Easily the worst book in the entire series. The writing is awful and the story is awful. No wonder Todd McCaffrey has gone over five years without wriEasily the worst book in the entire series. The writing is awful and the story is awful. No wonder Todd McCaffrey has gone over five years without writing another one. I bought this when it first came out and found myself unable to continue. I pulled it from the shelves yesterday and managed to muscle through. ...more
My father loaned me this book to read. It was the last book that he loaned me. On March 3, he died of a massive heart attack. I now have a book sittinMy father loaned me this book to read. It was the last book that he loaned me. On March 3, he died of a massive heart attack. I now have a book sitting on my shelf that I need to return that is now mine instead. I did enjoy the book and actually went on to read the whole series. My biggest wish right now, however, is that I could discuss this with the person who loaned it to me....more
Okay, I ripped on the first book of this series. I said it was possibly the worst thing that card ever wrote and that the inventions and gadgets were Okay, I ripped on the first book of this series. I said it was possibly the worst thing that card ever wrote and that the inventions and gadgets were unbelievable and stupid.
This book, the second of a series, is much better. In fact, I enjoyed this one. I can even see something like this possibly happening in our future.
I wasn't going to read it, but it was given to me as a gift for Christmas.
After this one, I am eagerly awaiting the next in the series....more
**spoiler alert** Interesting contrast between repairing an old truck and repairing a broken relationship between father and son. The two learn indivi**spoiler alert** Interesting contrast between repairing an old truck and repairing a broken relationship between father and son. The two learn individually that both have to be willing to work on a relationship in order to heal it because one person cannot do it on their own.
I would have given it a few more stars, but the pace seemed to drag in a few parts of the book....more
**spoiler alert** Well, UPS dropped the book off at my house yesterday afternoon and I just finished reading it.
This book is a 100% rip off of the mo**spoiler alert** Well, UPS dropped the book off at my house yesterday afternoon and I just finished reading it.
This book is a 100% rip off of the movie National Treasure. it's all there! It takes place in Washington. It involves Masonic symbolism! It takes place in several government buildings and in their unknown basements. It uses the same secret staircase National Treasure used behind a desk in the Library of Congress. There are secret codes on ancient artifacts that lead to other secret codes. It involves the search for a buried treasure. It has them using the works of Ben Franklin to break a code. There's a long staircase seemingly into the unknown, with a treasure buried at the bottom. There's a man and a woman being chased by, and sometimes captured by, the bad guys.
The book is a rip-off!
Additionally, Brown makes several references to his other books and even to his movies. These try to come across as inside jokes, but they fall flat.
There is a lame rip-off book, written a few years ago for Mormon readers, called The Moroni Code. I found it interesting that Brown used the same cypher in this book that the Moroni Code writers used in theirs. Was this a lack of originality or was he ripping-off the rip-off?
I bought this with a 40% off Barnes and Noble coupon, with my membership adding an additional 10%. I'm glad that I didn't pay full price for this....more
I've read this many times over the years, but finally found it in hardback at a local used bookstore (I snatched it up). I've been able to do much morI've read this many times over the years, but finally found it in hardback at a local used bookstore (I snatched it up). I've been able to do much more reading since a recent heart attack and have been catching up with some old favorites. Tom Bodett used to do the Motel 6 commercials, but may be more famous for his radio show. This is the first book based on that show. It is a fun and funny read and is about as G rated as you can get....more
Very enjoyable. I actually like Bodett better than Garrison Keillor (and I know I spelled it wrong). His town of crazy eccentrics from his radio show Very enjoyable. I actually like Bodett better than Garrison Keillor (and I know I spelled it wrong). His town of crazy eccentrics from his radio show is just more enjoyable to me. I've got to read the rest of the series....more
Awful....Just pure drivel. This book came highly recommended by a few co-workers, so I bought and read it and wasted both my time and my money. This rAwful....Just pure drivel. This book came highly recommended by a few co-workers, so I bought and read it and wasted both my time and my money. This re-imagining of the story of The Wizard of Oz (told from the point of the Wicked Witch of the West) makes the witch into the hero and a victim at the same time. It also attempts to define "evil," but does a really poor job of it.
They have now turned this into a Broadway play and have had great success, but considering the world that we live in (where evil is conditional and goodness and truth are not politically correct), this is understandable.
Later today, I am taking my copy of this to a used bookstore and getting rid of it....more
The true story of the Doolittle bombing run over Tokyo just a few months after Pearl Harbor, as told by one of the pilots.
Okay, so the writing is not The true story of the Doolittle bombing run over Tokyo just a few months after Pearl Harbor, as told by one of the pilots.
Okay, so the writing is not that great, but you read the true story of his escape from near capture, his injuries in the crash of his bomber, and his having his leg removed in a small Chinese village while he is conscious.
**spoiler alert** The second of the Josh Thurlow books. I enjoyed this one, even though I didn't really go much for some of the parts where he include**spoiler alert** The second of the Josh Thurlow books. I enjoyed this one, even though I didn't really go much for some of the parts where he includes historical characters as younger people (JFK, Nixon, Michener, etc.). The roles could have been as easily played by someone he made up and making JFK a persecuted hero and Nixon wheeler dealer type just does not work for me.
I think that George McDonald Fraser did this successfully in the Flashman books, but don't care much for the way that Hickam is doing it here....more
**spoiler alert** Another Berry book where he does not try to discredit religion. I found this one a little long and tedious in places, but it is over**spoiler alert** Another Berry book where he does not try to discredit religion. I found this one a little long and tedious in places, but it is overall a good read.
Berry needs to stick to stuff like this and The Romanov Prophecy and stop trying to tear down the churches....more
**spoiler alert** Well, another book by Berry where he has to rip on religion. This time it is the Catholics who benefit from his pseudo histories. He**spoiler alert** Well, another book by Berry where he has to rip on religion. This time it is the Catholics who benefit from his pseudo histories. He had the different "visionaries" of the past receiving secret messages from God where he tells them that such things as homosexuality are okay and that there is no sin in abortion.
This may be one of the weakest of his generally entertaining books. He is a good writer who cannot seem to want to try to discredit religion, and that is too much the theme of this one....more
**spoiler alert** THis is the first of the books by this writer that I read, and I really enjoyed it. It drove me to read his others, where I discover**spoiler alert** THis is the first of the books by this writer that I read, and I really enjoyed it. It drove me to read his others, where I discovered that he uses most of his later books to promote his distrust/dislike of the organized religions.
That is not true in this one, however, as it is a fun romp on another quest for the truth to what happened to "Anastasia" and her family....more
**spoiler alert** Berry, the great story teller who is constantly ripping on organized religion, actually avoids the churches and tells a great yarn.
T**spoiler alert** Berry, the great story teller who is constantly ripping on organized religion, actually avoids the churches and tells a great yarn.
This one centers on the search for the Tomb of Alexander and an almost fountain of youth type place that offers a cure for all viruses, diseases, and maladies (including AIDS and HIV).
The writer needs to put out more like this and should stop trying to use his works to promote his own athiesm/agnosticism (or whatever it is that he believes in)....more
**spoiler alert** Okay, another Steve Berry book that gives mixed signals. Just like the Dan Brown stuff, he tries to discredit everything you think t**spoiler alert** Okay, another Steve Berry book that gives mixed signals. Just like the Dan Brown stuff, he tries to discredit everything you think that you know about religion. In this one, he has St. Jerome intentionally manipulating the Old and New Testaments. He also has the Old Testament lands actually in Asia and says that no ancient texts really exists of any biblical writings before 900 A.D.(or C.E., if you prefer). He also states that there is not archeaological evidence that Isreal is really where any of the bible took place.
He seems to forget all about the Dead Sea Scrolls (which contain parts of every Old Testament book but Esther), Hadrian's wall, the tunnels and wells beneath Jerusalem, and everything else that is chronicled nicely in Biblical Archeaology Review in every issue.
Berry is a great story teller and needs to stick to the story and stop trying to tear down religion. In this book, he goes after Christians, Jews, and Moslems with great fury (Jews being his greatest target)....more
**spoiler alert** Okay, the book is fast paced and historical and reads like a Dan Brown story. I enjoyed that part. The problem is that the writer is**spoiler alert** Okay, the book is fast paced and historical and reads like a Dan Brown story. I enjoyed that part. The problem is that the writer is opposed to religion and brings that out in the story. In this one, he tries to show that Jesus was just another man and that Peter faked the whole resurrection story.
So, just like the Da Vinci code, it is a great read but historically and spiritually wrong.
I gave it one star because the author seemed more intent on delivering his personal bias in this (and some of his other works) than anything else. ...more
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