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The Mask of Zeus
Sent into exile by those of his friends and colleagues still reeling from his exploits in The Catalyst, Professor John Dobie arrives on the Isle of Aphrodite (better known as Cyprus) prepared to induct his new students into the Mysteries of Higher Mathematics. But the local gods have a shock or two in store for him, starting with the fact that his predecessor at the school, a former student of Dobie's, has been murdered. Aided and abetted at long range by his charming, if caustic, companion Dr. Kate Coyle and baffled by the literary effusions of a zonked-out young compatriot currently facing a murder charge, Dobie - with his customary two-left-footed aplomb - investigates the Amphitryon Affair: a bewildering intermingling of myth, reality, and apparent lunacy with all matter of political and sexual shenanigans ... a case for a divergent thinker if ever there was one.
- GenresMystery
254 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 12, 2018
The only reason I haven’t rated this higher is because I thoroughly enjoyed Dobie’s exploits in The Strange Attractor. Yes, the Mask of Zeus still gets a lot right, it’s still fun and Dobie is still a complete joy to follow on unconventional adventures. It just feels overconfident, however. As if Cory knows he’s struck gold with The Strange Attractor and just wants to repeat everything, but at the time make everything madder. This could’ve been done well, but there needs to be a little more restraint involved with the writing for this to happen.
For example, the prologue is completely superfluous. I understand completely why it’s there, but it feels like information just being thrown at your face just for the sake of it. Yes, it’s a manuscript for a failed writer, so in part, it should be there. Yet it does delve into self-referentiality due to the length and the overtness of it. When you realise what’s happening, the plot should move on, not linger on it. This is especially because the first impression you get from the prologue, as it is deliberately badly written, is that the book itself is badly written, even though it’s not. The information and characterisation shared in the prologue could have been done doubly effectively elsewhere, but instead you’re left with a bombardment of exposition.
All of this does slightly overshadow the good parts of the book. It’s still dark and witty and funny. Dobie and the situation he gets into are still incredibly well written and fun. The tone still treads the line between dark subject matter and light fun brilliantly, never delving too deep one way or the other. It’s just simply that everything is too exaggerated now and less believable. The best thing about the first book was that you could see it happening. You understood exactly how Dobie got himself into every situation he did. The Mask of Zeus feels laboured, though. It feels too forced at times.
Also, the problems with the first book have been carried over to this one. It’s still too referential. The tone is still sometimes dissonant and incongruous. Sometimes people still say unbelievable things. Sometimes all of this is gotten away with because it fits into a character or a theme, but eventually it begins to look a little clumsy.
For example, the prologue is completely superfluous. I understand completely why it’s there, but it feels like information just being thrown at your face just for the sake of it. Yes, it’s a manuscript for a failed writer, so in part, it should be there. Yet it does delve into self-referentiality due to the length and the overtness of it. When you realise what’s happening, the plot should move on, not linger on it. This is especially because the first impression you get from the prologue, as it is deliberately badly written, is that the book itself is badly written, even though it’s not. The information and characterisation shared in the prologue could have been done doubly effectively elsewhere, but instead you’re left with a bombardment of exposition.
All of this does slightly overshadow the good parts of the book. It’s still dark and witty and funny. Dobie and the situation he gets into are still incredibly well written and fun. The tone still treads the line between dark subject matter and light fun brilliantly, never delving too deep one way or the other. It’s just simply that everything is too exaggerated now and less believable. The best thing about the first book was that you could see it happening. You understood exactly how Dobie got himself into every situation he did. The Mask of Zeus feels laboured, though. It feels too forced at times.
Also, the problems with the first book have been carried over to this one. It’s still too referential. The tone is still sometimes dissonant and incongruous. Sometimes people still say unbelievable things. Sometimes all of this is gotten away with because it fits into a character or a theme, but eventually it begins to look a little clumsy.
February 9, 2017
After reading another of Desmond’s books, The Strange Attractor, I was naturally looking forward to reading this part in the Professor Dobie series. The language use is rich and there a consistency in the protagonist’s character which shows that this is a well developed character. The author manages to create an atmosphere and sets the ideal tone which makes the read worthwhile. He manages to retain the mystery and intrigue which will keep you reading. The rhythm of the actual writing is idiosyncratic to say the least, and the author took a risk which paid off in my opinion. If you’re a reader who likes to read something different and you gravitate towards authors with unique voices then this book will be a real treat. Personally, I quite enjoyed it. The setting is very appropriate to the subject matter and there was an effortless continuity of character which made me appreciate that the plot was carefully constructed. It’s a book with a good balance between the bits of prose and dialogue. I didn’t find the text monotonous at all. If you don’t mind the type of writing that can appeal to your intellectual sensibilities but which doesn’t read like an academic book then this is just the kind of book you might find entertaining.
July 16, 2018
As an avid crime fiction reader, I really enjoyed The Mask of Zeus. I've read Desmond Cory before, I like his writing style. I'm also particularly drawn to the simplistic nature of the book covers, that draw you in. This book follows John Dobie, the unlikely hero, who I found to be a very endearing a likeable character.
This book is a follow on from The Strange Attractor and The Catalyst, which I haven't read. However, not reading these previous books did not detract from my enjoyment of this one. I don't think that they need to be read in sequence.
One aspect that confused me was Seymour's writings, which appear throughout the book, however, as I read I began to understand them and understand how relevant they were to the overall story.
This is a well paced book with an interesting story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book is a follow on from The Strange Attractor and The Catalyst, which I haven't read. However, not reading these previous books did not detract from my enjoyment of this one. I don't think that they need to be read in sequence.
One aspect that confused me was Seymour's writings, which appear throughout the book, however, as I read I began to understand them and understand how relevant they were to the overall story.
This is a well paced book with an interesting story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 25, 2020
This is the second of two books featuring mathematician John Dobie. I wish I had the first, which I believe was even better than this one. Still dealing with the fallout from his wife's murder, Dobie accepts a visiting professorship in Turkish Cyprus, where one of his former students has created a vacancy by being murdered herself. Everyone in Salamis thinks it's an open and shut case--clearly, her novelist husband, known to take drugs, must have murdered his unfaithful wife. But somehow Dobie isn't sure that's the case--and he finds himself poking around trying to find some answers. Dobie is a wonderful creation, more interested in math than people, unable to remember unimportant things that aren't, you know, theorems. And his conversations with one of his neighbors, an English professor, are extremely funny.
March 14, 2017
The Mask of Zeus by Desmond Cory is the second in the series which focuses on mathematics professor John Dobie. As you will find out quickly, Dobie's wife was murdered in the previous book and he was accused of the crime. This story begins with Professor Dobie trying to go on with his life as well as he can while his fellow professors and University administration conspire to rid themselves of the negative publicity he courts. He is sent to the island of Cyprus as a visiting professor, replacing a faculty member, Derya Tuner, who it appears was recently murdered by her husband, Adrian Seymour. The stage is now set for a new murder mystery mixed with some humor and wit.
Professor John Dobi is not your average academic nor is he your average literary hero. He is as whip smart as he is socially awkward. The other island residents are all offbeat, original, and utterly entertaining which fleshes out the story perfectly. Even the dead characters were given full character power and added wonderfully to the story.
It did take a bit to really get into the flow of the story, maybe because I hadn't read the first book but it was worth the effort to bring myself up to date. There is a lot of mythology throughout the book which may be a difficult mesh with a murder mystery. It worked for me though.
Professor John Dobi is not your average academic nor is he your average literary hero. He is as whip smart as he is socially awkward. The other island residents are all offbeat, original, and utterly entertaining which fleshes out the story perfectly. Even the dead characters were given full character power and added wonderfully to the story.
It did take a bit to really get into the flow of the story, maybe because I hadn't read the first book but it was worth the effort to bring myself up to date. There is a lot of mythology throughout the book which may be a difficult mesh with a murder mystery. It worked for me though.
April 22, 2018
Quite a trip! Wonderfully different.
March 10, 2017
This is my second read by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed the first read, so I was looking forward to reading this one as well. This also seems to be a continuation of The Strange Attractor.
Again I am reminded that Professor Dobi is not a run-of-the-mill character. He is different, unique, inquisitive, entertaining, and smart! However, in this book, there is a whole new set of twists and turns that were not expected. Yet, another murder has happened, and again it is someone he knows.
This author yet again shows that he knows how to write a good murder mystery with creativity that keeps the reader pulled in until the end. The writing was different than I expected, but so was the twists! I am glad I was introduced to this author. Now that I am aware that this is a trilogy, I want to read the entire set! I am really surprised I hadn't heard of this author before, but I am glad I am aware of his books now.
For my full review, go to:
http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/201...
Again I am reminded that Professor Dobi is not a run-of-the-mill character. He is different, unique, inquisitive, entertaining, and smart! However, in this book, there is a whole new set of twists and turns that were not expected. Yet, another murder has happened, and again it is someone he knows.
This author yet again shows that he knows how to write a good murder mystery with creativity that keeps the reader pulled in until the end. The writing was different than I expected, but so was the twists! I am glad I was introduced to this author. Now that I am aware that this is a trilogy, I want to read the entire set! I am really surprised I hadn't heard of this author before, but I am glad I am aware of his books now.
For my full review, go to:
http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/201...
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews