Customer Reviews

The Pegasus Secret (Lang Reilly Thrillers)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Even before Loomis's THE PEGASUS KEY was published there were comparisions to Brown's bestselling novel with a similiar plot. However before readers of the Da Vinci code, and there are a few, decide that they have read this before and therefore there is no need to read THE PEGASUS KEY please read this review.
Langford Rielly is an ex-Cia agent, whose sister and nephew are killed in a firebombing. Just because Lang had changed his career to become a lawyer does not however mean he can turn a blind eye to justice, or vengeance however, and he vows to discover the reason behind their tragic deaths no matter where it leads him. The key seems to be a copy of a painting, that is a map leading to...well you will have to read this excellent book to find that out.

Loomis apparantly worked on his manuscript for a couple years at least, which should prove there is no intentional copying or mimicking here. Although the plot is similiar to Brown's Pegasus is not the first thriller to run into similiar plots, in fact Da Vinci for all its controversy is hardly the first novel to raise questions concerning church dogma. Now that I have laid to rest my defense for the plot I will focus on Loomis's excellent characterization and pacing. This is an extremely readable novel, written at a compelling fever pitch where the pages are soaked with characterization and action. Loomis flips from third person narration to first seamlessly. It has fascinating historical details which although fictional are interesting enough in that there is evident factual research at play in the story.

This novel is not extremely long and depending on readers' commitment to Loomis's storytelling can be read in a matter of days but hopefully kept on the shelf to be re-read, in fact after just finishing it I almost want to reread it immediately I enjoyed it that much.

One more thing, some may intepret this review as a dissing of Da Vinci Code and I want to assure Amazon browsers that is not my intent I also really liked Brown's novel. I just want to restate that this is an excellent alternative or addition to anyone's reading list that already contains The da Vinci Code.

What a pleasant surprise! A modern day treasure hunt - tracing a several centuries-old painting with hidden meanings to a present-day double murder, the pages fly by with ease.

It is obvious the author spent many hours researching this work - I checked the accuracy of the historical data presented in the book and it appears to be spot-on, which makes the novel even more believable.

Both history buffs and those who feel a little more historically-challenged alike will enjoy this read and find this book fascinating.

Dan Brown was good but Loomis is better. The book incorporates more accurate historical events than Brown could invent.

A 5-star recommendation - after all, who doesn't love a good treasure hunt?

Like most of the planet, I enjoyed reading the DaVinci Code. I've also read a lot of hystorical secret thrillers since... the market is flooded with them. This particular book is a straight forward application of the formula, with the only variable being his long-since-past employment with the CIA. That is used as a literary crutch a little too often to get him out of artifically created tight spots. I found myself drifting off the read quite often loosing attention to a conversation in the reading room, or thinking about something else while reading. I become completely engrossed in a good read, so I'd have to say that didn't happen with this book. It's not horrible, and if you really like the historical thriller, it's probably a good airplane read, but to devote a weekend to it would be a waste of a good weekend. If you read it's 369 pages straight through from Friday evening, you could salvage your Saturday night and reflect on your choice say "Hmmm, the Knights Templar are at it again!". Generok

For all of you Dan Brown fans, this is right up that same alley. For all of you computer gamers, 'oh shades of Gabriel Knight!'
I like the flow of a good read with just enough historical 'fact' to learn a little and tweak the mind. All of you of the same mind will enjoy this for what it is.

As with Dan Browns book and the Gabriel Knight game, you can read Holy Blood, Holy Grail to find the research behind these books/games. This gives you the background to further familiarize the areas and the people involved, thus making it an easier read.

In Paris, a bomb exploded in the apartment building where Janet, her adopted son and her hostess were staying. Langford Reilly, former CIA agent goes to Paris to bring home the remains, but while there learns that Janet bought a painting. After Lang leaves the out of the way store, someone tries to knife him. He soon discovers that Janet shipped the painting to a store to be framed. He picks up the painting, an appraisal and a Polaroid of the painting to take home with him.

Someone removes all three objects and bombs the gallery where the painting was framed. An assailant enters Lang's' home to kill him but he is prepared. Lang finds out that an expert on the painting is in Vatican City so he travels there and learns that the painting is a map and the organization who is after him doesn't want him to find out what is hidden at the designated location. The organization commits another homicide, but frames Lang as the killer. With the help of friends from his CIA days, the former agent remains determined to find out why he is stalked, his sibling murdered and what secret this rich and powerful organization is hiding.

Fans of Dan Brown's THE DA VINCI CODE are going to love THE PEGASUS SECRET, an ecclesiastical thriller that is so action-packed that readers will feel they are on a fast moving rocket ship. The hero is in danger from the time he receives the painting but he is determined to find out why his sister was killed and how the painting leads to her death. Greg Loomis writes an amazing thriller with more twists and turns than a maze.

Harriet Klausner

I literally just finished this book, and it was a chore. I had never read a Gregg Loomis book and was really looking forward to discovering another author of thrillers to enjoy. Terribly disappointing book. I was assuming this was his first book, so I started with this one. The pace of the book is plodding and the editor should be shot for missing so many spelling and grammar mistakes. The main character, Lang Reilly, is boring with a capital B. The most interesting character is, oh wait, there isn't one! Here's a spoiler, if you can call it that, his dog died and "came back to life" in 1/2 a page, pleeezzzz! Don't waste your money or your time. The only reason I gave it one star was for the idea.

Need something light to read pool side, but still want a touch of intellectual stimulation? This book would fill a few hours nicely. Honestly, I was doubtful, thinking it was a Da Vinci Code rip-off (it would have helped if the "hero" in each didn't have such similar names). I was also distracted by the large number of typos. BUT, having said that, this book had a good, smart mystery and some quick action that made it worth the price of the paperback. I suspect if Loomis had a bit more support from his publisher (editing and proofreading) his next book could be much better. And not to ruin it for anyone, but the ending could have used some tweaking. It's not so bad to make the read worthless, but the book could have ended about 5 paragraphs sooner.

This book was OK as far as Conspiracy's go. But I felt like this book didn't have alot of content until the end. And the ideal that this book is based on has been done before, and it didn't have the places, and history that a book like The Da Vinci Code, and some others have had.
I think that it's just really didn't have anything really original in it.

When I read the back cover of this book by my fellow Atlantan, it appeared to be the formula that makes up my favorite type of book. Unfortunately, this did not hold true. Gregg Loomis has written a book featuring Lang Reily, an Atlanta attorney and former C.I.A. agent. When his sister and nephew are killed in France, Lang begins to try to find out why. When it appears that it has something to do with a painting his sister bought before her death, Lang begins to uncover the layers of a conspiracy that goes back thousands of years, all the while traveling throughout Europe.
This is a backdrop that has served Dan Brown well, but Mr. Loomis' version does not move as fast or finish as well.

While browsing for some light summer reading, I came across the Gregg Loomis novels featuring the Langford Reilly character and decided to give one a try. The Pegasus Secret seemed to be the right place to start, so I ordered (downloaded to my Kindle) it and began reading...

I like many different types of books, but when I'm looking for some recreational reading I prefer the suspense/thriller over most other genre. Loomis does a nice job of delivering on the time-proven formula of reluctant hero, international and historical intrigue, sinister conspiracies, and plenty of action and adventure. I have a problem sometimes reviewing such subjective entertainment media as books, movies, and music - because the reasons I like or dislike something may not relate in any way to most others.

I found Pegasus to be a very good and entertaining read, and I enjoyed the book. Here's what I liked about it: The main character, Lang Reilly is a likeable man, with imperfect qualities but a sound moral compass. The plot involves a great deal of historical interest, largely fictional but interesting nonetheless. The bad guys are mysterious and sinister, but as you move through the book they become less one dimensional. Of course, there is conspiracy, some light romance, and good motivation. That is not to say that the book doesn't follow the "thriller" outline so closely that parts become predictable.... they do. But I don't mind overlooking the small literary shortcomings in order to enjoy the read. I wasn't looking for the next American Lit Classic here.

I take away only one star for the format following nature of the plot, and the predictability of the characters. If you like page turning action novels that you can finish in a weekend or over a short vacation, then this is a winner. To bolster my rating, I have since purchased several more Lang Reilly novels, and have enjoyed them all.