Customer Reviews

Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi (Indiana Jones, No. 1)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I thought Peril at Delphi was a good beginning to the novel series that fills in the blanks of what happens in Indy's life between where the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles TV series left off and the Raiders of the Lost Ark begins. It's fast-paced, interesting and stays true to the Indy that we all know and love. However we must remember while reading this book that Indy is still young and not as worldly or battle-hardened as he is in the Movies. That's what I think is really special about the Rob McGregor novels. He lets us see the events and cicumstances that shape Indy into the gritty, Harrison Ford character of later adventures. Peril at Dephi is a must-read for all Indy fans.

This isn't the best introduction to the world of Indy novels. Obviously, Indy of 1922 wouldn't get to see as much action as Indy of the 1930's, but still... The book seemed to be focused more on politics and intrigue than the archeology. The visions Indy gets when holding the Omphalos, though, are a nice touch. Be sure to read my reviews of Dance of the Giants, Seven Veils, Genesis Deluge, Unicorn's Legacy, Interior World, Sky Pirates(coming soon), Philosopher's Stone, Dinosaur Eggs, and Secret of the Sphinx.

This first of the Indy novels is, so far, my favorite. I do have to say that I put it down after reading the first half. It just didn't have the Indiana Jones "feel" to it. But when I eventually started reading it again, the last half had more than enough of that "feel". It was terrific. Wish I would have kept reading the first time.

"Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi" details the first adventure Indiana Jones ever faced - dealing with his college professor. Sounds like something we all had to deal with at some point in our lives, but I'd like to think our college professors didn't drag us to a foreign country to help in a plot to, essentially, take over the world. The three Indiana Jones movies "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," showed us Jones as the full fledged archeologist/adventurer, with a little taste of his teen hood in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (with River Phoenix as the young Indy). Because of this teen hood movie showcase, this book seems out of place, since by the time Indiana Jones was in college, he would have already faced adventures. Aside from this, I found the story to be weak - not an Indiana Jones story at all. Of course, one could say it is because that Indiana Jones was not yet "Indiana Jones," but I felt author Rob MacGregor didn't tap into the essence of the character (but maybe it's Harrison Ford who is overshadowing it all). The writing is a bit bland and confusing, and I felt the story to be exaggerated at the wrong times. If you're looking for a summer read in-between some more profound books, then this may be your book. Otherwise, no. I "sorta" recommend.

I loved the character development of Indy in this one, then the suspense and the drama as the plot unfolded. Definitely one of the better books in the series.

It's 1922, Indy has just graduated from college and is going for his doctorate in ancient languages. However, he is lured away from his studies by his beautiful professor to look into what an earthquake has exposed in Delphi. His adventure and the professor give him cause to re-examine his career and possibly take up archeology instead of languages. The book is slow paced, lacks the real adventure of Indiana Jones, but is strong enough to stand up for a younger-just-starting-out Indy story. My biggest gripe is the dialogue just doesn't flow and, while not overwhelming, the use of swear words (emphasize that it really is minimal and Indy never really did curse but he uses the caca expletive repeatedly in this). None-the-less, as the first in the novel series, it could have been better but is still acceptable.

If you're a fan of the movies, you'll probably like this book. It gives more background on the screen character, as all books do. It's a pretty fast read, as the target audience are/was young adults.

This book in particular begins while Indy is in college, and about to graduate. As is his style, he gets himself into trouble, so off he goes on an adventure that's filled with intrigue and danger.

This book is the first of a series of books, of which this is probably my first or second favorite. They are inexpensive, and are good to come back and read periodically. I've had mine for ten years or more, the pages are all yellowed, and I've read it more times than I can count. That should say something about it.

If you didn't need this book as a setup for the next one then I would say skip it. The next book is better so if you want to read the whole series then I'm afraid you need to choke this one down in order to get to the next one which will not disappoint.

Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi is the first of twelve Indiana Jones novels published in the 1990s. This series, officially licensed by Lucasfilm, is inspired by the Indiana Jones character who first appeared in 1981 with the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Rob MacGregor authored the first six books including The Peril at Delphi. Martin Caidin wrote the seventh and eighth books, and Max McCoy wrote the last four.

This book opens in 1920 when Jones is a university student in Chicago. After earning his diploma (and getting into some trouble with the university president) Jones continues his study of languages at the Sorbonne in Paris. While there, Jones meets Dorian Belecamus, an attractive archaeology professor. She convinces Jones to accompany her on an archaeological dig at Delphi, Greece. The ancient Greeks believed that the site of Delphi was sacred to the god Apollo. Delphi also contained the famous oracle, or prophet, which people consulted. By agreeing to go to Delphi with Professor Belecamus, Indy unwittingly becomes involved in an intricate plot--and this is where the mystery, intrigue, and adventure begin.

I did enjoy this book, but I would not recommend it for younger readers as there is some strong language and some suggestive material. I liked the book enough to want to read other volumes in the series. It is best to read this book first as it is part of a sequence of books. In conclusion, The Peril at Delphi is an entertaining book and captures the sprit of adventure that characterizes Indiana Jones.

Overall not bad for an Indy book. The story's fine, but the writing not so much.