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Ben Hope #4
The Heretic's Treasure
An ancient fortune has lain hidden for thousands of years, one so powerful that men will kill to protect it. And only one man can unearth it! Ex-SAS operative Ben Hope is living a peaceful life in rural France - until a phone call from an old army comrade turns his world upside down. Eminent Egyptologist Morgan Paxton has been brutally murdered while working on the mysterious 'Akhenaten Project' in Cairo, and Colonel Harry Paxton wants Ben to find his son's killer. Ben is unable to refuse the request from the man who once saved his life - but when Harry asks him to avenge his son's death he's in dangerous territory. Made worse by the fact that he finds himself attracted to Zara Paxton, Harry's new bride. Carving through the seedy Cairo underworld, Ben soon realises that there was more to Paxton's research than meets the eye as he is plunged into one double-cross after another. His mission leads him from Italy and Paris via the coast of Scotland to the banks of the Nile, climaxing in a tense showdown in the war-torn Sudanese desert. At the end of the trail lies the ultimate treasure, hidden away by three rebel High Priests during the reign of the 'Heretic' Pharoah Akhenaten - a collection so valuable that some will stop at nothing to possess it! A super-charged, heart-racing thriller, perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Sam Bourne and Wilbur Smith.
496 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2009
315 people are currently reading
1420 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
August 8, 2017
Mariani brings Ben Hope back for his fourth full-length adventure, constantly reinventing this highly energetic protagonist. Having been through a number of professions in his short life, Ben Hope still wants to hang up his adventure goggles in some form. However, in the world of Kidnap & Ransom, there is never a shortage of work. Seeing an opportunity, Hope purchases some land in France and opens up his own training facility. With things running smoothly, Hope receives a call from Colonel Harry Paxton, a former colleague, who has a mission for him; find his son’s murderers. Eminent Egyptologist, Morgan Paxton, has been working to uncover the ‘Akhenaten Project' in Cairo, the most mysterious project of his life. While torn, Hope cannot help but remember the elder Paxton’s sacrifice when he was a young soldier and agrees to investigate. However, Hope is also drawn to Colonel Paxton’s much-younger wife, Zara. The attraction seems mutual and Hope forges into Egypt to find the killers and bring some balance to the Paxton family. What begins as a simple mission of redemption soon turns much darker than expected. A double-cross fuelled with Hope’s thinking with his heart pushes him deeper into the Egypt mystery than he pledged. Hope finds himself bouncing around various geographic locations to follow the trail of the Akhenaten Project, culminating in a showdown with a cutthroat terrorist in war-torn Africa. What follows could significantly change the political climate around the world. Who was Pharaoh Akhenaten and how did his secret leave him branded a heretic by those of his era? Mariani keeps the story fresh and the thrills continuous in this Ben Hope story that will have readers curious until the very end. Recommended to series fans and those who need a summer jolt for their reading lists.
Mariani continues to create his Ben Hope character, offering something unique in each of the novels to date. Here, with Hope trying to balance between ‘former warrior’ and ‘fully retired’, Mariani places his protagonist in a spot to explore the teaching role, as if he wanted to pass along his knowledge for the next generation. Of course, that is foiled and keeps him in the game. Interestingly enough, Hope also suffers only briefly with the loss of his wife and turns his eyes (and heart) towards a new interest, though she is surely off limits in the early stages of this book. Mariani continues to portray Hope as a man able to sow many proverbial oats and who has to keep an oak door as the women seek to beat it down. However, this banter between Hope and the lady friends he keeps shows a more tender side to the man who is happy to cut a throat in the line of duty. Turning to the story itself, I found myself, again, less than drawn to the overall idea, though Mariani keeps the reader guessing with all the travel and some of the head butting scenes. One can only hope this lull in the plot does not become a new normal, though with many books yet to go in the series, one can surmise that this is but a brief dial-down. While Egypt has much to offer historically, with scores of mysteries intertwined within its centuries of undiscovered stories, I found this to be less electrifying as I might have liked. Ben Hope has much to offer and the early chapters showed a great deal of intriguing storytelling, but the full-impact story lost me at some points. Again, as mentioned above, there may be a lull here or I might just be a little off my game.
Kudos, Mr. Mariani for advancing the Ben Hope character in new directions. There is surely much to be found in this man and his life in the numerous novels to come.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Mariani continues to create his Ben Hope character, offering something unique in each of the novels to date. Here, with Hope trying to balance between ‘former warrior’ and ‘fully retired’, Mariani places his protagonist in a spot to explore the teaching role, as if he wanted to pass along his knowledge for the next generation. Of course, that is foiled and keeps him in the game. Interestingly enough, Hope also suffers only briefly with the loss of his wife and turns his eyes (and heart) towards a new interest, though she is surely off limits in the early stages of this book. Mariani continues to portray Hope as a man able to sow many proverbial oats and who has to keep an oak door as the women seek to beat it down. However, this banter between Hope and the lady friends he keeps shows a more tender side to the man who is happy to cut a throat in the line of duty. Turning to the story itself, I found myself, again, less than drawn to the overall idea, though Mariani keeps the reader guessing with all the travel and some of the head butting scenes. One can only hope this lull in the plot does not become a new normal, though with many books yet to go in the series, one can surmise that this is but a brief dial-down. While Egypt has much to offer historically, with scores of mysteries intertwined within its centuries of undiscovered stories, I found this to be less electrifying as I might have liked. Ben Hope has much to offer and the early chapters showed a great deal of intriguing storytelling, but the full-impact story lost me at some points. Again, as mentioned above, there may be a lull here or I might just be a little off my game.
Kudos, Mr. Mariani for advancing the Ben Hope character in new directions. There is surely much to be found in this man and his life in the numerous novels to come.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
January 19, 2019
6/10
When I picked this up I assumed it would be a 3 star read and I wasn’t disappointed. Sometimes you just want something easy and reliable to get you going again, which is exactly what I needed after the Christmas period for my audiobooks.
The story is run of the mill for this sort of escapade; man needs to hunt something/someone down whilst in the arms of a beautiful woman and solve a number of clues before some inevitable twist at the end which is supposed to make you drop your jaw but instead tests your eye rolling reflex. But again, this is what I wanted at the time so it provided exactly that which was needed.
One note on the audiobook; it was too quiet to the extent that if a bus went past whilst I was walking and listening then I missed what was said. In the car I had to ramp it up to a new level my car can’t tolerate. That was a nightmare when putting something else on the radio and forgetting how loud it was set at! Eardrums are a thing of the past.
So overall it was average and easily forgettable but the series as a whole is decent enough to keep dipping back into. Added bonus is that my library has them.
I got a free copy from my library, FREE! Love that word
When I picked this up I assumed it would be a 3 star read and I wasn’t disappointed. Sometimes you just want something easy and reliable to get you going again, which is exactly what I needed after the Christmas period for my audiobooks.
The story is run of the mill for this sort of escapade; man needs to hunt something/someone down whilst in the arms of a beautiful woman and solve a number of clues before some inevitable twist at the end which is supposed to make you drop your jaw but instead tests your eye rolling reflex. But again, this is what I wanted at the time so it provided exactly that which was needed.
One note on the audiobook; it was too quiet to the extent that if a bus went past whilst I was walking and listening then I missed what was said. In the car I had to ramp it up to a new level my car can’t tolerate. That was a nightmare when putting something else on the radio and forgetting how loud it was set at! Eardrums are a thing of the past.
So overall it was average and easily forgettable but the series as a whole is decent enough to keep dipping back into. Added bonus is that my library has them.
I got a free copy from my library, FREE! Love that word
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August 28, 2017
Audiobook - 10 hours 25 Minutes - 3.0 stars out of 5.0 - Narrator: Colin Mace
Some explosive action towards the end failed to save my earlier hopes for this novel to be as good as the previous three in the series. I got a bit bored with all the Egyptian stuff - research is great but I think Mariani overloaded me with too much information that I and the story really didn't need. The interminable desert trek and the results of the search had me begging for some believability. I knew I was in trouble when I looked at my iPod and found that there were only twenty-something minutes to the end of the final disc and so much had not happened and so many questions had not been answered. In the end it all seemed rushed and ultimately unsatisfactory.
Another excellent narration by Colin Mace helped me through this less than excellent book. However, I am already 40% of the way through Ben Hope #5, "The Shadow Project", and to date I am smiling again as one of my favourite protagonists hits his straps.
Some explosive action towards the end failed to save my earlier hopes for this novel to be as good as the previous three in the series. I got a bit bored with all the Egyptian stuff - research is great but I think Mariani overloaded me with too much information that I and the story really didn't need. The interminable desert trek and the results of the search had me begging for some believability. I knew I was in trouble when I looked at my iPod and found that there were only twenty-something minutes to the end of the final disc and so much had not happened and so many questions had not been answered. In the end it all seemed rushed and ultimately unsatisfactory.
Another excellent narration by Colin Mace helped me through this less than excellent book. However, I am already 40% of the way through Ben Hope #5, "The Shadow Project", and to date I am smiling again as one of my favourite protagonists hits his straps.
January 14, 2013
This was another great book in the series and I'm looking forward to reading the rest. What I particularly like about this series is that the books I have read so far are very different in their styles. Often when you read books by a particular author you begin to recognise their style. It's similar when you listen to music by a recording artist you recognise their style if they write or compose their own songs.
Scott Mariani writes a good adventure story with the character Ben Hope. I love the international settings and for me these are the best books I have read in this genre. He is better than McNab and Lee Child. Much more entertaining.
Scott Mariani writes a good adventure story with the character Ben Hope. I love the international settings and for me these are the best books I have read in this genre. He is better than McNab and Lee Child. Much more entertaining.
June 29, 2024
"The Heretic's Treasure" is an exhilarating adventure that blends history, mystery, and action in a satisfying package. The author skillfully weaves together a tale of ancient secrets and modern-day treasure hunting that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.
The protagonist's journey through perilous situations and intricate puzzles is well-paced, with enough twists to maintain suspense throughout. The historical elements are thoroughly researched, adding depth and authenticity to the story.
While some of the characters could have been more fully developed, the main cast is likeable and relatable. The vivid descriptions of exotic locations transport the reader, creating a cinematic experience.
The plot occasionally relies on convenient coincidences, which may stretch credulity for some readers. However, the overall storytelling is strong enough to overshadow these minor flaws.
For fans of archaeological thrillers and historical mysteries, "The Heretic's Treasure" delivers an entertaining read that's hard to put down. It's a solid addition to the genre, earning a well-deserved 4 out of 5 stars.
The protagonist's journey through perilous situations and intricate puzzles is well-paced, with enough twists to maintain suspense throughout. The historical elements are thoroughly researched, adding depth and authenticity to the story.
While some of the characters could have been more fully developed, the main cast is likeable and relatable. The vivid descriptions of exotic locations transport the reader, creating a cinematic experience.
The plot occasionally relies on convenient coincidences, which may stretch credulity for some readers. However, the overall storytelling is strong enough to overshadow these minor flaws.
For fans of archaeological thrillers and historical mysteries, "The Heretic's Treasure" delivers an entertaining read that's hard to put down. It's a solid addition to the genre, earning a well-deserved 4 out of 5 stars.
May 31, 2022
4 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover
Recensie volgt later
Recensie volgt later
August 4, 2011
I'm normally a big fan of Scott Mariani and have read a couple of his books before and enjoyed them very much. I'm a fan of the whole 'Dan Brown' ilk of books and can suspend my disbelief as well as anyone but with this book it felt like my disbelief was pushed just that bit too far. I still enjoyed the main character and thought he was well portrayed; complex and intriguing and ultimately a good guy despite the whole killing people thing, but parts of the plot were ridiculous. Particularly some of the emotions we were asked to believe in. Perhaps I'm just a cynical person but he doesn't seem like the type of character to fall in love that quickly, in the blink of an eye, and really the plot hangs on that premise. It wasn't a bad book and the drama rattled along towards the end, but it certainly wasn't one of his best.
November 17, 2019
Scott Mariani does it again. A fast paced fascinating thrilling ride from the ancient world of Egypt to the present. My only complaint is the women fawning over Ben Hope. Can we please leave out the romance bit? But that ending. That plot twist. Suspected it but still had me stumped.
August 19, 2015
A alguien que sólo lee terror, fantasía y ciencia ficción que le guste el libro presente tiene mucho merito. Aquí las razones:
-Cada capítulo acaba con un interrogante que te hace continuar. Implica rápida lectura favorecida por capítulos cortos.
-Vueltas de guión continuamente, y cuando crees que no es posible más, las hay.
-Personaje brutito y carismático.
-Mezcla de acción, aventura, intriga y misterio.
No llega a las 5 estrellas por tener acción contada con cuenta gotas y no de mucha calidad al narrarla. Y demasiado comprometido este señor. El ser humano es egoísta en mayor o medida, él es muy blanco.
Me ha venido muy bien esta lectura para desconectar de tanta monotonía, pues me ha hecho darme cuenta de que hay mucho jugo en los libros de acción estilo 007, Jungla de Cristal, etcétera.
Sí lo lees con una coca cola y palomitas, la diversión es asegurada. Prepárate para tiros y sorpresas.
-Cada capítulo acaba con un interrogante que te hace continuar. Implica rápida lectura favorecida por capítulos cortos.
-Vueltas de guión continuamente, y cuando crees que no es posible más, las hay.
-Personaje brutito y carismático.
-Mezcla de acción, aventura, intriga y misterio.
No llega a las 5 estrellas por tener acción contada con cuenta gotas y no de mucha calidad al narrarla. Y demasiado comprometido este señor. El ser humano es egoísta en mayor o medida, él es muy blanco.
Me ha venido muy bien esta lectura para desconectar de tanta monotonía, pues me ha hecho darme cuenta de que hay mucho jugo en los libros de acción estilo 007, Jungla de Cristal, etcétera.
Sí lo lees con una coca cola y palomitas, la diversión es asegurada. Prepárate para tiros y sorpresas.
February 1, 2016
Another great Ben Hope book. A good twist at the end.
February 20, 2020
In my quest to read the early Scott Mariani's Major Ben Hope books, this is the fourth book in the series. I will continue reading the new books as they are published whilst catching up on the older ones that I have missed. As usual this is a top rated book with Ben Hope dealing with the bad guys as only he can in a story wrapped around a significant historical set of events. A Colonel from Ben's SAS days whom Ben believes saved his life asks Ben to find the people who murdered his son in Cairo and deal with them in a brutal and final manner. This Colonel's son was an Egyptologist and he had been searching for some long lost treasure. Interwoven into this story is a beautiful younger woman who the Colonel has taken for his wife that Ben is very attracted to and that attraction is reciprocated. Also there is a bunch of extremists hell bend on creating a number of major catastrophes in the world providing they can raise enough money by any illegal means. This story starts at ninety miles an hour and never lets up, it is full of action and lots of twists that you don't see coming. For those who like their heart beating fast and are prepared to lose some sleep because they can't put a book down this is a must. Read it you will not be disappointed.
January 3, 2025
Scott Mariani’s The Heretic’s Treasure is a fast-paced and engaging thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. With a gripping plot and vivid storytelling, it offers a blend of historical intrigue and modern-day adventure. The book’s pace is perfect for those who enjoy action-packed scenes, as reflected by its quick reading time of just over 3 hours for 520 pages, with an impressive reading speed of 94 pages per hour. Fans of treasure hunts and suspenseful narratives will likely find this a compelling read. A solid five-star rating underscores its enjoyment factor!
#BookReview #TheHereticsTreasure #ScottMariani #ThrillerBooks #FastPacedReads #HistoricalFiction #ActionAdventure #MustRead
#BookReview #TheHereticsTreasure #ScottMariani #ThrillerBooks #FastPacedReads #HistoricalFiction #ActionAdventure #MustRead
October 2, 2021
2.5 rounded down to 2 due to awful ending.
I know the Ben Hope books are far fetched, this one was just too ridiculous for me.
It got better in the middle, then a little bit Indiana Jones, a bad version. I thought the whole love at first site thing way over board and totally unrealistic. No pun intended there for those who’ve read the book!
Don’t recommend.
I know the Ben Hope books are far fetched, this one was just too ridiculous for me.
It got better in the middle, then a little bit Indiana Jones, a bad version. I thought the whole love at first site thing way over board and totally unrealistic. No pun intended there for those who’ve read the book!
Don’t recommend.
November 11, 2017
It's so awful when you want to read so badly but you have to study at the same time. I really enjoyed The Heretic's Treasure. There's a point were I didn't want to stop but since I read only on the bus and I was already in lecture, I had to stop. It's just not f***king fair!
Ah, I made a really slow progress with books but next week I'm beginning with the fifth book, yay.
Ah, I made a really slow progress with books but next week I'm beginning with the fifth book, yay.
December 26, 2025
no sé porque sigo leyendo estos libros raros de inicio a fin. GRACIAS MAYA muak 💓🫄
January 21, 2015
A much more engaging read than 'The Doomsday Prophecy'. I find Egyptian history fascinating and having been to a number of the places mentioned in the story just made the whole thing so much more interesting. The heretic of the title is Akhenaten who moved his people away from the worship of multiple gods to the worship of one god - the Sun god. Despised by most of his people, it is suggested that three high priests who opposed this idea began to steal away the heretic's treasures and hide them for a future generation to enjoy. Clues were left as to where the treasure might be found and now, hundreds of years later, the race is on to find them. Greed is a powerful motivator and some will stop at nothing to get want they want. Our hero, Ben Hope, thinks he is helping an old friend find out who murdered his son in Egypt - but all is not what it seems. There are a number of twists in this one that keeps it interesting. There is of course the obligatory "there's no way that's even possible" scene, but it is fiction after all. Looking forward to the next one.
July 18, 2015
An enjoyable, easy to read, lightweight thriller, involving a caricatured superman-like alpha male, who not only has every woman in the book hopelessly falling at his feet drooling, he also happens to be an ex-SAS operative, who at times seems to be one of those men who is able to take down four armed adversaries at a time, using nothing but a lightening reflex and a half empty packet of French cigarettes…while simultaneously tying his shoelaces
As long as you take it for what it is, and don't expect too much depth beyond the Dan Brown-lite style narrative, which manages to slam-dunk the usual religious and historical hooks into a typical formulaic and populist treasure hunt, while firing up his mini, to perform innumerable hand break skids and several wheel spins across France, Egypt & Sudan looking for further clues to help him in the pursuit of said treasure, there's much that one can still enjoy.
As long as you take it for what it is, and don't expect too much depth beyond the Dan Brown-lite style narrative, which manages to slam-dunk the usual religious and historical hooks into a typical formulaic and populist treasure hunt, while firing up his mini, to perform innumerable hand break skids and several wheel spins across France, Egypt & Sudan looking for further clues to help him in the pursuit of said treasure, there's much that one can still enjoy.
April 4, 2015
I've become a big Ben Hope fan. This sees hope looking into the murder of the son of an old friend. Unfortunately, Ben has been duped, and things are not what they seem. As the truth comes out, Ben finds himself working for a man he detests. An ancient treasure, a lost Egyptian King, and a tangled web are all Ben can hope for. Maybe, just maybe he can still come out on top.
March 25, 2021
When I read the first book in the series, I found some similarities between Ben Hope and Batman in terms of motive and his method of work, he even had a stand in for Alfred Pennyworth too, in this one however, he showed the single most signature trait of Batman as well and that is his no kill policy, at least when it’s not needed anyway, his life was going smooth and somewhat normal by his standard but that soon changed and it changed drastically when he got a call from an old friend who gave him a job which involved killing some dudes, he pulled that off without killing anyone and then it went sideways, the final twist however was at the same time a wee bit predictable but still felt fresh l but what happened at the end to the main villain(or is it?) that again drew parallel with my early assessment of the similarities between Ben Hope and Batman and it turned one of the characters into another stand in for one of Batman's most formidable foes too which has hooked me pretty nicely into the series too. The author tried something new in case of the character approach this time and it stuck the landing in some places and didn’t quite stick it in some but that didn’t affect at least in my case my enjoyment of the book anywhere. What really annoyed me was the forced romantic angle which doubled down as the driving force behind Hope's quest for the titular treasure and also the weird love triangle angle which went nowhere, not in this book at least but hope it will get somewhere along the road and that's what held me from giving it a 4 star. But still it was an enjoyable read and looking forward to the next book.
February 27, 2023
I really want to love these books, as I enjoy the genre and as it’s a long series it would keep me going for a while, but there is just something missing for me. I don’t particularly like Ben Hope, although I’m not sure if you are meant to, he’s not a very nice person. Yes he’s tough and he’s had a hard life but he’s just a complete jerk to people who don’t deserve it. Plus I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know the difference between lust and love.
That aside I liked the idea of this book but it seemed to have to many separate storylines that all kind of merged but it meant there was a large amount of exposition which in an action book slowed down the pace. The last 100 pages or so was much faster paced to the extent it felt rushed compared to the rest of the book.
This could just be me but I find Ben Hope to be a mass of contradictions.
1 - Can’t be with another woman because he’s grieving his dead wife (understandable) less than 24hrs later madly in love with the first woman he fancies.
2 - doesn’t want to kill anyone- yet accepts request to kill people. (Plus lets just forget the large amount of people he killed in the last book)
I’m not sure if I’ll read the rest (I mean I probably will because I’m a completionist) but giving the series a break for at least a bit.
That aside I liked the idea of this book but it seemed to have to many separate storylines that all kind of merged but it meant there was a large amount of exposition which in an action book slowed down the pace. The last 100 pages or so was much faster paced to the extent it felt rushed compared to the rest of the book.
This could just be me but I find Ben Hope to be a mass of contradictions.
1 - Can’t be with another woman because he’s grieving his dead wife (understandable) less than 24hrs later madly in love with the first woman he fancies.
2 - doesn’t want to kill anyone- yet accepts request to kill people. (Plus lets just forget the large amount of people he killed in the last book)
I’m not sure if I’ll read the rest (I mean I probably will because I’m a completionist) but giving the series a break for at least a bit.
October 9, 2021
I believe this is the first Scott Mariani novel I've read, grabbed at a book fair. I'd been enjoying reading this so much that went I visited the local library, I quickly grabbed up a few more novels to read. Of course, they will mean reading out of order, not something I ordinarily like to do, but I hope this series allows for that without missing out on too much back story.
The main character, Ben Hope, hooked me into this novel. He is an interesting character - seeming a little lost, but also has some focus on what he wants. I don't know if I fully bought into his mood swings and the sudden falling in love with an old friend's wife, but as a character he works. I also liked the other characters in the novel, and really want to learn more about Jeff and Helen.
The action and the intrigue are well placed in this story. You need to approach novels like with a willingness to suspend belief (with most novels actually), and for genre I'd say this is in among the higher standard. It felt to me that the clues could actually be there in real life, and even though it felt a little like Mission Impossible at some points, those moments seemed to suit the character and the novel.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more in this series.
The main character, Ben Hope, hooked me into this novel. He is an interesting character - seeming a little lost, but also has some focus on what he wants. I don't know if I fully bought into his mood swings and the sudden falling in love with an old friend's wife, but as a character he works. I also liked the other characters in the novel, and really want to learn more about Jeff and Helen.
The action and the intrigue are well placed in this story. You need to approach novels like with a willingness to suspend belief (with most novels actually), and for genre I'd say this is in among the higher standard. It felt to me that the clues could actually be there in real life, and even though it felt a little like Mission Impossible at some points, those moments seemed to suit the character and the novel.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more in this series.
June 5, 2024
Another delightfully dynamic and page turning Ben Hope thriller, book 4: The Heretics’s Treasure sees Ben lured out of his current home in France by an old SAS army colleague who saved his life.
Harry Paxton, has lost his son, murdered in Egypt and he calls in a favour, asking Ben to find the killer and eliminate them.
Ben is reluctant to get involved, but his past Army links to Paxton, overwhelm his logic and he takes on the case. What begins as a straightforward hunt for a murderer in Cairo quickly becomes a complicated and messy battle with terrorists, egyptologists and double crossing, dangerous people. A hunt for the Heretic’s Treasure, the fabled treasure of the mad pharaoh Akhenaten, leads Ben into a deadly race across Egypt and the dangerous deserts of Sudan to find the treasure and stop terrorists from doing the unthinkable.
Loved every page, never boring, draws you in and keeps you entertained, page after page. Plot twists abound and a magical adventure into ancient Egyptian history thrown into the mix, it makes a thrilling adventure!
Harry Paxton, has lost his son, murdered in Egypt and he calls in a favour, asking Ben to find the killer and eliminate them.
Ben is reluctant to get involved, but his past Army links to Paxton, overwhelm his logic and he takes on the case. What begins as a straightforward hunt for a murderer in Cairo quickly becomes a complicated and messy battle with terrorists, egyptologists and double crossing, dangerous people. A hunt for the Heretic’s Treasure, the fabled treasure of the mad pharaoh Akhenaten, leads Ben into a deadly race across Egypt and the dangerous deserts of Sudan to find the treasure and stop terrorists from doing the unthinkable.
Loved every page, never boring, draws you in and keeps you entertained, page after page. Plot twists abound and a magical adventure into ancient Egyptian history thrown into the mix, it makes a thrilling adventure!
March 29, 2025
This is my least favourite book in this series. It has a major problem and it's not the implausible plot. Let's be honest with a tag line of "Indiana Jones meets James Bond" you're not expecting a Ben Hope story to anything but a bit silly. Unfortunately none of the characters have any redeeming qualities, most of them end up dead, usually through their own stupidity. But the biggest problem is the main character, Ben hope is supposed to be the architypical tortured hero, brooding from his experience in the Army and the loss of his wife. What you get is a sulky, drunk who smokes French fags (does this make him cool and cultured? Or just smelly?) and has a damsel in distress complex. We are supposed to believe he falls in love at first sight and will go on a quest to save her after knowing her for less than a week. I doubt anyone didn't guess she double crossed the seemly endlessly gullible Ben right from the get go. He spends the entire story in a state of irritation with everything and everyone. I end up rooting for the terrorist in the big fight scene.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2022
The story became better as it went on and there were enough twists and turns in the book to capture the attention and imagination of the reader. All this meant I read it at a fast pace.
If I was just judging it on the quality of the story alone, I would give it four stars but I'm not. The writing quality and language wasn't terrible but it was like a blunt instrument lacking finesse and beauty. It didn't do justice to the story itself or the English language itself. It was quite basic and lacked imagination and meant the story wasn't as memorable as it could have been.
This wasn't a terrible book, but the story itself was let down by the writer's paucity of imagination when it came to the language used in the book, which also meant that the characters themselves were harder to connect to. I think three stars is a fair score. As the story itself was good I will try another book from this author (probably the first in this series) to see if he makes better use of the English language.
If I was just judging it on the quality of the story alone, I would give it four stars but I'm not. The writing quality and language wasn't terrible but it was like a blunt instrument lacking finesse and beauty. It didn't do justice to the story itself or the English language itself. It was quite basic and lacked imagination and meant the story wasn't as memorable as it could have been.
This wasn't a terrible book, but the story itself was let down by the writer's paucity of imagination when it came to the language used in the book, which also meant that the characters themselves were harder to connect to. I think three stars is a fair score. As the story itself was good I will try another book from this author (probably the first in this series) to see if he makes better use of the English language.
August 16, 2025
Another excellent thriller staring Ben Hope in the James Bond /Dirk Pitt mold. Contacted by an old SAS colonel responsible for saving his live he sets out to find out he killer Harry Paxton's son and if possible to recover some of his things. He achieves this, but instead of killing them as Harry wanted he hands them over to the authorities. At this point he learns that Harry isn't the person he thought he was, and is infact a international blackmarket arms dealer. Ben is blackmailed (by threats to Harry's wife who Ben hs fallen for) into attempting to complete Harry's son project and find the treasure of the Hertic Pharaoh Akhenaten, up agains not only a strict timeline, but a evil terrorist who wants the treasure to pay for nuclear weapons. Can Ben find the treasure, evade the terrorist and save the girl?
Fast paced, page turning thriller with excellent action scenes and some nice twists.
Fast paced, page turning thriller with excellent action scenes and some nice twists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2017
This is the funniest book I've read in quite a while. It's a satire of the thriller genre so comically overblown I had to annoy Jo by reading bits out to her. Cleverly, Mariani employs the tropes while taking the piss out of them so it's also a very entertaining thriller in it's own right. Underlying the chain of preposterous coincidences that constitute the plot is an excellent structure. It opens with an old man ushering the hero with a thousand faces into the world of adventure, builds to Aristotle's mid-point reversal and then has Ibsen's gun go off in the third act. All so smoothly done that reading it is like swimming with the current. Mariani will probably never write a great novel. I don't think he'd bother trying. He's an entertainer and a consummate professional.
February 24, 2022
Ben Hope is content to run his business in training people to be top notch security guards. But it all changes when he is contacted by the man he owes his life to, Harry Paxton, his old commanding officer. Harry wants Ben's help in exacting retribution on those responsible for the death of his son in Egypt. It all goes easy enough and when he thinks the job is done everything changes and the real reason Harry contacted him is revealed.
An action packed adventure, chasing a lost treasure, fighting off terrorists and saving the girl. The book has it all. But it's not as coherent as it could be. I enjoyed it as I have the entire series so far.
Well worth a read.
An action packed adventure, chasing a lost treasure, fighting off terrorists and saving the girl. The book has it all. But it's not as coherent as it could be. I enjoyed it as I have the entire series so far.
Well worth a read.
May 27, 2025
The Heretic’s Treasure
This is the second book I have read, obviously out of order, and have enjoyed them both. Plenty of action and historical information which has been fascinating. The author certainly knows his stuff and he mixes it well in this story which makes for an interesting read but, the hero’s love life just doesn’t read well and the ending was poor, as though he was in a hurry to finish the story. Although I have given this a five star rating, because it has been a good read, I don’t think I will bother to read the following books. Will all be much of the same IMHO.
This is the second book I have read, obviously out of order, and have enjoyed them both. Plenty of action and historical information which has been fascinating. The author certainly knows his stuff and he mixes it well in this story which makes for an interesting read but, the hero’s love life just doesn’t read well and the ending was poor, as though he was in a hurry to finish the story. Although I have given this a five star rating, because it has been a good read, I don’t think I will bother to read the following books. Will all be much of the same IMHO.
May 31, 2018
Absolutely love Ben Hope!
Ever since I read the first novel with Ben Hope I have been enthralled with each story and the interaction of the characters. It is like James Bond meets Indiana Jones but more! You would definitely want him on your side and in this story it makes no exception. Lost treasure, a murdered son and grieving father. Throw in many twists and turns and you have a rollercoaster of a journey that starts in France and ends in the Sudan. The history behind the Egyptians was fascinating and does leave you thinking! Another thoroughly enjoyable read!
Ever since I read the first novel with Ben Hope I have been enthralled with each story and the interaction of the characters. It is like James Bond meets Indiana Jones but more! You would definitely want him on your side and in this story it makes no exception. Lost treasure, a murdered son and grieving father. Throw in many twists and turns and you have a rollercoaster of a journey that starts in France and ends in the Sudan. The history behind the Egyptians was fascinating and does leave you thinking! Another thoroughly enjoyable read!
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