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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disappointed in the ending but overall, it's a good read. More of a sci-fi feel.
3.5 rounding up. Felt like it careened from a tight thriller to over the top action movie, but it was a really fast paced read.
I feel the same about this as I do about many of the archeological mysteries, they are fine. Dig, mystery, action, resolution. They are easy reads and the combo of archeology and FBI agent pieces is serviceable. I've never enjoyed Nora as a character, she doesn't seem to have a discernable personality to me, and I'm not sure how I feel about where they took her in this one, no matter, onto the next.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I have always liked Nora Kelly and I think Corrie Swanson is growing on me. Another thoroughly enjoyable addition to their cadre of great books.
4.5 stars
I definitely enjoyed this even more than the first two books, but the main reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because of the ending. It was all a bit nuts and while it was a lot of fun, I'm not sure if I'm completely satisfied with the ending. Since it leads directly to other possibilities in this universe, I think future books will help make this clearer for me. There were some really fun things that I loved, like her brother Skip and his action hero skills. And that scene at the end with Nora, Tappan, and the heads of the institute had me rolling. Tappan was clearly meant to be an Elon Musk-type figure and I wasn't so sure I liked him at the beginning, but he did kind of grow on me. I'm not sure if I'm 100% on board, but I suspect future books will help me decide. I also love Watts and hope to see a bit more of Watts/Swanson action! I was so upset about one of the losses in this book, and based on how things ended, I'm not sure what will happen with Corie's situation, but I feel like the core group will manage to keep on working together.
As an aside, I am wondering why this is called the Nora Kelly series when both Nora and Corie are prominent figures in this series, each taking a different side of each case. I suppose it's not that important, but I'm really loving this duo. I can't wait for the next book!
I definitely enjoyed this even more than the first two books, but the main reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because of the ending. It was all a bit nuts and while it was a lot of fun, I'm not sure if I'm completely satisfied with the ending. Since it leads directly to other possibilities in this universe, I think future books will help make this clearer for me. There were some really fun things that I loved, like her brother Skip and his action hero skills. And that scene at the end with Nora, Tappan, and the heads of the institute had me rolling. Tappan was clearly meant to be an Elon Musk-type figure and I wasn't so sure I liked him at the beginning, but he did kind of grow on me. I'm not sure if I'm 100% on board, but I suspect future books will help me decide. I also love Watts and hope to see a bit more of Watts/Swanson action! I was so upset about one of the losses in this book, and based on how things ended, I'm not sure what will happen with Corie's situation, but I feel like the core group will manage to keep on working together.
As an aside, I am wondering why this is called the Nora Kelly series when both Nora and Corie are prominent figures in this series, each taking a different side of each case. I suppose it's not that important, but I'm really loving this duo. I can't wait for the next book!
Diablo Mesa
This was my first Preston and Child's mystery read. Set in Roswell NM, the story revolves around a curious wealthy benefactor who throws his money and power around to gather a group of scientists to uncover the truth behind the suspect UFO crash and cover up decades ago. Thru the use of new technology like LIDAR imagery, they are convinced that archeological surveys might unearth evidence. The first things they uncover, however, are two human remains... that brings in the FBI and we are thrust into a complex maze of murder and espionage woven in as a subplot. Add a little romance, lots of government intrigue and science fiction of the LGM variety and you have a "made for movie" adventure.
The action and library due date on this popular new release kept me reading but when all was said and done i admit being disappointed in several levels.... I never felt much connection to the wealthy benefactor with money and power, the conspiracy theory admiration, or what I saw as shallow character interactions. Add to that, a sometimes annoying attempt by the audio narrator to combine odd vocal tones and accents to distinguish characters... and I was relieved when the final credits arrived in what felt like a movie setting.
I said i wasn't going to read another murder mystery for awhile.. but couldn't resist this one landing in my lap. And as for Sci Fi... I love Crichton and Weir. While this book had hints of both styles, I feel it missed the mark in character development. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.
This was my first Preston and Child's mystery read. Set in Roswell NM, the story revolves around a curious wealthy benefactor who throws his money and power around to gather a group of scientists to uncover the truth behind the suspect UFO crash and cover up decades ago. Thru the use of new technology like LIDAR imagery, they are convinced that archeological surveys might unearth evidence. The first things they uncover, however, are two human remains... that brings in the FBI and we are thrust into a complex maze of murder and espionage woven in as a subplot. Add a little romance, lots of government intrigue and science fiction of the LGM variety and you have a "made for movie" adventure.
The action and library due date on this popular new release kept me reading but when all was said and done i admit being disappointed in several levels.... I never felt much connection to the wealthy benefactor with money and power, the conspiracy theory admiration, or what I saw as shallow character interactions. Add to that, a sometimes annoying attempt by the audio narrator to combine odd vocal tones and accents to distinguish characters... and I was relieved when the final credits arrived in what felt like a movie setting.
I said i wasn't going to read another murder mystery for awhile.. but couldn't resist this one landing in my lap. And as for Sci Fi... I love Crichton and Weir. While this book had hints of both styles, I feel it missed the mark in character development. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.
This book was an entertaining page-turner with plenty of action. Also plenty of plot holes, predictable villains, and cheesy dialogue, but I still enjoyed it overall. Clearly a lot of research went into the details, and the premise was definitely intriguing.
Twist & turns in a good way!
Such a fun story!! Loved the characters. The story has several twists & turns, which really keep you entertained!!! Highly recommend.
Such a fun story!! Loved the characters. The story has several twists & turns, which really keep you entertained!!! Highly recommend.