Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but I'm not sure whodunit, if it was murder
Review: Brier does a good job of bringng to life a long-dead, minor pharoah. I particularly enjoyed his recreation of the fabric of Egyptian society from 3,500 years ago. I must say, however, that the evidence that Tutankamen was murdered is pretty slim. As exhibit number 1 (or only?), the X-ray in the text is not very convincing. Plain flims, as they are called, give very poor resolution compared to more recent techniques, such as MRI. Brier has largely reintrepreted decades-old data, rather than presenting something new. The Egyptian Department of Antiquities appears appropriately guarded about these precious artefacts so that more thorough analysis is unlikely at any time soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Very readable, well reasoned analysis of material
Review: Brier presents the material in a readable format, unlike many who portray historical events with the dryness of desert sand. He analyzes the physical evidence, while acknowledging its shortcomings and pointing out the insights which might be gained from more modern (but so far unused) techniques, and discussing the evidence which may have been destroyed by both theives and egyptologists who were less than careful. He also analyzes the possible motives behind the actions which he believes, based on the physical evidence, happened. Finally, unlike many who ignore critics, he answers them, acknowledging that he cannot prove his theory conclusively; he analyzes the alternate theories and discusses why he does not believe them to be correct, and why he believes that his own hypothesis is more likely. All in all, this is a highly enjoyable book, and does not require extensive knowledge of, or deep interest in, ancient Egypt, yet I believe it will be of equal interest to those with more knowledge in the subject. Also, there is a wonderful bibliography in the back with comments on the materials that can steer you to other interesting books and articles on the topic.
Rating: 
Summary: Beneath the golden mask
Review: Brier pumps out a lot of entertainment, but he is what my brother in law termed a "soft boiled egghead". His reliance on the conventional pseudochronology of New Kingdom Egypt gets him into trouble, but no moreso than other writers.The Amarna period is perhaps the most confusing of the New Kingdom, and even the existence and identities of various pharaohs is disputed. While Tut was probably not murdered, it wouldn't be any great surprise if it could be conclusively shown that he was, given the upheavals going on. Brier fails to prove it, and in fact he fails more often than succeeds in this book. This is worthwhile as long as it's taken with a grain of natron. See also "The Lost Tomb: This Is His Incredible Story of Kv5 and Its Excavation" by Kent R. Weeks, "Oedipus and Akhenaten" by Immanuel Velikovsky, David Rohl's "Pharaohs and Kings", and Peter James' "Centuries of Darkness".
Rating: 
Summary: NONSENSE
Review: DANGEROUS BOOK THAT CAN EASILY MISLEAD PEOPLE THAT HAVE LITTLE OR NO BACKGROUND IN EGYPTIAN HISTORY.
Rating: 
Summary: Misleading Title
Review: Dr. Brier leads the reader to believe in the title of the book that Tutankhamen was murdered and this assumption is compounded by the subtitle "A True Story." It is based on a set of skull X-rays obtained by Dr. Harrison of the University of Liverpool in 1968 under less than optimal conditions. The "X-ray" shown in the book in fig.25 is actually a photograph of the real plate and Dr. Connolly of the University of Liverpool who is currently in charge of the X-rays has also sent me this photo. I have shown it to several neuroradiologists here at the University of Utah and the verdict was unanimous that no conclusions can be drawn from the picture because it is too ambiguous. This was also the verdict of the radiologists at Liverpool. Fig. 26 gives the impression that Dr. Brier is looking at an actual X-ray on the view box when in fact it is the same photo which I have in my possession. Brier and Irwin have never seen the actual X-rays! Dr. Connolly with whom - as a neurologist - I have been in touch for several years, has not released a copy of the X-rays to me until September of 2001 when they were used in the Discovery Channel's "The Assassination of King Tut, which was shown here and in the UK recently. The video, obviously based on this book, presents in essence Brier's conclusions... In spite of what one sees on the Discovery channel video the X-rays are normal and will now be presented to the medical community.The final sentence in Brier's book, before the Epilogue, "...the most reasonable explanation is that Aye is guilty of the murder of Tuthankhamen..." is pure fantasy. So is the video's conclusion that "justice has been done." Book and video properly belong in the realm of historical fiction. As such they make nice reading and viewing but one should not expect to find a solution to the riddle of King Tutankhamen's death. The murder theory cannot be substantiated using the 1968 skull X-rays, which show only post-mortem artifacts.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting book that is more than it's title implies
Review: Egyptologist Bob Briers has that rare ability to convey his enthusiasm for a subject to his readers without going over their heards or talking down to them. "The Murder of Tutankhamen" deals not only with the possible incident of the title but provides a background in Egyptian history, culture and religion. At times it might seem that he is leaving his main subject when he goes off into those areas but it becomes apparent that the background is needed to present why he feels Egypt's most well known (not necessarily greatest) ruler was murdered. A very good case is presented using not just historical and cultural reasons but also recent medical evidence although in the end this may be one of history's possibilities which may never be provable. Either way you will have a good time with this book trying to decide.
Rating:
Summary: Questions Answered!!!!!!!!
Review: Finally, my questions concerning Tutankhamen have been answered. Bob Brier has formed a plausible explanation of the "Boy Kings" death. We are given the history of King Tut's family, and we witness the mystery and turmoil that was created by his death. This book is a must-read for any egyptology lover.
Rating:
Summary: Histories Mysteries
Review: For a mystery lover, this book is great fun and fascinating reading. Brier has presented a convincing and interesting case for Tut's murder by his vizier. Of course, like many historical mysteries, we can only speculate on the evidence, but what fun to do so.
Rating:
Summary: Intrigue and gold - and murder?
Review: Given, Dr. Bob Brier's reasoning is a bit preternatural for the course of general theorizing on Tutankhamun, but that doesn't make it less interesting - or less precise, as Egyptology is not an exact science to begin with. Dr. Brier hosted a series of films on mummies in December 2000 on the Discovery-owned 'The Learning Channel', which were most fascinating. He has a quirky sense of humour, and I can find no reason to discount his theories any more than anyone else's. His speculations can be fascinating, and they are generally witty to bargain. A splendid choice for the curious.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging and good, but read it very critically
Review: Granted the evidence presented by this book is by no means conclusive, I've got to say that if more history books were written with this much verve, fewer kids would graduate school convinced that "history is boring." Brier loves what he does, and he's very well-read in it, and it shows. You get a real feel for the political intrigue of the time right after the heresies of Amarna, and he presents the information in such a way that you never forget that there are actually human personalities associated with these events. The book does a great job getting across the flavor of life in that time, and certainly it does convince me at least that something fishy was going on at the end of Tut's reign. However, that said, I didn't find any of the medical/forensic evidence presented even slightly convincing (and the opening chapter with its dramatic film noir reenactment of the "murder" was a bit much). Tutankhamen's death itself at a young age isn't even suspicious given that there is a good chance he inherited Marfan Syndrome from his father, a disability which has an excellent track record of killing young. And given that the skull and body were grossly damaged by the funerary practices of the time, I don't feel that any solid conclusions can be drawn from the state of either. The political evidence that something fishy was happening is a lot more compelling than the physical evidence -- and Brier knows his Egyptian politics. Brier clearly knows Egypt well, and loves it, and that intellect and enthusiasm shines through every word, making this book a more than worthwhile read as long as you have your critical filters in place. I look forward to more work from Brier. Even if you don't agree with his conclusions, you've got to admit -- if more historians were this engaging and presented history with this much texture and life, history'd be a whole lot more fun in school, wouldn't it?
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