Helpful Score: 1
A manly hero. A damsel in distress. An evil set of Nazis. And everyone smokes. A decent retro adventure, "Sheba", like many of its counterparts, takes place in 1939, before the invasion of Poland sets off World War II. From a Nazi plot to blow up the Suez canal via souther Arabia, to the search for the temple of the legendary Queen of Sheba, Higgins packs in all the standard elements: treasure, romance, violence, and lots of cigarettes. Gavin Kane is a textbook hero: intelligent, resourceful and mysterious. The two female characters are right out of a 1930s movie: one is a wife looking for her missing archaeologist husband; the other, half-French and half-Arabian, who runs a multi-national business with an iron fist, yet melts into Kane's arms when needed. It's a fun read, but there's not a lot of suspense, and some of the retro attitudes, such as the women being too physically weak to walk too far or escape captors, is a little annoying. The description of the Arabs is a little stereotypical, especially Selim, one of the villains, who is prone to dramatic statements, both verbal and physical. Canaris, a German officer, is the one character I wanted more of (and was a real person); he's witty and seems to be the only character with sense. Okay, but derivative for modern readers.
A fast paced WWII espionage thriller set in the Middle East involving a women's pursuit of her missing husband and a Nazi plot to seize control of the area.
Loved this, by Higgins, great listen.
In 24 BC, the Roman General, Aelius Gallus, lost ost of his army in the vast region called the Empty quarter while trying to conquer Southern Arbia. One of the few survivors, a Greek adventurer named Alexias, walked out of the desert carrying a secret of the ancient world as astonishing as King Solomon's Mines. A secret that was lost for two thousand years. Then in 1939 American archaeologist, Gavin Kane, makes a startling discovery in the legendary Temple of Sheba which sheds light on the past nd takes a peek into a terrifying future. Adolf Hitler's master plan for the Nazi takeover of the Suez Canal.
In this slick archeological thriller, Higgins (The Eagle Has Landed) reaffirms his skill as a storyteller. In 1939, with the world on the brink of war, American Arabist Gavin Kane is hired to find a missing husband. The missing husband, John Cunningham, disappeared while on a wild goose chase through the Middle East in search of the legendary Temple of Sheba. The Temple turns out to be all too real. And, unfortunately for Kane and his friends, the Nazi's have discovered the Temple first and are using it as headquarters to implement Hitler's plan to destroy the Suez Canal. The mixture of archeology and Nazism, naturally brings to mind Indiana Jones and, in fact, the book is very reminiscent of those movies. This is the kind of story where all the villains have German accents, and the heroes can survive a 30-mile hike in the desert with no water. Who cares if the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes (the dashing archeologist, the mysterious beautiful woman)? This fast-paced story has enough action and adventure to make up for any such shortcomings.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW
The lost Temple of Sheba is not just a biblical legend. A German achaeologist has found it. The Nazis have claimed it. And one American explorer has stumbled upon their secret - a plot that could change the course of Word War II.
From Publishers Weekly
In this slick archeological thriller, Higgins (The Eagle Has Landed) reaffirms his skill as a storyteller. In 1939, with the world on the brink of war, American Arabist Gavin Kane is hired to find a missing husband. The missing husband, John Cunningham, disappeared while on a wild goose chase through the Middle East in search of the legendary Temple of Sheba. The Temple turns out to be all too real. And, unfortunately for Kane and his friends, the Nazi's have discovered the Temple first and are using it as headquarters to implement Hitler's plan to destroy the Suez Canal. The mixture of archeology and Nazism, naturally brings to mind Indiana Jones and, in fact, the book is very reminiscent of those movies. This is the kind of story where all the villains have German accents, and the heroes can survive a 30-mile hike in the desert with no water. Who cares if the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes (the dashing archeologist, the mysterious beautiful woman)? This fast-paced story has enough action and adventure to make up for any such shortcomings.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
2 Cassettes
In this slick archeological thriller, Higgins (The Eagle Has Landed) reaffirms his skill as a storyteller. In 1939, with the world on the brink of war, American Arabist Gavin Kane is hired to find a missing husband. The missing husband, John Cunningham, disappeared while on a wild goose chase through the Middle East in search of the legendary Temple of Sheba. The Temple turns out to be all too real. And, unfortunately for Kane and his friends, the Nazi's have discovered the Temple first and are using it as headquarters to implement Hitler's plan to destroy the Suez Canal. The mixture of archeology and Nazism, naturally brings to mind Indiana Jones and, in fact, the book is very reminiscent of those movies. This is the kind of story where all the villains have German accents, and the heroes can survive a 30-mile hike in the desert with no water. Who cares if the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes (the dashing archeologist, the mysterious beautiful woman)? This fast-paced story has enough action and adventure to make up for any such shortcomings.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
2 Cassettes
solid WWII thriller
From the Publisher
This electrifying thriller is Jack Higgins's most exciting novel of World War II intrigue since his smash bestseller The Eagle Has Landed. The year is 1939. An American archaeologist named Gavin Kane is asked to help a woman search for her missing husband. When Kane follows the man's trail into the ruthless desert of Southern Arabia, he makes two shocking discoveries. One is the legendary Temple of Sheba, an ancient world as fantastic as King Solomon's mines. The other is a band of Nazi soldiers who plan to turn the sacred landmark into Hitler's secret stronghold...
From The Critics
Publishers Weekly
In this slick archeological thriller, Higgins (The Eagle Has Landed) reaffirms his skill as a storyteller. In 1939, with the world on the brink of war, American Arabist Gavin Kane is hired to find a missing husband. The missing husband, John Cunningham, disappeared while on a wild goose chase through the Middle East in search of the legendary Temple of Sheba. The Temple turns out to be all too real. And, unfortunately for Kane and his friends, the Nazi's have discovered the Temple first and are using it as headquarters to implement Hitler's plan to destroy the Suez Canal. The mixture of archeology and Nazism, naturally brings to mind Indiana Jones and, in fact, the book is very reminiscent of those movies. This is the kind of story where all the villains have German accents, and the heroes can survive a 30-mile hike in the desert with no water. Who cares if the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes (the dashing archeologist, the mysterious beautiful woman)? This fast-paced story has enough action and adventure to make up for any such shortcomings.
This electrifying thriller is Jack Higgins's most exciting novel of World War II intrigue since his smash bestseller The Eagle Has Landed. The year is 1939. An American archaeologist named Gavin Kane is asked to help a woman search for her missing husband. When Kane follows the man's trail into the ruthless desert of Southern Arabia, he makes two shocking discoveries. One is the legendary Temple of Sheba, an ancient world as fantastic as King Solomon's mines. The other is a band of Nazi soldiers who plan to turn the sacred landmark into Hitler's secret stronghold...
From The Critics
Publishers Weekly
In this slick archeological thriller, Higgins (The Eagle Has Landed) reaffirms his skill as a storyteller. In 1939, with the world on the brink of war, American Arabist Gavin Kane is hired to find a missing husband. The missing husband, John Cunningham, disappeared while on a wild goose chase through the Middle East in search of the legendary Temple of Sheba. The Temple turns out to be all too real. And, unfortunately for Kane and his friends, the Nazi's have discovered the Temple first and are using it as headquarters to implement Hitler's plan to destroy the Suez Canal. The mixture of archeology and Nazism, naturally brings to mind Indiana Jones and, in fact, the book is very reminiscent of those movies. This is the kind of story where all the villains have German accents, and the heroes can survive a 30-mile hike in the desert with no water. Who cares if the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes (the dashing archeologist, the mysterious beautiful woman)? This fast-paced story has enough action and adventure to make up for any such shortcomings.
Hard-to-put-down book - GREAT!
World War II Intrigue. Gavin Kane is asked to find a womans husband who has traveled into the desert of Southern Arabia. It is a page turner for such a small book 257 pages. Riveting...
good aventure story
This audiobook is unabridged, and narrated by Patrick McNee (of the Original Avengers).
Jack Higgins is the best,plot,counterplot and enough action to keep you up at night
In 1939, Gavin Kane is hired to find a man who disappeared searching for the legendary Temple of Sheba, but when Kane finds the ruin, it is a Nazi stronghold--Hitler's base of operation for destroying the Suez Canal.
World War II intrigue thriller by Jack Higgins
Typical Jack Higgins, Allways top notch
