Book Description
A gripping and explosive new thriller from internationally acclaimed forensic anthropologist and New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs, featuring Temperance Brennan and Detective Andrew Ryan on the trail of a modern murder and an ancient biblical mystery...
When an Orthodox Jewish man is found shot to death in Montreal, Temperance Brennan is called in to examine the body and to figure out the puzzling damage to the corpse. Unexpectedly, a stranger slips her a photograph of a skeleton and assures her it is the key to the victim's death. Before she knows it, Tempe is involved in an international mystery as old as Jesus, and one that could lead to the rewriting of two thousand years of religious history.
As Tempe investigates, she learns that the stranger's picture shows bones uncovered during an archaeological dig. She discovers the Montreal shooting victim ran an import business that just might have been a front for the trading of black market antiquities. Along with Detective Andrew Ryan and biblical archaeologist Jake Drum, Tempe travels to Israel to probe the origins of the skeleton and the ancient crypt in which it was found. Together they make a startling discovery that raises radical questions about Christ's death and places them squarely in the middle of a swirling controversy. Could one of the tombs really be Christ's last resting place? Are the bones in the ancient ossuary the last remnants of James, the brother of Jesus, as the inscription claims? Or has someone concocted an elaborate hoax?
Using her skills as a forensic scientist, Tempe plunges into the most controversial case of her career. The stakes have never been higher -- the more she learns, the greater the danger. And though Ryan is sexier and more engaging than ever, he may not be able to protect Tempe in this place where there seem to be so many foes.
Cross Bones, with its lightning pace, intricately plotted story, riveting and state-of-the-art forensic detail, is Kathy Reichs's most compelling and dramatic novel yet.
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"A gripping and explosive new thriller from internationally acclaimed forensic anthropologist and New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs, featuring Temperance Brennan and Detective Andrew Ryan on the trail of a modern murder and an ancient biblical mystery... When an Orthodox Jewish man is found shot to death in Montreal, Temperance Brennan is called in to examine the body and to figure out the puzzling damage to the corpse. Unexpectedly, a stranger slips her a photograph of a skeleton and assures her it is the key to the victim's death. Before she knows it, Tempe is involved in an international mystery as old as Jesus, and one that could lead to the rewriting of two thousand years of religious history. As Tempe investigates, she learns that the stranger's picture shows bones uncovered during an archaeological dig. She discovers the Montreal shooting victim ran an import business that just might have been a front for the trading of black market antiquities. Along with Detective Andrew Ryan and biblical archaeologist Jake Drum, Tempe travels to Israel to probe the origins of the skeleton and the ancient crypt in which it was found. Together they make a startling discovery that raises radical questions about Christ's death and places them squarely in the middle of a swirling controversy. Could one of the tombs really be Christ's last resting place? Are the bones in the ancient ossuary the last remnants of James, the brother of Jesus, as the inscription claims? Or has someone concocted an elaborate hoax? Using her skills as a forensic scientist, Tempe plunges into the most controversial case of her career. The stakes have never been higher -- the more she learns, the greater the danger. And though Ryan is sexier and more engaging than ever, he may not be able to protect Tempe in this place where there seem to be so many foes. Cross Bones, with its lightning pace, intricately plotted story, riveting and state-of-the-art forensic detail, is Kathy Reichs's most compelling and dramatic novel yet. "
Customer Reviews:
Chock-full of intriguing ideas and theories; sure to please many types of readers.......2007-09-29
Kathy Reichs expands from a pure murder mystery/thriller to more of an intellectually based murder mystery/thriller/archaeologically-based police procedural in "Cross Bones." Tempe Brennan is called in to assist in the autopsy of Avram Ferris - an autopsy bitterly contested by Ferris' rabbi, wife and other members of the Jewish community. When Tempe attempts to comfort Ferris' wife (an attempt rudely rebuffed by Miriam Ferris), a man calling himself Kessler stops her in the hall and gives her a photograph of a skeleton, telling her that Ferris gave him the photograph and instructed him that, if anything happened to him (Ferris), it was related to the photograph.
Thus begins the search for information on the skeleton, for the actual skeleton itself, who the skeleton is, etc., which eventually leads both Tempe and Andy Ryan (her beau) to Israel. There Tempe hooks up with her friend Jake and continues to search for the truth behind the murder of Ferris and the identity of the mystery skeleton.
An interesting mixture of archeology, theology and police procedural, this book mixes reality and fiction into a truly fascinating creation. In the version I have (Pocket Star books export edition March 2006 ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-2407-6 or ISBN-10: 1-4165-2407-X) there is a "From the Forensic Files of Dr. Kathy Reichs" between the end of "Cross Bones" and the preview of "Monday Mourning" that describes the real events she used as the basis of this story. I, personally, very much enjoy when an author does this, so I did enjoy this book a great deal for that alone. I also liked the fact that Tempe is much less neurotic that she used to be, especially about her relationship with Detective Ryan. So, all in all a recommend from me.
Combines anthropology with archeology..........2007-07-28
Kathy Reichs combines forensic anthropology with archeology in her Temperance Brennan book, Cross Bones.
In Cross Bones, Reichs builds a story around facts from archeological digs at Masada in the 1960s and the "discovery" of the James ossuary in 2002 (allegedly the brother of Jesus). The book opens with the death of an Orthodox Jewish merchant in Montreal. But is it possible that what looks like a suicide could possibly be a murder? Immediately after the autopsy, a stranger slips Brennan a photo of a skeleton taken at Masada and claims "This is the reason Avram Ferris is dead."
Avram Ferris operated an import business with most of his merchandise coming from Israel. Brennan suspects that perhaps Ferris was dealing in illegal antiquities, including bones. Inspector Andrew Ryan and Dr. Brennan travel to Israel to continue the investigation. There, she meets up with an academic friend and archeologist, Jake Drum. Not only do they need to discover the secret of the Masada skeleton (could it be the bones of Christ?), but it is possible that it might have ties to the ancient crypt discovered by Drum and believed to belong to the family of Jesus.
One aspect I liked about Cross Bones is that Reichs begins by listing the historic truths around which she builds her story. And as with her later books, she ends it with a section called "From the Forensic Files of Dr. Kathy Reichs." In it, she explains where she got the idea for Cross Bones. In this case, the idea came from a friend and colleague, Dr. James Tabor, a Biblical archeologist and scholar. But while I liked the factual aspects of the plot, the rest of it is pretty unbelievable. As a forensic anthropologist, her job would have ended at the autopsy-room door. Traipsing around Israel as part of the investigation would never happen in real life. However, I enjoy the things I learn from Reichs about her job and she's still worthy of three stars for Cross Bones.
Disappointing!.......2007-07-25
There is nothing more disapointing when reading a book of this type than to get to the end and find that one of the main questions posed by the book isn't answered. That is what happened here. Of course as with any Tempe Brennan novel bones are an important element. In this one whose bones they are is a key question for much of the book. [Spoiler alert] And we never find out whose bones they are!!!! Moreover, the identity of the killer is telegraphed from certain phone records yet Tempe and Ryan are unable to sort it out.
This one was an extreme diappointment in light of Ms. Reich's prior books.
Not Up to Her Usual Standards.......2007-07-15
This is another Tempe Brennan and Andrew Ryan story, which is fine. What I didn't enjoy was all the technical and religious stuff that didn't really add much to the mystery for me, but then the mystery wasn't too great either.
I liked the author's writing style this time, but didn't enjoy the story. I hope this book isn't a sign of things to come from Ms. Reichs.
Not Pleased.......2007-07-05
This book was in poor condition. It had never been used but that was because all the pages were loose. The spine had not been glued to the pages properly.
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- Dragon Bones by Lisa See
- Another great contemporary mystery by Lisa See
- mystery at the three gorges
- Not the same calibre as Snow Flower
- Another good book by Ms See
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Dragon Bones: A Novel
Lisa See
Manufacturer: Random House
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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel
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On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family
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Flower Net
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Women of the Silk: A Novel
ASIN: 0679463208
Release Date: 2003-05-20 |
Book Description
When the body of an American archaeologist is found floating in the Yangzi River, Ministry of Public Security agent Liu Hulan and her husband, American attorney David Stark, are dispatched to Site 518 to investigate. As Hulan scrutinizes this death—or is it a murder?—David, on behalf of the National Relics Bureau, tries to discover who has stolen from the site an artifact that may prove to the world China’s claim that it is the oldest uninterrupted civilization on earth. This artifact is not only an object of great monetary value but one that is emblematic of the very soul of China. Everyone—from the Chinese government, to a religious cult, to an unscrupulous American art collector—wants this relic, and some, it seems, may be willing to kill to get it. At stake in this investigation is control of China’s history and national pride, and even stability between China and the United States.
The troubled Hulan must overcome her own fears of failure, while David tries desperately to break through the shell that has built up around his wife. As Hulan and David are enmeshed in international schemes for power and the turbulence of their own relationship, these hunters after the truth become the hunted—in a fast-driving narrative set against the backdrop of the building of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest and most expensive project China has undertaken since the Great Wall and the subject of great international debate. It is here, in the heart of the Three Gorges, that David and Hulan will battle their enemies and their own natures to see who will win China’s dragon bones.
Dragon Bones combines ancient myth with contemporary anxieties concerning religious fanaticism and terrorism to tell a story of love, betrayal, history, ecology, greed—and gory murder.
Customer Reviews:
Dragon Bones by Lisa See.......2007-07-27
What a writer ! Lisa See educates without being pedantic. In Dragon Bones, she has created a complex mystery while including enormous amounts of information on Chinese culture and environmental effects of the Three Gorges Dam. I learned much and was entertained as well.
Another great contemporary mystery by Lisa See.......2007-07-20
Dragon Bones is Lisa See's third contemporary Chinese mystery featuring Inspector Liu Hulan. I read the first one, Flower Net, and somehow the second passed me by. Like Flower Net, Dragon Bones is both a great detective story and a window into modern Chinese culture. Lisa See manages to show us a lot about a rapidly modernizing China without bogging down the story. Liu Hulan is the kind of character I'd like to have a meal with: smart, interesting, with pain in her past but not consumed by it. Lisa See has a gift at making the character seem completely Chinese to the Western reader yet sympathetic at the same time.
Having recently read, and loved, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel, , I understand more about Lisa See's strengths as a writer. Depiction of foreign culture: fantastic. Male characters: not so much. This wasn't as apparent in Snow Flower because the men lived in a different world from the women characters that were the focus of the story. In Dragon Bones, Hulan is married to an American man, David Stark. David's character never comes to life like Hulan's. Although he and I (and the writer) have more in common than Liu Hulan and I do, never the less, Hulan is fully three-dimensional and believable where David falls flat.
If you like mysteries that are different without being gimmicky, you will enjoy this book. There's no need to read them in order although I'm sure there are some benefits from doing so. There are some graphic crime scenes, as a warning to the squeamish.
mystery at the three gorges.......2007-07-16
Ms. See does it again! This is a story in which you can find out about the effects of long-time water immersion on a human body, the largest mushrooms in the world, the result of the three gorges dam project, and the corruption of public officials. A page-turner for sure!!
Not the same calibre as Snow Flower.......2007-04-10
This isn't a bad book but it isn't in the same league with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.
Another good book by Ms See.......2006-10-26
What I like best about Lisa See is usually not the novel in itself, but the detailed, and genuine aspects of China and its culture. I really enjoy learning chinese words and the traditions of this unique country.
The story is a mistery/thriller that revolves around the construction of the biggest Dam in the world, the impact that this will have on China's culture and the discovery of a very important artefact that could also change China's history, forever. In between there are gruesome murders and religious cults, and the rekindling of love between american lawyer Stark and his chinese wife Liu Hulan. Together they'll try to solve the murders and the mistery and, hopefully, save their love.
Book Description
From the bestselling author of Prague comes a witty, inventive, brilliantly constructed novel about an Egyptologist obsessed with finding the tomb of an apocryphal king. This darkly comic labyrinth of a story opens on the desert plains of Egypt in 1922, then winds its way from the slums of Australia to the ballrooms of Boston by way of Oxford, the battlefields of the First World War, and a royal court in turmoil.
Just as Howard Carter unveils the tomb of Tutankhamun, making the most dazzling find in the history of archaeology, Oxford-educated Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush is digging himself into trouble, having staked his professional reputation and his fiancée’s fortune on a scrap of hieroglyphic pornography. Meanwhile, a relentless Australian detective sets off on the case of his career, spanning the globe in search of a murderer. And another murderer. And possibly another murderer. The confluence of these seemingly separate stories results in an explosive ending, at once inevitable and utterly unpredictable.
Arthur Phillips leads this expedition to its unforgettable climax with all the wit and narrative bravado that made Prague one of the most critically acclaimed novels of 2002. Exploring issues of class, greed, ambition, and the very human hunger for eternal life, this staggering second novel gives us a glimpse of Phillips’s range and maturity–and is sure to earn him further acclaim as one of the most exciting authors of his generation.
Download Description
From the bestselling author of Prague comes a witty, inventive, brilliantly constructed novel about an Egyptologist obsessed with finding the tomb of an apocryphal king. This darkly comic labyrinth of a story opens on the desert plains of Egypt in 1922, then winds its way from the slums of Australia to the ballrooms of Boston by way of Oxford, the battlefields of the First World War, and a royal court in turmoil.
Just as Howard Carter unveils the tomb of Tutankhamun, making the most dazzling find in the history of archaeology, Oxford-educated Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush is digging himself into trouble, having staked his professional reputation and his fiancée's fortune on a scrap of hieroglyphic pornography. Meanwhile, a relentless Australian detective sets off on the case of his career, spanning the globe in search of a murderer. And another murderer. And possibly another murderer. The confluence of these seemingly separate stories results in an explosive ending, at once inevitable and utterly unpredictable.
Arthur Phillips leads this expedition to its unforgettable climax with all the wit and narrative bravado that made Prague one of the most critically acclaimed novels of 2002. Exploring issues of class, greed, ambition, and the very human hunger for eternal life, this staggering second novel gives us a glimpse of Phillips's range and maturity—and is sure to earn him further acclaim as one of the most exciting authors of his generation.
Customer Reviews:
Skip this and move on.......2007-06-11
Had it figured out on page 40. Worse, the book is unengaging, and the switching from point-of-view to point-of-view seems contrived and tedious. Nancy Pearl, famous librarian at the Seattle Public Library says she gives a book 50 pages to engage her, and if it does not she moves on. I should have moved on.
A provocative mystery.......2007-06-10
This is one of those books that I read with low expectations and ended up being overwhelmed by how much I enjoyed it. I learned of this author through reviews of his new work, "Angelica" but decided to start with him in paperback, selecting this novel by the good word of mouth it had received. The pacing of the novel and the way in which it is laid out before the reader is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The story is easy to follow but forces the reader to make connections and think. This was one of those mysteries where you are sure what happens at the end, but you are still wondering about it days later.
An uneven work.......2007-06-03
A convoluted and bizarre tale. Highly engaging at times, rather boring and frustrating at others. My appreciation of it was uneven and the end--which I saw coming from about five miles away--left me feeling rather ambivalent.
Complicated, nuanced, thought-provoking.......2007-05-25
Clearly certain reviews (People magazine, I'm looking at you) did this book a massive disservice. Michael Crighton, this is not. But if you enjoy Margaret Atwoodian layers of narrative and reversals and reveals, I do recommend "The Egyptologist." Like all such books, it might would be stronger for a unifying afterward, but then, that would very likely undercut the final, pathetic note of the story.
I will also say, I think The New Yorker is off their collective nut if they think Prof. Trilipush's biggest problem is mental illness. Just the contrary, the problem is not his grasp on reality, but rather that he has been sold a bill of goods, and is unwittingly attempting (with v. little malice, as far as I can tell) to build his life on a lie.
Dark hilarity.......2007-03-27
I love a book that makes me pick up the phone and call someone just to read one sentence out loud. Reminds me of The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester, with very dark, subtle humor and tremendously unreliable narrators. If you have a fondness for epistolary novels with narrators whose company you might abhor but whose letters are twisty and funny, you will find this book grimly comic fun.
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Hypatia
Charles Kingsley
Manufacturer: Dodo Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1905432275 |
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Auctor and Actor: A Narratological Reading of Apuleius' The Golden Ass
John J. Winkler
Manufacturer: University of California Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0520076397 |
Book Description
Addressed to readers of modern literature as well as to those interested in Greco-Roman literature and in religious history, Auctor and Actor examines Apuleius's The Golden Ass as an early example of self-consciousness in narrative. Entering into the spirit of the novel's crafty playfulness, John Winkler carries the reader on a journey that is, like that of the hero Lucius, both entertaining and enlightening.
Book Description
Frank Thorpe is set to board a plane at LAX for a much-needed vacation when he sees an obviously poor young boy knocked out of the way and senseless by an arrogant businessman rushing to a waiting Porsche.
Frank really needs some R & R. He’s just been fired—over a fatal screw up—from the covert operations “shop” he’s worked at for years. But Douglas Meachum—a hard-charging art dealer—needs to be made to feel something more than entitlement: nothing extreme, just a little wake-up call.
Given Frank’s background and his expertise in good guy/bad guy tactics, it’s easy for him to set up a scam involving some embarrassing revelations about a faked Mayan sculpture that Meachum sells to one of his clients. But the client isn’t someone who takes kindly to mistakes. She’s a ruthless social-climbing psychopath who, with her surfer-dude husband (the Thomas Alva Edison of designer pharmaceuticals), runs a huge drug operation. And she’s got an invincible thug duo—Vlad and Arturo—to carry out her notions of payback, which make Frank’s wake-up scheme seem positively genteel. What started out as a good (if slightly underhanded) deed quickly veers out of control. How Frank handles the chaos—
and what he himself hears in the wake-up call—is the fuel that drives this full-throttle, terrifically entertaining novel.
Customer Reviews:
Join the best.......2006-09-07
Ferrigno deserves to be mentioned with the best of the genre. He joins my must read list. Original, lean, inventive and always entertaining. Put him on your list.
(4.5) Crank wars. Whatever. Whenever. Whoever........2005-10-03
After a deal gone very bad, everyone a safe house brutally murdered, ex-Delta Force Frank Thorpe is fired from his "shop". When a rude businessman knocks down a young Latino boy at the airport, Frank cancels his Miami vacation to find the guy and make him apologize for his thoughtless transgression. Frank decides to teach Douglas Meachum a lesson in manners he won't soon forget, a "wake-up" as it's called in the trade. In the course of setting Meachum up, Thorpe comes in contact with Missy Riddenhauer, wife of a surfer-drug lord, Clark, who runs a huge meth operation.
After meeting Gina Meachum, Thorpe thinks twice about his approach to her husband, but now he has involved the Riddenhauer's, a deadly couple who employ a couple of talented enforcers, Arturo and Vlad. Once he's tripped over Clark's operation, Thorpe follows his natural inclinations, using the few resources left to him and an insurance data base, posing as an insurance agent. Frank is busy tracking the Riddenhauer's and keeping an eye out for the Engineer, mastermind of the safe house massacre, all this in sunny California, from Newport Beach to Corona del Mar, the upscale neighborhoods belying an excess of criminal activity.
Juggling miscreants gets complicated, but Thorpe has a clear and concise agenda, as well as extraordinary determination. As the crank wars heat up, a renegade is knocking over Clark's meth labs in Riverside; meanwhile, the Engineer tracks Frank electronically, anxious for a rematch. Having underestimated the Engineer the first time, Frank isn't about to make the same mistake twice, but he's kept moving by accelerating events, planning to deal with Doug Meachum's lesson later, hopefully with less collateral damage: "A man's passions were always his weakness." But Missy and Clark have the habit of removing everyone and everything in their path, thanks to the two terrors, Arturo and Vlad. The coast glows with power and creature comforts, but Riverside is Crank Central.
Peppered with secret agencies, rogue agents, the DEA, and shady meth-cookers, Ferrigno mixes a heady batch of ex-military patriots gone mercenary and the drug underground, where one spark can ignite a fire ball: "We're not saving the world anymore... we're just showing off." Thorpe is in his element, without resources, depending on familiar contacts and irritating some powerful players along the way. Darkly humorous and edgy, Ferrigno, author of The Horse Latitudes, is at his contemporaneous best, non-stop action driving the plot, taking no prisoners. Luan Gaines/ 2005.
Ferrigno is the man.......2005-07-31
I first discovered Robert Ferrigno with the book Dead Silent. Ironically, it's not really that good of a book. The story is kind iffy. The reviewers on Amazon.com gave it a average of ONE Star. That's pretty bad. But Ferrigno is such a great writer I was absolutely hooked. Even with a mediocre story, his uncanny descriptions, realistic character development & motivations, and dead-on dialog, made me a fan for life.
I rushed out and bought every Ferrigno book I could find. He currently has less than a dozen in his ouvre so it was like I was an addict looking for a fix. Luckily, I discovered Carl Hiaasen around the same time. Other readers recommended Elmore Leonard, Charles Willeford, James Lee Burke, et al, but (hopefully without offending any of their fans) I personally found that their work pales when compared to Hiaasen or Ferrigno.
Keep cranking those books out boys.
Time to get up, Honey.......2005-04-02
Really good stuff. I enjoy Ferrigno so much. Bizarre, humorous in a sad sort of way. Unconventional comes to mind. That and believable dialogue.
Frank Thorpe has climbed to the top of the food chain in government sanctioned black bag-wet operations. He's dropped down to the bottom of the food chain in self esteem and a sense of purpose. The French call it "raison d'etre." On the one hand he knows it and reaches out to the lovely next door neighbor professor cum psychologist Claire. But like an addict, he can't stop doing what he's been trained to do.
His last mission is what gets him kicked out of "the company," blamed for the murders of a safe house crew when wounded, he brings the wolf to the chicken house in the mistaken belief that the wolf is but a CPA. Of course I say this not to denigrate CPAs.
Frank's wounded and mustered out. It's now three months later. Billy, Frank's supervisor from "the Company" now in the private sector, wants Frank to join him in 'the same things they did before but without the rules.' As if rules ever stopped Frank. However Frank has resisted. He's mildly interested in Claire, a next door neighbor who thinks (not really) Frank's an insurance salesman, but 23 hours a day he misses his on again off again lover who was killed in the safe house debacle. So he's going to Miami for 3-4 weeks to hang out, eat spicy food, listen to great music. And he's at the airport. LAX. Lost, confused, no energy and bam!!!! an arrogant self righteous businessman complete with an alligator briefcase and hi-tech cell phone knocks down a Latino street kid selling candy. Bloodies his nose. Steps over him like he was rubbish. Never looks back. You know the type. And the switch dormant in Franks mind gets turned on.
Douglas Meachum is about to get a wake up.
Great job. Retribution. Remorse. Redemption. Great last two chapters. Recovery. Justice but not Holywood justice.
Thanks Bob. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury
Great page turner.......2005-01-19
I first bought this book because Ferrigno took some grief for being a Bush supporter. I found that he is a very good writer. This is a great, fast paced action book. One of those that you can't put down easily. The book was over way too quickly!
Book Description
Tales of the Dead: Ancient Egypt is actually two books in one! It's a fact-packed reference work and a fast-paced fiction title seamlessly designed in a single volume. Young readers will love the exciting story of Egyptian society that snakes through the pages, the incredibly detailed illustrations, and the supporting nonfiction information that tells all the cool and sometimes grisly details of life in Ancient Egypt.
Book Description
"Kristina O'Donnelly does it again! Get ready to be swept away in this magnificently written classic novel of history, love, war, suspense, action, bravery and mystery. Kristina's research of history combined with this fascinating tale takes the reader on an exciting fast paced journey. Andromakhe is a well written, hauntingly beautiful story. A must-read epic for all. (It would make a stupendous movie too.) Readers of Mary Renault and Marion Zimmer Bradley are certain to enjoy Andromakhe!" Caryn Day-Suarez, President - POW! Toastmasters - Jacksonville, Host of "The POW Show" - Weekly on WJGR 1320 AM Kristina O'Donnelly takes the immortal tale of Troy - gods, heroes, and battles, but gives us the woman's take. The strong women that are victimized by the violence, yet survive and ultimately rise above it. For thousands of years, Hector and Andromache of the Iliad have symbolized the archetypical loving and loyal husband and wife. Most novels about the Trojan War end with the Fall of Troy. But here, as we dwell in Andromâkhe's life, we have an account that encompasses the main as well as pre and post-Iliad years. Love, hate, greed, war, intrigue, heroes and villains combine with authenticated geography/history, offering an intimate view into the Bronze Age. O'Donnelly has done a great job taking the violent male-centered story of The Iliad and bringing it a female perspective. Men get the glory, women do the suffering (men suffer too, of course, but it's often their choice--women have fewer choices, and had fewer yet in those ancient days). Andromakhe is a powerful novel and the must-read story for 2006.
Customer Reviews:
A different slant on a Greek legend.......2006-11-29
This novel recreates the life of Andromakhe of Greek legend. It covers her marriage to Hector, her life in Troy, and what happened to her after the city's fall. Showing the strength of one woman in a male dominated society, it goes into detail about her doomed relationship with Hector and brutal the death of their son. It is action packed and a fascinating portrait of Andromakhe and the life she might have led. If you are familiar with Greek legend you will recognize many of the characters.
Although the book does not claim to be fact, there is a lot of historical research woven into the plot. The story is beautifully written and it is a creative story of strength and love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.
'FANTASTIC'.......2006-09-05
...(I absolutely adore "Andromakhe"!) I had a little trouble with the names right at first, as they were all foreign to me .. but little by little I was able to put them in their places. It's hard for me to comprehend the detailed research that went into this novel .... I've always been fascinated with mythology and now I know why.... I found myself living in that land and going through the war with Andromakhe... such a beautiful lady....not only in body but also spirit...I could picture each of the characters and her pain on losing Hektor...Just a fantastic story. O'Donnelly has done a wonderful job and I've thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Betty Sullivan La Pierre
Mystery/Suspense Author
A woman's gripping odyssey.......2006-09-05
O'Donnelly's "Andromakhe" gives the old legend a new face, new meaning. In this emotional and literal odyssey, Andromakhe rises high, is loved not only by Hector, Prince of Troy, but also by Helenos, brother of Hector, she is coveted by Achilles, and later by the legendary King Memnon. But it's her destiny to be tested again and again by the Goddess in whom she has an unshakable faith, and she is slammed with the unendurable loss of ALL her loved ones and her country.
Somehow, she manages to endure the unendurable, and fights to make a difference in the overall scheme of things.
Andromache's love for Hector is as strong as in the familiar legend, but she is a fleshed out, independent-minded woman interested in the world she lives in, and its mysteries. She understands her inescapable role in the convoluted games kings play as they battle to extend their dominions. She feels empathy for Helen of Troy, and well, has a talking cat (though she is the only one who can converse with him).
I am not sure if for some readers this is a turn-off, but O'Donnelly narrates the story in 1st person (Andromache's), therefore the battle scenes are viewed from the walls, you are not down in the field, shoulder-to-shoulder with Hector. But the painful sense of helplessness while watching one's beloved husband face up to death and dismemberment day after day, is realistic. The aftermath of Troy's fall as Andromakhe is hurled into slavery (we tour Greece and Illyria, their social and military customs, how the belief in the same Goddess is interpreted there, and learn more about Achilles's son, the equally successful but fully human warrior, Neoptolemus). Aspects such as magic and reincarnation are subtly employed, and in my opinion, add to the spice.
I've read two others books by Kristina O'Donnelly, The Horseman and Trojan Enchantment (which is a 21st Century, companion novel of Andromakhe), and I've been wondering about when, at long last, O'Donnelly will leave the Aegean region and write a novel about Ireland!
A different strokes for different folks, kind of Andromache.......2006-09-04
"Andromakhe" is an interesting, well-researched, but for some readers, quite unusual take on an old legend. While O'Donnelly is reasonably faithful to the original storyline, meaning this novel is not "alternate history," therefore Andromache does marry Hector, he is the love of her life forever, she does have an existence apart from what we are generally familiar with. For example, she is a scribe, loves reading and researching, from philosophy to history, has ESP, ponders reincarnation, communicates with animals, and trains herself to wield the sword. But she is not exactly an amazon warrioress a la M.Z. Bradley's Cassandra in The Firebrand, but neither is she the spoiled, selfish brat from Kolchis, Andromache is portrayed as in The Firebrand. Well, I happen to like The Firebrand, so this is not a putdown of Bradley's novel, just an observation of how different authors can interpret familiar characters differently. For example, in David Gemmel's excellent novel, Lord of the Silver Bow (Book I in Gemmel's Troy series), Andromache is presented as a (comparately speaking) mature woman in her twenties, a priestess with the skill of an amazon in how she uses bow and arrow, sexually liberated (or a swinger, depending on your p.o.v on these matters) who enjoys sex with women but falls in love with Aeneas, Prince of Dardania, then agrees to love and marry Hector.
In the opening of "Andromakhe", we meet her at the age of 13, as a loving daughter in her father's palace in Anatolian Thebe, and we start walking in her shoes (and her soul). We get acquainted with the era, customs, locale, her parents and her complex relationship with them. Andromache has a close-encounter with what seems to be the Goddess, and later, during a near-death experience (while out of her body) has an ethereal meeting with the man who might or might not have been a brother of hers during a past life.
Another deviation from the legend is her relationship with Helenos, Hector's brother (according to various legends, the man she weds many years after Hector's death, while they are in exile in Greece). They are still teenagers when a tender love springs between them -- long before she is promised to Hector. But when the "game of empire" demands that the heir of Troy takes her to wife, Andromache, dutiful (albeit somewhat rebellious, as befits a teenager) daughter that she is, is obligated to go along with it.
What I found believable is how Hector and Andromache ultimately fell in love with each other, with a devotion that transcended time and space.
The writing style is not heavy-handed, with good historical details that illuminate the "backstage" of the great war, politics and psychology. Overall, Andromakhe the Novel covers a lot of new ground with a plucky heroine who has willpower, stamina, faith, and thus, triumphs in her own way.
Disappointing.......2006-09-02
I bought this book with high hopes, and I have to admit I was disappointed. The characters aren't entirely realistic, the descriptions are lacking, and I found it extremely difficult to like Andromakhe, who is one of my favorite characters in the legend. For me, this strayed too far from Homer, Virgil, and the playwrights who wrote about Troy. I have read much better stories about this topic. Bottom line, I read it simply because Hector and Andromache are my favorite characters from the legend, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would.
Book Description
The secret history of an empire
The mythical power of a stone
The quest to solve the legend of ... The Queen Jade
For centuries, explorers and scholars of the New World have been captivated by a legend involving the tragic life of a King, a Witch, and a giant blue jade stone whose beauty is intoxicating -- a stone whose possessor is said to be granted a life filled with power -- that stone is called the Queen Jade.
In 1998, Hurricane Mitch tears through Central and South America. A mine of blue jade the size of Rhode Island is uncovered in a Guatemalan mountain range known as Las Sierras de las Minas. For hundreds of years, blue jade relics have been found in the Americas, but the actual source of the precious stone has never been discovered -- until now. The revelation of the blue jade mine solves an archaeological mystery that has baffled scholars for centuries and gives hope to those who have staked their lives on finding the Queen Jade.
The novel unfolds on the eve of the hurricane and centers on Lola Sanchez and her archaeologist mother, Juana. Juana believes that she has discovered the key to unlocking the mystery of the Queen Jade and has gone into the jungle alone to find the stone -- the same week that Hurricane Mitch ravages the land. When her mother disappears in the storm, Lola sets out to find her and embarks on a course of action that will lead to the adventure of her life.
Customer Reviews:
A Hollywood Movie.......2007-08-15
The novel is entertaining, yet lacks depth. The character's actions were somewhat predictable.
The story builds up nicely, yet at the height of the story, the author scrambles quickly to get to the conclusion.
Interesting ending.......2007-03-26
The book meanders around, involving detailed descriptions of trips to and from airports. Never gets to the point of what the Queen Jade is, and about three pages from the end the author apologizes for never arriving at the point of the novel or what the mystery is.
The Queen Jade.......2006-09-07
An entralling mystery that is fascinating to read but the part about Balaj K'waill seems a little unrealistic and is hard to believe. However Ms. Murray's vivid discriptions of the setting and the characters make you feel as though you were actually surrounded by emerald green bushes and the sweet tangy jungle fragrances. Also, Ms. Murray's ability to blend romance with mystery is superb!
All in all a great read!
Recommended.......2006-01-29
This is a really interesting book, which centers around an ancient legend and a mystery. I found it absolutely fascinating, and I personally enjoyed the word puzzle and discussion of hieroglyphs. Jades and hieroglyphs are not topics we usually associate with Guatemala and ancient Central American cultures, so I think this adds to the book's appeal. It's a great adventure story, which also discusses academic research, puzzles, and translations.
Pretty Damn Awesome.......2006-01-22
I REALLY liked this book. If you've ever had to analyze a historical text, this book will resonate with you. It's a real page turner and gives some historical contexts to guatemala too. there are a few times when there are coincidences/improbabilities, but I was so wrapped up in the historical puzzle, they didn't matter to me. You should definitely read it if you've ever studied Latin American history.
Book Description
An ancient skeleton is discovered in Israel - will it shed new light on the life of Jesus or plunge the world into darkness and chaos?
Dr. Jonathan Weber, Harvard professor and biblical scholar, is looking forward to his sabbatical year on an archaeological dig in Israel. But a spectacular find that seems to be an archaeologist's dream-come-true becomes a nightmare that could be the death rattle of Christianity.
Carefully researched and compellingly written, A Skeleton in God's Closet explores the tension between doubt and faith, science and religion, and one man's determination to find the truth--no matter what the cost.
Customer Reviews:
If you like the DaVince Code............2007-06-18
Paul Maier did a fantastic job writing this theological thriller. From the time I started reading until I closed the back cover, I was hooked.
Maier's plot is very believable. How would the world react if the bones of Jesus were uncovered?
This should be on your reading list if you enjoy thrillers, suspense, and intregue. I have just purchased Maier's book, More than a Skeleton, and cannot wait to read it.
Dumb title, GOOD BOOK.......2007-06-13
This is a terrific theological thriller from the great Paul Meier.
A very timely read in light of the recent Cameron/Jacobovici "Tomb of Jesus" garbage (2007).
Meier predicted it and did a better job. Read this book! The sequel is also good.
Biblical Thriller.......2007-05-14
I found this novel to be a wealth of information about archeology and biblical history. If you're a lover of suspense and mystery, you'll find this work really hard to put down. The romantic relationship between two characters was a bit cheesy but otherwise a great read!
Carolyn
A Skeleton in God's Closet.......2007-05-12
This book arrived promptly and in excellent, as-described, condition. A great value!!
What an interesting proposal to the reader: If you discovered the bones of Jesus, would you tell?.......2007-04-28
No spoilers
This was my first Maier book, boot I can assure you that it won't be my last. A Skeleton in God's Closet is a very intruiging read that has a plot that sucks you in right from the beginning and keeps your nose in the pages until you get to the bottom of the mystery.
I won't summarize the book because Amazon and others already have, but ask yourself what you would do if you were an archaeologist (whose entire life revolves around finding truths about the past in historical artifiacts) and discovered the bones of Jesus. Would you tell the world about the most significant find in history, despite the fact that you would be potentially shattering the backbone of the validity of Christianity (the spiritual and physical resurrection of Jesus)?
If that question piques your interest; if you want some Roman/Christian/Jewish history; if you like a little conspiracy to boot; and if you don't want a lot of either pro- or anti-religiouos preaching, then you'll love this book. I know I did, and I plan on reading the sequel starting right about... now.
Books:
- Dead Men's Secrets
- Decoration of Houses, The (The Collected Works of Edith Wharton - 43 Volumes)
- Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia
- Don Quijote de la Mancha
- Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
- Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Signet Classics)
- Driven by Eternity: Making Your Life Count Today & Forever
- Euripides' Bacchae: Translation, Introduction and Notes (Focus Classical Library)
- Fatal Flaws: Navigating Destructive Relationships with People with Disorders...
- Finn: A Novel
Books Index
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