Customer Reviews

Excavation

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(40)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

In Rollins's second novel, we join an archeological expedition on a dig at an ancient Incan site. As the story opens it is revealed that a mummy found at the site is actually a Spanish priest. The news of this discovery sets many powerful wheels in motion; the first of which causes a collapse of the dig and the entrapment of many of the crew.

As the crew tries to escape from the dig and the digs head mounts a rescue, we begin a journey that takes us through history, Incan legends, secret societies, and plenty of action and suspense.

Although the title might make one expect a similar setting to his first book, there is very little time spent inside caves or tombs. This time the suspense comes from those who wish to gain something from this Incan site and a legend of "Satan's Blood"; a near magical substance that holds a key to an age-old secret plan. Like the first book, there was some imbalance in eco systems where there seemed to be more predators than the food supply could allow but this time it is less important to the plot and therefore easier to overlook.

Both EXCAVATION and SUBTERRANEAN are better than AMAZONIA (his fourth book) with the stories being more complete. Although I suspected some of the book's revelations, I didn't get them quite right. Needless to say, giving too many details would lessen the effect of the book and it is one worth reading.

and you'll find a pretty good read. Alright...it's not the most believable premise. (believeable, hell!; this ranks right up there with "there's no travelling in the NBA", the Alien Autopsy, and "I'll still respect you in the morning...") On the other hand, if you like over-the-top "Indiana Jones-type" adventure stories, then you'll find this book very entertaining.

Character development is a little weak and in most cases, it's really hard to feel very close to "our heroes", but besides that and believability, those are the only major flaws in this book. I've got to admit that once I finally got into the story, this was a hard book to put down.

I'm not big on giving too much of the plot line away in these reviews because I hate it when somebody does that. So, suffice it to say, Rollins does a nice job keeping two plots lines going and tying them together at the end of the book. There's a lot of action in the last 300 pages and it's easy to pick out the "bad" guys in this book - a group who's usually not thought of as being "bad" guys, I might add! (I'm sure this won't be on the Pope's reading list.)

If you liked Rollins' first novel, "Subterranean", or if you enjoyed "Neanderthal" and the "Relic" books, you'll probably really enjoy "Excavation" as well. And, like a lot of novelists these days, the "door" is left open at the end of this book for a sequel. I smell "mini-series"!

As I read 'Subterranean' I couldn't help but wonder if Mr. Rollins was going to be introduced to what folks in the publishing biz call an 'Editor'...he has such raw talent and great ideas, but they don't get to run through the editors gristmill before they hit the pages. His first novel was a hodgepodge of ideas strung along together in order to keep your interest--and that he did, but at the expense of smooth writing and editing.

'Excavation' remedies a LOT of what I found disappointing in his first novel. As far as I can tell either his talent has greatly increased or an editor finally decided to reign in his ideas and give them direction because SOMETHING has happened in between novel 1 and novel 2--something very good.

I found myself drawn into this tale virtually from page 1 and it honestly began to get better, gradually at first, and then like a steamroller with no brakes it takes off and refuses to slow down. I have to say, that the thought of being caught in an archaelogical dig with THOUSANDS of albino tarantulas massing to use YOU for an evening snack was enough to bring the hair on my neck to attention. More detailed, MUCH more complex, 'Excavation' is a great Hollywood movie in-waiting in my opinion. Kinda like 'X-Files' meets 'Indiana Jones'. A great combination and overall, a VERY fun and exciting novel, and when all is said and done, a TREMENDOUS improvement over 'Subterranean'.

I got hooked on Excavation when I was starving for more adventure reading from Lincoln Douglas & Preston Childs. I'd read everything by them. Then I found James Rollins and couldn't put the book down. So, okay, the premise was a bit hokey and I didn't exactly buy into the creatures in the land of the dead, but still I wanted to see what would happen. I thought this book was a great summer read, just right for those times when you really want to kick back and enjoy yourself.

I do believe his other book Subterranean was better. I loved the twist of having marsupials dinos running around. I think James Rollins has a future and I look forward to reading more of his work.

I thoroughly enjoyed Subterranean and so I thought maybe I'd like some of this other books. I tried Excavation, bad idea. Although it is fast paced, its got some serious charachter flaws. The one dimentional personality traits were so boring. I didn't feel connected to any one of them. Without giving any real information of the story line. It was somewhat predictable, having a similar type of development to Subterranean. I read through it fast, although it was somewhat entertaining, the ending was too strange to feel satisfied by the completion of the book. I won't say what it is, but there is something they find towards the end of the book, that is not explained, it just sits there, with first thought theories, leaving the reader, wanting to know more about this 'it'. Then before you know it, the book is finished, and you're sitting there thinking, well what the heck happened to 'it'? What is 'it'? Well I'd definitely reach for Subterreanean, before I grabbed this one.

I am happy to report that James Rollins second book is even better than his first! Since reading Subterranean last year, I have impatiently awaited James Rollins' new book. This book was exciting and fast paced and contained all of the elements that are so close to my heart...adventure, archaeological discoveries, romance, and just plain good fun. I particularly love the Indiana Jones type of storyline. Now I am totally bereft...after waiting for so long to read it, I completed it in one sitting. Please Mr. Rollins write faster or I will have to force myself to read slower. Only problem is that once you pick one of James Rollins' books up, you cant put it back down. I honestly dont think I can wait another year for your next book.

What a great book this was; too bad J.R. does not have the backing of the publisher to go hard cover on this story. Let me say, I was reluctant to buy this book at first. I read SUBTERRANEAN and I did not enjoy it at all. My review does state that on the amazon customer review section of this web site. But because there was a review by one of my favorite authors, Douglas Preston, on the cover, I decided to give Mr. Rollins another try. To my surprise this book was right on. The setting is in the South American Jungle fill with drama, suspense, and intrigue. The story unfolds about the Inca's life and treasures, which have been buried for untold centuries. College students take this ride in the unknown. There challgene will be whether they survive because as the story goes....THOSE WHO WOULD DISTURB THE CHOSEN MUST NOW FACE THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE: SURVIVAL. To find what happen you have to turn those pages until almost the very end. This is GREAT writing folks... a burn the midnight oil story.

This second book from J.R. was good and not just good, but very good. I can't wait for his third book!

Tripp

I guess I have only myself to blame for reading this-- I'd Read Rollins' first book, "Subterranean," and found some fleeting pleasure in its silliness about lost races and undreamed-of human histories. But "Excavation" is a wet firecracker of a book that seems to have been written for pre-adolescents. Poorly characterized and predictably plotted, it reads like an "ABC After School Special" version of an Indian Jones movie.

Oddly, Rex Stout wrote this book (or something almost exactly like it) about 80 years ago and called it "Under The Andes." It's available online in its entirety if you don't believe me.

There are dozens of authors who do this thing better: Philip Jose Farmer, Jeff Long ("The Descent"), Talbot Mundy, H. Rider Haggard-- heck, read Lovecraft's "At The Mountains of Madness" for a ten-times-better look at an expedition seeking a lost civilization.

But skip this-- even if Rollins get a few things right in the first few hundred pages, actually spurring you to seek answers to several interesting plot developments, he throws it all away in the last few hundred with cliched writing and a surpriseless denouement. No more Rollins for me....

I picked up this book for a bit of light summer reading. I got through with it in about a day, and I must confess that it was a bit of a page turner, as it it touted to be. It blends action/adventure with archaeology, which is always a plus. I just finished another of Rollins novels, and have begun "Sandstorm," and perhaps the main weakness of his writing lies in his characterization. Rollins seems to classify those that are religious to be serving some sinister purpose, and that the military is composed of bumbling, mindless "GI Joe" types. The archaeologist/paleontologist/scientist/etc. always resents the former in some way, while figuring out the Great Mystery and Saving the Day. Rollins also manages to stereotype African Americans, Homosexuals, and Middle Easterners. His heroines are beautiful and brilliant, but suffer from phobias or epileptic fits and have to be rescued by the Alpha male character (who is usually a Dirk Pitt type clone).

Still this was a fun read, and that is what Rollins is catering to. I agree with other posters that he need to do his homework more often when researching, but in his "Aknowledgments" he states that any inaccuracies are his responsibility.

I liked this book, but I had to force myself to read it thoroughly. I realize that when I begin skimming or looking ahead that the book is not capturing my interest. Occasionally it might be because I just have to know how something interesting or a crisis ends up, bu in this case, I think it was just too much. Overstimulating? Unbelievable? Subterranean was much better. Although this was an entertaining read, I was just anxious to get the book done. It was a NOT a page turner.