Sphinx (A Medical Thriller)

REVIEW INCLUDES SPOILERS:Robin Cook is known primarily for his medical dramas. However, Sphinx is more of a thriller drama, focusing on the antiques black market in Egypt. The main character is Erica Baron, an American who has always yearned to visit Egypt and see firsthand the culture that inspired her to become an Egyptologist.I grew up reading Robin Cook's medical dramas featuring Dr. Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton. Laurie's character is strong but believable. In Sphinx however, Erica Baron is strong but her character is flawed. In the opening chapters, she witnessed a very macabre murder in a Cairo antiques shop. Instead of reporting it to the authorities, Erica returns to her hotel, takes a bath, and later goes out to dinner!Despite Erica Baron's unbelievable character, the book is entertaining. Robin Cook obviously researched his material. 'Sphinx' effortlessly transports readers into an enigmatic Egypt, entangling them in the ugly black market trade of Egyptian artifacts.Written in 1983, Sphinx is Robin Cook's second novel ('The Year of the Intern' his first novel, was written in 1973). One can easily see that Cook fine tuned Erica Baron's character in 'Sphinx' to create the super strong (but believable) Dr. Laurie Montgomery, the heroine in his successful medical dramas.I gave Sphinx 4 STARS. Despite Erica Baron's character flaws, the book is a 'page turner'!RECOMMENDED: Besides 'Sphinx',  Abduction  is another novel that is far different from Robin Cook's regular servings of medical drama.  Abduction  is actually a sci fi thriller with a difference. The aliens live deep inside the Earth! Definitely Robin Cook at his creative best!

I have always read many of his books. This is one of his early books. I've seen the movie and I was wondering at the beginning of the book where what happened. By the end of the last chapter, everything came to the exciting end better than movie. I love his books.

Sphinx is my second-favorite Cook novel as of May 2011. I have only read four of them so far though. This one is a bit more memorable than the others because of the massive amount of info about Egyptian culture that the book contains. It is a firm thriller and it lives up to its genre well with mysterious characters, betrayals, ancient evils and secrets, and a protagonist getting involved in something bigger than she could have ever thought possible when she went to Egypt. It is one of the best novels I have ever read for its capturing of a foreign place and for that I respect it greatly. It also has a good story despite the familiar sounding plot and a likeable female main character who really knows her stuff, Egyptian stuff that is.

I love this author..Everything about this book from story to character development to Egypt charm, is praiseworthy.My only reservation is the old style of text or you may call it publicationI mean if you compare this book to contemporary mass market editions, there's huge difference in text format. With this book it is narrow line format which makes difficult to concentrate.I think this book needs new edition .

Nothing like his other books. I didn't like it much. Not a medical thriller.

i liked this book so much that i bought the hard cover to replace paper back i had

Sphinx is a refreshing change for Dr. Cook. Normally his books revolve around medicine. This novel is set in Egypt and had many interesting twists and turns. Loved it!

Love the Egyptian elements of the story. I expected a medical mystery and this threw me. I was on the edge of my seat. This was a mind gripping story. The ending was mind blowing, and I didn't see it coming at all. Characters that I thought were protagonists turned out to be antagonist.

this is a good holiday/plane read where you're looking for something light and easy to keep yourself occupied, but certainly isn't brain food - the heroine is pretty irritating and her decision about her boyfriend at the end quite inexplicable to me. I also found it very strange that as a professional Egyptologist with a PhD in the subject she'd never been to Egypt before... If you're looking for something better written with more of a flavour of Egypt try the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters

I like writing style of Robin Cook. It involves in the story and you become part of it.Story was good and a bit different. I personally liked it.

I love Dr.Robin Cook's books ever since I saw Coma film version.

I was Surprised actually, at Just How Poor a Condition, this Book is in! It's Not that it's unreadable, No Far from that, but some of the Pages toward the back of the Book R really really Dirty, There is In fact a Rather Large Coffee Stain: I'd hazard a guess, Very brown, Very splotched, like all over: mixed throughout the say Last 100 pages of Copy, and It will definitely make the Story Harder to Appreciate? It is certainly a Good thing I have previously read this book many years ago: And as such I recall, how It winds down, so since I know the Ending: It is not that Important, that I re read, this poorly damaged section, to get to the Final Act etc: I will Read it, but my Pleasure, at reading 1 of the better works, of My Favorite Writer, Is going to be Greatly Diminished, due to these issues! In Fact It is only because I got such a Good Price, that I do Not return this Item, and Demand a Better Copy: Since I fully realize the book is pretty old, and not a Brand New Copy etc: Most Disappointed, in this Attempt: Thanx 4 Listening Cheers TRX15

Good book. Wish it had some historical basis and not pure fiction.The film script is more likeable, for me.