Shooting the Sphinx

April 4, 2016
Ludwig’s exciting first novel draws on his experience as an assistant director in Egypt in 2005 filming the Sphinx from a helicopter for the science fiction film Jumper. In 2011, Hollywood producer Ari Basher comes to Cairo with his crew to film the Sphinx for a big-budget thriller movie, but he must first get government permission to fly a helicopter close to the ancient monument. Meanwhile, Ari becomes friendly with Farah, an Egyptian professor whose students are seeking to overthrow the military government. What started out as a straightforward assignment rapidly evolves into a bewildering and dangerous situation that draws Ari into the country’s chaotic political struggle. Ari’s problems with foreign business partners, airlines, customs officials, and bureaucratic red tape all ring true, though readers should be prepared for some awkward prose (“The businessman faltered, dazed by the radiance of Ari’s confident exuberance”). Agent: Richard Abate, 3 Arts Entertainment.

June 1, 2016
Producer Ari Basher is elated to be heading to Cairo to get a close-up shot of the Sphinx for the latest film he's producing. But as Ari soon finds out, nothing about filming a movie in Egypt is simple. When he arrives in Cairo, his SpaceCam is held up by customs, forcing him to miss his shoot date. As he struggles to get his camera released and to get the permits for a new shoot date, he must find a way to appease multiple bureaucrats as well as his local film liaison, Samir. Ari's efforts start to pay off, but he finds himself distracted by a group of revolutionaries, which includes Samir's beautiful sister, Farah. Once Ari gets his historic scene of the Sphinx, more problems await: the film is over budget and the finance head of the studio, Ari's married lover, Beth, wants to replace Samir with a man Ari doesn't trust at all. Part madcap adventure, part exploration of the modern-day Middle East, Ludwig's debut political thriller is a fast-paced and entertaining yarn.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)