Pyramid Scheme by David Freer and Eric Flint

Pyramid Scheme 

By: David Freer and Eric Flint






Pyramid Scheme is a fun and irreverent story that revolves around the myths and legends of both Greece and Ancient Egypt.  I cant really decide if this story is Fantasyish Science Fiction or Science Fictionish fantasy.  It is a little bit of both since the main protaganists end up in "Mythworlds" where there are gods, monsters, and magic but they are sent there by what amounts to an alien probe.  However you classify it though, it is a very entertaining read with clever hero's who team up with the underdogs of both Greek and Egyptian legend.



If there is anything that I don't like its that the hero's opponents are often rather bumbling, but that ends up being on purpose as the story progresses.  To an extent this flaw also serves to make the book a bit more light and funny in most respects.

The story starts out with an alien pyramid landing in the library of the University of Chicago.  As can be expected of advanced alien technology its nearly indestructible, and hard to figure out.  Then people near the pyramid start disappearing and turning up later dead in very mysterious circumstances.  The scientists studying the phenomena determine that most of the victims match a certain bully/toady psychological profile.  The only exception is the five people who haven't come back dead yet.  The big question the scientists have is what could be so special about a Mythology Professor, a Biologist, a maintenance man, and two paratrooper first responders?  It turns out that what is happening is that the pyramid is re-inflating myth universes using the people with the desired profile as observer sacrifices, and the five people who are still alive refuse to go along with the plan by worshiping and dying.  While this is going on the group of survivors is busy fighting for their lives and making alliances with the underdogs of Greek and Egyptian myth (including the Titan Prometheus and God Bes) to fight the heavy hitters in both mythworlds who have been possessed by aliens in the biggest pyramid scheme the universe has ever seen.  In the end the lesson both the aliens and the gods learn is don't mess with an absentminded professor of mythology.

This book will appeal to fans of both fantasy and science fiction who like a good over the top adventure.  People who believe in the gods involved however may have a few issues since this book turns most of them into the bad guys at worst and dupes who fell for a pyramid scheme at best, but if they can get over that the story is hilarious.

This book is available on www.amazon.com as a hardcover or paperback.  It is also available in e-book form at www.baenebooks.com.