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Morpheus Initiative #1
The Pharos Objective
A legendary treasure chamber hidden beneath the ancient Pharos Lighthouse has defied discovery for over two thousand years...Until Caleb Crowe and his team of psychic archaeologists dare the impossible.
"THE PHAROS OBJECTIVE is Indiana Jones meets the X-Files -- an archaeologist adventurer with psychic powers of remote viewing who can see the past, ancient treasures, historical mysteries, action and adventure that crosses the world, and a damned good story." -- Kevin J. Anderson, #1 international bestselling author of The Edge of the World.
"This is a book I wish I'd written - great premise - great imagination!" --M.J. Rose, international bestselling author of The Reincarnationist and The Memorist
"A classic good vs. evil story, a novel that kept me turning pages far into the night." --Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 EPPIE science fiction winner Regs and the High Places trilogy.
"THE PHAROS OBJECTIVE is Indiana Jones meets the X-Files -- an archaeologist adventurer with psychic powers of remote viewing who can see the past, ancient treasures, historical mysteries, action and adventure that crosses the world, and a damned good story." -- Kevin J. Anderson, #1 international bestselling author of The Edge of the World.
"This is a book I wish I'd written - great premise - great imagination!" --M.J. Rose, international bestselling author of The Reincarnationist and The Memorist
"A classic good vs. evil story, a novel that kept me turning pages far into the night." --Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 EPPIE science fiction winner Regs and the High Places trilogy.
481 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2010
88 people are currently reading
955 people want to read
About the author
David Sakmyster
40 books76 followersDavid Sakmyster is the award-winning author of more than a dozen novels, including Jurassic Dead and The Morpheus Initiative, a series featuring psychic archaeologists (described as “Indiana Jones meets the X-Files”). He also has an epic historical adventure, Silver and Gold, the horror novel Crescent Lake and a story collection, Escape Plans. His latest is Final Solstice, and his screenplay, Nightwatchers, has been optioned for production. Visit him at www.sakmyster.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 15, 2010
Coming out July, The Pharos Objective, as stated by Kevin J. Anderson, is "the X-files meets Indiana Jones" where a team of remote viewers go in search of The Pharos Lighthouse, one of the fabled Wonders of the Ancient World. David Sakmyster takes you on a wild ride filled with deadly traps, prophetic puzzles, and a fight for ones-self. In this sophomoric appearance, Sakmyster doesn't deny you a great read!
November 25, 2022
Caleb Crowe è un giovane professore con la passione per la storia e un dono incredibile, che però ha deciso di tenere nascosto e sopito o almeno ci prova, finché, durante una delle sue immersioni, qualcosa lo porterà di nuovo a galla. Con il ritorno di questo suo potere nella sua vita, faranno capolino nuovamente anche la madre, la sorella, George Waxman e il programma Morpheus il cui scopo è scoprire la settima meraviglia del mondo, il Faro perduto di Alessandria d’Egitto, e il tesoro di Alessandro in Grande che si dice fosse custodito nei sotterranei del Faro.
Riuscirà Caleb nel suo intento? Filerà tutto liscio oppure la via sarà costellata di imprevisti e arrivisti?
Come al solito lascio la scoperta a voi tra le pagine di questo romanzo thriller, ma anche un po’ storico che catalizzerà totalmente la vostra attenzione e la vostra vita.
Io posso dirvi che David Sakmyster ha uno stile ed una scrittura ipnotici che vi trascineranno nella storia e vi faranno passeggiare attraverso i secoli, vedrete la costruzione delle Piramidi, del Faro di Alessandria, Ercolano e Pompei: senza spostarvi dal divano avrete un’opportunità che non tutti hanno ovvero assisterete ai momenti che hanno segnato la nostra storia e che avete sicuramente studiato durante il periodo scolastico, vi assisterete da protagonisti. Insomma, sarete rapiti non appena aprirete il romanzo e verrete rilasciati solo e soltanto al momento della chiusura dell’ultima pagina – attimo che arriverà fin troppo velocemente.
I personaggi sono stati caratterizzati e descritti in modo così attento e dettagliato attraverso le scene della storia da risultare ancora più reali: verremo a conoscenza del loro passato attraverso i loro sogni o le visioni – che sembreranno così reali da farvi dimenticare di essere sul vostro divano a leggere un libro – entrando così nei meandri più profondi e nascosti della mente dei protagonisti e avendo, perciò, la possibilità di essere più in empatia con loro e di riconoscerci in quelli a noi più simili o vicini. Ecco che quindi comprenderemo, perché visto dai suoi occhi, il motivo che porta Caleb ad allontanarsi dalla famiglia e a cercare di nascondere quello che è un potere straordinario.
Inoltre, l’aver unito il thriller alla storia ha creato qualcosa, a mio avviso, di unico, coinvolgente e strepitoso: aver unito due dei miei generi preferiti e l’averlo fatto con così tanta maestria, suspense e tanta ricerca storica riuscendo a far trasparire tutto insieme alle mille emozioni che si provano durante la lettura è un punto a favore dell’autore – che non conoscevo prima di questo romanzo – e soprattutto un punto a favore del mio consigliarvi ciecamente questa lettura in particolar modo se cercate qualcosa che vi faccia tornare il piacere di leggere – che magari avete perso in un blocco del lettore – e che vi tenga incollati alle pagine tanto da divorarlo in un paio di giorni.
In conclusione, vi dico solo che ho iniziato questo libro per sbaglio prendendolo a caso dalla mia libreria in un pomeriggio di Covid in cui nulla mi faceva voglia, mi sentivo sola e triste, ma una volta iniziato a leggere mi sono perdutamente innamorata di questa storia e del modo che ha Davi Sakmyster di scrivere e coinvolgere nella lettura; perciò, ribadisco il mio consiglio: leggetelo e fatevi portare a spasso per la storia con un pizzico di ansia da Caleb e dai Custodi.
Voto: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Riuscirà Caleb nel suo intento? Filerà tutto liscio oppure la via sarà costellata di imprevisti e arrivisti?
Come al solito lascio la scoperta a voi tra le pagine di questo romanzo thriller, ma anche un po’ storico che catalizzerà totalmente la vostra attenzione e la vostra vita.
Io posso dirvi che David Sakmyster ha uno stile ed una scrittura ipnotici che vi trascineranno nella storia e vi faranno passeggiare attraverso i secoli, vedrete la costruzione delle Piramidi, del Faro di Alessandria, Ercolano e Pompei: senza spostarvi dal divano avrete un’opportunità che non tutti hanno ovvero assisterete ai momenti che hanno segnato la nostra storia e che avete sicuramente studiato durante il periodo scolastico, vi assisterete da protagonisti. Insomma, sarete rapiti non appena aprirete il romanzo e verrete rilasciati solo e soltanto al momento della chiusura dell’ultima pagina – attimo che arriverà fin troppo velocemente.
I personaggi sono stati caratterizzati e descritti in modo così attento e dettagliato attraverso le scene della storia da risultare ancora più reali: verremo a conoscenza del loro passato attraverso i loro sogni o le visioni – che sembreranno così reali da farvi dimenticare di essere sul vostro divano a leggere un libro – entrando così nei meandri più profondi e nascosti della mente dei protagonisti e avendo, perciò, la possibilità di essere più in empatia con loro e di riconoscerci in quelli a noi più simili o vicini. Ecco che quindi comprenderemo, perché visto dai suoi occhi, il motivo che porta Caleb ad allontanarsi dalla famiglia e a cercare di nascondere quello che è un potere straordinario.
Inoltre, l’aver unito il thriller alla storia ha creato qualcosa, a mio avviso, di unico, coinvolgente e strepitoso: aver unito due dei miei generi preferiti e l’averlo fatto con così tanta maestria, suspense e tanta ricerca storica riuscendo a far trasparire tutto insieme alle mille emozioni che si provano durante la lettura è un punto a favore dell’autore – che non conoscevo prima di questo romanzo – e soprattutto un punto a favore del mio consigliarvi ciecamente questa lettura in particolar modo se cercate qualcosa che vi faccia tornare il piacere di leggere – che magari avete perso in un blocco del lettore – e che vi tenga incollati alle pagine tanto da divorarlo in un paio di giorni.
In conclusione, vi dico solo che ho iniziato questo libro per sbaglio prendendolo a caso dalla mia libreria in un pomeriggio di Covid in cui nulla mi faceva voglia, mi sentivo sola e triste, ma una volta iniziato a leggere mi sono perdutamente innamorata di questa storia e del modo che ha Davi Sakmyster di scrivere e coinvolgere nella lettura; perciò, ribadisco il mio consiglio: leggetelo e fatevi portare a spasso per la storia con un pizzico di ansia da Caleb e dai Custodi.
Voto: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
October 3, 2021
This was a pretty good book. I like archeology, and the talk about lighthouses was fascinating. I didn't know that "remote viewing" was a thing. Almost sounds like ESP, but with more vision. A few twists and turns, and that made it more interesting.
December 1, 2016
I love historical thrillers. This one has a lot to enjoy; history, treasure, intrigue, psychics, travel. I highly recommend it.
June 11, 2017
Incredible read!
Fast pace and a real page turned. Indiana Jones with National Treasure combined make this a wonderful, fantiful read and story.
Fast pace and a real page turned. Indiana Jones with National Treasure combined make this a wonderful, fantiful read and story.
July 2, 2017
Lento e noioso.
Buone potenzialità, ma sfruttate male.
Buone potenzialità, ma sfruttate male.
December 24, 2018
I didn't like the story, although I read all of it, it will not be one that I would read again. A bit stupid in places.
September 27, 2019
The story was interesting but they could have edited out a lot of irrelevant info about the history of Egypt and other tangents that did not seem to go anywhere.
June 16, 2021
Might read the next one....
August 26, 2021
This was OK as a stand-alone novel. However, I'm not interested enough in the characters or the storyline to continue the series.
December 22, 2025
Interesting story
Just finished book 1. At times it was a little slow but had enough going on to keep my interest.
Just finished book 1. At times it was a little slow but had enough going on to keep my interest.
November 28, 2013
This author, David Sakmyster, is new to me, and because I was enduring a week plus long power outage when I read it, I didn't look him up online. I know this is the first in a series called "The Morpheus Initiative," which seems to center around a group of remote viewers and their quest for finding ancient lost artifacts. The book cover has this quote from a reviewer: "Indiana Jones meets the X-Files -- and a damned good story." -- Kevin J. Anderson.
In this first novel, "The Pharos Objective," the main character is a remote viewer, Caleb Crowe. He has been having visions since childhood, and like his father, is obsessed with the legends surrounding the Pharos Lighthouse. In fact, his whole family, all remote viewers, are obsessed with it. His father disappeared long ago (and is the subject of many of Caleb's visions), but his mother, Helen, and sister, Phoebe, and he have remained involved. Caleb, now a college professor, has tried to separate himself from his family and their involvement with George Waxman and his Morpeus Initiative, but he keeps being drawn back in.
The legends tell of a priceless treasure hidden in a vault beneath the Pharos Lighthouse. Is it jewels or gold or lost knowledge? Everyone has their own opinion and their own reasons for searching for the treasure. But the vault is protected not only by a serious of fatally devious traps, but by an ancient group known as "The Keepers," who are sworn to protect the treasure until it is time to release the secrets to the world.
Sakmyster builds a wonderful tapestry of mystery, using three "books" within the novel to tell the story. There is a Prologue set in ancient times, at the construction of the Lighthouse, and the three books following it expertly twine the visions of ancient time with the hectic electronic age of today. Characterizations are fully fleshed out. The main character is damaged; a complicated being haunted by not only his visions but his life history. The supporting characters are all equally complicated, each with demons and agendas of his/her own. It is a long read, but well paced, well plotted, well edited and proofed. I found only one error (nothing for many of today's authors):
At 640 on my Kindle, where Caleb and his sister are exploring a South American tomb, Caleb is trying to balance Phoebe on his shoulders: "...Caleb wobbles, trying to keep her stead." Probably, he meant 'steady.'
I will say that from 686 to 697, my gut reaction was that the author had been viewing too much "Indiana Jones: The Search for the Holy Grail." But other than that one spot, I found the action to be exciting and authentic, and the plot compelling. Even though the reader has three 'books' to get through, the pacing carries the reader along and the novel does not seem overlong.
And, yes, I'm sure it helps that I love reading about ancient Egypt, whether the reading is fiction or non-fiction. While I didn't double check facts (again -- power outage), I felt the author did his research thoroughly and thoughtfully.
All in all, "The Pharos Objective" was a good read and I will be looking into the second book in the series soon.
In this first novel, "The Pharos Objective," the main character is a remote viewer, Caleb Crowe. He has been having visions since childhood, and like his father, is obsessed with the legends surrounding the Pharos Lighthouse. In fact, his whole family, all remote viewers, are obsessed with it. His father disappeared long ago (and is the subject of many of Caleb's visions), but his mother, Helen, and sister, Phoebe, and he have remained involved. Caleb, now a college professor, has tried to separate himself from his family and their involvement with George Waxman and his Morpeus Initiative, but he keeps being drawn back in.
The legends tell of a priceless treasure hidden in a vault beneath the Pharos Lighthouse. Is it jewels or gold or lost knowledge? Everyone has their own opinion and their own reasons for searching for the treasure. But the vault is protected not only by a serious of fatally devious traps, but by an ancient group known as "The Keepers," who are sworn to protect the treasure until it is time to release the secrets to the world.
Sakmyster builds a wonderful tapestry of mystery, using three "books" within the novel to tell the story. There is a Prologue set in ancient times, at the construction of the Lighthouse, and the three books following it expertly twine the visions of ancient time with the hectic electronic age of today. Characterizations are fully fleshed out. The main character is damaged; a complicated being haunted by not only his visions but his life history. The supporting characters are all equally complicated, each with demons and agendas of his/her own. It is a long read, but well paced, well plotted, well edited and proofed. I found only one error (nothing for many of today's authors):
At 640 on my Kindle, where Caleb and his sister are exploring a South American tomb, Caleb is trying to balance Phoebe on his shoulders: "...Caleb wobbles, trying to keep her stead." Probably, he meant 'steady.'
I will say that from 686 to 697, my gut reaction was that the author had been viewing too much "Indiana Jones: The Search for the Holy Grail." But other than that one spot, I found the action to be exciting and authentic, and the plot compelling. Even though the reader has three 'books' to get through, the pacing carries the reader along and the novel does not seem overlong.
And, yes, I'm sure it helps that I love reading about ancient Egypt, whether the reading is fiction or non-fiction. While I didn't double check facts (again -- power outage), I felt the author did his research thoroughly and thoughtfully.
All in all, "The Pharos Objective" was a good read and I will be looking into the second book in the series soon.
July 9, 2012
Il protagonista di questo romanzo è Caleb, giovane archeologo dotato di poteri decisamente particolari.
Il padre di Caleb era scomparso durante la Prima guerra del Golfo, il suo Apache era stato abbattuto ma il corpo mai ritrovato. Da quel momento Caleb aveva iniziato ad avere delle visioni, ma sua madre invece di riconoscere le capacità del figlio, lo mandò in terapia.
Fino a quel momento le visioni si erano limitate a suo padre, lo vedeva vivo, torturato e che chiedeva aiuto, ma tutti cercavano di convicerlo che il padre non sarebbe mai più tornato e così Caleb cercò di cancellare queste visioni, per lui erano sempre state una maledizione, la visione a distanza era un potere che lui non aveva mai voluto.
Ora, dopo quasi dieci anni, a 20 metri di profondità sotto le acque di Alessandria d’Egitto, un nuovo violento episodio di chiaroveggenza si ripresenta nella sua mente. Ma questa volta le cose sono diverse, le immagini non si riferiscono più al padre, la sua mente aveva visto il faro di Alessandria, la Settima Meraviglia del mondo antico.
Prima dell’incidente, la madre Helen, la sorella Phoebe e lo stesso Caleb, erano membri del Programma Morpheus ideato da George Waxman costituito da un gruppo di archeologi alla ricerca del favoloso tesoro di Alessandro il Grande. Dopo la scomparsa del padre e l’incidente di sua sorella costretta ora su una sedia a rotelle, Caleb aveva mollato tutto, non intendeva più partecipare al Programma, ma dopo l’ultima visione del faro era tempo di tornare.
Tra bugie, tranelli, presunte morti, la storia si dipana in un vortice sempre più stretto tra passato e presente. “Il libro sepolto dei segreti” è il primo libro di David Sakmyster, ma se come si dice il buon giorno si vede dal mattino, questo autore avrà di fronte a se una folgorante carriera proprio come folgorante è questo libro.
Mi è stato impossibile staccarmi dalla lettura, si rimane inchiodati alle pagine a causa di continui colpi di scena e solo una domanda ci si pone: quale sarà il prezzo che i nostri protagonisti dovranno pagare per recuperare la conoscenza perduta? Tutta la conoscenza dell’umanità era racchiusa nella perduta biblioteca di Alessandria, ma quale sarà l’intenzione dei Custodi? e cosa vogliono fare veramente i membri del Programma Morpheus? Ogni pagina diventa un’agghiacciante scoperta.
Bene e male. fantasia e realtà si mescolano in un racconto avvincente, dove la storia studiata sui libri diventa l’incipit per farci sognare un grande tesoro mai trovato, ma del resto non è questo il desiderio di ogni grande archeologo?
Ho voluto dare 4 stelline a questo libro e penso sia adatto agli amanti dei thriller ma anche a chi vuole vivere un’avventura ai confini con la fantasia.
Il padre di Caleb era scomparso durante la Prima guerra del Golfo, il suo Apache era stato abbattuto ma il corpo mai ritrovato. Da quel momento Caleb aveva iniziato ad avere delle visioni, ma sua madre invece di riconoscere le capacità del figlio, lo mandò in terapia.
Fino a quel momento le visioni si erano limitate a suo padre, lo vedeva vivo, torturato e che chiedeva aiuto, ma tutti cercavano di convicerlo che il padre non sarebbe mai più tornato e così Caleb cercò di cancellare queste visioni, per lui erano sempre state una maledizione, la visione a distanza era un potere che lui non aveva mai voluto.
Ora, dopo quasi dieci anni, a 20 metri di profondità sotto le acque di Alessandria d’Egitto, un nuovo violento episodio di chiaroveggenza si ripresenta nella sua mente. Ma questa volta le cose sono diverse, le immagini non si riferiscono più al padre, la sua mente aveva visto il faro di Alessandria, la Settima Meraviglia del mondo antico.
Prima dell’incidente, la madre Helen, la sorella Phoebe e lo stesso Caleb, erano membri del Programma Morpheus ideato da George Waxman costituito da un gruppo di archeologi alla ricerca del favoloso tesoro di Alessandro il Grande. Dopo la scomparsa del padre e l’incidente di sua sorella costretta ora su una sedia a rotelle, Caleb aveva mollato tutto, non intendeva più partecipare al Programma, ma dopo l’ultima visione del faro era tempo di tornare.
Tra bugie, tranelli, presunte morti, la storia si dipana in un vortice sempre più stretto tra passato e presente. “Il libro sepolto dei segreti” è il primo libro di David Sakmyster, ma se come si dice il buon giorno si vede dal mattino, questo autore avrà di fronte a se una folgorante carriera proprio come folgorante è questo libro.
Mi è stato impossibile staccarmi dalla lettura, si rimane inchiodati alle pagine a causa di continui colpi di scena e solo una domanda ci si pone: quale sarà il prezzo che i nostri protagonisti dovranno pagare per recuperare la conoscenza perduta? Tutta la conoscenza dell’umanità era racchiusa nella perduta biblioteca di Alessandria, ma quale sarà l’intenzione dei Custodi? e cosa vogliono fare veramente i membri del Programma Morpheus? Ogni pagina diventa un’agghiacciante scoperta.
Bene e male. fantasia e realtà si mescolano in un racconto avvincente, dove la storia studiata sui libri diventa l’incipit per farci sognare un grande tesoro mai trovato, ma del resto non è questo il desiderio di ogni grande archeologo?
Ho voluto dare 4 stelline a questo libro e penso sia adatto agli amanti dei thriller ma anche a chi vuole vivere un’avventura ai confini con la fantasia.
June 19, 2013
Scrape-Of-The-Teeth Thriller Escapes
The Morpheus Initiative Series
The entire Morpheus Initiative is action and adventure and scrape-of-the-teeth thriller escapes. I love historical conspiracy stories (well-written ones, anyways). And despite pretty high expectations on my part for how fun it would be to read this set, this entire set of books blew those expectations to shreds as the action whipped past at a far greater rate than I expected.
Different stories use different methods to get the action rolling and keep it there – this series uses psychics and remote viewing to determine their next step and as an integral tool for creating tension. The remote viewing ability is mostly for going back into time to view how traps were set up and how to get past them. There are also instances of premonitions of things about to happen or that are currently happening. For the most part, none of the characters have a good grasp on their powers, so it can be hit or miss and seems much more like current reality that way. Plus, if you don’t ask the right questions, you may not see something obvious because of being focused in another direction.
I bought and read the Pharos Objective back in 2011, but realized when I bought the prequel story recently that I couldn’t remember much of Book 1 anyways. So after reading the prequel, I re-downloaded and re-read Book 1 – and then immediately had to purchase Books 2 and 3 and jump right into their action. ~lol~
The Pharos Objective – Book 1
So I re-read this book after reading the prequel, and was I ever glad! There was so much that I missed the first time through it, and all that extra that I caught this time just made it a richer read.
The Morpheus Initiative psychics have been honing in on the location of the long-destroyed Pharos Lighthouse. In the bottom section of the lighthouse (completely concealed, of course) is still treasure waiting for the worthy to reach and open the vault. Debate has waged for many centuries over what the treasure might be – gold, jewels, saved scrolls from the Alexandrian Library, priceless works of art, the secret formula for tuning stuff to gold? Whatever is in there, the ingenious traps set up kill everyone who has previously tried, from Caesar’s soldiers right on up to modern day attempts. They know where the lighthouse used to stand, now they just have to figure out the way in without killing everyone. Oh, and let’s not forget the ancient brotherhood sworn to protect the treasure and also wanting to get their hands on it themselves – for even the Keepers have lost the knowledge of how to bypass the final traps and access the vault. ~grin~
The Morpheus Initiative Series
The entire Morpheus Initiative is action and adventure and scrape-of-the-teeth thriller escapes. I love historical conspiracy stories (well-written ones, anyways). And despite pretty high expectations on my part for how fun it would be to read this set, this entire set of books blew those expectations to shreds as the action whipped past at a far greater rate than I expected.
Different stories use different methods to get the action rolling and keep it there – this series uses psychics and remote viewing to determine their next step and as an integral tool for creating tension. The remote viewing ability is mostly for going back into time to view how traps were set up and how to get past them. There are also instances of premonitions of things about to happen or that are currently happening. For the most part, none of the characters have a good grasp on their powers, so it can be hit or miss and seems much more like current reality that way. Plus, if you don’t ask the right questions, you may not see something obvious because of being focused in another direction.
I bought and read the Pharos Objective back in 2011, but realized when I bought the prequel story recently that I couldn’t remember much of Book 1 anyways. So after reading the prequel, I re-downloaded and re-read Book 1 – and then immediately had to purchase Books 2 and 3 and jump right into their action. ~lol~
The Pharos Objective – Book 1
So I re-read this book after reading the prequel, and was I ever glad! There was so much that I missed the first time through it, and all that extra that I caught this time just made it a richer read.
The Morpheus Initiative psychics have been honing in on the location of the long-destroyed Pharos Lighthouse. In the bottom section of the lighthouse (completely concealed, of course) is still treasure waiting for the worthy to reach and open the vault. Debate has waged for many centuries over what the treasure might be – gold, jewels, saved scrolls from the Alexandrian Library, priceless works of art, the secret formula for tuning stuff to gold? Whatever is in there, the ingenious traps set up kill everyone who has previously tried, from Caesar’s soldiers right on up to modern day attempts. They know where the lighthouse used to stand, now they just have to figure out the way in without killing everyone. Oh, and let’s not forget the ancient brotherhood sworn to protect the treasure and also wanting to get their hands on it themselves – for even the Keepers have lost the knowledge of how to bypass the final traps and access the vault. ~grin~
August 4, 2016
Check out this review and others here:http://editingeverything.com
The best way to describe this book is unexpected – nothing remains the same by the time the book ends. Which yes, that’s something you want to say about most books, but this is the kind of ‘unexpected’ that had me going back and reading sections again to make sure I was reading things correctly.
Caleb Crowe is a professor and a remote viewer. He was part of the Morpheus Initiative at one time, but left when his sister, Phoebe, was left disabled in an accident while on a mission for the initiative. At the same time, his powers waned and he stopped experiencing visions until the book opens. The Morpheus Initiative is a group of psychics and remote viewers, led by Waxman. It’s bit of a family affair in so many ways, but most importantly, Caleb’s mother, Helen, and Phoebe are still part of the Initiative. They are like Caleb, but his talents far surpass theirs.
The Initiative comes calling when Caleb experiences a powerful vision that could lead them to the treasure under the Pharos Lighthouse, thought to be Alexander the Great’s treasure. From the first pages of the book, the author wastes no time in taking the reader into one of Caleb’s visions, and it’s quite the ride – rich in detail, intimate and it draws the reader into the moment as much as Sakmyster’s novel in the present time does.
Caleb agrees to help, and from there are double crosses and other unexpected plot twists and turns abound until the book reaches a conclusion that still makes me shake my head. In a good way, I promise.
Yes, that’s pretty thin on plot details because I just can’t give too much away.
That said, there pacing was the most frustrating part of the novel. As much as I enjoyed Caleb’s visions, as the book progressed and the action in the present intensified, the visions became distracting. They slowed the urgency of the story in the present unfortunately.
Then there were the time jumps – again, distracting and slowed the urgency and the fabulous beginning of the story. I’m still not convinced they were all necessary.
All in all, Sakmyster’s tale is intriguing, and the mix of historical and supernatural elements are a natural fit in his hands.
The best way to describe this book is unexpected – nothing remains the same by the time the book ends. Which yes, that’s something you want to say about most books, but this is the kind of ‘unexpected’ that had me going back and reading sections again to make sure I was reading things correctly.
Caleb Crowe is a professor and a remote viewer. He was part of the Morpheus Initiative at one time, but left when his sister, Phoebe, was left disabled in an accident while on a mission for the initiative. At the same time, his powers waned and he stopped experiencing visions until the book opens. The Morpheus Initiative is a group of psychics and remote viewers, led by Waxman. It’s bit of a family affair in so many ways, but most importantly, Caleb’s mother, Helen, and Phoebe are still part of the Initiative. They are like Caleb, but his talents far surpass theirs.
The Initiative comes calling when Caleb experiences a powerful vision that could lead them to the treasure under the Pharos Lighthouse, thought to be Alexander the Great’s treasure. From the first pages of the book, the author wastes no time in taking the reader into one of Caleb’s visions, and it’s quite the ride – rich in detail, intimate and it draws the reader into the moment as much as Sakmyster’s novel in the present time does.
Caleb agrees to help, and from there are double crosses and other unexpected plot twists and turns abound until the book reaches a conclusion that still makes me shake my head. In a good way, I promise.
Yes, that’s pretty thin on plot details because I just can’t give too much away.
That said, there pacing was the most frustrating part of the novel. As much as I enjoyed Caleb’s visions, as the book progressed and the action in the present intensified, the visions became distracting. They slowed the urgency of the story in the present unfortunately.
Then there were the time jumps – again, distracting and slowed the urgency and the fabulous beginning of the story. I’m still not convinced they were all necessary.
All in all, Sakmyster’s tale is intriguing, and the mix of historical and supernatural elements are a natural fit in his hands.
May 10, 2011
For 2000 years, treasure hunters have been trying to locate a legendary chamber hidden under the Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria. In this chamber, they believe, lies the lost treasure of Alexander the Great. Within the first few pages of The Pharos Objective, David Sakmyster throws the reader into the hunt as we go back to 861 A.D. and watch treasure hunters trigger the deadly traps contained within the Pharos. As we hear over and over throughout the book: "The Pharos protects itself."
Today, the lighthouse is no longer standing, but treasure hunters still seek the way into the chamber they believe is hidden underground. George Waxman leads the The Mopheus Initiative, a group of psychics who use "remote viewing" to locate lost artifacts and see into the past. He's determined to find the treasure to prove that remote viewing really works. Columbia University professor Caleb Crowe's sister and mother are part of the group. Caleb left it years ago after an incident that left his sister in a wheelchair. But when Caleb starts having visions of the Pharos, he soon finds himself in the middle of the treasure hunt too.
Sakmyster sets up the story and relationships very quickly in this novel, and soon we're off on an adventure with the Morpheus Initiative on a quest to find that treasure. There is mystery and intrigue throughout. It's hard to know who's good and who's bad. There are many twists and turns. Who can Caleb trust as he tries to uncover the key to finding the treasure? We piece together the different parts of the story along with Caleb, and we learn more and more through his visions of the past.
This is one of the most entertaining books I've read this year. I really enjoyed it. I loved the combination of the modern-day story with the history of the Pharos Lighthouse. I found myself anxious to know what would happen next. It reminded me of an adventure movie like Indiana Jones or National Treasure, with a psychic angle added in. Overall it was a great book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure stories and treasure hunts. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series, The Mongol Objective, which will be released later this year.
Today, the lighthouse is no longer standing, but treasure hunters still seek the way into the chamber they believe is hidden underground. George Waxman leads the The Mopheus Initiative, a group of psychics who use "remote viewing" to locate lost artifacts and see into the past. He's determined to find the treasure to prove that remote viewing really works. Columbia University professor Caleb Crowe's sister and mother are part of the group. Caleb left it years ago after an incident that left his sister in a wheelchair. But when Caleb starts having visions of the Pharos, he soon finds himself in the middle of the treasure hunt too.
Sakmyster sets up the story and relationships very quickly in this novel, and soon we're off on an adventure with the Morpheus Initiative on a quest to find that treasure. There is mystery and intrigue throughout. It's hard to know who's good and who's bad. There are many twists and turns. Who can Caleb trust as he tries to uncover the key to finding the treasure? We piece together the different parts of the story along with Caleb, and we learn more and more through his visions of the past.
This is one of the most entertaining books I've read this year. I really enjoyed it. I loved the combination of the modern-day story with the history of the Pharos Lighthouse. I found myself anxious to know what would happen next. It reminded me of an adventure movie like Indiana Jones or National Treasure, with a psychic angle added in. Overall it was a great book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure stories and treasure hunts. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series, The Mongol Objective, which will be released later this year.
May 30, 2014
I was on a World Fantasy Convention panel with David Sakmyster a few years ago. The panel was about using mythology in fantasy stories, and I made a mental note then to read this book. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I am only now getting around to it.
Our hero is Caleb Crowe, a university professor whose family is adept at remote viewing -- a paranormal talent in which the subject can see events happening across the world, or even far back in time. Caleb's still beating himself up for an accident years before that put his sister Phoebe in a wheelchair. And he hasn't forgiven his mother -- as a child, he drew remote-viewing pictures of the place where his father was being held prisoner, and she refused to act on them to rescue him.
Now, his mother has fallen in with a team of psychic archaeologists to find the legendary treasure supposedly hidden beneath the ruins of the Pharos Lighthouse. Grudgingly, Caleb agrees to go along with the team to Egypt, even though he trusts neither the motives of the team's leader nor the man's interest in his mother. The lighthouse's architect built in traps and puzzles to protect the treasure, and while Caleb's talent gives him the inside track on solving them, it's by no means certain he will gain the prize -- for the team has also drawn the interest of a shadowy group that appears to be blocking their attempt to find the treasure.
The story was well-written and the puzzles had me stumped. I liked Caleb's relationship with his sister.
However, my file had some formatting issues. Some chapters were in Times and some were in Courier, and there didn't seem to be a reason in the narrative for the shift.
Still, for fans of Indiana Jones, The Pharos Objective is worth a read.
***
Originally published at http://hearth-myth-rursday-reads.blog...
Our hero is Caleb Crowe, a university professor whose family is adept at remote viewing -- a paranormal talent in which the subject can see events happening across the world, or even far back in time. Caleb's still beating himself up for an accident years before that put his sister Phoebe in a wheelchair. And he hasn't forgiven his mother -- as a child, he drew remote-viewing pictures of the place where his father was being held prisoner, and she refused to act on them to rescue him.
Now, his mother has fallen in with a team of psychic archaeologists to find the legendary treasure supposedly hidden beneath the ruins of the Pharos Lighthouse. Grudgingly, Caleb agrees to go along with the team to Egypt, even though he trusts neither the motives of the team's leader nor the man's interest in his mother. The lighthouse's architect built in traps and puzzles to protect the treasure, and while Caleb's talent gives him the inside track on solving them, it's by no means certain he will gain the prize -- for the team has also drawn the interest of a shadowy group that appears to be blocking their attempt to find the treasure.
The story was well-written and the puzzles had me stumped. I liked Caleb's relationship with his sister.
However, my file had some formatting issues. Some chapters were in Times and some were in Courier, and there didn't seem to be a reason in the narrative for the shift.
Still, for fans of Indiana Jones, The Pharos Objective is worth a read.
***
Originally published at http://hearth-myth-rursday-reads.blog...
August 18, 2010
Caleb Crowe used to enjoy the life of his mother and father being archaeologists. Caleb and his sister would get to travel to exotic locations and help look for lost artifacts. Things changed when Caleb’s father disappeared. Caleb quickly left that life and became a Professor.
Years later, Caleb’s mother wants him to rejoin the Morpheus Initiative. The Initiative is in search of the Seventh Wonder of the Ancient World, The Pharos Lighthouse. It is told that hidden under the lighthouse is the grand treasure of Alexander the Great. Caleb rejoins but under protest. Will the legend be true or a myth?
The Pharos Objective is book one of the Morpheus Initiative series. The Pharos Objective by David Sakmyster is the first and won’t be the last book I read by this author. Can I tell you that I literally lost myself in this book. It was that great. I took this book with me on my vacation and finished it on the way home in just a matter of hours. Because I enjoyed this book so much it helped to pass the time. This book kind of reminded me of the Mummy with Brendan Frasier with Indiana Jones and Jason Bourne thrown in for good measure. This book had everything I was looking for from ….action and adventure, captivating storyline and interesting characters. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, The Mongol Objective.
Years later, Caleb’s mother wants him to rejoin the Morpheus Initiative. The Initiative is in search of the Seventh Wonder of the Ancient World, The Pharos Lighthouse. It is told that hidden under the lighthouse is the grand treasure of Alexander the Great. Caleb rejoins but under protest. Will the legend be true or a myth?
The Pharos Objective is book one of the Morpheus Initiative series. The Pharos Objective by David Sakmyster is the first and won’t be the last book I read by this author. Can I tell you that I literally lost myself in this book. It was that great. I took this book with me on my vacation and finished it on the way home in just a matter of hours. Because I enjoyed this book so much it helped to pass the time. This book kind of reminded me of the Mummy with Brendan Frasier with Indiana Jones and Jason Bourne thrown in for good measure. This book had everything I was looking for from ….action and adventure, captivating storyline and interesting characters. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, The Mongol Objective.
March 2, 2011
i think i'd actually give this one close to a 4.5. it was an intriguing joyride full of mystery, ancient times, places and artifacts and just good old fun! the characters were all very detailed and drawn out and overall it seems to give the traditional good guy/bad guy a bit of a twist. i should say that if you're not interested in ancient egyptian stories or myths you might be bored during some sections of the book but seeing as i've always been fascinated by that period of time the book kept my interest throughout and i felt like i was flying through, never quite wanting to put it down at the end of a chapter. i loved how seamlessly the author wove the psychic/parapsychology themes in w/out making it seem far-fetched. i know i'm probably not giving the book justice w/this review (it's been a rough week of work already so i'm a little tired) so i'll just say give this book a shot and i bet you'll love it. it seriously has a bit of everything for everyone no matter what you love to read but done it a way that simply worked. and just wait for the epilogue!!!!! i'm already anxiously awaiting book #2! (but if you want to stop with book one don't fear you could stop here, i just don't know why you'd want to!)
March 1, 2012
The Crowe family has been blessed ?? with the gift of visions and remote viewing. They focus their energies on research into the Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt, where a possible treasure awaits.
An interesting combination of a well-paced, captivating read with lots of annoying jumps of logic. The protagonist, Caleb Crowe, bounces back and forth between hating his mother, loving his mother, working with the psychic group, and disavowing the psychic group, with no motivation given for his change of heart. The reader is expected to believe that Caleb, a university professor and researcher on ancient Egyptian mysteries and writing, who has spent much of his life in Alexandria, has never seen the temples on the Nile.
Despite these and similar irritations, this is a fun, easy read for those who like ancient treasure hunt stories.
An interesting combination of a well-paced, captivating read with lots of annoying jumps of logic. The protagonist, Caleb Crowe, bounces back and forth between hating his mother, loving his mother, working with the psychic group, and disavowing the psychic group, with no motivation given for his change of heart. The reader is expected to believe that Caleb, a university professor and researcher on ancient Egyptian mysteries and writing, who has spent much of his life in Alexandria, has never seen the temples on the Nile.
Despite these and similar irritations, this is a fun, easy read for those who like ancient treasure hunt stories.
August 10, 2013
The Pharos Objective is a nice mystery/thriller surrounding an ancient mystery. Fans of Lincoln Child, Douglas Preston, and Jeremy Robinson should enjoy this novel.
The story surrounds the Pharos lighthouse and the vault underneath it. Different groups try to access it. I liked the set up around the mystery of the Pharos vault. The characters were good to read about and I enjoyed the main character Caleb.
The ending was a little anticlimactic in that Caleb kind of "defeated" the main badguy without really doing a whole lot. The epilogue saved the ending and sets up for the next book really well.
Overall a good book. I enjoyed it and will have to add the next book The Mongol Objective to my to read list.
The story surrounds the Pharos lighthouse and the vault underneath it. Different groups try to access it. I liked the set up around the mystery of the Pharos vault. The characters were good to read about and I enjoyed the main character Caleb.
The ending was a little anticlimactic in that Caleb kind of "defeated" the main badguy without really doing a whole lot. The epilogue saved the ending and sets up for the next book really well.
Overall a good book. I enjoyed it and will have to add the next book The Mongol Objective to my to read list.
October 22, 2011
This is a pretty decent book and I'm interested to see how the next one pans out. It left me wanting a little bit more, but the middle left me wanting to be done. It was kind of slow moving, but some interesting concepts. The main character was able to telepathically place himself in moments throughout history and live through that character's eyes. The premise had a lot of promise, and the author did a good job in executing it. I was intrigued by the lighthouse before reading this, and it made me want to read more on it. The action was slower that I usually like, but the history part I like most really kept me reading it.
February 26, 2012
Really liked the premise of the story, especially the historical background. What history buff doesn't enjoy a good fantastical foray into a legend as fascinating as that of the great Lighthouse at Alexandria? Unfortunately I found the remote viewing basis to be distracting. I normally find no problem in a suspension of belief, especially for something as well grounded in research and history, and I've recently enjoyed a couple of books based on this. But whether in the writing style.or how it was wound into this story, I just couldn't get my head around it this time, and that ultimately detracted from an otherwise interesting novel.
August 29, 2010
My third first-reads win, and I hope they keep coming! This book is definitely not a fast read, but it's well worth the effort. It has a little bit of everything: mystery, intrigue, adventure, suspense, romance, history, and even a little fantasy/sci-fi thrown in for good measure. I liked the adventure side of things the most, although Caleb's constant ups and downs got so frustrating. I like Caleb, though, and I am looking forward to reading more of his and the Morpheus Initiative's adventures.
September 7, 2010
Disclosure: won this in a Goodreads Giveaway. I've read a lot of garbage recently- The Passage, Patterson, a variety of urban fiction so bad it went back to the library unfinished. So, what a nice change to read a book that successfully combines the supernatural, a thriller, and a historical. On top of all of that, the author really did a great job of capturing the difficulties of living in a family. The guilt that pushes us away from each other when we most need each other. Really looking forward to more of this series.
September 27, 2011
I'll try most anything related to ancient history, but I was a bit hesitant to give this a try because the plot seemed outlandish and there are so many other books vying for attention. But since I'd seen (and enjoyed) George Clooney's The Men Who Stare at Goats, I figured I'd give it a try. I was not disappointed. Sure there's a CIA-driven mind-reading element and mystical/mental time travel stuff, but that didn't hinder me from enjoying a fun read that kept me turning the pages. I'm looking forward to what happens next...
June 15, 2011
This was a very philosophical book. I enjoyed reading it, as there was plenty of dialogue mixed in with action here and there. The book kept progressing, and the amount of research involved must have been staggering. Well done, Mr Sakmyster! The only reason I did not give it five stars is because there seemed to be some conflicts/dicussions that were resolved too rapidly, almost in a rushed manner that ended up confusing me. I really liked the book, though, and I will keep reading him!
June 23, 2013
Oh this is good. Started reading it on a whim and then couldn't put it away. Exciting and entertaining tale mixing the history of ancient times with today. Characters with exceptional powers are in a a race to uncover secrets from the past that will impact on all human kind.
David Sakmyster has written a great story that deserves to be read. I will be looking forward now to the next I'm the series.
David Sakmyster has written a great story that deserves to be read. I will be looking forward now to the next I'm the series.
July 22, 2013
This is a great book for those that love action and adventure books.
Caleb Crowe is a psychic that uses remote viewing to look back into the past to aid archaeology.
His mother and sister belong to The Morpheus Initiative which is a group dedicated to remote viewing to which Caleb once belonged.
I thought it was a nice take on using psychic abilities and the book is a roller-coaster of an adventure.
Caleb Crowe is a psychic that uses remote viewing to look back into the past to aid archaeology.
His mother and sister belong to The Morpheus Initiative which is a group dedicated to remote viewing to which Caleb once belonged.
I thought it was a nice take on using psychic abilities and the book is a roller-coaster of an adventure.
December 20, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this series of books. Once I started reading them, I had a hard time putting them down. They were well written, full of twists and turns, full of exciting escape scenes, had some romance, mystery(ancient and current), and much more. This was a fun read. The books, (The Morpheus Objective Series, 1,2,3) should be read in order. I recommend finding a comfortable chair. It will be hard to put the books down
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