the vial? An Egyptian eternal-life cult complete with mummies, who also happens to be an anti-aging biotech firm. And they're willing to do anything to get it back. Who are the bad guys? That's one of the great twists in this story. And this story has twists, it has turns, and mummies, and a hunchback, and... I mentioned James Bond earlier. Well, if James Bond and the X-Files had a love child, this book would be it.The romance is once again a guy's romance. But it's a guy's romance with a bit more introspection than I've usually seen in guy oriented books. I like the fact that Grey is still dealing with the emotional fall out of The Summoner, but willing to move on to new things as well. It's realistic in a very good way. (It's also realistic in a way that some women might find exasperating, but that has more to do with how they deal with men, than anything about the book.)Dialog is well done, competent, but not outstanding. Call it a B+. And honestly that just might be a matter of my own taste in the matter. There's a sort of balance between wit, snark, and stoic (think NCIS) I'm especially fond of, and this book didn't have that. But what it did have is dialog that works for each character. There's never a second spent thinking, 'Huh? Why did he say that?' There's not a single phrase in the entire book that drags you out of character. And with characters as different as these four, plus the villains, that's a marvelous job.Like The Summoner, this is a serious book with some dark topics, and Jax was a much needed glimmer of light. In my previous review I equated The Summoner with 90% cocoa chocolate, very dark, very bitter. And sometimes you want dark and bitter. But you can't make it your entire diet. The Egyptian, were it dark chocolate, would probably come in around 60%. And for me, at least, this is a welcome change. I can only deal with so much terrible darkness in a series before it gets too depressing to continue on. The Egyptian not only gives the characters a break, but it gives the reader one as well.I am extremely pleased that Layton Green asked me to review The Egyptian. I look forward to seeing his further works.