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The Institute for Singular Antiquities #1
Fury From the Tomb
Mummies, grave-robbing ghouls, hopping vampires, and evil monks beset a young archaeologist, in this fast-paced Indiana Jones-style adventure.
Saqqara, Egypt, 1888, and in the booby-trapped tomb of an ancient sorcerer, Rom, a young Egyptologist, makes the discovery of a lifetime: five coffins and an eerie, oversized sarcophagus. But the expedition seems cursed, for after unearthing the mummies, all but Rom die horribly. He faithfully returns to America with his disturbing cargo, continuing by train to Los Angeles, home of his reclusive sponsor. When the train is hijacked by murderous banditos in the Arizona desert, who steal the mummies and flee over the border, Rom - with his benefactor's rebellious daughter, an orphaned Chinese busboy, and a cold-blooded gunslinger - must ride into Mexico to bring the malevolent mummies back. If only mummies were their biggest problem...
Saqqara, Egypt, 1888, and in the booby-trapped tomb of an ancient sorcerer, Rom, a young Egyptologist, makes the discovery of a lifetime: five coffins and an eerie, oversized sarcophagus. But the expedition seems cursed, for after unearthing the mummies, all but Rom die horribly. He faithfully returns to America with his disturbing cargo, continuing by train to Los Angeles, home of his reclusive sponsor. When the train is hijacked by murderous banditos in the Arizona desert, who steal the mummies and flee over the border, Rom - with his benefactor's rebellious daughter, an orphaned Chinese busboy, and a cold-blooded gunslinger - must ride into Mexico to bring the malevolent mummies back. If only mummies were their biggest problem...
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 12, 2018
152 people are currently reading
1020 people want to read
About the author
Steven Sidor
11 books79 followersI'm the author of the critically-acclaimed dark thrillers Skin River, Bone Factory, and The Mirror’s Edge. My latest novel of terror, Pitch Dark, is about a young woman on the run from a dangerous apocalyptic cult.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
April 16, 2018
Romulus Hardy, Egyptologist, heads to Egypt to go a-digging and unearths a sarcophagus and six caskets. Upon getting them to America, the mummies are stolen by ghouls and hauled off to Mexico. Will Rom ever find his mummies?
This was a Netgalley find, chosen by my love of Indiana Jones and similar tales.
Okay, I didn't technically finish reading this book but I'm finished for all intents and purposes. I'm not going to tear into the book. I'll just say what I liked and why the book didn't work for me and we can all move on with our lives, hopefully without shots fired.
The book had potential that just wouldn't quit. There's tomb crawling, mummies, vampires, a giant worm or two, gunslinging, and all sorts of other makings for a grand adventure.
My big problem with the book is that it's written in the first person. In and of itself, that's fine, and the writing was good in a technical sense. However... to put it gently, imagine how you would feel about Star Wars if C3PO was narrating it? The narrator is an Egyptologist in the late 19th century who manages to suck the excitement out of every situation with his overwrought vocabulary. While I'm sure his wordiness has some degree of authenticity, that does not a good story make. Every time I picked the book back up, I sighed, thinking "Will this windbag just get on with it?"
Now, if you enjoy this book, more power to you. It was not my particular cup of tea at this time. Two out of five stars.
This was a Netgalley find, chosen by my love of Indiana Jones and similar tales.
Okay, I didn't technically finish reading this book but I'm finished for all intents and purposes. I'm not going to tear into the book. I'll just say what I liked and why the book didn't work for me and we can all move on with our lives, hopefully without shots fired.
The book had potential that just wouldn't quit. There's tomb crawling, mummies, vampires, a giant worm or two, gunslinging, and all sorts of other makings for a grand adventure.
My big problem with the book is that it's written in the first person. In and of itself, that's fine, and the writing was good in a technical sense. However... to put it gently, imagine how you would feel about Star Wars if C3PO was narrating it? The narrator is an Egyptologist in the late 19th century who manages to suck the excitement out of every situation with his overwrought vocabulary. While I'm sure his wordiness has some degree of authenticity, that does not a good story make. Every time I picked the book back up, I sighed, thinking "Will this windbag just get on with it?"
Now, if you enjoy this book, more power to you. It was not my particular cup of tea at this time. Two out of five stars.
April 22, 2018
Horror, adventure, the supernatural, and Egyptology seasoned with a spice of the wild-west fuel this journey into the unknown.
Romulus Hardy, an eager Egyptologst is commissioned to travel to Egypt to unearth the tomb of a mysterious yet powerful Pharaoh - he ultimately succeeds but success comes at great cost with the band of men on his expedition loosing their lives.
On bringing the sarcophagus back to America, his mysterious benefactor remains aloof, communicating only by letters and messages passed down by minions. Promptly re-routed from New York, his journey lands him and his precious cargo on a train heading towards LA, only for it to be hijacked by a criminal gang but that's only the start of the horrors.
There's a lot to like about Fury from the Tomb, however I really enjoyed the character dynamic the most; there's a gunslinger, a young and fierce companion, the attractive Evangeline daughter of the benefactor, a ghoul who adds a comical element and the sorcerer himself; they all complement one other and bring a little something to the broader story.
This Indian Jones pulpy adventure circa 1888 won't appeal to everyone but it does have loads of tense and horror-infused moments that are a joy to read.
My rating: 4/5 stars, reading well as a standalone, I'm interested to see what direction future installments take.
Romulus Hardy, an eager Egyptologst is commissioned to travel to Egypt to unearth the tomb of a mysterious yet powerful Pharaoh - he ultimately succeeds but success comes at great cost with the band of men on his expedition loosing their lives.
On bringing the sarcophagus back to America, his mysterious benefactor remains aloof, communicating only by letters and messages passed down by minions. Promptly re-routed from New York, his journey lands him and his precious cargo on a train heading towards LA, only for it to be hijacked by a criminal gang but that's only the start of the horrors.
There's a lot to like about Fury from the Tomb, however I really enjoyed the character dynamic the most; there's a gunslinger, a young and fierce companion, the attractive Evangeline daughter of the benefactor, a ghoul who adds a comical element and the sorcerer himself; they all complement one other and bring a little something to the broader story.
This Indian Jones pulpy adventure circa 1888 won't appeal to everyone but it does have loads of tense and horror-infused moments that are a joy to read.
My rating: 4/5 stars, reading well as a standalone, I'm interested to see what direction future installments take.
July 25, 2018
Review can also be found on my blog, Dana and the Books.
Fury from the Tomb is a wild pulpy romp start to finish.
For me, the cover is what sold me (I totally judge books by their cover). Before I even read the description I knew I had to experience this story reminisce of a 1980s B-movie-esque tape cover. Boy did it deliver!
It has everything your adventurous heart desires: mummies, magic, Egyptologists, excessive amounts of blood, vampires, gunslingers, and even a train heist. Of course when you have these elements altogether you can't help but compare it to Indiana Jones and The Mummy. Safe to say if you liked those movies, you'll eat this book up. In fact, Fury from the Tomb would make a fantastic movie (shut up and take my money!)
Personally, I believe this story should have been in third person POV rather than first person. Rom's inner monologues could be a bit long winded, deterring the plot from progressing. At times, it could take you out of the story when really you just want to read about the giant worm.
Despite the moments where you want to shush Rom, we see our main man go from bumbling archaeologist to action hero. And of course, he would be incredibly dead if it weren't for the help of his adventure companions: the woman who would most likely beat your ass, the Chinese busboy with a secret, and the gunslinger. The dynamic between the four was solid.
You'll read this one quickly--it's a fast paced top notch adventure story filled with silly moments and sprinkled with some truly WTF horror bits.
Thanks Angry Robot Books for a copy through Netgalley!
Book Links: Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK
Fury from the Tomb is a wild pulpy romp start to finish.
For me, the cover is what sold me (I totally judge books by their cover). Before I even read the description I knew I had to experience this story reminisce of a 1980s B-movie-esque tape cover. Boy did it deliver!
It has everything your adventurous heart desires: mummies, magic, Egyptologists, excessive amounts of blood, vampires, gunslingers, and even a train heist. Of course when you have these elements altogether you can't help but compare it to Indiana Jones and The Mummy. Safe to say if you liked those movies, you'll eat this book up. In fact, Fury from the Tomb would make a fantastic movie (shut up and take my money!)
Personally, I believe this story should have been in third person POV rather than first person. Rom's inner monologues could be a bit long winded, deterring the plot from progressing. At times, it could take you out of the story when really you just want to read about the giant worm.
Despite the moments where you want to shush Rom, we see our main man go from bumbling archaeologist to action hero. And of course, he would be incredibly dead if it weren't for the help of his adventure companions: the woman who would most likely beat your ass, the Chinese busboy with a secret, and the gunslinger. The dynamic between the four was solid.
You'll read this one quickly--it's a fast paced top notch adventure story filled with silly moments and sprinkled with some truly WTF horror bits.
Thanks Angry Robot Books for a copy through Netgalley!
Book Links: Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK
May 7, 2018
A Mummy story set in the Old West. Romulus Hardy, burgeoning Egyptologist, sets out on his first expedition and uncovers more than he bargained for. While bringing the mummies to California, they are stolen and he has to track them down before they are used to take over the world.
This is setup as some kind of Indiana Jones, pulpy adventure. The problem is that it's told first hand in letters from Romulus Hardy. He's a huge windbag and drones on for pages before getting to any kind of point. Every time I got to one of these passages, my mind wondered until I found myself having to suffer through the passage 3 or 4 times. My other problem with the book is that no one is freaked out when the supernatural occurs. They act like it's no big deal they see ghouls or giant worms. I did, however, like the 4 main characters and their relationships.
This is setup as some kind of Indiana Jones, pulpy adventure. The problem is that it's told first hand in letters from Romulus Hardy. He's a huge windbag and drones on for pages before getting to any kind of point. Every time I got to one of these passages, my mind wondered until I found myself having to suffer through the passage 3 or 4 times. My other problem with the book is that no one is freaked out when the supernatural occurs. They act like it's no big deal they see ghouls or giant worms. I did, however, like the 4 main characters and their relationships.
January 29, 2022
This was a bit of a wild stab for me as I have never reading anything by this author - rather I stumbled on to Steven Sidor while looking at Arkham horror fiction titles which in turn I found from a publishers reference. So to say I knew nothing of what I was letting myself in for was a bit of an understatement.
However I have to say that it was a very happy chance I found and decided to read this book - a cross between supernatural Egyptian chase / Western mash-up horror story with a lot of graphic violence and gore thrown in - it is not for the faint hearted (although there are a lot worse out there).
As always I try not to give away any spoilers but I can honestly say that the back cover pretty much covers off the majority of the storyline - do not expect some twisting complex adventure. What you do get however is a rip roaring yarn that is pretty much non-stop.
However I have to say that it was a very happy chance I found and decided to read this book - a cross between supernatural Egyptian chase / Western mash-up horror story with a lot of graphic violence and gore thrown in - it is not for the faint hearted (although there are a lot worse out there).
As always I try not to give away any spoilers but I can honestly say that the back cover pretty much covers off the majority of the storyline - do not expect some twisting complex adventure. What you do get however is a rip roaring yarn that is pretty much non-stop.
Read
April 10, 2020Indiana Jones inspired archaeology pulp adventure/horror. An Egyptology/Western/Chinese myth-mash. That's a genius idea but the book didn't quite deliver on the concept to me. I wanted fast paced thrills and drama and it was oddly slow. Partly it's that our heroes are always on the back foot yet invulnerable (we gather from the framing story they all live?) but also, the writing style is pretty gnarly and overwrought (it's narrated by a fussy antiquarian) to the point of making the reading experience, for me, rather a slog. That said, I don't have the patience for Lovecraft or William Hope Hodgson or Machen either, all of whose styles this reminds me of, so YMMV.
January 28, 2024
Supernatural, western, horror, pulpy fun!
If I didn't sell that good enough, then here's take two: Vampires! Mummies! Train robberies! Underground mazes!
Ok, so maybe the four stars were a bit generous, but it was still a fun read, most, if not all the way through, without a dull moment. You may be turned off by the occasional journal entry from our main character, Dr. Hardy, Egyptologist, but I found them to be very brief and not at all overbearing.
I'm looking forward to Book Two!
If I didn't sell that good enough, then here's take two: Vampires! Mummies! Train robberies! Underground mazes!
Ok, so maybe the four stars were a bit generous, but it was still a fun read, most, if not all the way through, without a dull moment. You may be turned off by the occasional journal entry from our main character, Dr. Hardy, Egyptologist, but I found them to be very brief and not at all overbearing.
I'm looking forward to Book Two!
June 19, 2018
A solid Indiana Jones/The mummy style pulp noir that just never gets out of 3rd gear. The narrator is a bore and probably is the main reason for this stagnation in the story. Not the most overly original plot lines but was fun. The story is told from a 1st person POV style diary entries. The scenes throughout Egypt were great, with a nice blend of thrills and horror. The narrator didn't make things very exciting. The writing was great, and this is probably the strongest element of the book. I'm not sure why but everytime I read from Roms PoV I'd think he was British and not American, I guess it was the style of writing.
June 30, 2018
Rom Hardy is no Indiana Jones, but what he lacks in terms of whip-cracking and wisecracks, he makes up in determination and unexpected bravery. Fury from the Tomb by SA Sidor is best described as Indiana Jones meets The Mummy, and it’s fast-paced, pulpy and fun, taking readers from the sands of Egypt to the desolation of the Arizona desert.
Okay, okay, I was sold on this book when I saw the cover. I mean, look at this glorious beast. How could I even resist?
If you like a novel filled with action, impossibilities (malicious mummies, hopping vampires, serenading ghouls and monstrous worms) as well as a nerdy archaeologist, a hardbitten bounty hunter, occult librarian and a resourceful young orphan, then look no further. Fury from the Tomb was exactly what the doctor ordered, blending elements of westerns with tomb-raiding adventure.
If you’re looking for a novel that indulges in protracted navel gazing, this is probably not going to be for you, although there are moments when Sidor’s narrator – a much-older Hardy who frames the narrative – makes poignant observations about the human condition. So yet, despite the somewhat frantic pacing of the main body of the story, you do step back a bit with a degree of nostalgia. And, perhaps, also, the retelling itself is through the lens of an unreliable narrator; it’s never clear how much of the story is coloured by Hardy’s own perspective – something that I like immensely.
All in all, Fury from the Tomb is a solid read, that gets a great big thumbs up from this not-so-humble reader.
Okay, okay, I was sold on this book when I saw the cover. I mean, look at this glorious beast. How could I even resist?
If you like a novel filled with action, impossibilities (malicious mummies, hopping vampires, serenading ghouls and monstrous worms) as well as a nerdy archaeologist, a hardbitten bounty hunter, occult librarian and a resourceful young orphan, then look no further. Fury from the Tomb was exactly what the doctor ordered, blending elements of westerns with tomb-raiding adventure.
If you’re looking for a novel that indulges in protracted navel gazing, this is probably not going to be for you, although there are moments when Sidor’s narrator – a much-older Hardy who frames the narrative – makes poignant observations about the human condition. So yet, despite the somewhat frantic pacing of the main body of the story, you do step back a bit with a degree of nostalgia. And, perhaps, also, the retelling itself is through the lens of an unreliable narrator; it’s never clear how much of the story is coloured by Hardy’s own perspective – something that I like immensely.
All in all, Fury from the Tomb is a solid read, that gets a great big thumbs up from this not-so-humble reader.
November 16, 2018
I love the old Pulp adventure stories. I am always wary of someone writing a "new Pulp style" book. They much of the time just don't get the feel down correctly. Well I was pleasantly surprised with this writer efforts. Great story and characters very much in the old Pulp story style and feel. Nice fast paced action yarn. Very recommended
March 26, 2022
Romulus “Rom” Hardy is a young Egyptologist in 1886, working out of New York, and has just received an endowment to lead a team of discovery to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Once there, the team makes a startling discovery including five coffins and an over-large sarcophagus. But upon returning to the US, its is clear that a fabled curse is all too real.
Thus begins this first-in-a-series novel that strives to blend the best of Indiana Jones, the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, the weird-west genre, and classic Universal monster movies. And, for the most part, it succeeds. I love all these sorts of adventure fiction themes and styles so I may be a bit prejudice towards liking this book. Throw in cursed Egyptian mummies, Mexican banditos, Chinese vampires, bloated slickened worms the size of silos, asps, killer train wrecks, horseback-riding grave eaters – one with a flamenco guitar! and much more and you start to get the idea of what a mash-up story this is. About the only thing missing is a gang of undead Caribbean pirates. Perhaps in book two…
One might think this was all just too much to cram into a single novel but I didn’t feel that way at all. It’s written in a style that reminds me a lot of Lovecraft, especially the horror aspects, and I thought it all held together quite well. But the addition of three other main characters really brings out the emotional humanity of the plot. A pretty occultist librarian, a gun-toting rebel of the old west, and an orphaned Chinese busboy round out the cast and their teamwork is fun to watch develop.
I recognize this sort of over-the-top adventure novel is not for everyone. But if you want to take a chance on a pulpy throwback to the classics of yesteryear, this would be a good one to try. The main story does conclude in this volume but it is easy to see how other books could flow forth.
I’m looking forward to number two in the series.
Thus begins this first-in-a-series novel that strives to blend the best of Indiana Jones, the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, the weird-west genre, and classic Universal monster movies. And, for the most part, it succeeds. I love all these sorts of adventure fiction themes and styles so I may be a bit prejudice towards liking this book. Throw in cursed Egyptian mummies, Mexican banditos, Chinese vampires, bloated slickened worms the size of silos, asps, killer train wrecks, horseback-riding grave eaters – one with a flamenco guitar! and much more and you start to get the idea of what a mash-up story this is. About the only thing missing is a gang of undead Caribbean pirates. Perhaps in book two…
One might think this was all just too much to cram into a single novel but I didn’t feel that way at all. It’s written in a style that reminds me a lot of Lovecraft, especially the horror aspects, and I thought it all held together quite well. But the addition of three other main characters really brings out the emotional humanity of the plot. A pretty occultist librarian, a gun-toting rebel of the old west, and an orphaned Chinese busboy round out the cast and their teamwork is fun to watch develop.
I recognize this sort of over-the-top adventure novel is not for everyone. But if you want to take a chance on a pulpy throwback to the classics of yesteryear, this would be a good one to try. The main story does conclude in this volume but it is easy to see how other books could flow forth.
I’m looking forward to number two in the series.
December 3, 2018
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
Received to review via Netgalley
I loved the idea of this, a pulpy horror story in the tradition of something like The Mummy (not that I’ve seen that film). And honestly, it was quite a lot of fun, in a fast-paced way, with interesting stuff going on with the various mythical stuff brought into the story. It’s fairly tropey and predictable, and the pacing is a bit jerky, but I stuck with it and had a reasonable amount of fun. Not something that I’d recommend unless you really love pulpy Penny Dreadful type stories with mummies and vampires and all kinds of weirdness, but it wasn’t the worst way to spend the time either.
Things that would have made me like it more… more of Evangeline, less of Evangeline being an object of desire for Rom and apparently everyone else; more flesh on the bones of McTroy and what went on in his head; and… some kind of change to Rom’s character. He struck me as stuck up and ignorant in many ways, and the effect was something like Simon Tam from Firefly, except with no willingness to get his hands dirty (except maybe with grave dirt) and no trust of the people around him. Basically, Simon Tam without the good bits.
Received to review via Netgalley
I loved the idea of this, a pulpy horror story in the tradition of something like The Mummy (not that I’ve seen that film). And honestly, it was quite a lot of fun, in a fast-paced way, with interesting stuff going on with the various mythical stuff brought into the story. It’s fairly tropey and predictable, and the pacing is a bit jerky, but I stuck with it and had a reasonable amount of fun. Not something that I’d recommend unless you really love pulpy Penny Dreadful type stories with mummies and vampires and all kinds of weirdness, but it wasn’t the worst way to spend the time either.
Things that would have made me like it more… more of Evangeline, less of Evangeline being an object of desire for Rom and apparently everyone else; more flesh on the bones of McTroy and what went on in his head; and… some kind of change to Rom’s character. He struck me as stuck up and ignorant in many ways, and the effect was something like Simon Tam from Firefly, except with no willingness to get his hands dirty (except maybe with grave dirt) and no trust of the people around him. Basically, Simon Tam without the good bits.
October 24, 2021
This story was something pulled from my own wildest dreams. This monster-mash up horror adventure tale is exactly my kinda shit. I live for this stuff and want nothing more than to create my own novels and entries in the world of the horror mash-up. So with that being said there was no way I was gunna stumble across this book, with this plot, with this cover, in a series, and not immediately snatch up every entry I could find, all two of them.
I won't say that this gave me exactly what I was looking for. In fact, it really only gave me some of what I was hoping for, if not a little less. I won't say it wasn't a good read, because that would be a bold face lie, but I will say it was not the type of read I was expecting, nor did it deliver on all the promises its plot and cover art promised me.
The story is about an Egyptologist named Rom Hardy. He uncovers an ancient tomb and unwillingly unleashes the demonic Mummy wizard Odji-Kek out into the world. So it's up to him, his benefactors daughter, a young orphan, and a gunslinger to hunt the mummy, and his cohorts of ghouls and killer monks and cannibals and giant worm monsters and other mummies, down and kill them before the end of the world.
Sounds pretty fuckin' wild right? That's because it is, at least for the most part. The story is written from the first person perspective from Hardy's point of view and his voice grows to be pretty irksome pretty quickly. It's written in a funny way, like he's kind of a dumbass that doesn't realize he's a dumbass, but we deal with a lot of inner monologuing and recapping of things we just read and that stalls the momentum of the novel almost every time. Since the whole story is told from his point of view, if he's cowering or hiding so are we. He also gives us a lot of flash-forward information about the characters around him which seemed like an odd, tension killing choice to make for Sidor. I get the benefits of the first person narrative, and it does work for the wrap around story bit and the novel as a whole, but the character was kind of annoying and after that stopped being cute it just became an annoying person I gotta spend 400 pages with.
There is some action in here, but it's not nearly the amount I was expecting. It is shockingly gory whenever violence is taking place, but at 440 pages I would have expected a bit more scattered throughout. Especially with all the different kinds of monsters and villains our characters faced. I thought there'd be more gunfights or tomb raiding or skirmishes/battles. I'm not entirely sure because the cast of baddies is so expansive, but I do feel like for an action-adventure-horror novel there was just enough of all three to easily earn that qualification, but there wasn't nearly enough to solidify it. There's a lot of talking and riding on horses in deserts and hypothesizing, but all of those scenes are not equaled out in the action and horror department or in the exploring dangerous locations. I mean besides the church in the desert and the mine at the end, there's not much else between pages 120 or so and 330 or so, so do with that information what you will.
The world is chock full of monsters here and our heroes seem to just willingly accept that, almost without blinking an eye. I can kinda dig that, but I do wish there was a little more rationale behind it, a little more pushing back against the notion of behemoth man-worms that run gangs of bandit zombies, ya know? Since those are hardly common things to experience or run into? If they are living in a world where people knows monsters exist, then how bout establishing that? Or providing some examples of common, everyday monsters they see? I'm just wondering what the next few entries in this series will be like since the bar is set at "Gigantic desert dwelling worm demon and severed-face wearing ghouls team up to support an undead Mummy King as he takes over the world from beyond the Duat" being completely accepted within moments of discovery.
It was a fun read, don't get me wrong, but I did kind of hope, if not flat out expect, more from it. The writing style was quick and fun, if a little clean and polished for the adventure at hand. I liked the characters, even Rom, and was happy to follow them on this adventure. I'm looking forward to the sequel, and I really hope Sidor keeps churning out these Singular Antiquities novels, because I think they have tons of potential. I haven't read any of Sidor's other novels, but I hope that some of the issues with pacing and consistency in action scenes start to sort themselves out in Book 2. I, despite my mild disappoint here, have very high hopes for this series and this author.
I'm diehard about these genre-mash up novels. Absolutely fuckin love them and all the concepts behind them. I can't wait to write some of my own. Till' then, I'm going to keep checking these books out and hopefully unearth some more just like it on my next book run.
I won't say that this gave me exactly what I was looking for. In fact, it really only gave me some of what I was hoping for, if not a little less. I won't say it wasn't a good read, because that would be a bold face lie, but I will say it was not the type of read I was expecting, nor did it deliver on all the promises its plot and cover art promised me.
The story is about an Egyptologist named Rom Hardy. He uncovers an ancient tomb and unwillingly unleashes the demonic Mummy wizard Odji-Kek out into the world. So it's up to him, his benefactors daughter, a young orphan, and a gunslinger to hunt the mummy, and his cohorts of ghouls and killer monks and cannibals and giant worm monsters and other mummies, down and kill them before the end of the world.
Sounds pretty fuckin' wild right? That's because it is, at least for the most part. The story is written from the first person perspective from Hardy's point of view and his voice grows to be pretty irksome pretty quickly. It's written in a funny way, like he's kind of a dumbass that doesn't realize he's a dumbass, but we deal with a lot of inner monologuing and recapping of things we just read and that stalls the momentum of the novel almost every time. Since the whole story is told from his point of view, if he's cowering or hiding so are we. He also gives us a lot of flash-forward information about the characters around him which seemed like an odd, tension killing choice to make for Sidor. I get the benefits of the first person narrative, and it does work for the wrap around story bit and the novel as a whole, but the character was kind of annoying and after that stopped being cute it just became an annoying person I gotta spend 400 pages with.
There is some action in here, but it's not nearly the amount I was expecting. It is shockingly gory whenever violence is taking place, but at 440 pages I would have expected a bit more scattered throughout. Especially with all the different kinds of monsters and villains our characters faced. I thought there'd be more gunfights or tomb raiding or skirmishes/battles. I'm not entirely sure because the cast of baddies is so expansive, but I do feel like for an action-adventure-horror novel there was just enough of all three to easily earn that qualification, but there wasn't nearly enough to solidify it. There's a lot of talking and riding on horses in deserts and hypothesizing, but all of those scenes are not equaled out in the action and horror department or in the exploring dangerous locations. I mean besides the church in the desert and the mine at the end, there's not much else between pages 120 or so and 330 or so, so do with that information what you will.
The world is chock full of monsters here and our heroes seem to just willingly accept that, almost without blinking an eye. I can kinda dig that, but I do wish there was a little more rationale behind it, a little more pushing back against the notion of behemoth man-worms that run gangs of bandit zombies, ya know? Since those are hardly common things to experience or run into? If they are living in a world where people knows monsters exist, then how bout establishing that? Or providing some examples of common, everyday monsters they see? I'm just wondering what the next few entries in this series will be like since the bar is set at "Gigantic desert dwelling worm demon and severed-face wearing ghouls team up to support an undead Mummy King as he takes over the world from beyond the Duat" being completely accepted within moments of discovery.
It was a fun read, don't get me wrong, but I did kind of hope, if not flat out expect, more from it. The writing style was quick and fun, if a little clean and polished for the adventure at hand. I liked the characters, even Rom, and was happy to follow them on this adventure. I'm looking forward to the sequel, and I really hope Sidor keeps churning out these Singular Antiquities novels, because I think they have tons of potential. I haven't read any of Sidor's other novels, but I hope that some of the issues with pacing and consistency in action scenes start to sort themselves out in Book 2. I, despite my mild disappoint here, have very high hopes for this series and this author.
I'm diehard about these genre-mash up novels. Absolutely fuckin love them and all the concepts behind them. I can't wait to write some of my own. Till' then, I'm going to keep checking these books out and hopefully unearth some more just like it on my next book run.
May 16, 2018
Take it from me, I work in higher education, Dr Romulus Hugo Hardy is your quintessential academic. He is the consummate scholar, happy to wax lyrical about bygone ages and learn the secrets of times past. He dreams about travelling to Egypt and discovering what once was lost. Enter mysterious benefactor, Montague Pythagoras Waterson. Hardy is offered the opportunity of a lifetime. Throwing caution to the wind Hardy embraces his inner explorer and engages in some suitably action-packed field work. Far from the safe confines of the reference library, deep in the desert, our erstwhile hero finds himself coming face to face with an ancient evil.
I think the thing I like most about the good doctor is his transformation as the story unfolds. That dawning realisation when Hardy admits to himself that he needs to fight the horrors, feels palpable. Turns out attempting to derail the forces of darkness is going to change anyone however staid they may be.
The plot has a globetrotting feel. From New York to Egypt and then onwards to the American/Mexico border the narrative rattles along, keeping the reader on their toes. In the fine tradition of vintage heroes like Indiana Jones* or Doc Savage, there is much derring-do on display. Hardy meets some interesting characters along the way. Miss Evangeline is the embodiment of practicality. Far smarter than just about everyone around her, she is more than a match for any one of them. Then there is the enigmatic gunslinger Rex McTroy. Hardy is more of a thinker than a doer, so having a sharpshooter onside is more than a little use.
The reverential nods towards its cinematic forebears are well handled. Fury From The Tomb does a grand job of tapping into that sense of adventure. Where things differ is the tone of the novel. Fury has a nice vein of Cthulhu flavoured otherworldliness running straight through the middle of it. Turns out, mummies are a vile bunch. Add to that some cannibalistic monks and undead banditos, and you’ll start to see a trend developing. There are flashes of horror dotted throughout the text that manage to add both a sinister and gross overtone to proceedings. From a personal perspective I found the giant maggots were particularly gruesome. I was repulsed and entranced in equal measure.
As an aside, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the first-rate cover design. The artwork by Daniel Strange enhances the retro stylings of the text it is partnered with. It’s exactly the sort of image I would happily make into a poster, frame it and put it up on a wall. The distinctive classic B movie cover art is one of the first reasons I was keen to read the book. It is very effective in suggesting the delights that lie within.
The first book featuring the exploits of The Institute for Singular Antiquities is a rare find. This homage to old school adventure is great fun and delivers exactly what it promises. Entertaining, exciting and unexpected, Fury From The Tomb will keep any action and adventure fan hooked from page one. My only hope is that this story is the first of many.
*Seriously, I could almost picture a thick red line moving from destination to destination on a tattered old map.
I think the thing I like most about the good doctor is his transformation as the story unfolds. That dawning realisation when Hardy admits to himself that he needs to fight the horrors, feels palpable. Turns out attempting to derail the forces of darkness is going to change anyone however staid they may be.
The plot has a globetrotting feel. From New York to Egypt and then onwards to the American/Mexico border the narrative rattles along, keeping the reader on their toes. In the fine tradition of vintage heroes like Indiana Jones* or Doc Savage, there is much derring-do on display. Hardy meets some interesting characters along the way. Miss Evangeline is the embodiment of practicality. Far smarter than just about everyone around her, she is more than a match for any one of them. Then there is the enigmatic gunslinger Rex McTroy. Hardy is more of a thinker than a doer, so having a sharpshooter onside is more than a little use.
The reverential nods towards its cinematic forebears are well handled. Fury From The Tomb does a grand job of tapping into that sense of adventure. Where things differ is the tone of the novel. Fury has a nice vein of Cthulhu flavoured otherworldliness running straight through the middle of it. Turns out, mummies are a vile bunch. Add to that some cannibalistic monks and undead banditos, and you’ll start to see a trend developing. There are flashes of horror dotted throughout the text that manage to add both a sinister and gross overtone to proceedings. From a personal perspective I found the giant maggots were particularly gruesome. I was repulsed and entranced in equal measure.
As an aside, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the first-rate cover design. The artwork by Daniel Strange enhances the retro stylings of the text it is partnered with. It’s exactly the sort of image I would happily make into a poster, frame it and put it up on a wall. The distinctive classic B movie cover art is one of the first reasons I was keen to read the book. It is very effective in suggesting the delights that lie within.
The first book featuring the exploits of The Institute for Singular Antiquities is a rare find. This homage to old school adventure is great fun and delivers exactly what it promises. Entertaining, exciting and unexpected, Fury From The Tomb will keep any action and adventure fan hooked from page one. My only hope is that this story is the first of many.
*Seriously, I could almost picture a thick red line moving from destination to destination on a tattered old map.
March 8, 2019
Pretty good for what it was. Just a rip-roaring thriller. One thing to the next. No pauses. Just supernatural weirdness. My only complaint would be I was expecting a little more camp and humor, but this book was all seriousness.
March 17, 2019
What would happen if mummies were unleashed in the deserts of the wild west? That is the premise of this story. The supernatural elements are quite interesting. For example, when the mummies are first unearthed in Egypt, the shocking and supernatural incident that occurs hits you like a ton of bricks. That may partly be attributed to the dullness of the main character. The setup is pretty dry, so when something actually happens, it feels exciting. Unfortunately, the main character never becomes more interesting, so that keeps this from becoming a really good book.
July 15, 2021
Fun read, good enough that I will seek out the sequel.
February 5, 2024
This was a fun adventure. If you like the movie The Mummy, then you’ll most likely enjoy this book. It has all the mythology, mummies, and clever characters you can expect. Also, there are some twists that keep it interesting.
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the Spanish. There were some words in Spanish, and they were bad … terrible, in fact. For example, “el masa negro” is the literal translation of Black Mass, but in Spanish that’s incorrect because it should be “la misa negra”. As a bilingual, it was really annoying to see Spanish words used incorrectly. Besides that fact, I highly enjoyed the story!
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the Spanish. There were some words in Spanish, and they were bad … terrible, in fact. For example, “el masa negro” is the literal translation of Black Mass, but in Spanish that’s incorrect because it should be “la misa negra”. As a bilingual, it was really annoying to see Spanish words used incorrectly. Besides that fact, I highly enjoyed the story!
May 29, 2018
I believed I only barely just liked this book, but when I thought I'd accidentally deleted it from my device before finishing it I was surprised at how crestfallen I was. I really wanted to know what happened next! Sure, the main character/narrator was kind of annoying (and had a ridiculous habit of waxing rhapsodic over the virtues of the cowboy guide out of nowhere in the middle of the action), but the plot and creepy supernatural elements kept me going. I would rate this as a good beach/poolside pulp fiction read.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
April 4, 2019
I enjoyed this one a lot. It took longer to read than it normally would have since life was a bit hectic the last few weeks. Normally I probably would've read this one in less than a week. Each chapter ended with me wanting to keep going without unnecessary cliff-hangers. It read like a book in its time, which I find adds to the enjoyment.
I read this as part of a book club so I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. Another example of why it can be rewarding to read something random. Will be tracking down some more by Mr. Sidor.
I read this as part of a book club so I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. Another example of why it can be rewarding to read something random. Will be tracking down some more by Mr. Sidor.
May 8, 2018
A short take:
After a strong, swift start that successfully mimicked the pulp adventure of yesteryear, the plot slowed down to a lazy shuffle. By the halfway point, I was sad to find my attentions wandering. There are some fun moments to be had (I especially liked how Sidor worked in Chinese vampires), but they got lost in the lag. I might have liked this more at half it’s published length.
After a strong, swift start that successfully mimicked the pulp adventure of yesteryear, the plot slowed down to a lazy shuffle. By the halfway point, I was sad to find my attentions wandering. There are some fun moments to be had (I especially liked how Sidor worked in Chinese vampires), but they got lost in the lag. I might have liked this more at half it’s published length.
January 31, 2024
Decent story that tends to drag a little
Fans of Indiana Jones may find this a solid read. It has an archeologist, an Egyptian digging site, mummies, and curses. Romulus Hardy, the story's archeologist/protagonist, is an odd character that I had trouble warming up to. His character flaws and ways of speaking and thinking were less than endearing, making him too flawed in the hero/leading man department. The other members of this supernatural story (Rex McTroy, Evangeline Waterston, and Yong Wu) are each well-developed characters with unique backstories that I grew to care about.
Hardy is hired by Evangeline's wealthy father to bring an Egyptian mummy back to the States. Hardy achieves the first part of the assignment, but the mummy is stolen by zombies-like creatures who are bent on returning the mummy to life. At that point, it's up to Hardy and his crew to try and keep that from happening and finish the job he was hired to do. Along the way, some decent plot twists kept me reading what bordered on a somewhat plodding novel.
The ending was just satisfying enough to encourage me to read the second book in the series.
Fans of Indiana Jones may find this a solid read. It has an archeologist, an Egyptian digging site, mummies, and curses. Romulus Hardy, the story's archeologist/protagonist, is an odd character that I had trouble warming up to. His character flaws and ways of speaking and thinking were less than endearing, making him too flawed in the hero/leading man department. The other members of this supernatural story (Rex McTroy, Evangeline Waterston, and Yong Wu) are each well-developed characters with unique backstories that I grew to care about.
Hardy is hired by Evangeline's wealthy father to bring an Egyptian mummy back to the States. Hardy achieves the first part of the assignment, but the mummy is stolen by zombies-like creatures who are bent on returning the mummy to life. At that point, it's up to Hardy and his crew to try and keep that from happening and finish the job he was hired to do. Along the way, some decent plot twists kept me reading what bordered on a somewhat plodding novel.
The ending was just satisfying enough to encourage me to read the second book in the series.
March 30, 2020
Very good conflation of the best of the 1930s/'40s Universal mummy movies with a bit of Indiana Jones style adventure and (starting about 1/3 into the novel) 1960s The Wild, Wild West TV show. Sidor is a good writer, concise and descriptive, setting the scene well, carrying the action along efficiently, and good at delineating character without losing the pace of an adventure novel.
There is some gore as well as moments that are nicely otherworldly. It's not everyone who can mix mummies, Chinese vampires, gunslingers, guitar playing ghouls and Satanic monks and make it readable much less entertaining.
Great reading to escape a historical moment that seems surreal.
There is some gore as well as moments that are nicely otherworldly. It's not everyone who can mix mummies, Chinese vampires, gunslingers, guitar playing ghouls and Satanic monks and make it readable much less entertaining.
Great reading to escape a historical moment that seems surreal.
November 7, 2018
A fairly fun, pulpy adventure. Has all the hallmarks of a story I'd usually adore (archaeology, mummies and monsters), but the prose made enjoyment a struggle. Despite a few delicious turns of phrase here and there, the writing style was something I - or rather, my editing brain - just couldn't engage with or get past, despite my best attempts. The characters also felt pretty shallow (especially Evangeline, who felt like little more than the 'token female'), and though some of their dialogue is entertaining, on the whole the book fell sadly flat for me.
That said, I'd totally read a spin-off about the adventures of Rojo the ghoul.
That said, I'd totally read a spin-off about the adventures of Rojo the ghoul.
April 24, 2020
Excellently executed version of what this is, probably what you'd call "tropey" action adventure Indiana Jones thing :)
If this is your thing you'll enjoy it :) But I did wonder how many of these there must be, and whether there was a need for another? Then again I can't answer that and I've only read this version of it, so...
If this is your thing you'll enjoy it :) But I did wonder how many of these there must be, and whether there was a need for another? Then again I can't answer that and I've only read this version of it, so...
January 29, 2025
I didn’t actually finish this book. I couldn’t.
Like #1 the mummies are only in the back half of the book which is super lame
And #2 child (BABY) sacrifice is vaguely mentioned and I ain’t about that at all. Even vaguely.
I thought this would be fun campy Mummy vibes but no…..it just made me cry instead! So! If that bothers you I DO NOT recommend reading this at all.
Like #1 the mummies are only in the back half of the book which is super lame
And #2 child (BABY) sacrifice is vaguely mentioned and I ain’t about that at all. Even vaguely.
I thought this would be fun campy Mummy vibes but no…..it just made me cry instead! So! If that bothers you I DO NOT recommend reading this at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2022
Indiana Jones / Tomb Raider x Horror x Pulp x Action Adventure
A good time. This story would be so much better from a different pov the action suffers from it…soooo much more potential here oh so much!
A good time. This story would be so much better from a different pov the action suffers from it…soooo much more potential here oh so much!
May 9, 2018
I fantastic cross between weird western and classic pulp. Loved it.
May 16, 2018
I want my mummy!
And S.A. Sidor's novel provides; there's more than one ancient, enwrapped, dead mofo a-lurchin' about in "Fury From the Tomb" (no, that's not a side project of band Rocket From the Crypt). A title like that and a B-movie-poster cover promise fun — and it is, though maybe not quite as much fun as it thinks.
"Fury From the Tomb" is an unholy (of course; there's mummies brought back from the dead!) fusion of old-school pulp fiction, a gonzo mummy movie whose dailies got mixed up with a bandit Western's, and Indiana Jones — there's tomb raiding by an academic/adventurer, after all. Here, a young Egyptologist, Romulus Hardy, is hired by a mystery man to dig up an Egyptian mummy and bring him to America in 1888. This grave robbing isn't accomplished with quite as much panache as could be hoped, especially considering that there's a roaring tunnel of blood.
Turns out this mummy was a very bad apple who won't stay dead (aren't they always?). Once in the U.S., Hardy is eventually joined by a hottie blonde, a Chinese boy with strange parents and a bounty hunter, who band together after a train attack and mummy swipe by cannibal banditos. Yes, Sidor is putting fresh/wild spins on some old tropes, but it's worth noting that the novel doesn't really get engrossing until it amps up the interplay among our hero foursome in the middle third.
And though "Fury" really is enjoyable, and Sidor writes pretty well, its problem is that, for a novel that's unashamedly pulpy, it just doesn't adhere to a few pulp maxims closely enough. Meaning, there's too much fat on this mother (mummy)! Granted, it's a mass market paperback, but "Fury From the Tomb" is 441 pages — way yonder too long. Sidor should study some old Spider pulps, for instance; some of them didn't make much sense, but primary writer Norvell Page kept the action pulse-pounding and relentless (there are too many leisurely digressions here), and they sure as hell didn't come close to 400 pages.
"Fury," its story told first-person by Hardy, is amusing, exciting enough and has few truly weak stretches, though the climax is rather ordinary. It's the first of a series, but if Sidor wants me along for another ride, getting leaner is a must.
And S.A. Sidor's novel provides; there's more than one ancient, enwrapped, dead mofo a-lurchin' about in "Fury From the Tomb" (no, that's not a side project of band Rocket From the Crypt). A title like that and a B-movie-poster cover promise fun — and it is, though maybe not quite as much fun as it thinks.
"Fury From the Tomb" is an unholy (of course; there's mummies brought back from the dead!) fusion of old-school pulp fiction, a gonzo mummy movie whose dailies got mixed up with a bandit Western's, and Indiana Jones — there's tomb raiding by an academic/adventurer, after all. Here, a young Egyptologist, Romulus Hardy, is hired by a mystery man to dig up an Egyptian mummy and bring him to America in 1888. This grave robbing isn't accomplished with quite as much panache as could be hoped, especially considering that there's a roaring tunnel of blood.
Turns out this mummy was a very bad apple who won't stay dead (aren't they always?). Once in the U.S., Hardy is eventually joined by a hottie blonde, a Chinese boy with strange parents and a bounty hunter, who band together after a train attack and mummy swipe by cannibal banditos. Yes, Sidor is putting fresh/wild spins on some old tropes, but it's worth noting that the novel doesn't really get engrossing until it amps up the interplay among our hero foursome in the middle third.
And though "Fury" really is enjoyable, and Sidor writes pretty well, its problem is that, for a novel that's unashamedly pulpy, it just doesn't adhere to a few pulp maxims closely enough. Meaning, there's too much fat on this mother (mummy)! Granted, it's a mass market paperback, but "Fury From the Tomb" is 441 pages — way yonder too long. Sidor should study some old Spider pulps, for instance; some of them didn't make much sense, but primary writer Norvell Page kept the action pulse-pounding and relentless (there are too many leisurely digressions here), and they sure as hell didn't come close to 400 pages.
"Fury," its story told first-person by Hardy, is amusing, exciting enough and has few truly weak stretches, though the climax is rather ordinary. It's the first of a series, but if Sidor wants me along for another ride, getting leaner is a must.
August 7, 2019
Didn’t hate it but didn’t completely love it either.
Gorgeous cover artwork!
Gorgeous cover artwork!
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