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laus3012's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
campmom03's review against another edition
3.0
Archaeology has always fascinated me. I love the mystery behind the items being uncovered and the possibilities of what it really was compared to our interpretation of what it is. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed that piece of the book. I was able to go online and see the main archaeological sites of Gobekli Tepe and Lalesh, which were just a click away. I also feel that the author thoroughly knows the city of Sanliurfa, which added great texture to the scenes that played out in that city. The book weaves a historical secret within an actual timeline and the quick pace of the story added to my enjoyment. I also did not have any issues with the main character as I know others have. Where I had a hard time, and was only able to give it a 3.5 rating, were the horrific torture scenes described in detail. The main bad boy is truly, truly evil --- psychotic taken to the nth degree. His pleasure is to ****Spoiler Alert*** use ancient tortures as his means to an end: think Viking, Aztec.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and most likely will pick up book 2: The Marks of Cain.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and most likely will pick up book 2: The Marks of Cain.
dontpanic42's review against another edition
1.0
The characters were unbelievable and there were far too many deus ex machina plot devices for this to be a compelling story. On top of that, there was simply too much gratuitously gory description of violent killings--the author seems to have had quite a fetish for it, but it grosses out the average reader (I'm a public defender--I'm not queasy about these things, but I still thought it was too much) without advancing the plot. Comparisons to the Da Vinci Code are inapt.
tmleblanc's review against another edition
4.0
Not for the weak of heart. The story and mystery are great, but once you get deeper into the story, it becomes bloody graphic! Be prepared!!
miajmu's review against another edition
1.0
Cardboard characters, slow moving plot, and seriously gruesome murders combine to make a pretty crappy novel.
localboss's review against another edition
3.0
Lo empecé varias veces y varías veces lo retomé.
El comienzo es muy bueno, fantástica premisa y desarrollo inicial de la novela. A su favor también la ambientación, los hechos, nos lleva a lugares desconocidos y los describe con gran realismo. Además la historia detrás de los hechos llega a resultar bastante verosímil.
Sin embargo, me quedo a medias en la forma de resolver la novela, con algo que tengo la sensación de "haber leído ya muchas veces".
En cualquier caso, es un libro entretenido y merece la pena darle la oportunidad, no defrauda.
El comienzo es muy bueno, fantástica premisa y desarrollo inicial de la novela. A su favor también la ambientación, los hechos, nos lleva a lugares desconocidos y los describe con gran realismo. Además la historia detrás de los hechos llega a resultar bastante verosímil.
Sin embargo, me quedo a medias en la forma de resolver la novela, con algo que tengo la sensación de "haber leído ya muchas veces".
En cualquier caso, es un libro entretenido y merece la pena darle la oportunidad, no defrauda.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Torture, Antisemitism, Murder, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence and Blood
andie_elizabeth13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
booknerd_therapist's review against another edition
2.0
Let's start with the positive. Tom Knox writes well. He knows how to move a story and how to leave a reader in suspense. I was indeed turning pages.
That's kind of it, in my opinion. First of all, the summary on the dust jacket does NOT prepare the reader for the grotesque and gory scenes in the book. As someone very prone to nightmares, I tend to avoid books (and movies) that involve setting cats on fire and boiling senior citizens alive. And yes, it does get much worse than that.
Secondly, this book is similar to Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, in that it attempts to use some mysterious ancient secret to debunk all of the monotheistic religions. And, like Dan Brown's books, it fails on philosophical and theological levels. Knox's version describes religion as a way for people to cope with "the Genensis Secret" (which I won't reveal in case you actually want to read it), but he describes all religions as "savage" and "violent." It's man's way of coping with his "violence gene" (especially where human sacrifice and ritual killings are concerned). But that fails to provide a reason for why a religion such as Christianity abhors ritual killings and animal/human sacrifice, and seeks instead to uplift the weak, the poor, and the oppressed.
And finally... my complaint with all of these types of books is the same: If there is some horrible secret that has to be destroyed, why the heck do people preserve it in the first place, only to destroy it "when the time comes?" Why not just destroy it in the first place and let the memory die out? Is that an exercise in futility, or what?
In all, not my cup of tea, won't be reading it again.
That's kind of it, in my opinion. First of all, the summary on the dust jacket does NOT prepare the reader for the grotesque and gory scenes in the book. As someone very prone to nightmares, I tend to avoid books (and movies) that involve setting cats on fire and boiling senior citizens alive. And yes, it does get much worse than that.
Secondly, this book is similar to Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, in that it attempts to use some mysterious ancient secret to debunk all of the monotheistic religions. And, like Dan Brown's books, it fails on philosophical and theological levels. Knox's version describes religion as a way for people to cope with "the Genensis Secret" (which I won't reveal in case you actually want to read it), but he describes all religions as "savage" and "violent." It's man's way of coping with his "violence gene" (especially where human sacrifice and ritual killings are concerned). But that fails to provide a reason for why a religion such as Christianity abhors ritual killings and animal/human sacrifice, and seeks instead to uplift the weak, the poor, and the oppressed.
And finally... my complaint with all of these types of books is the same: If there is some horrible secret that has to be destroyed, why the heck do people preserve it in the first place, only to destroy it "when the time comes?" Why not just destroy it in the first place and let the memory die out? Is that an exercise in futility, or what?
In all, not my cup of tea, won't be reading it again.
cydewayzraven's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Worth reading!