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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Mediocre Archaeology Thriller, November 14, 2009
This review is from: The Atlantis Code (Hardcover)
The newly released archaeology thriller The Atlantis Code, anonymously penned by Charles Brokaw who is a pseudonym for some famous author, academic, scholar, was a tremendous disappointment. I've always been entranced with the Atlantis myth and usually enjoy all the various twists that authors of this genre are able to concoct around this ever-fascinating lost world. Unfortunately, Atlantis Code didn't offer up anything out of the ordinary.
The premise of this suspense novel revolves around a world renowned archaeologist and linguist named Thomas Lourds. While excavating in Egypt for the lost library of Alexandria, he is shown a mysterious ceramic bell with inscriptions in an ancient language he has never seen before. Unable to find any documentation, he contacts an associate in Russia, who has also found an ancient ceramic musical instrument, a cymbal with the same elusive markings. When the Russian scientist turns up dead with the cymbal stolen, and when Lourds himself is attacked and his bell gone as well, all hell breaks loose as he slowly learns these two musical instruments, along with three others, are the key to the archaeological find of all time, the location of Atlantis.
Other key players that tag along with Lourds on his hunt for answers are a beautiful Russian police woman who is the sister of the Russian scientist seeking revenge, and a pair of young television journalists seeking the story of a life-time. The police woman has the personality of a pit-bull, both journalists are naïve, immature and clueless. I felt throughout the entire book that this motley crew added nothing to the story and felt they often were annoying with their bickering and immaturity. The Russian policewoman offers some humorous entertainment but on the whole, I couldn't find anything really redeeming in any of the characters. Lourds himself is quite the Robert Langdon rip off. He is so close to Dan Brown's character that they could be twins. The jacket blurb touted that Lourds' character was "Indiana Jones without the whip" but I'm sorry to say that I found Lourds so far from Indiana it wasn't funny. He is lifeless, naïve, boring, and impetuous to the point one thinks that for a professor he is just not too bright. Lourds is a womanizer, a bit of a wimp, self absorbed, and a character devoid of a likeable personality.
The writing style of the author is talented, his command of the language reveals he has written other books of some kind. However, the plot is very mediocre, nothing new, and lacked innovation. There are hundreds of these archaeology thrillers being penned now and I felt the Atlantis Code was severely formulaic and predictable, ending with an anti-climactic finale. As most of these stories go; archaeologist finds relic that is a key to a lost artifact of myth, bad guys and the Vatican both want this item and will kill to get it, archaeologist is tracked and hunted, many chase scenes abound, puzzles and codes to decipher, wonders are found, etc.etc. The Atlantis Code follows this formula outline to the max and offers no surprises, deviation or creativity. If you are a reader who is new to this genre, then for sure you will enjoy this action ride. But, if you have read many others in this theme of artifact hunting thrillers, my guess is you will feel as I do, that this is just average and mildly entertaining.
The ending too was a tremendous let down. The author's presentation of what Atlantis was, and his religious attachment to it was odd. In addition, without giving you details that would be considered a spoiler, the meaning of what is found is not 100% revealed to us at the story's end which just added to my not so positive experience and opinion.
For those of you who love this genre, and crave a creative new twist that shows ingenuity and talent, I strongly suggest reading Terence Lee's Time Camera. Better than The Da Vinci Code and offers a story you will not forget. It's a cut above all the rest at a time when these archaeology novels are being written by the hundreds each year. I just can't say that about The Atlantis Code.
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Sadly, disappointing, November 30, 2009
This review is from: The Atlantis Code (Hardcover)
Setting aside preconceptions from The DaVinci Code, The Atlantis Code by Charles Brokaw is about a Harvard linguistics professor, Thomas Lourds, who stumbles across an ancient artifact wanted by a secret group of Cardinals from the Vatican. Together with television journalist Leslie, and Russian police officer Natashya, Lourds and a few other characters travel the globe in search of five ancient instruments inscribed with an untranslatable language, somehow linked to the lost city of Atlantis. Where did the instruments come from? Are the ruins in Spain really Atlantis? And how can Lourds and his women escape the evil Cardinal Murani with their lives intact? These are the types of plots and action and conspiracies which I adore in a book. Running for your lives, secret languages, ancient artifacts, evil dudes wearing robes. I eat these things for lunch, and I like them.
Brokaw's twist on an often used stock-plot (Catholic Church hides something, and someone else must discover it) was new and unique and I was thankful that it kept me entertained. Lourds is searching for five musical instruments that unlock Sacred Texts which the Chuch does not want known. This is the reason I kept reading, I wanted to know the key to the mystery. Did they really discover Atlantis, and would Lourds be able to translate the artifacts in time? Sadly, it's the only thing I really liked about the book.
Before I get started on the things I didn't like, I will confess something: I'm a woman. I know, shocking. But I'm saying that now because in case some guy reads this and thinks I'm biased because of my sex, I will also say that I'm not a moron. I know how the male brain works, but I also know how books should work and they're not supposed to placate to the male fantasy of travelling across the globe while two hot chicks fight over you. Less is more, but Brokaw's sexual undertones were blatantly obvious and annoying. From the first time Lourds meets Leslie and appreciates her trim figure, to the second time he sees her, wearing a crop top and a belly ring, to the time they're on a boat together heading toward Venice and "the chop of the waves rolled their bodies together in a manner that was altogether too pleasing and too tempting," (177)*. It became way too frequent, and way too sickening. Especially when Natashya enters the picture, complete with trench coat and pockets full of guns. I believe Brokaw enjoyed turning her from a masculine character smoking a cigar, into a feminine vixen wearing pajamas with no panties later in the novel. It's a shame it was more for his own pleasure than that of the reader's. He's not a misogynist, he does not hate women, but he certainly enjoyed making them into stereotypes for his own entertainment. He used the phrase "grind him into dust"* and he wasn't talking about a fist fight, people. Lourds is supposed to be middle-aged, but sexy; intelligent and kind. But he's a pig. He can't possibly understand why two women fight over him? And Leslie can still find time to be jealous when she's running for her life? And Natashya, really? I had faith that you of all of them would remain normal, but no. Sadly, the only character who lived up to my expectation was the evil Cardinal Murani. He knew what it meant to be a villain.
I'd give this book 1 star for the character of Thomas Lourds
1 star for the character of Leslie
2 stars for Natashya
3 stars for the bad guys
3 stars for the writing
4 stars for the plot and twist on religious conspiracy
1 star for the ending with the women
3 stars for the ending with the plot resolution
Average: 2.25 which rounds down to 2
So there you have it folks, 2 stars. I am sad for that. I received this book from GoodReads First Reads program and I was so very excited to start it. I love these types of books. I do not enjoy giving bad reviews, and I'm sorry that I have to, but it's necessary. We don't read books just for the plots, we read them because we enjoy the characters and we can relate to them. I thought Thomas Lourds was going to be a great character, he had all the beginnings of one, but he decided to think with his libido more than he should have, and I can't enjoy that when it happens every ten pages.
If you've read this book, leave a comment to your review, I'd love to hear what you thought of The Atlantis Code.
*My copy is an uncorrected ARC, so quotes and page numbers may be subject to change in final version.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Formulaic but Fun!, January 16, 2010
This review is from: The Atlantis Code (Hardcover)
I just finished reading my library's brand new copy of "The Atlantis Code," the finished book, not the ARC. Here's my take on it:
PROS:
1. I enjoyed the descriptions of the main characters: the brilliant (and arrogant) archeologist, the self-centered, often clueless journalist, the cold but effective Russian detective, and the suprisingly bright camera man. Each one came alive for me because each was a flawed human. The bad guys made less sense -- they appeared to be bad simply to move the action along.
2. The plot moved quickly, keeping me reading to see what happened next. In addition, moving the action from location to location kept it fresh and added to the interest.
CONS:
1. The ending of this novel was less than satisfying. Within a few pages, the bad guys were dispatched, the main characters saved -- as you would expect. However, not all the loose ends were tied up. What was the knowledge that so many died for? Where was the resolution? What will happen to the prize now in the hands of the church?
2. I was willing to suspend disbelief about the story of the destruction of Atlantis, but I just couldn't do it. It was too thin for me.
3. The ending appeared rushed. Where the first three-quarters of the book entertained me with characterization, action, and motive, the last quarter had new characters added without much information as to why they would participate in a scheme that could spell the end of the world.
Recommendation:
This novel is light reading that maintained my interest through most of the book. With many locations and some good characterizations, it might be coming to your local cinema soon. However, don't expect another "DaVinci Code." This one's not it.
3.5 stars
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