described him as a "real-life Indiana Jones." He is a middle eastern
scholar and prof of religious studies at Santa Clara University--not
to mention a heckuva writer.
Pinault takes us on an exciting world-spanning thrill ride that kicks
off during the "Arab Spring" demonstrations in Egypt. Ricky Atlas, a
disgraced Egyptologist, is in the midst of robbing the Egyptian Museum
in Cairo. Thieving pays well, but it's dangerous. While dodging
bullets, Ricky wonders whatever happened to his old grad school chums,
Iggy Forsythe, Hattie Kronsted, and Francis Hammond, fellow students who shared in his
disgrace. Ricky scores the finial of the Wand of Solomon, but his
mysterious boss says he's not off the hook and sends him to Yemen to
get the wand itself.
The scene changes to Arizona, where Annie Martinez, a Burger King
assistant manager, has been collecting small artifacts illegally from
Montezuma's Castle National Monument for her little roadside "Museum
of Seraphs." A scraggly homeless man hangs around her tiny
storefront. We suspect he's one of Ricky's old friends and find
ourselves involved in a mystery of what may be Egyptian artifacts in
Arizona. Maybe there's a link to the Aztecs?
And why is everyone after the Wand of Solomon? We're back in Sanaa,
Yemen, where Ricky narrowly escapes Egyptian jihadis who are also
seeking the wand. Atlas has God on his side, though, in the form of
his lucky coat--and CIA Hellfire Predator drones. He's got the wand;
let's see if he can keep it.
It's a blast following Ricky and his friends pursue an ancient
connection that will change the world.
Pinault provides lots of authentic sights, sounds, and dialog
throughout this fast-moving adventure. I can highly recommend "Museum
of Seraphs in Torment: An Egyptological Fantasy Thriller," available on Amazon.
The book needs a nicer cover (and shorter title), but hopefully those will come as the
book gets the attention it deserves.
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