Book Review: The Fixer by T.E. Woods

The Fixer by T.E. Woods

Completed: February 13, 2014
Length: 312 Pages

T. E. Woods delivers a fast-paced thriller—the first in an electrifying new series—peopled with sharp, intriguing characters and more twists and turns than a corkscrew.

Never a doubt. Never a mistake. Always for justice. Never for revenge. She’s the person you hire when you need something fixed—permanently. With a strict set of criteria, she evaluates every request and chooses only a few. No more than one job per country, per year. She will only step in if it’s clear that justice will not be served any other way. Her jobs are completed with skill and precision, and never result in inquiry or police investigation. The Fixer is invisible—and quite deadly. . . .

In the office of a clinical psychologist in Olympia, Washington, a beautiful young woman is in terrible emotional pain. She puts up walls, tells lies, and seems to speak in riddles, but the doctor is determined to help her heal, despite the fact that she claims to have hurt many people. As their sessions escalate, the psychologist feels compelled to reach out to the police . . . but it might be too late.

In Seattle, a detective gets a call from his son. A dedicated journalist, he wants his father’s expertise as he looks into a suspicious death. Together they follow the trail of leads toward a stone-cold hired killer—only to find that death has been closer than either could have imagined.

I am reviewing this book as part of a tour hosted at TLC Book Tours.

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre?: Thriller. Fiction.

What lead you to pick up this book?: I have been getting into thrillers a bit lately. I thought this one with a female lead sounded interesting and decided to take a chance on it.

Summarize the plot: The Fixer gets the job done, but she has rules. We learn from the very beginning that she is not out for murder. She is out for justice and only takes the cases where she feels the person is in the wrong. She fixes the situation for you permanently. No one knows who she really is. She is invisible, deadly, and smart. The book also includes a psychologist whose newest patient has some troubling secrets that are bringing her pain. The psychologist, Lydia Corriger, is determined to get to the bottom of things. There is also Mort Grant, Chief of Detectives, who is trying to get through his own pain and bring a sense of justice to the world.

What did you like best about this book?: It surprised me. I was reading it last night and kept getting distracted. So, I admit I wasn't paying the best attention. But, there were lots of twists and turns in the book that impressed me. Originally I was hesitant about this book. This might be why I only read it at the last minute. I enjoyed the back stories and the strong characters. I look forward to where the series is going to go after all the reveals in this book.

What did you like the least?: hm... There was nothing really terrible about it. I find with thrillers, though, they are page-turners. This means that you might finish the book caught up in the story and then start nit-picking as time goes on.

What did you think of the writing style?: It was engaging and fast-paced. I wasn't sure about things in the very beginning, but once I got going it was a good read. I feel like what I want to say about the writing might reveal more than I should about the story, but Woods definitely keeps you guessing and intrigued.

What did you think of the main character?: One of the reasons why I was hesitant about this book in the beginning was because there seemed to be so many characters. Once they started to repeat, though, and things started to fit together it wasn't a problem. Obviously, the title makes one thing The Fixer is the main character, and she definitely was a readable character in the book. But, there was also Lydia Corriger and the skeletons in her closet. We see sides of her that no one else gets a chance to see. Then there is Mort who lost his wife a year ago and still misses her. There are also some secrets to be revealed dealing with his daughter.

What did you think of the ending?: I think the book ended well. It stands alone well, so that is always nice. I see that there is another book out later this year, though, so obviously there is more happening. If there wasn't a sequel, though, I would have been happy with how this book ended.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this book was. Check it out if you haven't all ready! Recommended.

Thanks to TLC and Alibi Books for my chance to read this one.

Night Film by Marisha Pessl

Night Film by Marisha Pessl

Completion Date: September 24, 2013
Reason for Reading: Fun and RIP VIII

Brilliant, haunting, breathtakingly suspenseful, Night Film is a superb literary thriller by The New York Times bestselling author of the blockbuster debut Special Topics in Calamity Physics.

On a damp October night, beautiful young Ashley Cordova is found dead in an abandoned warehouse in lower Manhattan. Though her death is ruled a suicide, veteran investigative journalist Scott McGrath suspects otherwise. As he probes the strange circumstances surrounding Ashley’s life and death, McGrath comes face-to-face with the legacy of her father: the legendary, reclusive cult-horror-film director Stanislas Cordova—a man who hasn’t been seen in public for more than thirty years.

For McGrath, another death connected to this seemingly cursed family dynasty seems more than just a coincidence. Though much has been written about Cordova’s dark and unsettling films, very little is known about the man himself.

Driven by revenge, curiosity, and a need for the truth, McGrath, with the aid of two strangers, is drawn deeper and deeper into Cordova’s eerie, hypnotic world.

The last time he got close to exposing the director, McGrath lost his marriage and his career. This time he might lose even more.

Night Film, the gorgeously written, spellbinding new novel by the dazzlingly inventive Marisha Pessl, will hold you in suspense until you turn the final page.

This book has been on my radar a lot lately. It seemed to be making the rounds and I saw people talking about it on Twitter and their blogs. It was also on lots of R.I.P. lists. I usually buy myself a few books for my birthday and I decided this would be one of them. It may have come a bit before my birthday... And, I didn't wait to read it. It just took me forever to read it because I had a hard time finding reading time when I was away for two weeks. It was nothing against the book itself! I had originally planned to go the audio route with this one because I heard good things about it on Audible. I am sure it would still be a good audio; but there is all sorts of interactive material that I am not sure would work well on audio. It's a really pretty book and I am glad that I went the hardcover route. I may reread it in the future by audio, though. I just think it is a book that should be read initially because you lose something otherwise. I would skip on the e-book also, but that's just me.

I have to admit I don't read a lot of thriller-type books. I have to limit my reading a bit or I would be completely overwhelmed. That's not to say I don't like thrillers, though. There have been many that I have read an enjoyed over the years. This book is also a mystery novel. Another genre I sort of neglect. For these reasons I am not sure if I would have read this book on my own. My interest was peaked by first seeing a mention on Audible, and then catching a conversation on Twitter, and then seeing it popping up on blogs when I actually took the time to do the rounds. There seemed to be overwhelming positive remarks for it and I knew I was going to have to see what the buzz was about. I think one of the main reasons I avoid thrillers/mysteries for the most part is because it is so easy to be predictable. I find myself reading just to find out if I am right and less because I love the book.

Night Film was different, though. You never really knew what was true or false. There were many twists and turns. And with this came surprises. I was very happy for the surprises. I read this book because I got caught up with the stories and the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen next. You can't help wanting to know how everything is going to play out. The novel mostly centres around Scott McGrath, but there are many secondary characters that come alive on the page. It was really well done. Throughout the whole novel there is essentially the ghost of Ashley Cordova. She seems very much alive throughout so that even though you never actually see her alive in the novel; she is alive on the page. You get to know her as Scott McGrath grows as a character. And then there is her father. We assume he is alive, but we don't necessarily have him as a character. We just get to know him as the novel progresses and we witness aspects of his mind. It leads to the books creepy aspects.

I find it harder and harder to write about books. I just don't blog enough any more, so I am all over the place and keep taking 'breaks'. I really should blog more and get back in a groove. Essentially I just want to say that I really like this book and hope others will check it out. It was out of my general reading zone and I am glad I took a chance on it. I am planing to read her other book because I think she has great talent. And, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. I enjoy a book that takes many different elements to bring the story alive. It is original and sets the book above the rest. I really haven't read a lot of books this year, so this competition is small, but this definitely one of the best books I have read in a while. You should check it out if you haven't all ready.

Judgment in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death Series, Book 11)

Judgment in Death by J.D. Robb

Completion Date: January 31, 2011
Reason for Reading: Carry on with Series; Sci-fi Experience

In an uptown strip joint, a cop is found bludgeoned to death. The weapon's a baseball bat. The motive's a mystery. It's a case of serious overkill that pushes Eve Dallas straight into overdrive. Her investigation uncovers a private club that's more than a hot spot. Purgatory's a last chance for atonement where everyone is judged. Where your ultimate fate depends on your most intimate sins. And where one cop's hidden secrets are about to plunge innocent souls into vice-ridden damnation...

Another adventure in the In Death series. Last year I caught up in the Women of the Otherworld series and felt very proud of myself. This year I would like to make a dent in this series. I hadn't read it since 2007, but I own almost all the series from the second-hand store. Reading two books in the series in one month is a lot better than I was doing! Hopefully I can keep it up and carry on with the series. I might not finish it this year, but even getting a few read is a big accomplishment. I probably have too many things I would like to accomplish in 2011, but even if I get some of them done I will be happy.

This book opens with the murder of a cop working in a private club for extra money. When it is one of your own, it makes things a lot harder for the cops investigating. Eve is a professional, though, and handles things really well. She is the last voice for those that have died and she is determined that by the end the voice will be heard. In the previous book I was rather surprised by the turn of events in the book, but in this book I had it pretty much figured out early on. It still was an enjoyable read and I am always looking forward to seeing if I am right. This book also had a lot of character development for Eve and Roarke's marriage. It is nice to have those personal touches worked into the book and I hope that they continue. When everything started to get wrapped up it also worked well. I like Roarke, but we are well-aware that he is not perfect, so it was worthwhile to see traces of his past in this book.

Once again it was an enjoyable read that I am glad I finally got around to. I enjoy Eve, Roarke, and the secondary characters. Doctor Mira, a recurring character, was in this one and I found her rather funny! I also enjoyed the case and watching it play out. Robb reads real page-turners and keeps the readers interested until the very last page. I am glad I am spending time with this series and its characters this year.

This counts for the Sci-Fi Experience hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.

The Series:

Naked in Death
Glory in Death
Immortal in Death
Rapture in Death
Ceremony in Death
Vengeance in Death
Holiday in Death
Conspiracy in Death
Loyalty in Death
Witness in Death
Judgment in Death
Betrayal in Death
Seduction in Death
Reunion in Death
Purity in Death
Portrait in Death
Imitation in Death
Divided in Death
Visions in Death
Survivor in Death
Origin in Death
Memory in Death
Born in Death
Innocent in Death
Creation in Death
Strangers in Death
Salvation in Death
Promises in Death
Kindred in Death
Fantasy in Death
Indulgence in Death
Treachery in Death (forth-coming)

This book counts for the TwentyEleven Reading Challenge.

Witness in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death Series, Book 10)

Witness in Death by J.D. Robb

Completion Date: January 28, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series; Great Reading Swap of 2011; Sci-Fi Experience

Opening night at New York's New Globe Theater turns from stage scene to crime scene when the leading man is stabbed to death center stage. Now Eve Dallas has a high-profile, celebrity homicide on her hands. Not only is she lead detective, she's also a witness - and when the press discovers that her husband owns the theater, there's more media spotlight than either can handle. The only way out is to move fast. Question everyone and everything...and in the meantime, try to tell the difference between the truth - and really good acting...

This is the first book I managed to read for the Reading Swaps I have going on. I am going to have to do better than that in February or I will never read everything! It is also me finally reading on in a series that I haven't touched since 2007. That's just crazy and is sadly, not uncommon in my reading trends over the last few years. Between the desire to read way too many things and my books and me being separated for a couple years now, I am doing very badly on reading my own books. I have a few projects I want to accomplish this year and making a dent in this series is one of them. Since they are so easy to find second-hand and I often have book credit, I have most of the series on my TBR pile. It is just a matter of reading them.

It has always amazed me that I like this series. It is not my normal type of book at all and I have no interest in reading Robb's books written as Nora Roberts. Back in, I think, 2006 I found a copy of Seduction in Death on my mother's bookshelves and decided to give it a try. I do like thrillers to a point and I liked that this series took place in the future. I knew it was not the first book in the series, but I wasn't really using the library back then and I didn't want to buy anything without giving the series a try.

It turned out to be a perfect easy read for those moments after I have read something I love and have no idea what to read, or I just want to read something to say that I am reading and don't want it to be anything too complicated. I enjoy trying to figure out the mysteries, I like that Lt. Dallas is a strong female character, I enjoy that she is married to the very interesting Roarke, and I like the addition of all the secondary characters. I appreciate that the characters have stories and it is not just about the cases. As the series progresses you learn more about Eve, Roarke, and other characters that make repeat appearances. This is mainly why I keep reading and enjoying the series, even if I took a very long break from it.

In this one Eve is watching the opening of a Murder Mystery play that turns into a real murder. Sometimes the killer is known from the very beginning, or other times she includes a twist. I think this is the first time I didn't entirely have it all solved by the end. It was actually an original idea this time around and I quite enjoyed watching things be revealed. It was a good reintroduction to the series after such a long time away. The good thing is that even though there were... 4 years... between books 9 and 10, I still knew who everyone was and didn't have any problems remembering what had happened in previous books that was still on-going in this book. That's saying something about both series and my memory! All in all I enjoyed revisiting this series. It was like revisiting old friends and I really need to that more often with both this series and other series I have on the go!

This book counts for the Great Reading Swap, as Marg told me to carry on with the series! Mainly because we used to read them together and she is like 10 ahead of me by now! Then, I also think of it as sci-fi, so I am counting it for the Sci-Fi Experience.

The Series:

Naked in Death

Glory in Death

Immortal in Death

Rapture in Death

Ceremony in Death

Vengeance in Death

Holiday in Death

Conspiracy in Death

Loyalty in Death

Witness in Death

Judgment in Death

Betrayal in Death

Seduction in Death

Reunion in Death

Purity in Death

Portrait in Death

Imitation in Death

Divided in Death

Visions in Death

Survivor in Death

Origin in Death

Memory in Death

Born in Death

Innocent in Death

Creation in Death

Strangers in Death

Salvation in Death

Promises in Death

Kindred in Death

Fantasy in Death

Indulgence in Death

Treachery in Death (forth-coming)

This book counts for the TwentyEleven Reading Challenge.

4th of July by James Patterson (The Women's Murder Club Series, Book 4)

*This book was supposed to post on Saturday, but I apparently forgot to schedule it! In an attempt to catch-up on reviews (I am way behind), there are going to be three posts today!*

Book Completed: 36
Completion Date: February, 2009
Pages: 400
Publication Date: July 1, 2008

Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

A young girl is killed in the crossfire after a routine arrest goes terribly wrong, and Lt. Lindsay Boxer has to defend herself against a charge of police brutality. In a landmark trial that transfixes the nation, Lindsay fights to save her career and her sanity.
While awaiting trial, Lindsay escapes to the tranquility of the beautiful town of Half Moon Bay. But the peaceful community there is reeling from a string of unspeakable murders. Working with her friends in the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay finds a link between these killings and a case she worked on years before - an unsolved murder that has haunted her ever since. As summer comes into full swing, Lindsay battles for her life on two fronts: before a judge and jury as her trial comes to a climax and facing unknown adversaries who will do anything to keep her from the truth about the killings. It all comes to a head before the big annual 4th of July celebration on the waterfront at Half Moon Bay.

In many ways, this book just seemed like a 'filler' book. After the case of police brutality is brough against Linday Boxer and she gets away from things for a while, the book doesn't really seem to be like the first books in the series. Normally the case is introduced right from the beginning and Lindsay and her friends are swept up into it, but this time around it appears there is a break with that. I started to wonder if anything was going to happen. She goes to a sleepy little town, her friends are still in the city, and the only thing she seems to be doing is fixing up an old car. Then, she has to go back to the city for her trial. It was lacking a lot of action compared to the rest of the series. Trouble seems to follow Lindsay wherever she goes, though, because she ends up getting involved in a murder investigation in this sleepy town. She is supposed to be relaxing, but she has never been known to stay away from the job for long.

I ended up liking this book because I was surprised in the end. I had a good idea of how most of the conclusion was going to play out, but there was one aspect of it that I had totally missed! I like it when you just assume things about people, and then the author shows you that you really shouldn't have been assuming after all! It kept me from entirely solving the case. It might have been because I was a bit bored with the first part of the book, so I wasn't paying as much attention as I normally do! Anyway, I enjoyed being surprised. This is a fun series, but like I said in my previous post, rather like brain candy. I stopped reading the series for a bit after this one. I am getting there, though. There are two more books in the series out in paperback, then book seven is out in hardcover, and book eight is coming out sometime in the next couple months. Since I will only read them when I can find them second-hand, though, it will probably be a while before I get through the series!

A couple people on the previous post commented on the television series, which I had entirely forgotten about! I really don't watch much television. Anyway, is it even still on? Did anyone watch it?

3rd Degree by James Patterson (The Women's Murder Club Series, Book 3)

Books Completed: 35
Completion Date: Feruary, 2009
Pages: 368
Publication Year: January 1, 2005

Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

Detective Lindsay Boxer and Assistant District Attorney Jill Bernhardt are enjoying a quiet afternoon in San Francisco when a townhouse across the street explodes in flames. A sinister note signed "August Spies" is found at the scene of the disaster, and the body of an infant who was asleep in the house at the time of the explosion cannot be found. Soon a wave of violent incidents, all with links to political terrorism and involving "August Spies," sweeps through the city. An upcoming economic summit of the world's most powerful nations will surely be a target. And it's up to the Women's Murder Club to get to the bottom of the violence before it's too late. Delivering the breakneck pace and never-saw-it-coming plot twists that have made James Patterson the most addictive writer at work today, 3rd DEGREE is another searing and unforgettable thriller from the nation's #1 bestselling suspense writer.

Okay, so I for some reason started this series last year. I really should go read my review (if I wrote one) of the first book, because I still have no idea what possessed me to start this series! James Patterson is not an author that has ever really interested me. Last weekend, though, I was feeling like I was starting so many series and not working on ones that I had already started, so I picked up this book in the end so I could feel like I was accomplishing something.

The thing about this series is that they are a dime a dozen. That's not to say that I don't like the books, but time goes by and I find that I can't really remember who the characters are and what the books were about. This book will stay with me hopefully at least long enough to review it, but I only started to remember what happened in the previous two books when I was reading this one. So, no offense to the James Patterson fans of the world, but this is my brain candy. I pick up one of the books in the series, I read it, and then I largely forget about it. There are a few moments that stick in my mind, but largely these are not very memorably written. I do like this series enough to carry on with it, though.

The main character in this series is Lindsay Boxer. She is a police detective who is in charge of some really brutal crimes. This book is no exception. I also read book four in the series last weekend, which I plan to review tomorrow, but book three is probably my favourite so far in the series. I actually felt something for the characters, which I guess means the series is growing on me! The Women's Murder Club is four women that work together (unofficially) to solve Lindsay's cases when she finds that she doesn't know where to go next. It is a really good idea, and you can feel the friendship between the women in the little things. That is captured in the storyline. I think that is why I like the series, it reminds me of my group of friend. There are five of us, and only two live in the same place anymore. We get together once in a while, but it has been years since all five of us managed to coordinate time together.

Anyway, the book description says a breakneck pace and that you wouldn't know what's coming. I didn't really find the book moved that fast, really. It was just a quick read. As to the mystery, I often have the cases solved well before the characters in the books do. I watch NCIS and used to watch CSI and often found it was the same. So, maybe Patterson surprises others, but he really doesn't surprise me!

Black Order by James Rollins

Completion Date: June 2007
Pages: 448
Publication Year: 2006
Owned Prior to 2007
Book 3 (or 2 depending on whether you count Sandstorm) in the Sigma Series.

Reason for Reading: The next book in the series, The Judas Strain, will be out in July.

A sinister fire in a Copenhagen bookstore ignites a relentless hunt across four continents. Arson and murder reveal an insidious plot to steal a Bible that once belonged to Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary theory. And Commander Gray Pierce dives headlong into a mystery that dates back to Nazi Germany . . . and to horrific experiments performed in a now-abandoned laboratory buried in a hollowed-out mountain in Poland.

A continent away, madness ravages a remote monastery high in Nepal, as Buddhist monks turn to cannibalism and torture. Lisa Cummings, a young American doctor investigating the atrocity, is suddenly a target of a brutal assassin working for clandestine forces that want the affair buried at any cost. Lisa's only ally is a hidden pilgrim, Painter Crowe -- director of SIGMA Force, an elite command of American scientists and Special Forces operatives -- who is already showing signs of the baffling malady that destroyed the minds of the monks.

Now it is up to Gray Pierce to save both Painter and Lisa -- and a world in jeopardy -- as SIGMA Force races to expose a century-old plot that threatens to destroy the current world order . . . and alter the destiny of humankind forever.

Combining the historic scope of The Da Vinci Code with the relentless thrills of today's best action novels, James Rollins's Black Order is a classic adventure -- an ingenious and breathtaking tour de force that explodes with revelations . . . while offering a startling new view of our place in the grand scheme of existence.

Two James Rollins books in one month, very unusual for me. This book follows on from Map of Bones in Rollins new Sigma Series. I do suggest, though, if you plan on reading it that you read Deep Fathom first because Lisa Cummings is in both books. It just helps you better understand where she is coming from. I hope that Rollins includes more people from his standalone books in this series, it was nice to see her again.

When this book first came out, I have to admit that I was intrigued by the Nazi storyline and how exactly that was going to come into play. Rollins has a lot going on all at one time, and for most of the book you know it is going to end up being related, but it takes a while for you to find out why. The adventure all seems to be connected to a Darwinian Bible that was supposed to be auctioned off. The people that want it will go to great lengths to acquire it, putting the Sigma force in dangers that they were not anticipating. It is Gray Pierce that finds himself tied up in this mess, all starting with the explosion of a bookstore he had set out to investigate to learn more about the Bible.

Painter Crowe returns as well, being the one character that has appeared in all three books, he is always a good addition to the mix. Things are different for him this time, though, because he got caught in a town where a terrifying illness is running amuck. Lisa Cummings comes to investigate the illness and finds herself in the midst of a Sigma operation and far away from the Mount Everest climb that was her intention. Crowe withstands admirably, but there comes a point where it is up to Gray to be the hero. He is having relationship troubles which are put on the back burner for the majority of the book, but he is determined.

It is up to the Sigma team to get to the bottom of this decades old plot and save themselves and the world. There are lots of close calls in this book and it is anyones guess who will live and who will die. Including a supporting cast that adds to the story, this book will keep you riveted until the last page. I really wish, though, that thrillers did not have to compare with The Da Vinci Code to be considered good nowadays, but it seems to be the mark of a good book. I will say it again, Rollins is better than Brown, so everyone should read him.

Parting Thoughts: Another edge of your seat by, for me, the king of thrillers. As thrillers are not my normal genre read, I do not have a lot of people to compare him with, so take that as you will. I will be interested to see what happens next for Sigma, and I only have to wait about a week. (Hopefully).

The Judas Strain will be in stores on July 2, 2007.

Map of Bones by James Rollins

Books Read: 35
Completion Date: March, 2007
Publication Year: 2006
Pages: 560
Owned Prior to 2007

During a crowded service at a cathedral in Germany, armed intruders in monks' robes unleash a nightmare of blood and destruction. But the killers have not come for gold; they seek a more valuable prize: the bones of the Magi who once paid homage to a newborn savior . . . a treasure that could reshape the world.

With the Vatican in turmoil, SIGMA Force leaps into action. An elite team of scientific and Special Forces operatives under the command of Grayson Pierce and accompanied by Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's carabinieri, they are pursuing a deadly mystery that weaves through sites of the Seven Wonders of the World and ends at the doorstep of an ancient, mystical, and terrifying secret order. For there are those with dark plans for the stolen sacred remains that will alter the future of humankind . . . when science and religion unite to unleash a horror not seen since the beginning of time.

I am a big James Rollins fan, but I like to savour his books. They are my fun reads for the most part, and I have yet to dislike anything I have read by him. I felt that it was about time that I got caught up on his books, I think I have three left to read after this one. This is one of his newer ones, and is technically the first book in his SIGMA series, but I personally think that Sandstorm is book one because SIGMA is in that book and because one of the main characters in this book appears in that one. So, if you like to read a series in order, this is really, for me, book two.

I know that this book has been heavily compared with The Da Vinci Code, but really, you should try and separate the two. I enjoyed this book way more than Brown's book, and I think it is sad that because Brown pushes the envelope his book beats out books that are actually much more interesting. Religion plays a role in this book, and their a treasure hunt of sorts, but it does not challenge religion like Da Vinci did. It is more about the search, the thrilling conclusion, that sort of thing. The only thing that disappointed me about this book is that the setting was more ordinary than other books. I mean, they find something that was lost forever and such, but his other books just have the exotic location play a larger role.

This book also reminded me of how much I like the Ancient Wonders of the World. They used to be a part of history that I read a great deal about, so it was nice to see them, predominantly The Lighthouse of Alexandria, get a mention. It made me start looking for new books that cover the subject of the ancient wonders.

Overall, I really liked this book. Rollins is really my guilty pleasure because I do not normally read the genre that he writes in, but I am glad that I was introduced to him, and I hope that he continues to write good books! I admit I am a little worried about the direction his books might go into now that he is writing a series, but I have high hopes that they will remain good!

4/5

To see reviews of other books by this author, click on the titles:
Sandstorm
Excavation

Excavation - James Rollins [May/06]

One of my plans for the summer is to read all of my James Rollins novels. This month I read two of them, with three more waiting for me and a new novel due out soon. I look forward to his novels, though, but at the same time hate to rush through them. This novel was not as good as Amazonia. I found that one to be my favourite, but this one was still really interesting. On the back:

The South American Jungle Guards Many Secrets...
and a remarkable site nestled between two towering Andean peaks, hidden from human eyes for thousands of years.

Dig Deeper...
through layers of rock and mystery, through centuries of dark, forgotten legend.

Into Ancient Catacombs...
where ingenious traps have been laid to ensnare the careless and unsuspecting; where earth-shattering discoveries - and wealth beyond imagining - could be the reward for those with the courage to face the terrible unknown.

Something is Waiting...
here where the perilous journey ends, in the cold, shrouded heart of a breathtaking necropolis; something created by Man, yet not humanly possible. Something wonderous. Something terrifying.

For untold centuries, the secrets of life have been buried in a sacred, forbidden chamber.

Those who would disturb the chosen must now face the ultimate challenge: survival.

Rollins has a way of writing a novel that is based on historical civilizations and cultures, while at the same time making something impossible out of it. The novels generally take place in unexplored areas of the earth, so something near it could happen. In this particular novel they are exploring the rainforest on an archelogical dig and discover on secrets that were long hidden. I hate to reveal more because the mystery is the appeal of a Rollins novel.

4/5

Sandstorm - James Rollins [May/06]

It's that time again, I love James Rollins, so it was fun to read two books by him in the same month! I started this book earlier in the year, but I decided I wasn't ready for a Rollins novel yet. I liked Amazonia so much, I wasn't sure if any of his other novels were going to be able to compare. As the back of the book states:

Lady Kara Kensington's family paid a high price in money and blood to found the gallery that now lies in ruins. And her search for answers is about to lead Kara; her friend Safia al-Maaz, the gallery's brilliant and beautiful curator; and their guide, the international adventurer Omaha Dunn, into a world they never dreamed actually existed: a lost city buried beneath the Arabian desert, where something astonishing is waiting.

A covert government operative hunting a dangerous turncoat - his former partner - is being drawn there as well. But the many perils of a death-defying trek deep into the savage heart of the Arabian Peninsula pale before the nightmare to be unearthed at journey's end - an ageless power that lives and breathes, an awesome force that can create a utopia... or tear down everything humankind has built over millennia of civilization.

Once I decided that I was ready of a Rollins novel, I found that this one read just as well as others by him. It is one of his more later novels, having only came out in 2004. He used to take forever to come out with new books, but he had a new one out last year, Map of Bones, and he has another one coming out very soon Black Society. He keeps this up I will be able to read a book by him every year!

This book shows some evolution from his earlier novels. It is longer, for starters, but it also has more of a background provided for the characters. In his other novels there is a lot of concentration on what is happening at that moment and less time taken to show how the characters have developed into the people they are in the book. In this book, we know that Lady Kara Kensington lost her father while hunting in the desert. Well, that is the official cause for death, but Kensington finds out in the course of this novel that there is more to her past than meets the eye and her father's intentions might not always have been honourable. She funds this mission to learn the truth about her father, but she also gains something that she always had but never knew the truth behind.

Safia has a shaky past herself. There was a bombing where she used to work and she was the only survivor. This is something that she has never fully came to terms with, and is still battling with. She sets out on this mission to find the cause of the bombing at the museum, but what really happens is that develops a reconnection with herself and learns the secret to who she is. This means that she is able to reconnect with people from her past, and learn that not everything bad that happens is her fault. By the end of the novel she is at peace with herself.

I really enjoyed the setting for this novel. They go to an ancient town in the middle of the Arabian desert. A town that has never been understood, and has remained an archeological mystery. They solve this mystery, but not without many risks and adventures. In the end, though, the characters learn more about themselves and also answer questions that have been left unanswered for millenium. Another great Rollins read!

4/5

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown [April/06]

I had held off readng The Da Vinci Code for quite some time, but decided that it was about time that I see what all the buzz was about. It was quite worth it as I enjoyed the novel immensely. I do not read many thrillers, mainly only books by James Rollins, but once in a while I will add a new book to the pile. It is hard to write a review of The Da Vinci Code because while at its core it is just a thriller, I found the messages that it carried about religion fascinating.

The novel centers around two characters, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveau. Langdon has been blamed for the murder of Neveau's grandfather, a museum curator and Da Vinci fanatic. He was supposed to meet the man for drinks, but he never showed up, but his name was still in the date book and his manuscript for his new book on the deceased desk. This begins a fight to stay away from the police as Langdon and Neveau come to terms with her grandfather's dying treasure hunt. A man that loved puzzles, he leaves behind one that will eventually lead Neveau to the greatest treaure of all.

The novel is quite interesting in terms of how it questions religion. It makes Jesus just a simple man who was the voice of the Gods, he had no powers of his own. Shocking more so is that he was married to Mary Magdalene, who religion buffs will know was considered a prostitue for her times. Brown's novel is really a celebration of the female form that has been left out of modern day religion. Langdon and Neveau learn that there once was a female side to the story and that Mary Magdalene was supposed to carry on the message when Jesus died, but jealous men made sure that would not happen and fed a story to the world so that she would never be trusted.

Even if the information covered in Brown's novel is incorrect, it is powerful to read a book where a male author looks so kindly on women. It would make so much sense to me that there was a female side to religion, but that is just how I see it. Regardless of what the reader thinks, this is a page turner with you wondering what clue will be revealled next. They are racing to keep the knowledge to themselves against the church who wish for the secret of the Holy Grail to be destroyed forever. I especially like the way that Brown looks at Da Vinci paintings because he points out things that have been overlooked or read another way. Even if it is not the truth, he did a wonderful job in making the story fit the information provided.

4.5/5