Customer Reviews

The Hammer of Eden

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(25)
1 star:		(51)

 

 

The idea, at first blush, is bold and captivating. A fringe, cult-like group is determined to protect their commune, which is located in the backwoods of Northern California, from development. To do so, they need a credible means to force the state government to cease their incessant land-grabs. With the help of a geologist who's joined the commune, the cult leader (Priest) determines there may be a way to trigger earthquakes using a sonic mapping device known as a seismic vibrator.

Follett's talent is prodigious. He's almost capable of making us believe that this preposterous scenario is remotely plausible. But even his immense talent isn't enough to make up for the succession of plot holes big enough to drive a seismic vibrator through.

Example: At one point, Michael seems to be the only one in the state who hasn't seen Priest's picture on television. Because Michael encountered Priest early on in the story, he should have recognized him on TV and the entire FBI dragnet should have ended a lot sooner.

The puzzle pieces are all there, in formulaic fashion: The cute, female FBI agent. The cute, divorced male geologist Michael. The Manson-like cult leader Priest who, though illiterate, is able to evade the FBI repeatedly while driving a giant seismic vibrator that tops out at about 40 mph. I'm sure you can guess what happens.

If you're stuck inside on a rainy day and you happen to have this laying around (and nothing else to do), certainly go ahead and read it. Otherwise, learn macrame or origami. You'll drive yourself crazy second-guessing the characters and the author in this all-too-predictable bore-fest. Mr. Follett is far too talented to be producing works of this caliber.

I am a long standing Ken Follett fan. I consider The Pillars of the Earth to be one of my all time favourite books. A magnificent, sweeping, all consuming tale, well worth a reread. Unfortunately, The Hammer of Eden falls far short of the mark. Like the slow low-rumblings of the seismic generator it chronicles, this story rolls on to an all too predictable conclusion. I felt like I was reading a hastily written treatment for a made-for-TV-movie; complete with shallow characters and trashy sex scenes. Too bad I started longing for commercials.

I've been a follower of KF's work since "Eye of the Needle" and have read nearly all his paperbacks. My favorite by far must be "Pillars of the Earth."

As many of these readers have pointed out, there are major problems with this novel. The most glaring of which is the plotline.

In the journalism industry, we are taught one basic rule about writing a story: do you understand your assignment to the extent that you could chat with your neighbor "over the fence" about it and have it make sense? If not, go back and do your research.

Okay, it breaks down like this: a bunch of forgotten hippies from the 1960's cause a series of earthquakes with oil-drilling equipment to stop the State of California from taking their commune, and a beautiful FBI agent must stop them to win fame, career advancement and love(!). That about right?

I'm from Northern California, and the area has a flavor all its own. KF captures some of it. (I especially liked the segment where the N. Cali residents justify staying in California with the imminent threat of another earthquake looming.)

But KF's strongest area is historical fiction focused on England and/or Europe. His war dramas also ring true with most readers.

This experiment with modern American culture tended to fall short, as did his previous work in this area, "The Third Twin."

Folks, if you need your KF historical thriller fix, pick up a copy of "London" - it's bland in places, but it will keep you going until KF decides to write again about his homeland.

The main villian is an illiterate, con-man, barely competent thief and murderer. And Follett managed to make me actually like the guy. The plot is believable when you take into account the great skills of the FBI managing the Chineese atomic spy case current now, or the grand manner in which they investigated the Branch Davidians in Texas.

The complaints in the other reviews can be summarized as "this one is different, not historical, not England." It is contemporary California and that is not all bad. Take this book on its own merits. It is a fun read and you get your money's worth for entertainment.

My previous experience with Ken Follett was "The Third Twin", I book I was not too pleased with. So, when I pulled out this book on tape and saw, to my dismay, that it was by the same author I was expecting garbage.

Boy, was I wrong. This is a fast-paced thriller with loads of office politics and just a touch of romance to keep the pot stirring. There were laugh out load moments, such as when Agent Maddox busts through her potential boyfriend's door.

Was the plot feasible? Doubtful. But, it was still interesting and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The tape was very well-performed by Anthony Heald (perhaps best known as the Assistant Principal on Boston Public). five stars for him.

I picked this book up in Copenhagen in Sept., it's due to be released in the US in October (I think). Anyway, I was skepical to dive into this after "The Third Twin," which I felt was a huge disappointment against all of the other great things he's written. But, I'm happy to report that this book helps bring Mr. Follett on his road to recovery! The basic plot is an interesting one: the ability of a cult-commune leader to trigger a California earthquake in order to stop the development of power plants threatening his home. The plot moves quickly, with a good mix of suspense, humor, passion, and all the usual elements. The links that develop between the good and evil keep the story interesting, and but for a few points that seem a bit too contrived or unlikely, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to Follett fans. It's no "Pillars of the Earth" (my vote for his best work, and one of my favorite books ever), but it is worth reading and encourages me that there is indeed life after "Third Twin."

Take a group of communal hippies, held together by a slightly likeable, but desperate, determined and deranged leader, called Priest, then add one smart, relentless female FBI agent. Add a slice of an environmentally insensitive California governor, sprinkle lightly with multiple-partner sex, add good California pot, a vicious back-stabbing at the local FBI office, then throw in a killing or two; shake well with earthquake force, then you will have a gripping Ken Follett novel.

Follett is a master of creating conflicts within conflicts, a crisis within a crisis. In "Hammer of Eden" he draws you into the contrasting worlds of a free-love hippy commune and the regimented FBI. Follett enlightens you with some interesting and informative insights on how the FBI uses linguistic analysis to profile suspects.

However, I did have difficultly accepting Follett's portrait of the FBI. After the gross intelligence failure of September 11th I believe it will be a long time before any author will, as Follett did, portray the FBI as being a technologically omniscient, an agency that is able to out think the common terrorist. That said, this is a engrossing read and highly recommended

It would seem that the dashing, all-intelligent, all-powerful male protagonist might be passe. Ken Follett now shows up with a courageous, smart, female FBI agent who makes her fellow male agents look like self serving, incompetent idiots. Would this have been the character set up in an FBI story of 10 years ago? If J. Edgar Hoover hears about this he will be doing some serious rotating in his grave.

Can the terrorists fulfill their threat to create California earthquakes if their demands are not met? It would seem they could, although Judy Maddox's brainless fellow agents scoff and publicly embarrass her. Well we all know what will happen don't we?

It's a fun ride though, and I enjoyed it. As someone who lived for years in the San Francisco area I had an extra pleasure in seeing if a British writer would make any mistakes describing northern California. He did pretty well, making only a few trifling errors.

Recommended as an OK time passer, although I still think Follett's best books were his first ones.

This is the first book I've read by Ken Follett, and I absolutely loved it. I thought it was an easy and very interesting read. I was always wondering what Priest, Melanie, and Star would be up to next. Is it humanly possible to cause an earthquake?

All Ken Follett books are decent reads--even his earliest efforts that he himself deprecates. However, his last two books have been definite let-downs for me after such mesmerizing masterpieces as Night over Water, Dangerous Fortune, Pillars of the Earth, Triple, and Eye of the Needle. The special combination of interesting heroes, strong suspense, passionate romance, and beautifully rendered settings just doesn't work in contemporary American settings. How very much I wish Mr Follett would return to a historical era--World War II, the Victorian Age, the French Revolution, the Renaissance--I don't care (as long as it's not the Wild West). Or, if he must be contemporary, at least I wish he'd try for a more exotic locale--Hong Kong, the Balkans, Pakistan, Chechnya . . . . even his native Wales. But, please, no more Boys from Brazil retreads on American college campuses and tiresome doomsday cults in California. There are enough bad American writers writing this sort of stuff; why should a good British writer waste his time on it?