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maryeleanormarch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
kingu's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jenfarquharson's review
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
duparker's review against another edition
2.0
This was a mediocre book at best The characters are plastic cut outs, with no development occurring that is original. The story itself want much better. It feels like any other thriller with a bit of a treasure at the end. Blah, blah, blah is how this felt, with the occasional stereotypical dialog thrown in to reinforce the mediocrity.
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
3.0
I'll post a modified review after I read the book that this one is paired with for the Then & Now book club ("The Eight" by Katherine Neville).
Overall, I found this an enjoyable, fast-paced read. The story is set in the present but draws on events that occurred during and after World War II. The Amber Room in question was a Russian treasure dating back to Peter the Great. It was stolen by the Nazis, who hid it when the Allies began bombing. The story follows the modern-day hunt for the Amber Room from various perspectives (collectors of stolen arts and their acquisitors, an adventurer/archaeologist-type who is filming his excavations, a judge and her ex-husband whose parents had earlier ties to the hunt and have been drawn into it following the death of her father who survived a Nazi concentration camp and moved to the U.S. after WWII) and draws on real historical facts to tell the tale. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the story is the cat-and-mouse game played by the two primary acquisitors who are involved in the search and trying to figure out which one will prevail. The other book has a similar premise (a hunt for a chess set), so it will be interesting to see how the two compare.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable, fast-paced read. The story is set in the present but draws on events that occurred during and after World War II. The Amber Room in question was a Russian treasure dating back to Peter the Great. It was stolen by the Nazis, who hid it when the Allies began bombing. The story follows the modern-day hunt for the Amber Room from various perspectives (collectors of stolen arts and their acquisitors, an adventurer/archaeologist-type who is filming his excavations, a judge and her ex-husband whose parents had earlier ties to the hunt and have been drawn into it following the death of her father who survived a Nazi concentration camp and moved to the U.S. after WWII) and draws on real historical facts to tell the tale. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the story is the cat-and-mouse game played by the two primary acquisitors who are involved in the search and trying to figure out which one will prevail. The other book has a similar premise (a hunt for a chess set), so it will be interesting to see how the two compare.
christinaerickson33's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is my favorite Steve Berry Book.
jbrito's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
velodav's review against another edition
2.0
Como será de entretenido el libro, que lo empecé en abril y lo terminé en julio.
jfkaess's review against another edition
3.0
I think this is Steve Berry's first book (I've read some of his newer ones). It is not a compelling read, it starts slowly and drags a good bit. The premise is interesting. The ending not a surprise at all.
kstumpf's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoy the Cotton Malone series. I was excited to read The Omega Factor only to find out it was a stand alone novel, not a Cotton Malone novel. So…. I figured I needed to read the previous stand alone novels before reading The Omega Factor bad I am glad I started with The Amber Room. Well developed characters and plot lines. All actions were believable. Plot twists were well woven into the story. Looking forward to reading The Third Secret.