“The Adventures of Tintin – Cigars of the Pharaoh”
by Herge
Continuing with Tintin nonstop worldwide adventures is the best way to describe this book. Starting on a Mediterranean Sea cruise with an expected stop in Egypt, Tintin and his dog Snowy met Doctor Sophocles Sarcophagus who has a papyrus showing the lost tomb of Pharaoh Kih-Oskh. Another unique personality they bump into is Rastapopoulus whose name is important to remember for future events. The identical twins Thompson detectives, arrest Tintin due to false accusation of possessing drugs in his cabin. Luckily our hero managed to escape and is on his way to Cairo. But he accidently gets trapped in the tomb of Kih-Oskh where many mummies are found. Even more surprising is Tintin to see wooden boxes that contain “cigars”. The story develops quickly into getting back to the Red Sea and danger from shark followed by difficult stormy weather. Fortunately Tintin is being saved by a passing boat Captain, that brings him to land at the Arabian coast. There the story evolves and he gets encounters with a Sheik, and later with the Thompson brothers who are under disguise trying to “free” Tintin from local prison. A crashing airplane flight brings our hero to India where poisoned arrow with Rajaijah juice containing poison of madness is shot at Sarcophagus and Mr. Zloty. Our smart brains Tintin already suspect someone is after him due to mysterious events that happen lately. Thoughts of the Maharaja of Gaipajama are about fighting opium narcotics trafficking in the region. Hopefully the secret of drug smugglers international gang is finally exposed … More to come in the next book of the serie “The Blue Lotus”.