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m_kayk's review against another edition
4.0
This book was filled with suspense for the character's as well as a twist that pulls in history and technology.
weaselweader's review against another edition
2.0
Everything but the proverbial kitchen sink ... !
The first solar eclipse of the millennium and a series of intense solar flares have triggered a monumental series of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and tsunamis around the entire circumference of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The cataclysmic forces unleashed by these violent events bring down Air Force One in the middle of the ocean killing the President of the USA and everyone else on board. (Uh oh ... we can smell a political crisis there, can't we!) Ex-Navy Seal, Jack Kirkland, is on board a deep sea submersible exploring a sunken Japanese vessel reputed to be carrying an enormous hoard of gold bullion when this series of inexplicable disasters shatter the earth's crust. Kirkland narrowly escapes death avoiding an undersea eruption and lava flow as the Japanese freighter is swallowed into the earth's crust before his very eyes.
Sounds very promising, doesn't it?
Well, I'll admit it. I thoroughly enjoy a well-written techno-thriller with lots of slam-bang action; pops and bangs, bells and whistles; boy-girl action; insufferably evil bad guys; and lots of Hollywood thrills, chills and heroics thrown in. I'm even willing to be a reading wimp and have my credibility pushed around by a bully-boy author who stretches things to the limit!
But DEEP FATHOM went way, way beyond those limits and pushed my belief meter well beyond the red zone and right off the scale.
Within the range of a brief 450 page novel, here are just a few of the things that Rollins would have you read about - nuclear war between the US and China; the solution to the cosmological problem of dark energy and dark matter; the translation of a hitherto entirely unknown ancient pictographic language by a computer artificial intelligence; the solution of the Bermuda Triangle mystery; time travel; amateur computer hackers hi-jacking an abandoned orbiting satellite and using it as a platform to fire particle weapons; the discovery of a Pacific equivalent to the lost civilization of Atlantis and a society of cut-throat warriors guarding these long hidden secrets; and (are you ready for this?) anti-gravity!
Even for a sci-fi novel of the space opera variety, this would be over the top but for a novel that bills itself as techno-thriller, it verges on laughable.
There is no doubt that Rollins has skill to create characters, suspense, action, dialogue and plot. But he's got to rein it in and avoid dumping it all into a single novel. He might even try a pure sci-fi novel. Now that just might fly!
Not recommended.
Paul Weiss
The first solar eclipse of the millennium and a series of intense solar flares have triggered a monumental series of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and tsunamis around the entire circumference of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The cataclysmic forces unleashed by these violent events bring down Air Force One in the middle of the ocean killing the President of the USA and everyone else on board. (Uh oh ... we can smell a political crisis there, can't we!) Ex-Navy Seal, Jack Kirkland, is on board a deep sea submersible exploring a sunken Japanese vessel reputed to be carrying an enormous hoard of gold bullion when this series of inexplicable disasters shatter the earth's crust. Kirkland narrowly escapes death avoiding an undersea eruption and lava flow as the Japanese freighter is swallowed into the earth's crust before his very eyes.
Sounds very promising, doesn't it?
Well, I'll admit it. I thoroughly enjoy a well-written techno-thriller with lots of slam-bang action; pops and bangs, bells and whistles; boy-girl action; insufferably evil bad guys; and lots of Hollywood thrills, chills and heroics thrown in. I'm even willing to be a reading wimp and have my credibility pushed around by a bully-boy author who stretches things to the limit!
But DEEP FATHOM went way, way beyond those limits and pushed my belief meter well beyond the red zone and right off the scale.
Within the range of a brief 450 page novel, here are just a few of the things that Rollins would have you read about - nuclear war between the US and China; the solution to the cosmological problem of dark energy and dark matter; the translation of a hitherto entirely unknown ancient pictographic language by a computer artificial intelligence; the solution of the Bermuda Triangle mystery; time travel; amateur computer hackers hi-jacking an abandoned orbiting satellite and using it as a platform to fire particle weapons; the discovery of a Pacific equivalent to the lost civilization of Atlantis and a society of cut-throat warriors guarding these long hidden secrets; and (are you ready for this?) anti-gravity!
Even for a sci-fi novel of the space opera variety, this would be over the top but for a novel that bills itself as techno-thriller, it verges on laughable.
There is no doubt that Rollins has skill to create characters, suspense, action, dialogue and plot. But he's got to rein it in and avoid dumping it all into a single novel. He might even try a pure sci-fi novel. Now that just might fly!
Not recommended.
Paul Weiss
nicola_carstens's review against another edition
5.0
James Rollins never ceases to amaze. I love his books.
kimal25's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent as usual. I really loved the whole book and the ending was surprising. The whole concept of two timelines colliding was unique in his books and really well written.
auntblh's review against another edition
4.0
I like stories about Atlantis and other ancient civilizations. This book involved a Micronesian ancient ruined city, the end of the world, politics, super computers, revenge and relationships. I do enjoy these thrill rides and will have to read another one by this author. They are good for some semi-mindless distractions.
2dogsbarkin's review against another edition
I had a little trouble sticking with the book, not because of the storyline but the narrator John Meagher. Normally I like him, but I just didn't think that he was the right fit for the characters in the book. Personal preference.
The story on the other hand was great. I really enjoy books about ancient civilizations, their treasures and curses, and the conflict between the multiple parties who are after the "prize." This book did not disappoint. There was even the side romance thing between lead characters for which I am a total sap.
The story on the other hand was great. I really enjoy books about ancient civilizations, their treasures and curses, and the conflict between the multiple parties who are after the "prize." This book did not disappoint. There was even the side romance thing between lead characters for which I am a total sap.
pagesofpeace's review against another edition
adventurous
4.0
Former Navy SEAL, Jack Kirkland, surfaces after an underwater mission to discover parts of the world have faced massive destruction following a series of solar flares. Air Force One has gone down in the middle of the ocean and a new city has been discovered in the Pacific. His team uncovers how these two are connected while they race to stop the world from its own destruction.
James Rollins was one of the first authors I fell in love with back in high school. I read this one several years ago but decided to revisit it while attempting to clear my shelves. Rollins books are packed with suspense and just enough historical elements that make you feel like they could actually happen one day. I thoroughly enjoyed rereading this book and can’t wait to experience the others I have by him all over again.
James Rollins was one of the first authors I fell in love with back in high school. I read this one several years ago but decided to revisit it while attempting to clear my shelves. Rollins books are packed with suspense and just enough historical elements that make you feel like they could actually happen one day. I thoroughly enjoyed rereading this book and can’t wait to experience the others I have by him all over again.
jurassicreader's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25