3.5/5

Thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications and Netgalley the ARC.

Sometimes you just need to escape into an intriguing tale! Put on your Indiana Jones hat, grab the bullwhip and get ready to get spooked!!! The Eater of Gods follows Norman Haas as he travels to war torn Libya to try and complete his dead wife's lifes work by locating a mysterious, ancient tomb. Norman and his small team get much more than they bargained for all while Norman continues to work through his grief. This fast paced story keeps the tension high with creepy vibes throughout and sudden turns that make you cringe, along with a surprising, emotional ending. If you are a fan of Egyptian legends, curses and of course mummies!!! ....this story is for you!!!

Eater of Gods is about Norman and a group of his colleagues embarking on the discover of Kiya, one of the wives of the Ancient Pharaoh Akhenaten. This is a relatively short novel and a suspenseful thriller, that I think ultimately, was not a book meant for me. I think it if was longer and more fleshed out, I would have enjoyed it more.

I liked the building of suspense in the plot, finding the tomb was the carrot that was successfully extended out and ultimately, kept me reading. Additionally, the description of the landscape was detailed and made me really picture it and I was able to really sense the desolation there, there monotony of the journey out to the tomb. I like that the cast of characters had more than one tokenistic woman, Anita in particular was given useful skills and Charlie had a cheeky attitude that I really would have loved to have seen fleshed out a bit more.

Things I didn’t quite like; the beginning felt a bit disjointed, it would have been nice to have some more background on Norman as a person instead of instantly being thrust into this quest and story. I didn’t feel like I cared about him, because I didn’t really know him as a character. Also, I loathe the name Norman, every time I read it I cringed a little inside. The writing made it hard to understand or appreciate the characters on a deeper level, the dialogue is clipped and the audience receives little description or detail on the tone, mannerisms or even appearance of the characters apart from vague references to their clothing. These characters are meant to be making the discovery of a lifetime, but there is no talk Ancient Egypt in detail. No theories on who Kiya was or of any of the mysteries related to the Amarna period of Akhenaten at all. I was hoping for some history to be infused into the story, but there was nothing till over halfway through the story and no real explanation of who Kiya was/might have been till 80% of the way through.

While I ultimately started to enjoy this book from around the 80% mark, it was not for me, those who like short snappy thrillers with suspense and elements of the supernatural, you will likely really enjoy this book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dare to Ignore the Warnings? Death Smiles With Sharp Teeth.

I love historical fiction about Egypt, the ancient Kemet. There was enough factual information about that dead civilization and the archaeological process included in Dan Franklin’s tale for it to feel real. He’s a good writer who, from the beginning, builds a sense of dread that turns quickly into heart thumping suspense.

The Eater of Gods is terrifying in many ways. Being trapped and being led who knows how far underground in cold darkness would be horrifying on its own, but the supernatural elements amplify the fear level to shuddering hysteria.

Professor Haas is a sad character. It isn’t difficult to have sympathy for him in his grief, but my time with him and the rest of the cast of characters was brief before the struggle to survive began. After that, I could only hold out sinking hopes for all of them.

You’ll need to read the book to know what happens as they search for what they hope is one of the few unopened tombs left intact with its treasure. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I assure all who like this kind of story that I’m certain you’ll enjoy it. Besides, horror loves company!

I’d like to thank Dan Franklin, Cemetery Dance Publications, and NetGalley for the free advance reader’s copy. There was no agreement with them that I would give the book a positive review, but I’m giving one, enthusiastically!

I throughly enjoyed this book a lot! Kinda want to know what happened at the end did he get out? Very nice easy and fast read! I definitely recommend this book! I think There was a spelling error in chapter 6 of 43 I think it’s suppose to say “but everything was THE ( ebook says he) same as he left it! Just figured I’d point that out

Most of this novella was interesting. A group of archeologists getting locked in a recently discovered ancient tomb? Fascinating.

Slowly amping up the tension and terror by having members of the team picked off one by one through either an unknown malicious entity or simply working ancient booby-traps? Intriguing.

But that ENDING. UGH. I cannot put into words how much I hated the last like 30 pages. WHAT EVEN?!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm sorry I didn't like it more. I really wish I had.

On a mission to carry out the artifactual dig his wife couldn’t finish due to her cancer diagnosis and eventual death Professor Norman Haas will do it in her memory. His goal is to go to the burial place of the goddess Kah although the University that sent him his dollar signs in their eyes professor Hass is there because of his and his wife’s love of history and when his one contact agrees to bring him he couldn’t be happier a little does he and the rest of the team know this may not be a round-trip. I didn’t want to get anything away because I thoroughly enjoyed this book and once I started reading it I didn’t stop until it was over and wished it would’ve been longer and although it ended way differently than I hoped for or even thought it would now but I have had time to reflect I think it was a great ending. I have never read any books by the author before but I will definitely be reading more from him in the future if you love great horror then you need to read the eater of gods by Diane Franklin you will not regret it. I received this book from netGalley and cemetery dance press but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The Eater of the Gods is a quick read if you are in the mood for some dark horror. It is largely focused on the grief of a man who has lost his wife and heads out to finish her work. Admittedly, this started off a bit slow for me, what kept me going was that this isn’t too long. Things did pick up once they were in the tomb and the ending was worth the read.

Note: ARC kindly provided in exchange for honest review
3.5 rounded to 4 stars

Norman, a widower, and a small team travel to war-torn Libya in an effort to complete his late wife's work, which centered around a disgraced Egyptian queen named Kiya. As with most supernatural horror media about entering Egyptian tombs, the team gets more than they bargained for, but the connection between Norman's grief and Kiya makes this book special.

I was underwhelmed by the traps (nasty as they are), but the escalating sense of dread is propulsive. I appreciated the revelations as they happened, and it all works very well. If you want a claustrophobic, tightly written supernatural horror book that doesn't overstay its welcome, pick this one up!

"But the House of Kiya-Aten is also real. And some part of the story is too. The local legends say she sleeps. That she devoured every god she could and waits, dreaming beneath the sands. If you had been to the places I have been and seen what I have seen, you would not say this so… carelessly.”

After the death of his beloved wife, Norman sets out on an archaeology journey to the lost tomb of Kiya, the wife of one of the most controversial Pharaohs in Egyptian history. When he arrives in a small desert town in Libya, there are warnings that the group should not dare step foot within the tomb itself, but when the group ignores the warning, they find themselves being hunted by an ancient evil within the tomb.

Before I even dare being, I have to ask the author: did you by chance see the movie, The Awakening with Charleton Heston? This book seemed just a tad bit close to the movie. This is not a bad thing whatsoever but a good thing. The movie was one of my favorites growing up and to find a book similar in nature grabbed my attention when I first came across it. I

I am not going to lie when I devoured the book up in one setting. The book is not a massive novel and there are no fillers in between diving right into the action the moment all the characters being to appear. I love stories that have horrifying storylines and even more when there is a mummy running loose. You won't find these books often and when you do, it is a real treat to read. This one is no different.

As a teen, I loved everything mythology - Roman, Greek, Norse, and Egyptian. This was a treat to come across and I am so glad I was able to get a chance to read this book. I really hope the author will explore more mummies and Egyptian mythology. I would also love to see Kiya again.

I would like to take a moment to thank Netgalley, the author, and his publishers for a chance to read this in advance.

I enjoy a claustrophobic horror and studied ancient near eastern history in college so I grabbed the Eater of Gods thinking it would be a great mesh of those two parts of me. While I had a passably enjoyable time, this wasn’t necessarily ground breaking (which it absolutely did not need to be). What this story does well is setting the atmosphere. Trapped in a cursed tomb being hunted by an unseen foe is definitely a top tier trope. I found the characters a bit general and the end a touch less grand than I really wanted it to be. Do love the references to other classics in the genre and the use of lesser known historical figures like Kiya.

Thank you NetGalley and Cemetery Dance for providing me with the digital arc in exchange for an honest review

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

An archeological horror novel filled with adventure, chills and thrills. I heard about this upcoming book in a Facebook group and immediately grabbed a review copy when one became available. This book reminded me how much I adore Egypt and archeology and when you mix in supernatural horror what more could you ask for. This is a quick read, I finished it in one sitting, it was that unputdownable. Do yourself a favor and checkout this author, you won’t be disappointed. I am keen to see what else he has written and brings out next. I will read more for sure.

I think I held my breath through the whole book. I had go keep reading although I wanted to stop myself!

I received this book from NetGalley and, having never read Dan Franklin before, I was pleasantly surprised. Although there’s so much sadness in this book, it’s full of action and supernatural adventure. In a little package, you get an amazingly written and enthralling combination of archaeology, academic life, mythology, journeys both internal (in the mind and the soul) and external (in Lybia), lots of creepy and claustrophobic atmosphere, an Indiana Jones-style exploration of a lost tomb, and chilling, very chilling supernatural developments. It’s not easy to share my reading experience without giving anything away, but I can’t help being absolutely gushing over this book: there may not be as many gory scenes as I expected, but the disturbing imagery and the stellar storytelling make up for this lack, while the pages practically ooze tension. The gritty realism was a nice addition, avoiding any Tomb Raider twists or well-worn tropes of the mummy, focusing instead on building an understanding with the reader, by means of well-placed information tidbits on the Ancient Egyptians and their funerary practices, plus an emphasis on how the supernatural impacts human relationships. Highly, very highly recommended.

A recent widow continues his wife's longtime work, researching a long dead ruler in Libya. He enters an unsealed tomb with a team of explorers and immediately discovers one of his party dead, killed by the tomb's defenses the previous night. Then one by one, the tomb claims the rest.

You can in fact be too descriptive. Sometimes a drink of whiskey or dust spec or sunset is simply that, no additional flavor requires. The attempt flush out every minutiae and convey the tangibility of every single bit of a scene can actually take the reader away from simply experiencing your story.

It was an interesting tale of spooky horror and personal loss all twisted together, some predictable bits but a good Halloween month read.

A big old “Thank You” to Netgalley, the Publisher and of course the author for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Your efforts are in good hands and I appreciate the trust.

This wasn't what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it! Definitely a nicely written horror, it was a great build-up as everything slowly fell apart. I liked the setting (I've always loved learning about ancient Egypt, which is what drew me to this book to begin with) and felt it right along with thr characters the claustrophobia and the slow trip to hopelessness. I do feel like it needs...something, I honestly couldn't say what. It could be because it's a novella, but I feel it needs more. Maybe to the ending? It felt sort of rushed and unfulfilling. But I can see how and why it worked out as it did. Overall, great novella!

Norman has lost a lot, but he must complete this venture. Years of his life dedicated to this moment. A moment that takes a very dark turn and becomes a living nightmare.

Favourite quote - “Figures that Norman recognized as easily as childhood friends.”

Gods and mythology are huge fascinations for me. Mix that with Egypt and I’m sold. A short read, that is slow to start, but really immersive once it kicks off.

Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider meets The Decent. Intriguing and terrifying. A good read for a short horror.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dan Franklin, & Cemetery Dance Publications for a copy.

What an adventure this book was! I was obsessed with Egypt growing up, and this story was everything I’d hoped it’d be!

For fans of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, or any adventure book/movie buff, you have to read this one!

I was totally absorbed and felt panicked and claustrophobic along with the characters. There truly isn’t a dull moment in this tale, and it will captivate readers.

Can we have more Egyptian/archeology horror please?!

The only downside to this book was when I finished reading it. 😭

If you are looking for a gripping suspenseful page turner that is a quick read, this is the book for you. Some people mentioned the book was too short but I think it was perfect.

The story follows Norman who is leading expedition to find the lost tomb of Queen Kiya, completing the work of his late wife. Need less to stay, once they enter the tomb, things go from bad to worse very soon. What follows is a suspenseful and chilling story of trying to survive against the odds.

Definitely a quick easy read that was very enjoyable. Highly recommend especially if you love things relating to ancient Egypt and exploring lost tombs.