The Anubis Murders (Trade Paperback)

I've read all of GG's Gord the Rogue books, and most of the PF Tales novels. I didn't think this held a candle to most of the Tales novels, and didn't enjoy this as much as some of the better Gord books. I'm afraid female characters and protagonists never was a strength of Gygax. They're not a centerpiece of this book by any means, but when they appeared, I just wasn't feeling it. The end was a little much for me as well.

I didn't care for the mash-up world of Aerth, either. Too close to Earth for me. Also, avoid the Erik Mona introduction until AFTER you've read it; a ridiculous spoiler is found therein.

I have no interest in reading the other 2 books in this trilogy (which I'm not sure Planet Stories published or not), based on this 1st book.

Editing is not that great; like an average Tales novel I'm afraid.

First off, great cover art by Andrew Hou! It immediately gives the impression that, although the novel is written by D&D creator Gary Gygax, The Anubis Murders isn't set in the generic medieval Europe that is so common to fantasy novels.

Second, interesting protagonists. Magister Setne Inhetep, a worshipper of the Aegyptian god Thoth, specializes in solving mysteries and catching criminals. He's depicted very similar to Sherlock Holmes, actually, down to identifying people's occupations by merely glancing at their hands or disguising himself as street riff-raff to infiltrate nefarious organizations. He's aided in crime-solving by Rachelle, officially his slave, but actually his body-guard and adventuring companion.

Third, a good mystery. High-level leaders, kings, and sorcerors are threatened with death unless they turn over power to a mysterious Master of Jackals. When they refuse, they're soon found murdered in ways that are seemingly impossible. Who is the Master of Jackals and what ties all of the murders together?

Fourth, middling execution. Gygax is certainly competent as a fantasy writer, and sometimes very good--the opening chapter is quite atmospheric, for example. As a mystery writer, however, he's unfortunately below average. The Master of Jackals is revealed to be a character never before seen, and the way Inhetep solves the mystery doesn't seem particularly plausible to me. In other words, this is not the type of whodunnit that can be solved in advance by a careful reader, because the solution comes from way out of left field. A good introduction by Erik Mona speculates that perhaps Gygax thought that the mere mention of the villain's name (taken from real-world Finnish mythology) would be enough to make readers gasp with excitement. If so, he thought wrong.

Overall, not great but not terrible--and a good example that writing a solid mystery novel is harder than it appears.

I've never read any mystery novels before. I was quite satisfied with Mr. Gygax's offering. Inhetep and Rachelle are interesting characters, although I would have liked to see a little bit more "screen time" for Rachelle. She isn't the main character so I understand why, but I would have liked to see more.

The plot was good, but the build up was a little slow with a big flurry of activity during the reveal. I don't know if this is normal in mysteries, but it seemed a little rushed at the end.

None the less, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading of Setne and Rachelle's furthur investigations.

Everything on the surface of The Anubis Murders demanded that I read it: a fantasy and mystery novel, set in an alternative Earth in the analogues of (personal favorites) ancient Egypt and medieval Britain, with a wizard for a protagonist, and written by Gary Gygax, one of the mentors of my youth – one of the most important mythopomps to lead me, as so many of us, here. But it was this latter fact that held me back. Having never read any of Gygax's novels, I harbored a fear that the master behind beloved adventure modules, and above all, the epochal Dungeon Master's Guide, would embarrass himself and discomfort me the admiring reader when he ventured beyond gaming prose into sustained fiction narrative.

I need not have worried.

The Anubis Murders did more than banish these specters—it put them to flight with an entertaining invocation of mystery and magic. If you know Gygax's writing from gaming materials, your stylistic expectations are met: descriptions of color, arresting scenes, interesting detail, choosing (or making) the right word. But beyond his taking his trademarks and putting them to use in a novel, Gygax pulls you on through plot while proving himself capable of surprising the reader with more than the appeal of the strange and arcane. I was not prepared for how much I enjoyed Gygax as a character writer. While I admit my prejudice for the wizard-priest* and his nubile bodyguard, Gygax takes the proven formula of the duo and uses it both to drive plot and to bring out the character of his protagonist with subtlety and verisimilitude. By story's end, one has been treated to a fleshing out of how Gygax imagined magic, an intelligent action story, a villain worthy of the protagonists and promising them challenging future careers. I'm tempted to say more about this villain, but it is too easy to be a spoiler. I will simply not that finding out more about the villain was particularly satisfying.**

What might interfere with a reader's enjoyment of an otherwise fun yarn? If one is a constant mystery reader, one might figure out the plot rather too quickly. If one is an occasional reader of mystery, it might be best to read the book during a down mystery period, when one's plot detectors are a little flabby. If one's love of partner fiction leads one to desire or expect an equal partnership (Holmes and Watson, Farhrd and the Gray Mouser, Aubrey and Maturin), one will likely be disappointed. At this point in the arc at least, Setne is much more developed a character than Rachelle.*** Finally, certain kinds of students of history may well balk at the willful chronological naiveté of the tale. Gygax happily mashes Ancient Egypt and the matter of Britain (technically, it appears to just be pre-Arthurian), which is the low end of testing such tolerances – the reader should brace herself for the mention of the Bow Street runners! However, if one's predilections run as close to Gygax's as mine admittedly do, one is likely to wave such disjunctions away in the name of a good time. And with these caveats, that is exactly what The Anubis Murders will provide you.

I have KaeYoss and Lisa Stevens to thank for the sale that helped me risk my fears, but I hope that reviews and word of mouth will help banish these from any minds where they might yet linger. If you missed the sale, consider this: the foreboding cover illustration by Andrew Hou is worth the price alone.

Notes

The Anubis Murders by Gary Gigax it’s a curious way to begin a line about classic sci-fi writers (many of them unknown to the common reader), but as Erik Mona (in the prologue) and James Sutter (in PaizoCon 2009) exposed there is a reason.
Gary Gigax with his new game (not new any longer, and well known to most or all of us) and the early novels based on his first setting, both of which had a profound influence from this classic authors, exposed us to fantasy in ways that had been left forgotten in time.

Yes, fantasy and sci fantasy still existed, but the source that influenced lots of them and in the end the hobby in which we participate were left in the past and when reprinted... they lost much of what was worth on them.

So I suppose to begin Planet Stories was a tribute to the man who brought this lost world back to us. But why the Anubis murders, considering he had stories before it? Well Erik explains it plainly in his prologue so I won't ruin a good story... but I would also think it’s like to have a fresh beginning.

The Anubis Murders is presented in a world not so different than ours during the classic era, a quite defined world where Camelot brushed elbows with the "Ancient Egypt", a world where Merlin is a renowned wizard, but no more, a land where gods influence the world and an ancient evil stirs.

So why began with Anubis Murders? Because, it’s a good place to begin with.

The Anubis Murders is a refreshing look of the world and a refreshing read, one of the first stories in which we have a cleric (ok wizard priest) as the main hero. Not a man to take sword or "adventurous" even if he does follow adventure wherever it takes. Setneh Inhetep, servant of the pharaoh, wizard-priest, uncanny detective and a man with a rich background, made human for the fact that he not only has virtues, but also flaws he can understand and accept... if not change. Setneh takes us into the path of danger while analyzing his surroundings, seeing beyond our sight, but giving a few clues so we can arrive to his same conclusions by our own insight.

The Anubis Murders in the end is a detective stories of the pulp era happening in a world not so different than ours, and where magic should have made it easy to arrive to an early ending. But taking this into account I believe Gygax arrived to an elegant performance of why would magic doesn't uncover the mystery after a few chapters.

Yes, the story is NOT perfect and it has a few flaws. It falls in clichés (understandable with Gigax experience and how true he was to the classic sources) and his heroine Rachelle, even when she could easily be an heroic character he tells us early in the story that she can be as much heroine as lady in disgrace. No complains here, I did liked Rachelle.

Another small detail is how in the last chapters he exchange in descriptions one character for another, I suppose Paizo left this intentionally, letting the source be as true to itself as they could. The careful and attentive reader would, by the end of the book, certainly know of what I am talking about.

And if the fanatics of magic needed any more impulses or reasons to read this... you won't find a better example of 'Time Stop' anywhere; a vivid, vivid and creative use of magic. A living magic miles away of "I cast Magic Missile".

All in all, The Anubis Murders is a great detective story in the middle of a Sword and Magic universe. Enjoy the reading, I know I did.