Scarab Reviews

This novel is probably the best one in the Philo Vance series. The story is about a murder committed in an Egyptian Museum in New York. The owner's head was bashed in, supposedly with a statue of some Egyptian God. While many clues led to the in-house Egyptologist and explorer, the native Egyptian servant insisted that it was a curse of the Egyptian God. Naturally, abiding the rules of detective fictions, Mr. Vance was able to pick out a human culprit at the end.

The case itself may not be complicated, and the culprit may be too obvious, yet there's a very interesting and unique plot, in which the amateur and the professionals, unlike in most detective fictions, shared a common solution at the end though based on totally different evidences. The only weakness of this novel is the excessive elaboration on Egyptian arts, which few readers would care.

I think The Scarab Murder Case is one of the best of the Philo Vance series. It involves an eery atomosphere at a museum of Egyptology (a very popular subject in the 1920's and 1930's), a mysterious murder, and a complex plot on who did the murder and how. The how being the most interesting in the book. Was it a curse, or was just a complex murder?

As with the other Van Dine books, he throws in a lot information on the Egyptian art. But of course, Philo Vance, the detective, knows all there is to know about the subject, just as he with any other subject.

Shirley Rogers Reinhart provides vivid images of London and other European locales as she whisks the reader away on a vacation of mystery, romance and intrigue. This compelling novel is sure to satisfy anyone who has an interest in the UK and Western Europe along with a fondness for suspense.

This book didn't exactly give me what I expected, but still delievered quite the page turner. The story mainly centers around a Hunter, who seems to have some unwanted assistance, but suprisingly the story continues to branch out in numerous ways switching perspectives to give a reader a full view of the entire story.

My main complaint with this book, was a problem that befalls most white-wolf books though. The characters seem to perfect, why are Thea and her workaholic room mate, both, apparently, so sexy? Infact most of the characters who are good guys, seem to all be made up as incredibly attractive. I don't think that's overly problematic, but it seems to be something that plagues many white-wolf books, and to those who are extremely picky it can seem rather silly.

I picked up this book as an impulse buy, so I wasn't expecting much from it. I had never read a World Of Darkness novel and I had no idea who, or what, Hunters were. This book knocked my socks off.

My only complaint is that I wish the back cover had been a little LESS descriptive. Knowing that the trilogy serves to introduce the M-words to the World Of Darkness universe dulled a bit of the impact the ending would have held.

This is the first volume outside of the Predator & Prey introductory series that deals with hunters, humans who have pierced the shroud of darkness around the Masquerade and are actively seeking to do away with creepy guys. I have honestly been less than enthusiastic about the P&P tales, but "Heralds of the Storm" turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.

Thea Ghandour is a member of the Van Helsing Brigade, a clan of monster hunters that works in and around Chicago. Her compatriots, Romeo, Parker, Jake, Dean, Carl, and Lilly, are young men and women with a strong sense of cause. Each has developed special talents that help in their battles and have kept them alive so far. They do not lack for courage, but frequently hide their fears behind anger and bickering.

The book opens with an attack on a vampire's lair near Chicago. Even as they infiltrate the site, they realize something isn't quite right. It goes too easily. Most of the guards are gone or are quickly handled. The guard watching the security is dead. After killing the Vampire with minimal injury, the entire lair is destroyed by explosives as they leave. Thea and the others suspect that someone was there before them, and that they are being set up.

When Thea gets a brief, anonymous phone call her fears are confirmed. But the gang has no clue on how to proceed. Before they can do much research, several brigade members are attacked and killed by zombies. Thea arrives in time to prevent things from being even worse and finds herself being helped by a stranger, who identifies himself as Maxwell Carpenter and pulls Thea and her unconscious friends from the building. Then he erases her memories and disappears.

Thea awakes in a hospital. When Romeo tells her she was pulled from the building by a super zombie who can pass for human she remembers what happened. Frantic research reveals that Carpenter was a 1920s gangster and was definitely dead. Many more phone calls and arguments later they finally meet with Carpenter. He asks them to help him get into the Temple of Akhenaton in downtown Chicago and gives them some time to consider their answer.

Carpenter has his own agenda, the complete destruction of the Sforza clan that caused his death years earlier. Thea and the Brigade find this out and are torn over whether they should cooperate with Carpenter or kill him for the monster he is. What they decide, and the horrific results of that decision fill the remainder of this volume and the next two novels of this promising and exciting trilogy.

This may be Andrew Bates first novel, but he shows considerable skill and talent. His characters have none of the stick figure quality which often troubles World of Darkness novels. Bates has a good sense of timing and a fine eye for detail as well. My only gripe is that the novel's designer decided to sacrifice page numbers for decoration. As a reviewer, I found this quite irritating. Otherwise this series looks like a winner from the folks at White Wolf.

Having started out well with "Heralds of the Storm," Andrew Bates has continued this series with the same flair for action and story line that made the first volume a success. Again, he has managed to avoid the 'academicism' that plagues many White Wolf novels. Mixing two new character types, Hunters and Mummies, Bates introduces many new ideas, and renews hope for the World of Darkness story world.

The story opens with the arrival of Beckett in Chicago. He is a Gangrel who has run independently for centuries, seeking information on the origins of the vampires. Unlike the Nosferatu, who are bookish, Beckett does his research by wandering the world interviewing fellow vampires and investigating ancient artifacts. He has come to Chicago to talk to Inyanga, another Gangrel far older than himself. She offers a trade. She will part with her knowledge if Beckett will investigate the Hunters, humans who seek the death of all vampires. Beckett quickly finds this quest is far more complex than he expected, and in short order he finds himself enmeshed in clan politics, and confronted with mummies and the most ancient of vampires.

When Maxwell Carpenter, resurrected as a zombie to carry out his revenge against the Sforza clan, first planned and executed the attack against the Temple of Akhenaton, he expected to face with a professional espionage organization, not find that his next target, Nicholas Sforza-Anhotep, has somehow made the transition to a creature of uncanny powers. Maxwell managed to overpower Nicholas in that struggle, but now finds that having the mummy is considerably different from controlling him. Both of these creatures perpetually batter each other, and it is only their supernatural recovery abilities that keep them in the fray.

In the midst of this, Thea Ghandour and fellow members of the Van Helsing Brigade are healing their wounds. Events at the Temple were devastating to her team, leaving two dead and many of the others fugitives. The brigade is caught in the interplay between Vampire, Zombie, and Mummy, because the canopic jar Thea stole from the temple has become the target of nearly every supernatural creature in Chicago chances. While Thea has shown considerable skill at beating the odds the Hunters are facing grim prospects.

Truthfully, none of the protagonists is in for an easy time. The diverse factions are all interesting on their own, and it is hard to pick one or two people as favorites. And every time you think you have a handle on what's really going on something happens to lead you in a different direction. So far this series is the best that has come out of White Wolf in the past year. I am looking forward to Volume III and subsequent work from Andrew Bates.

Like the first, the second book of White Wolf's latest trilogy is a great read with plenty of suspense, intrigue, action, monsters, and gore. Also like the first installment, it maintains a much quicker pace than many of White Wolf's other publications. Thus far, this trilogy has provided several illusive and incrediblly fasinating characters. If you like horror and the concept of people willingly facing off against all manners of evil then this book is for you.

Consumers are so lucky to be able to choose now from so many tools for divination. It is so important to pick the style that is right for you. If are intrigued by Egyptian culture, you will very much enjoy the Egyptian Scarab Oracle package. This kit includes the book "Sacred Scarabs for Divination and Personal Power," 30 scarab "runes," and a satin pouch. My first impression was one of humor, when I pulled out the sack of Egyptian scarabs and peeled off the "Made in China" sticker! You have to admit that is funny. They are still very Egyptian-looking little bugs, though, and they feel good to work with. The author created this oracle based on a magical dream. The text is very informative and provides different layouts and eplanations for readings. It will only take time to familiarize yourself though, with the names of the scarab symbols. Until you do, it is rather difficult to refer to the right page for a description. I would have called one "Alaskan Ulu Knife," but it really is found under "Solar Barque of Ra." The "Throne of Isis" scarab to me, resembles a Tetris game piece. The scarabs are not numbered or colored from each other, so it does take some time to familiarize yourself with their names to look them up quickly. You might not sit down and do a great reading your first time in 10 minutes, but the powerful symbols, gods, and goddesses of the scarab are well worth the time for you to learn about them.

In my work as a professional psychic I use mainly tarot and playing cards, but when I read for myself I get easily bored, always looking for something new. The Egyptian Scarab Oracle is fascinating, easy to use, and very insightful. A friend of mine who is also a psychic recommended this set to me and told me to read the book cover to cover before using it for readings. Yeah, right. I just dove right in and read about each scarab individually as it came out of the pouch in response to my questions. Now I really am going to go back and read the book cover to cover, as I have discovered that I resonate with the Egyptian deities.

This set is great. Pick one up, you will not be disappointed.

This book by the reknown British Egyptologist, Dr. Martin, from University College, London, is a welthy source of prosopographical and onomastical data gathered together from 1838 private- and 71 official-seals (mainly scarabs or scaraboids), dating from the Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period (including the "Hyksos Age" so-called). The author has not limited himself to publish a minute recording of each and every testimony, but has also commented upon the dating and the typology of this specific historical kind of documents. Highly recommendable for the specialist; a less so, for the beginners.

At the close of the previous volume, 'Lay Down with Lions,' Thea Ghandour had just thrown the Heart of Osiris out of a window on the 73rd story of the Sears Tower, enabling her and Jake, the other surviving member of her team, to escape. When the Heart (and the vampire that jumped out after it) lands on top of a parking garage, it interrupts a struggle between Carpenter (the gangster zombie), and Nicholas Sforza-Ankhotep (the gangster mummy) were trying to kill each other. Two crashes later, Carpenter manages to grab the Heart and run off. The curtain descends on a furious Nicholas.

This volume, 'The Land of the Dead' opens with Nicholas' return to Egypt. For those of us who are not well acquainted with the mummies of the World of Darkness this turns out to be an education. After a quick aside while Nicholas carries out the gratuitous slaughter of the entire lair of an Egyptian vampire. This reestablishes for us that Sforza-Ankhotep as a creature to be reckoned with, since his performance against Carpenter was utterly lackluster. Then we are off to the Mummy hideaway beneath the Cities of the Dead in Cairo. Here we are given far more information than is usual for White Wolf about immortal mummies. Compared to a lot of the vampires, this is genuinely interesting.

Now the story the shifts back to Thea and her friend Jake. They are trying to figure out what they can do about Thea's roommate, Margie, who is temporarily a basket case. This is difficult since every vampire in Chicago is avidly hunting for them. They, in turn, are hunting for Carpenter, who betrayed the hunter team. Computer whiz Jake manages to discover that Carpenter has apparently left for Egypt. Thea convinces the vampires the Margie is dead and returns her to her folks for safe keeping. Then Jake and Thea head for Egypt, broke, but determined to kick zombie.

Carpenter is indeed heading for Egypt. He is convinced that he can use the Heart to gain immortality, a considerable improvement over being an undying zombie that is having trouble staying together in one piece. Equipped with his magic hammer and knife, and the Heart of Osiris, Carpenter manages to keep together and begins to mount his attack on the mysteries of ancient Egypt. With everyone having some sort of psychic connection with everyone else this is a recipe for a series of titanic collisions. Not the least of which is a major disaster at Port Said. If the reader is looking for a lot of violent action, he (or she) has come to the right place,

It is something of a shame that this series came out in what is otherwise White Wolf's worst year as a fiction publisher. Andrew Bates is an interesting, if purely plot oriented writer who deserves better than what has recently been done in for the World of Darkness. Hopefully he is the sign of a revival of the energies what once inhabited the produces of this game publisher, and just their last, undying gasp.