The Sphinx

by Graham Masterton, Cezary Ostrowski (Translator)

She was six foot tall, with a mane of tawny hair and eyes as green as a cat's. Startlingly beautiful, she was the most bewitching women Gene Keiller had ever met. She came from the sands of Egypt, the land of the Sphinx, and her life was veiled in mystery. Keiller was fascinated by her, forced into recklessness uncharacteristic of a young politician with a reputation to make. But he had to discover her secret...

By the time he recognised the truth, he was trapped by the intensity of his own desire in a world where myth touched reality, and a horrifying legacy of Ancient Egypt was brought to life with violence and brute savagery...

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Ebooks

207 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Graham Masterton was born in Edinburgh in 1946. His grandfather was Thomas Thorne Baker, the eminent scientist who invented DayGlo and was the first man to transmit news photographs by wireless. After training as a newspaper reporter, Graham went on to edit the new British men's magazine Mayfair, where he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of scientific and philosophical articles which eventually became Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys.

At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, Woman, Woman's Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines.

Graham Masterton's debut as a horror author began with The Manitou in 1976, a chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man. It became an instant bestseller and was filmed with Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, Burgess Meredith, Michael Ansara, Stella Stevens and Ann Sothern.

Altogether Graham has written more than a hundred novels ranging from thrillers (The Sweetman Curve, Ikon) to disaster novels (Plague, Famine) to historical sagas (Rich and Maiden Voyage - both appeared in the New York Times bestseller list). He has published four collections of short stories, Fortnight of Fear, Flights of Fear, Faces of Fear and Feelings of Fear.

He has also written horror novels for children (House of Bones, Hair-Raiser) and has just finished the fifth volume in a very popular series for young adults, Rook, based on the adventures of an idiosyncratic remedial English teacher in a Los Angeles community college who has the facility to see ghosts.

Since then Graham has published more than 35 horror novels, including Charnel House, which was awarded a Special Edgar by Mystery Writers of America; Mirror, which was awarded a Silver Medal by West Coast Review of Books; and Family Portrait, an update of Oscar Wilde's tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger in France.

He and his wife Wiescka live in a Gothic Victorian mansion high above the River Lee in Cork, Ireland.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

An early work of Masterton and definitely not one of his best; in fact, The Sphinx rates as the worst book of his I have read by a long margin. You can see traces of Masterton's trademark snarky dialogue here, along with attempts at humor, but the characters and plot made these traces and attempts fall flatter than a road pizza. Our main protagonist, Gene Keiller, works in the US state department, rising alongside Jimmy Carter and the 'new' Democrats. Gene exemplifies male chauvinism and even in the late 70s, treating all women as girly playthings was out of vogue; Masterton definitely did not get the message.

This starts off with Gene at a cocktail party when in walks in a 'stacked', sexy lady that Gene just has to have a go at. Lorie lets him drive her home, but that is as far as she will go. After dropping her off at her secluded mansion, Gene scales the gates to the estate but gets chased off by dogs. Hooked, or I should say infatuated by lust, Gene tries again a few days later, managing to get over the walls of the estate only to be attacked by an animal once again. Would you be charmed by a guy who wants to play peeping tom on you? Lorie evidently is, as her and her mother nurse him back to health. A few weeks later, the wedding bells ring...

While there is an interesting idea here associated with ancient Egyptian lore, the over the top sexism and the pathetic protagonist Gene made this a less than enjoyable reading experience. If this was the first Masterton I read, I never would have read more. Utterly forgettable and only recommended for reading masochists. 1.5 weak stars, rounding up as I did finish it.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sphinx is b-grade horror, full of cheesy dialogue, strange-acting characters, and an unbelievable plot-line - yet it's a whole lot of fun if you can suspend your belief.

This is 1970's horror at the height of its over-the-top powers.

Gene Keller is a Washington based politician who falls for an attractive and busty young women, named Lorie, the daughter of a former French diplomat, at a party. He's immediately smitten by her emerald necklace, feline features, and perfect body, shown-off by a form fitting dress which leaves nothing to the imagination. It's love at first sight (or bite, as it turns out).

Following her initial rebuff, Gene quickly assumes the role of a stalker, using his political clout to find her where Lorie works, her phone number, and even going so far as to break into the mansion she shares with her equally beautiful and mysterious mother, coming equipped with tools to scale the property walls and a gun of all things.

This is the mind of a perfectly sane and rational man (at least that's the way Gene is portrayed in the book) - after all, he's single and attractive, why shouldn't Lorie immediately fall head of heals for him? Something must be up and it's Gene duty as a man, dammit, to find out what's going on!

Turns out something is going on - Lorie's hails from a once banished Egyptian lineage called Ubasti; half man, half lion. But that doesn't stop Gene from pursuing her, and in no time at all (3 weeks to be exact), they are married and living in Lorie's mansion.

Needless to say Lorie's urges get the better of her and Gene finds himself in mortal danger!

My rating: 3/5 stars. The Sphinx is a great form of escapism which doesn't take up a whole lot of brain power to process. The plot is linear and the characters near cardboard cutout but it all works. Don't expect high end literature with this one, but you can expect a good time.

This review first appeared on my blog: https://justaguywholikes2read.blogspo...

[Kenneth McKinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to keep up with Graham Masterton. The guy has been steadily churning out novels since the mid 70s. If you look at his complete catalog, he’s right up there with Stephen King in terms of output. I’m trying to start out with his earlier work and make my way through. For this read, I grabbed my 1982 (although first written in 1978) paperback of Sphinx.

Sphinx is kind of an odd duck story. Gene Keiller is making a name for himself in Washington politics. He’s young, ambitious, and intelligent to go along with his dashing good looks. He’s also a notorious playboy known to sow his wild oats. At a political cocktail party full of DC’s heavy hitters, in walks the beautiful and exotic Lorie Semple. Gene’s tongue falls out of his head and immediately starts putting the moves on Lorie. Ahh, but Lorie isn’t so easily charmed. She shoots down his advances unlike anything Gene’s experienced before. This, along with her intense green eyes and Egyptian heritage, only makes her more attractive to Gene. What follows is a borderline stalker story, where the spoiled boy isn’t used to being told no. In some highly questionable decisions for a young, bright politician, Gene is smitten. But be careful what you wish for, young playboy, for Lorie is not as she seems.

Masterton's writing is smooth and easy to digest. His character development is pretty darn solid, and the gothic atmosphere is genuinely creepy at times. Where Sphinx falters is in the plot holes. I just don’t see Gene putting himself in the situations he repeatedly finds himself in. Love is one thing, but my ass would’ve been out of there after the first night. This is pretty early in Masterton’s catalog, so you can see him cutting his teeth to later greatness to come. If you can suspend your disbelief, it’s a quick B-movie kind of ride.

3 Lion Nipples out of 5

[Jeff McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unabashed fan of Graham Masterton's horror novels - although I must admit I haven't read many of his non-horror works. I started reading Masterton years ago, when I was stationed in Washington state.

"Sphinx" is the story of Gene Keiller, a diplomat in the State Department, who, attending a party one evening, meets Lorie Semple, an attractive, sexy woman that Keiller simply must meet....and later falls in with with, despite her protestations to the contrary. Lorie, as the story progresses is in reality part Lion and part human, a descendant of "that people" from before the time of the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt. And Gene is being groomed as a sacrifice to bast.....

What will gene do to escape? And who is the mysterious bodyguard and chauffeur Mathieu?

Read and find out, my friends...


Jeff McIntosh

[Neil Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sphinx is an easy and enjoyable read and one that keeps you going back for more but it doesn't quite reach the very high standards set by other Graham Masterton books. The tale of an ancient secretive race in modern Washington is well done but the main character, Gene Keiller, is not particularly sympathetic in his attitudes and actions - no doubt partly because of when the book was written (1978). It detracted slightly from my involvement in the book. However, Mr Masterton is one of my all-time favourite authors and just because this book falls a little short by his standards does not mean it doesn't do well when compared with most others books in the genre, despite its age. Worth checking out for yourself.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ah, the 70s, when men were expected to be chauvinist and macho and buxom girls expected to give into pressure from one of said men who fall drooling over them the first time they meet. And plots could be ludicrous so long as they sped forward. This wasn't bad novel, keeping in mind the era in which it was written and the fact that it was one of Masterton's earliest. It is a lot of talk and confusion between the two main characters with very little horror or action actually occurring until the last few chapters of the book, but at least it's a quick jaunt.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. There was this mysterious woman and her secret, the ancient tale on her race and a young politician in the middle. Well, to me the book was a kind of penny dreadful horror. Fast paced and politically incorrect. If you want to discuss role models or the role of modern women this certainly is the wrong book for you. I can only recommend this pulp horror fiction from the 70s full of cliches and talk about 'big poitrine'!

[Dreadlocksmile · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published back in 1978, British author Graham Masterton's novel 'The Sphinx' was one of the earliest releases from the writer's lengthy and prolific career within the horror fiction genre.

More recently the book has been re-released by MHB Press in August of 2010 in three different limited edition formats:

Collector's Edition (300 signed and numbered copies) - The book is bound in Colorado Book Cloth with a sewn book block, head/tail bands and a bound-in ribbon book mark. The pages themselves are 115 gsm matt coated paper which gives the book that added luxurious weight.

Deluxe Edition (150 signed and numbered copies) - The book is handmade, quarter bound in grey goat skin leather with handmade paper covered boards, including additional colour artwork and issued in a special handmade cloth covered slipcase.

Lettered Edition (26 signed and lettered A-Z copies) - This ultra-luxurious edition is handmade, fully bound in grey goat skin leather with gilt edges and handmade marbled endpapers, including additional colour artwork and comes in an extra indulgent handmade traycase.

The MHB Press re-release includes new cover artwork by Ben Baldwin (collector edition) and a small number of black & white illustrations, all by illustrator Lara Addams.

DLS Synopsis:
Gene Keiller is a handsome young politician, at thirty-two years of age he is already making the right waves within the dog-eat-dog world of politics. Single, and with plenty of charisma, Keiller knows damn well that he can have almost any woman he puts his mind to. And so, when he notices nineteen-year-old Lorie Semple, daughter of the recently deceased French diplomat Jean Semple, at a high-brow politicians party, Keiller decides to try his luck with the beautiful young lady.

However, Semple proves to be a very strange and mysterious young lady. Looks-wise, the young lady could have absolutely anyone she chooses to. Yet she remains a virgin, with no history of lovers or dating whatsoever. And when Keiller tries his best to secure a date from the quietly spoken beauty, he finds he is seemingly up against a brick small. But persistence is ingrained in the man's very nature. And so as the allure of the Semple girl turns to near obsession for Keiller, he takes bolder steps to try to make whatever headway he can with the girl. Even if that means breaking into the uber-secure mansion where she lives with her mother and their mute chauffeur - Mathieu.

But the stealthy break-in fails dramatically when Keiller is mauled by a vicious animal within the grounds of the Semple mansion. Awakening later within the their plush home, Keiller finds himself being nursed back to health by Lorie's mother who has taken it upon herself to persuade her daughter to accept Gene's offers of a date. After Lorie hinted that she could not court Keiller due to a terrible secret which lies behind her family and her heritage, Keiller is baffled by this sudden turn of events, but nonetheless is at the same time utterly overjoyed with the sudden turnaround.

The relationship between Lorie and Gene soon blossoms. However, the secret that is always lurking behind Lorie's heritage, stopping her from allowing any future for the young couple's relationship, is constantly at Keiller's heels. And so, after seeking advice from a psychiatrist friend, Keiller decides to face Semple's fear head-on, and after being made to promise not to ever ask this one particular question, he does it anyway, and proposes to Lorie Semple.

But the family secret that nineteen-year-old Lorie has tried so very hard to protect Keiller from discovering, is now becoming unavoidable. The family's roots with the strange Egyptian tribe known as the Ubasti is now coming to light. And with the shocking revelations, so comes a barrage of horrendous decisions for the newlywed couple. And behind it all, a terrible danger to Lorie Semple's new husband...

DLS Review:
The first thing that hits you when reading Masterton's novel 'The Sphinx' is how incredibly easy the novel is to read. Although the tale doesn't really embark on any particularly elaborate or in any way really involving plot, it does however grip and enthral the reader with the simple entrainment of the author's writing. Very much like with a Laymon novel, half the pleasure of the story is with the sheer wordsmanship on show - captivating and entrancing the reader with the sheer telling of the tale. And this is very much the case once again here.

The plot is a straight-forward, pretty darn unpredictable, run-of-the-mill mystery horror, with a good deal of added predominance put towards the characters than the actual plot or overall depth to the tale. This is fine, and actually works remarkably well.

However, where the tale does still fall down quite considerably, is in its pace, impact and strength of plot. Characterisation and great storytelling can't completely rescue an otherwise shallow and far too singular storyline. Yes, of course it helps, but even with these strengths very much in play; sadly throughout the novel the reader is still left feeling like they are being merely just pulled along by an inevitable and a far too blatant ending that has too much overbearing dominance on absolutely everything that has preceded it.

That said, the finale is still dramatic and pretty intense with the boundaries that Masterton is suddenly willing to cross. The novel wraps itself up to a certain degree with a solid conclusion, but leaves a fair proportion of the general storyline somewhat still afloat. The simplistic and 'easy option' taken of tying up the final threads of the tale, does still leave the reader feeling a little cheated and ultimately unsatisfied.

All in all the novel is still predominantly a very enjoyable and engaging read, mostly due to the rich and colourful characterisation and the instantly captivating writing ability of Masterton. Although the novel does have its short comings, it does still hold a certain 70's horror charm, which coupled with the surprisingly dubious finale, makes for a generally enjoyable read.

The tale runs for a total of 167 pages.

[Ken B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

[denudatio_pulpae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gene Keiller jest młodym i utalentowanym politykiem. Podczas przyjęcia poznaje piękną i tajemniczą dziewczynę, Lorie Semple. Lorie stanowczo odrzuca jego zaloty, co wzbudza w mężczyźnie jeszcze większe zainteresowanie. Z uporem maniaka próbuje wkraść się w jej łaski, nieświadomie pchając się w paszczę lwa. Co takiego skrywa dziewczyna pod płaszczykiem olśniewającej urody i nienagannych manier?

Pierwsza połowa książki strasznie przynudza, Gene zachowuje się jak piętnastolatek, któremu dziewczyna pozwoliła dotknąć biustu na sekundę, więc wyznaje jej miłość do grobowej deski :) Lata za Lorie, chociaż dziewczyna wyraźnie nie chce się angażować w ten związek. W drugiej połowie w końcu poznajemy tajemnicę, którą skrywa dziewczyna, i wtedy dopiero zaczyna się robić ciekawie (i obrzydliwie, ale to horror, więc to nie powinna być wada).
6/10

[Gerd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reread.

Ich hatte schon vergessen wie schlecht die Dialoge in diesem Roman sind, wenn man sich jedoch der Illusion hin gibt Masterton würde hier bewusst Seifenoperndialoge persiflieren ist die Geschichte auf dieser Eben ganz gut für ein Schmunzeln.

Vermutlich war der Gedanke hinter dieser Geschichte einen Erotik-Horror zu schreiben, nur leider reicht Mastertons Talent hierbei nur für 70er Porno-Dialog. Der Hauptakteur der Geschichte ist ein notgeiler, alter Lustmolch der sich auf einer Party in eine Neunzehnjährige verguckt weil diese große Brüste hat (kein Scherz), welche er darauf hin verzweifelt ins Bett zu Zerren versucht. Dies geht bis dahin dass er sie eigens zu diesem Zwecke ehelicht, nur dass ihn in der Hochzeitsnacht statt heißem Sex die Offenbarung erwartet dass Lorie einer uralten Rasse von Löwenmenschen angehört.

Wie Paul Schraders Cat People Remake, hätte Die Tochter der Sphinx erhebliches Potential gehabt und ein fähigerer Schreiber hätte daraus eine spannend erotische Schauermär machen können. Masterton hingegen, verstrickt sich lediglich in unlogischen Handlungswendungen, platten Dialogen und noch platteren Plotenthüllungen (dies geht soweit das der Autor auf den letzten paar Seiten einen bis dahin als praktisch Stumm geltenden Nebencharakter dem Hauptcharakter ohne jeglichen Anlaß eine weitreichende Erklärung geben lässt). Den Großteil der Geschichte bestreitet Masterton einfach damit das er seinen Haupcharakter abwechselend von den Brüsten der Heldin schwärmen lässt oder er ihn im Kreis rennen und rufen lässt "Oh weh oh mir, oh weh oh mir, ich glaube sie will mich töten, aber was für prachtvolle Brüste sie hat!"

Die Tochter der Sphinx kommt dabei allerdings überraschend Explizit daher auf den letzten Seiten, vor allem gemessen daran das ein anderer Roman des Autors, Der Dschinn, vom selben Verlag in gekürzter Fassung veröffentlicht wurde.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I began this book with slight trepidation as the first 2 chapters were dreadfully boring, however as the story begun to unfold and characters were developed and the reader learns more and more about the closely guarded and elusive Ubasti people my internet was once again recaptured. I also felt the last 2 chapters were fast and forced. In a sense this book was sandwich with a dry top and soggy bottom. Good for a quick read in between denser stories that require more attention.

[Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pamiętam, że była to chyba moja pierwsza książka Mastertona i zrobiła niemałe wrażenie, bo przeczytana za bardzo, bardzo młodego wieku. Dzisiaj się uśmiecham, wtedy - słuszny dreszczyk :)

[Ηλίας Τσιάρας · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 actually. Better than I expected. And a somewhat decent ending

[Katarzyna Latawiec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Przyjemna lektura. Miły przerywnik od dłuższych książek. Lubię te krótkie książki od Mastertona wydawane przez wydawnictwo Amber w latach 90-siątych ;)

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

My understanding is that this was his first novel. At this point, I've only ready two Graham Masterton novels, so I don't have a wide basis of comparison for how much the author has improved.

This is okay for a first attempt, but yes, it does seem like it was written by an inexperienced writer. It has a decent plot, but the storytelling itself needs work. There is no real build up.

Guy meets girl, falls in love with her . . . looks. Seriously, it went on for ages about how beautiful she was. And after he got what he wanted, he demanded that she do what he said because he said so - was it really this bad in 1978?

The story feels rushed. Near the end, the protagonist reminisces about how much they'd done together and shared together . . . but even though the story starts out at their first meeting, we never get the impression that they really shared all that much or built much of a relationship. I kept wondering why he continued to hold onto her despite being so repulsed by her -- they'd built nothing.

Don't get me wrong, there's some serious potential here. I read the first Scarlet Widow book and was intrigued enough to buy the second, so I'm not ready to give up on this author.

[John Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comedy horror?

It may have been the author's intention to write a gruesome and shocking horror story but, for me at least, it had its share of "laugh out loud" moments. The story was cliche ridden and so sexist as to have the # Me Too movement foaming at the mouth. The "hero/victim" character seemed to be an amalgam of JFK and Bill Clinton in the way he was in thrall to his base desires. Still, the story was written a long time ago and society has changed fundamentally since the 1970s. It wasn't a bad read, just like something out of a "Hammer Horror" film from the 1960s/1970s.

[Victor Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta parece ser la primera novela en la que Masterton une elementos de terror sobrenatural y erotism, y aunque la mezcla es algo torpe, es bastante entretenida. Un joven político demócrata de Washington se enamora de Lorie, una despampanante señorita muy alta y de curvas infinitas, pero de comportamiento y maneras extrañas. Por lo visto, resulta ser la descendiente de una estirpe de mujeres-león del antiguo Egipto y es tan sexy como peligrosa, por lo que el político empieza a temer por su vida. Se lee en un suspiro, pero se olvida rápido.

[John Henery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book and a cool story. Just think it could have used a bit more action in it.

[Γιώργος Μπελαούρης · Rating 2 out of 5]

funny at times
not at all scary
a fun time reading this

[David Jervis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed

I have always enjoyed this author's work but this book never gets off the ground and I would say is the dullest horror novel I've read

[Alex Sarll]

I finished Paperbacks From Hell with a list of trashy old horror novels I wanted to read - but seeking them out online felt like it was outside the spirit of the game, so instead the first related book I happened across was this, which doesn't itself get a mention, though Masterson's wider oeuvre makes several appalling appearances. Does that mean The Sphinx is a more restrained outing? Well, put it this way: the opening page gives us a memorable reference to "all those fawning, crooning, elegant young ladies who cling around the perimeter of Washington society life with no panties on and an unquenchable thirst for any man who might have been mentioned by William F. Buckley, even if it was only once." By page 5, it's clear that Masterson shares more than his initials with Garth Marenghi: "There was something about her that frightened him but at the same time was mesmerically fascinating - apart from the fact that she had the biggest pair of tits he had ever seen." Is there horror to go with the sex? Well, that takes longer, unless you count the protagonist's entitled pushiness with the object of his attentions*. And the drink driving. And the stalking. And the long hours culture. And his abysmal treatment of his high school sweetheart who is now both his ex and his secretary, because that can't possibly be a bad idea. And his working for the State Department but nevertheless assuming that eating raw meat must just be a standard Egyptian thing. And the way neither he nor the girl's mother seem capable of seeing a boundary without stampeding through it. And...but this is just awfulness, isn't it, not horror as such?

If you've seen Cat People, it shouldn't take you long to guess where we're going with the maddeningly attractive yet mysteriously virginal Lorie Semple**, though even if you've seen the trashy eighties remake, you need to think breastier. No, breastier still. But at the same time, especially given Paperbacks' paean to Masterson's excesses, it's weirdly slow. 200 pages isn't a long book, but only in the final ten do we get anything potentially shocking, and for saying it's from an author associated with splatterpunk, it would be surprisingly easy to retool this as On Chesil Beach for the Carter administration, doggedly working through the awkwardness of a marriage with too little communication. To work as a horror story, on the other hand, I think you'd need to lose at least 50 pages, and preferably 150, not to mention - SPOILER but it's not like you should read this book - ensuring the lead actually gets his. Honestly, after spending that long with an arsehole who pressures Lorie into dating him, asks her to marry him after specifically promising he won't, gets her to cook for him on the first date while he watches American football, insists on her disrobing despite her protests and then chivalrously describes her as a "physical freak" when he see the extra boobs her outfits somehow never hinted at...I was at least expecting the catharsis of seeing him get eaten. It's not like you can't have a lead who's a coward, a bully, walks obliviously into disaster and then scrambles ingloriously out - just look at Flashman. But there needs to at least be a sense of fun about it, a sort of poisoned Wooster quality, a certain charm despite yourself. As against this fucker, who's just lumpen and brass-necked in the same boring way as most of his real counterparts and, like them, could at least have had the decency to die gruesomely at the end. Cucked by a lion and mildly chastened was not comeuppance enough, not by a long shot.

*Which I'd love to say showed the book's age, but he is an American politician, and half the country seems absolutely fine with electing a rapist to the highest office in the land, so if only.
**Given the surname and the genre, I was mildly disappointed she wasn't involved in an eternal struggle over the blackest black.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gene Keiller is a Washington diplomat in the State Department and, at a party, meets Lori Semple, who was “startlingly beautiful”, “six foot tall, with a mane of tawny hair and eyes as green as a cat's”. He decides he must have her and pursues her relentlessly, despite her protests. Then, even though things don’t seem right, he marries her and discovers her body isn’t what he was expecting. It seems she’s a Ubasti, long since cast out of Egypt for being part Lion and part human and Gene is being groomed as a sacrifice to Bast.
First published in 1978, this is very much of its time (Gene is quite the sexist) but if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief for long enough (and it isn’t easy at times, I have to admit), then this is a cracking little (207 pages) read. Masterton is an accomplished writer (this is only the second book of his I’ve read, though I have several on my TBR) and he’s clearly having fun, which translates to the reader. There’s not a lot of characterisation or use of location, but there’s enough to keep you involved and even though it’s clear where it’s headed (though, to be fair, I read this 47 years after it was published), it’s an entertaining ride. And yes, Lori is absolutely of the Ubasti, just in case you were wondering. Good fun and if you like a cheesy old-school horror (as I do), then I’d very much recommend this.

[Geoffrey Harris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sexist. Bland. Out-dated

If you start reading Graham Masterton's The Sphinx from chapter 6, you will get an interesting, pulpy story about four manipulative people living together in a house, each trapped in some way (literally; by tradition; by duty; by arrogance). Throw in a terrifying secret, and you've got a fun story.

Unfortunately, this story has five chapters before that where our thirty-something "hero" stalks a 19 year old girl; won't take no for an answer; attempts to break into her house; forces himself on her, and then plays victim when she fights back. It's an ugly five chapters that do nothing to endear the reader to the character.

To be certain, we are supposed to be on his side. There is no criticism for his behaviour. In fact, we are asked to be sympathetic towards him.

And, to top it all off, the ending is unbelievably weak. There are no consequences for monster or man. It just... ends.

[Elle Sie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one because I had read other Graham Masteron books and liked them. The story was certainly different to anything else: the main character meets a mysterious woman at a party, is even more enthralled when she plays hard to get, but eventually dates her and discovers her secret that she is descended from an ancient Egyptian tribe of cat women who turn into lions at night. I loved the description of her catlike body when he first saw her nude, which was both horrifying and hilarious at the same time, especially since the author had built up the suspense well about how stunning she was above clothing. Though despite the main character's flaws (a bit misogynistic towards his love interest) I found myself rooting for him once he realised he had become the prey, not the predator in their relationship, so I can't fault the humour.

[Kaja · Rating 3 out of 5]

omg, so in the first half i was just pissed and frustrated with all the sexism but nonetheless decided to finish the book, in the SECOND HALF i was intrigued to say the least, the women first portrayed as the ones being used but it turning out to be the other way - pretty great. but the ending... lets say its an abstract piece of work? just to digest all that
overall if we assume that this is a parody/mockery of this nasty portrayal of masculinity (where breaking and entering is considered romantic and a man should be applauded for stalking and assaulting a girl because it's his right, because shes oh so hot and 13 years younger) then its pretty decent! I'd say a nice twist, finally the women aren't just powerless (at what cost though) the book turns out to be kind of cathartic if you look at it this way?

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early Masterton, it's a toilet book, easy to read in 3 0r 4 visits to the toilet, I read it years ago and enjoyed it and to be honest I enjoyed reading it again.

I'm trying to get back into reading books again but finding it hard to find the time, so starting with books I've enjoyed before and hopefully I can get back into the habit, my favourite Masterton book is Night Warriors which is next up.

[revenette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jezu jak się cieszę, że już to skończyłam
No tak durni bohaterowie, sytuacje wynikające niewiadomo skąd, decyzje podejmowane tak, jakby żaden z bohaterów nie miał swojego charakteru i przekonań
Ta jedna gwiazdka jest za to, że pomysł mógł mieć ręce i nogi i końcówka taka w miarę

[Solim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written and the concept was fairly fresh. I just wish there was a little more mystery to it.

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK read......