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The Tomb of Alexander
Sought after for generations. Venerated by the great and the good. Hidden from all mankind.
Alexander was one of the greatest leaders of all time. After he died, his tomb was the most renowned and respected shrine in the Roman Empire, the object of veneration by great emperors and leaders the world over. It stood at the heart of the grandest city on earth. And then it disappeared.
Centuries later, on a dig in Crete, curator and archaeologist Tom Carr is convinced that he's discovered a vital clue. At his side is a beautiful young artist, Victoria Price. Together, they are prepared to risk everything to find the tomb, and solve one of the most enduring mysteries of our time.
Alexander was one of the greatest leaders of all time. After he died, his tomb was the most renowned and respected shrine in the Roman Empire, the object of veneration by great emperors and leaders the world over. It stood at the heart of the grandest city on earth. And then it disappeared.
Centuries later, on a dig in Crete, curator and archaeologist Tom Carr is convinced that he's discovered a vital clue. At his side is a beautiful young artist, Victoria Price. Together, they are prepared to risk everything to find the tomb, and solve one of the most enduring mysteries of our time.
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2012
4 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Seán Hemingway
16 books4 followersSeán A. Hemingway is the John A. and Carole O. Moran Curator in Charge of the Department of Greek and Roman Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 5, 2021
There were some plots that were badly written. Some parts read like a history text book; some interesting, and some boring. But still it was an enlightening read as I have not read much on Alexander the Great.
Read
June 17, 2014more like half-read. There was just something missing in this book.
February 14, 2013
Did not finish this book. Read aprox 100 pages, and was very bored with it. Not to my taste.
September 5, 2021
This is a classic example of somebody related to a famous author who thinks they too can pen a brilliant novel. It didn't work for me at all.
Removing the dryly detailed chunks of historical information would have helped, as would making the dialogue more realistic. The characters were too simple - I didn't warm to any of them. The past life angle I could give or take. Maybe one of the strangest things was that when terrible events transpired, the protagonist give it a few seconds thought and the jetted off somewhere to make an appointment to read an ancient text. Surely such events warranted a bigger reaction.
This novel failed as an adventure novel, because there's just no sense of urgency and I didn't feel the danger - mainly because the protagonist seemed to brush off everything that happened.
I think the premise was fine - the author just didn't bring it alive.
Removing the dryly detailed chunks of historical information would have helped, as would making the dialogue more realistic. The characters were too simple - I didn't warm to any of them. The past life angle I could give or take. Maybe one of the strangest things was that when terrible events transpired, the protagonist give it a few seconds thought and the jetted off somewhere to make an appointment to read an ancient text. Surely such events warranted a bigger reaction.
This novel failed as an adventure novel, because there's just no sense of urgency and I didn't feel the danger - mainly because the protagonist seemed to brush off everything that happened.
I think the premise was fine - the author just didn't bring it alive.
November 29, 2017
When starting to read this book, I found out that the writer's grandfather was Ernest Hemingway. A nice surprise!
The story is situated in our present time, about the search of the past. Two people who have their won search into history and their own ways, find each other to answer each others questions.
As the title mentions, it all is about the tomb of Alexander, which moved through history several times and of which it's whereabouts are unknown.
Learning more about history is unfortunately not the only reason why people look for the tomb.
The story is situated in our present time, about the search of the past. Two people who have their won search into history and their own ways, find each other to answer each others questions.
As the title mentions, it all is about the tomb of Alexander, which moved through history several times and of which it's whereabouts are unknown.
Learning more about history is unfortunately not the only reason why people look for the tomb.
July 16, 2017
A story that was moving along a little too slowly. It is well-researched though.
April 6, 2019
Not a bad read. Heaps of historical and mythological references but that's something I enjoy. The author is a former MET curator, so all the descriptions are very detailed and believable.
December 1, 2019
Boring and chaotic.
September 23, 2024
DNF boring. I'm usually one to preserve but this one didn't grab me
June 17, 2014
Sean Hemmingway has done great work with this, his debut novel, "The Tomb of Alexander." Since I read it all in a day and a half, that should tell you I couldn't put the book down. It was a quick, enjoyable, realistic story, that I will probably be rereading down the road.
It is said that a writer can find great material in what he knows and what he does, and Mr. Hemmingway does just that with a vibrant narrative and overflowing knowledge on the subject matter. The main character, Tom Carr, is a curator of Greek artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. His professional time is divided between archaeological digs, academic research, and Musuem work such as tours and collection acquisitions. Tom's character is very much like Dan Brown's Robert Langdon but is much more hands-on in actual field work.
The wealth of knowledge Carr has readily available in his mind is truly immense, as if he is a walking catalogue of all things in ancient art. If I were to highlight or bookmark every nugget of information on: Alexander the Great, Hellenistic art and religion, Greek art and religion, European art in general, ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern history and cultural studies, literature through the Middle Ages and Renaissance, philosophy, ancient mythologies, technology through the Renaissance, architecture, the history of Christianity--well, you get the idea--my book would be filled to capacity. "The Tomb of Alexander" is a much better way to garner a heavy history lesson than the old, stale textbooks from grade school and many college courses.
I would think that many people nowadays would not appreciate how the narrative flows: there is little violence, explosions, stuntmen-required scenes of action and suspense, chases, exaggerated evil corporations or groups, sultry sex scenes, conspiracies, etc. etc. etc. Well, not everything plays out that way, and if that's what you require in a "good read" well, I guess your field of literary appreciation is quite narrow indeed. In this sense, "The Tomb of Alexander" is a calmer read, though there's plenty of tension and suspense, and a more realistic approach to the archaeological field, as it seems Hemmingway plays out the plot as it would occur in real life in his/Carr's position--aside from the supernatural visions. This book is Indiana Jones minus all the James Bond wizardry. Or, put another way, it's Robert Langdon minus the massively intricate, exaggerated puzzles and save-the-world scenarios to solve.
I gave the book four stars only because the dialogue seemed very canned, there were some loose threads that weren't quite resolved, and I couldn't place several scenes in the general scheme of things, with my initial read. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you for your impressive debut novel, Mr. Hemmingway, I hope to read much more from you in the future.
It is said that a writer can find great material in what he knows and what he does, and Mr. Hemmingway does just that with a vibrant narrative and overflowing knowledge on the subject matter. The main character, Tom Carr, is a curator of Greek artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. His professional time is divided between archaeological digs, academic research, and Musuem work such as tours and collection acquisitions. Tom's character is very much like Dan Brown's Robert Langdon but is much more hands-on in actual field work.
The wealth of knowledge Carr has readily available in his mind is truly immense, as if he is a walking catalogue of all things in ancient art. If I were to highlight or bookmark every nugget of information on: Alexander the Great, Hellenistic art and religion, Greek art and religion, European art in general, ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern history and cultural studies, literature through the Middle Ages and Renaissance, philosophy, ancient mythologies, technology through the Renaissance, architecture, the history of Christianity--well, you get the idea--my book would be filled to capacity. "The Tomb of Alexander" is a much better way to garner a heavy history lesson than the old, stale textbooks from grade school and many college courses.
I would think that many people nowadays would not appreciate how the narrative flows: there is little violence, explosions, stuntmen-required scenes of action and suspense, chases, exaggerated evil corporations or groups, sultry sex scenes, conspiracies, etc. etc. etc. Well, not everything plays out that way, and if that's what you require in a "good read" well, I guess your field of literary appreciation is quite narrow indeed. In this sense, "The Tomb of Alexander" is a calmer read, though there's plenty of tension and suspense, and a more realistic approach to the archaeological field, as it seems Hemmingway plays out the plot as it would occur in real life in his/Carr's position--aside from the supernatural visions. This book is Indiana Jones minus all the James Bond wizardry. Or, put another way, it's Robert Langdon minus the massively intricate, exaggerated puzzles and save-the-world scenarios to solve.
I gave the book four stars only because the dialogue seemed very canned, there were some loose threads that weren't quite resolved, and I couldn't place several scenes in the general scheme of things, with my initial read. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you for your impressive debut novel, Mr. Hemmingway, I hope to read much more from you in the future.
February 6, 2013
I received this book free through a Goodreads First Read giveaway, and I wasn't sure what to expect, but was very pleasantly surprised. I really wanted to give 3.5/5.
As a Classicist myself, I was fascinated by the huge amount of classical art mentioned in the novel, and I found Hemingway's descriptive and narrative skill when dealing with the artefacts and their historical context both easy and accessible, while at the same time very well researched and informative. His passion for the classical past is almost palpable, and I hope it will stir interest amongst his readership, as it reminded me why I love Classical art.
The plot and characters are rather secondary to all this, really just providing a framing device for his artistic expositions. As such, the players are not hugely original or complex, nor do they speak in a convincing manner, but enough time is spent with them to form a connection with them, and to wish good to end well and the bad to get their just desserts. There are a few missed opportunities, for example, the best speech of the main antagonist is a paragraph in the final section of the book, and I really felt that had been missing from the earlier sections. If he could have combined the plot with the art more successfully, the novel as a whole would have felt less disjointed.
However, overall it was good fun, if a little disjointed, and I would recommend it.
As a Classicist myself, I was fascinated by the huge amount of classical art mentioned in the novel, and I found Hemingway's descriptive and narrative skill when dealing with the artefacts and their historical context both easy and accessible, while at the same time very well researched and informative. His passion for the classical past is almost palpable, and I hope it will stir interest amongst his readership, as it reminded me why I love Classical art.
The plot and characters are rather secondary to all this, really just providing a framing device for his artistic expositions. As such, the players are not hugely original or complex, nor do they speak in a convincing manner, but enough time is spent with them to form a connection with them, and to wish good to end well and the bad to get their just desserts. There are a few missed opportunities, for example, the best speech of the main antagonist is a paragraph in the final section of the book, and I really felt that had been missing from the earlier sections. If he could have combined the plot with the art more successfully, the novel as a whole would have felt less disjointed.
However, overall it was good fun, if a little disjointed, and I would recommend it.
August 31, 2013
Tom Carr is a modern-day archeologist leading a dig in Crete when a delicious new lead is found on an ancient stele. It mentions the long-sought tomb of Alexander the Great, saying that it had been moved from Alexandria by the Roman Emperor – but to where? The rest of the inscription is worn away. Modern technology has transformed the field of archaeology, revealing structures still buried and traces of ancient paint no longer visible to the eye. Carr’s find is scanned, and words once missing point Carr toward the Pantheon in Rome.
And what of a vision described to Carr by a glamorous artist, Victoria Price? She’d been on a museum tour led by Carr when she fainted after “seeing” herself as a grave robber trapped within the tomb of Alexander, surrounded by the famed conqueror’s belongings. She describes an amulet which provides vital clues which send the couple racing from New York and across Europe to find Alexander’s tomb before ruthless grave robbers can beat them to it.
The Tomb of Alexander is the first novel from archeologist and Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Séan Hemingway. This Da Vinci Code-style tale does a fine job of putting the reader in an archaeologist’s shoes, and if you love an entertaining mystery, The Tomb of Alexander is for you.
And what of a vision described to Carr by a glamorous artist, Victoria Price? She’d been on a museum tour led by Carr when she fainted after “seeing” herself as a grave robber trapped within the tomb of Alexander, surrounded by the famed conqueror’s belongings. She describes an amulet which provides vital clues which send the couple racing from New York and across Europe to find Alexander’s tomb before ruthless grave robbers can beat them to it.
The Tomb of Alexander is the first novel from archeologist and Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Séan Hemingway. This Da Vinci Code-style tale does a fine job of putting the reader in an archaeologist’s shoes, and if you love an entertaining mystery, The Tomb of Alexander is for you.
February 5, 2013
Won this through a Goodreads Giveaway.
This is a thoroughly entertaining and fast paced historical thriller that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. The story follows Tom Carr and Victoria Price as they are brought together in the hunt for the lost tomb of Alexander and in the process find themselves catching the attention of a not so pleasant artifacts 'collecter' with the money and power to get anything he wants. There is a lot of additional historical fact detailed throughout the book which on the whole was helpful but at times it did seem a little awkward as it was information that the reader needed but not the characters or story (was still good to know though), although this is just Hemingway's passion as an archaeologist and scholar running away with him, which is understandable given the subject matter. The characters themselves are well written and develop as the story progresses although Hemingway does stick to stereotypes a little bit but this does add a certain amount of familiar charm to the story and allows the reader to feel a connection to the characters. Overall a pretty good read with plenty to keep you turning the pages.
This is a thoroughly entertaining and fast paced historical thriller that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. The story follows Tom Carr and Victoria Price as they are brought together in the hunt for the lost tomb of Alexander and in the process find themselves catching the attention of a not so pleasant artifacts 'collecter' with the money and power to get anything he wants. There is a lot of additional historical fact detailed throughout the book which on the whole was helpful but at times it did seem a little awkward as it was information that the reader needed but not the characters or story (was still good to know though), although this is just Hemingway's passion as an archaeologist and scholar running away with him, which is understandable given the subject matter. The characters themselves are well written and develop as the story progresses although Hemingway does stick to stereotypes a little bit but this does add a certain amount of familiar charm to the story and allows the reader to feel a connection to the characters. Overall a pretty good read with plenty to keep you turning the pages.
May 13, 2013
This is Sean Hemmingway's first novel. The style of his writing shows this, especially in the first third of the book. I found it interesting to see his style develop to relatively competent towards the end. It is simply written and ultimately well paced.
I have a fascination for all things in the ancient world and already had a good grounding in the life and achievements of Alexander the Great before reading this. One thing I can say is that Sean evidently did his homework, the facts are spot-on. This novel is an example to all authors when it comes to good quality research.
I would have liked to have seen better character development especially between the two principles. The bad guy should also have been in it more, as his role almost felt like an afterthought to give what is essentially an adventure treasure hunt a thriller bent.
Unfortunately the ending is too swift, basically resolving in a handful of pages. It leaves the reader a little unsatisfied.
I have a fascination for all things in the ancient world and already had a good grounding in the life and achievements of Alexander the Great before reading this. One thing I can say is that Sean evidently did his homework, the facts are spot-on. This novel is an example to all authors when it comes to good quality research.
I would have liked to have seen better character development especially between the two principles. The bad guy should also have been in it more, as his role almost felt like an afterthought to give what is essentially an adventure treasure hunt a thriller bent.
Unfortunately the ending is too swift, basically resolving in a handful of pages. It leaves the reader a little unsatisfied.
July 16, 2013
c2012: FWFTB: shrine, Crete, clue, artist, mysteries. They say that if you want to deliver a good first book, write about something you know. And this is exactly what Mr Hemmingway has done. There is a wealth of information in this book which makes it a really interesting read. Sadly, though, a book has to have a plot and this is where I felt that the book fell down a bit. I wasn't particularly caught up in any of the suspense and I am afraid that I found all the characters to be a little wooden. In saying that, though, I think that the book should appeal to much of the reading public. I know a particular member of the crew that would really enjoy this book so I can recommend. " Or was all of this a grand goose chase, folly - even arrogance, given how many people had failed before him? Still, he had been dealt more cards than the others."
February 19, 2013
After trekking 8,802 kilometers around the Mediterranean Sea (www.followtheidiot.com), I'm going to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great from his birthplace in Macedonia to Alexandria, Egypt. Seán Hemingway, whom I interviewed and quote in my just-published book "The Idiot and the Odyssey II: Myth, Madness and Magic on the Mediterranean," provides some invaluable, albeit sometimes mythical, information about the subject of my next book "The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Alexander the Great Walks the Mediterranean."
February 3, 2013
A very descriptive book containing quite a lot of background history. But I kind of like that as Alexander is probably one of the ares of history that I am least familiar with. The story was inter-dispersed between the history but was well written and well paced. Not hundred percent convinced by the ending though. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy.
March 10, 2013
I enjoyed this book but for me there was something missing but i am not able to figure out what it is.
Mr. Hemingway presents a detailed story of Alexander the Great that for any history lover will enjoy reading.
His characters are strong and portrayed well throughout the book and keep the reader in the book anmd their minds are not left to wander.
A good debut from Mr. Hemingway.
Mr. Hemingway presents a detailed story of Alexander the Great that for any history lover will enjoy reading.
His characters are strong and portrayed well throughout the book and keep the reader in the book anmd their minds are not left to wander.
A good debut from Mr. Hemingway.
May 11, 2016
I enjoyed reading this book, it was quite engrossing with exceptional historical detail which had me googling the referenced art works, however it was let down by poor writing. I couldn't believe the rush at the end.
I'm surprised the publisher didn't engage a ghost writer to flesh it out a bit and improve the plot.
I'm surprised the publisher didn't engage a ghost writer to flesh it out a bit and improve the plot.
September 27, 2012
Think a tick list Da Vinci Code but even worse if possible. I have to admit the book lost me pretty quickly when the female lead had a reincarnation flashback to being trapped in Alexander's tomb. Some interesting bits on classical art and archaeology but the writing is very poor.
June 4, 2013
To be honest this book took forever to get started and there were times when I thought I would have to give up and start something else. The book only came to life the last two chapters. There was no plot and the story line was very thin.
December 22, 2015
I didn't finish this book. The first half was questionably written and not particularly interesting, with fairly vapid characters. Other reviews suggest it gets better, but I had other books to read.
October 15, 2016
Unlike A Lot Of The Reviews I Read About This Book, I Really Enjoyed It. The Descriptions Of The Landscapes Made Me Feel Like I Was There And The Cat & Mouse Style Chase Between The Characters Made It Similar To The Style Of Dan Brown *X*
September 16, 2012
Like the DaVinci Code, but with art. I had no idea how much there was to know about archaeology/classic art until I read this one. The last 100 pages fly by.
June 23, 2013
Won this on in a good reads giveaway. It was an ok read. Not great on the plot, but fine to waste a Sunday afternoon with.
February 15, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I didnt really know much about Alexander the Great before reading this, however, now i am keen to learn more about him. It was a really enjoyable read.
Read
August 9, 2013trash
April 14, 2013
It was okay; not as good as some other books I've read. But not bad for a debut novel.
May 3, 2013
The character development was slightly ridiculous , but the descriptions of art and archaeology were awesome. They made up for the slightly odd characters enough to make the book still worth reading
May 2, 2016
Better than I expected. Picked it up in a library book sale as it's partly set in Crete. (holiday destination).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews