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What a great read! Rollins has taken a great concept, the power of gold powder like that in manna and the ark of the covenant, and developed a fascinating story. The history behind the gold powder and the interest of US Special Ops and the Vatican are all explained in great detail with exceptional references to the historical support for all stated facts and assumptions. The biblical history behind this, much like that in The DVC or A&D, is based on Gnostic gospels which requires some "faith" (for lack of a better word), but again, everything is rooted in historical documentation. The characters are all well written with unique personalities that 'feed' off of the other characters. The "good guys" are great, showing their shortcomings as well as their positive traits, and the "bad guys" are written wonderfully well, exposed to their core for what they are, what they want and what they are willing to do to achieve their goal. A page turner from the start, I finished this book (which is over 500 pages in length) in under a week. I couldn't wait to get home from work each night to climb back in to the story. Rollins balanced between both the protagonist and antagonist standpoints throughout the book to create tension and to set up the finale. Plot twists abound. I have read many reviews that compare this book to "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons". I am a huge Dan Brown fan and I loved The DVC and A&D, but I have to give credit to Rollins; this book was better on all accounts. I would compare this to the work of Steve Berry; historical accuracy balanced with creative license to create a perfect work of fiction/non-fiction. If you like Dan Brown or Steve Berry, books about the templars, historical fiction, or any type of espionage/thriller, then this book is for you. A+. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my next James Rollins book as he is now one of my favorite authors.Read full review
Again,if you liked "Angels and Demons" and "The DaVinci Code" you will love James Rollins "Map of Bones"! His story telling is awesome, his books are very difficult to put down, and they will keep you reading late into the night. You might have to read it twice in case you skim through it too quickly to find out what happens next. I have been reading all Mr Rollins books twice or three times anyway, as they are that good. Mr Rollins imagination is out of this world, the way he can keep you on the edge of your seat through each and every chapter. I happened to read this book back to back after Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code" and was impressed with how similar the story lines were. All of James Rollins books would make excellent movies that I would love to see if the movie producers could follow his story line, as every reader knows the books are always better than the movie. I am now an avid James Rollins fan, and I will buy each one of his books as they are printed. I'm not sure if I will be able to continue to wait for the cheaper softcover editions however. It appears Mr Rollins is going to be quite the prolific writer, which is great. If it is a good book, I want it fat. If they are a good writer, I want massive quantities!Read full review
One of my top five favorite writers. This is the only book I have ever intentionally read twice. The best book I have ever read. It takes place all over the world with exceptional descriptions of places of interest
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Once you get past the similarity to DA VINCI CODE (WHAT ISN'T THESE DAYS), there is a good bit of research and thoughtful plotting to make this an adventure that is not an insult to your intelligence. Enjoyed AMBER ROOM so decided to try others by this author and I was NOT disappointed. Deb
Excellant fast paced read!! Well written and a great story line! You are able to place yourself within this story and "see" what is going on, page after page!! The author has really hit a home run with this one!
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