Customer Reviews

The Spider Stone

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Rogue Angel: The Spider Stone" is an old fashioned highball. It's a big shot of action in an ice cold world, lightning fast pacing to fill and garnished with a sacred stone from the heart of Africa. It's intoxicating and fun.

The action in this story is positively breathtaking. An experienced hand wrote this book and it shows. That hand has been in the dojo, doubled into a fist and smashed through some bricks. That hand recognizes the feel of steel, has cradled a blade and known a sword as weapon and a friend. That brings an edgy reality to the action sequences that pop right off the page.

Annja Creed is a heroine with a mission from the highest power. She's definitely not one of Alcott's little women "taught by weal and woe to love and labor ..." She's on the other end of the pendulum's arc with Laura Croft and Electra. She is a hero in the ultramodern sense, and that is the story's only flaw. She is unshackled by uncertainty, romantic interest, or existential introspection. I missed the depth that would have brought to her character. But this isn't a tea and crumpets romance, it is an unapologetic action thriller, and it earns its chops.

"Rogue Angel: The Spider Stone" stays true to its theme rooted deep in a constant opposition of light and shadow. Alex Archer's commitment to plain prose makes this story read fast and sure.

Annja Creed has the avenging sword and social compass of Saint Joan of Arc. And that's just for starters. This story takes Annja Creed across the world on a quest to protect a sacred stone. Yes, the trail is bumpy, dangerous and littered with plenty of bad guys. I'm glad I went Annja on this adventure. You will be glad too. Highly recommended.

"The team failed," a slim warrior with an eye-patch told Tafari.
"How?"
"They went after the woman. They thought she would be the easiest to capture. Instead she killed three of them."
In Alex Aracher's, "Rogue Angel: The Spider Stone," that's pretty much how it goes for the bad guys who go after Annja, the story's hero, an archeologist with a secret weapon - the reassembled mystical sword that once belonged to Joan of Arc. The sword awakens a warrior's fighting ability within Annja (to nothing less than superhero proportions) and it's a good thing since her latest excursion into an archeological mystery eventually causes her to cross paths with an African warlord.
That poor warlord didn't even know what he was getting himself into.
I was unfamiliar with the Rogue Angel series and only read it at the suggestion of a friend. I'm glad I did because not only was it designed to be a quick read that throws you into the fast-paced action sequences, but it also brought the brutality of slavery and the horrendous economic conditions that plague Africa alive for me in a way that history books and news articles don't. That's what good storytelling is, I think, it entertains, but also opens your eyes to something you might not have seen before (without getting preachy in the process).
The book itself is a relatively quick read, by design, and is broken up into brief chapters for people on the go - read a little here and there, stop, then pick it back up later - the type of book that satisfies the reader on the go. (The writer seems to have understood who today's readers might be.)
I recommend this book for the action lovers out there who read sporadically, love history and world events, but don't have the time to become completely immersed in them - sort of a Flintstone's Vitamin of literature. Good stuff.

With a vicious African Warlord hot on her trail, Archaeologist Annja Creed meets life head on, first in Kirktown, Georgia, then in West Africa as she deciphers the story and treasure map of the Hausa people's past found on a small stone.

THE SPIDER STONE is Alex Archer's third book in the Rogue Angel series, with DESTINY being the first and SOLOMON'S JAR the second. A fourth book, THE CHOSEN, will be released January 2007. Even though this was my first Alex Archer book, I enjoyed it enough to order the first two in the series and anxiously away the release of the fourth.

The action-packed story contains strong characters that face life-and-death battles. At times the take-charge heroine and cast of colorful characters kept me guessing who was friend and who was foe, effectively increasing the story tension. The author's succinct style creates an edge-of-the-seat read, which made it difficult for me to put down before turning the last page.

This reader kept waiting for a stronger romantic subplot to develop for the main character, as the necessary elements were present. Now, I wonder if the seeds were planted for the two characters to meet again in another story and further develop the romantic relationship.

Readers with eclectic tastes who like a cross-over of genre elements will enjoy ROGUE ANGEL: THE SPIDER STONE, which is shelved as science fiction, but tinted with fantasy and embroidered with legend and history, yet grounded in modern times. A surprisingly fresh story experience!

Okay, so if you've been following reviews of other Alex Archer Rogue Angel books, you will see that the fact that there are actually multiple authors under this pseudonym is widely discussed - when you sit down to read the books, you'll know that it's true.

I started by reading Destiny (Rogue Angel bk 1) - such a fabulously fun book that it is on my keeper shelf. It was well written and the character of Annja Creed became one of my favorite fiction characters. Then I moved on to read the second book in the series and immediately knew it had been written by someone else. It wasn't written as well and, though it was a great edge of your seat read, it just didn't measure up to the writing in the first book. Also, Annja's character was not as likeable or as noble as the Annja in the first book in the series.

Now I have finished the 3rd book in the series - The Spider Stone. I could tell immediately that this book had been written by the original author of Destiny. The original Annja character was back - and just as likeable as the original.

This story begins in the southern United States where Annja has been asked to come in and assist in a dig at a site that was once a part of the underground railroad. The dig nets a stone - the Spider Stone - with elaborate carvings on it. This leads Annja and her fellow archeologist to Africa to investigate the stone's origins. I don't want to say much more as it might spoil the story by giving too much away.

This book was well written and very well plotted. It kept me on the edge of my seat until it's thrilling conclusion. I highly recommend it.

This book is the third in a new series, featuring as the lead character a young female archeologist. Anja Creed. The story is action-adventure with a mix of fantasy and mystery. Alex Archer is a pen name under which several authors will write, and this entry is by Mel Odom. I found the pacing to be just right. Odom is especially good at establishing a sense of place, and this was an enjoyable page-turner. Odom must have done some good research for this book, for he has woven interesting bits of knowledge here and there into the story. I also enjoyed how well the characters were delineated. With deft, clean writing, the novel pulled me in with its strong story line, entertained me with bits of knowledge, and captured my attention with its interesting characters.

Rogue Angel: The Spider Stone: There are a lot of reviews here; this bodes well for the series I imagine, who seem intent on revealing the story and plotline. Since I'm not the first review and probably not the last I'd like to focus on a few of the finer elements of the series, this book in particular.

I am a HUGE fan of religious fiction, specifically Christian fiction, but I will read stories that have any hint of truth wrapped up in the. As I've told my spouse, if it makes you think and investigate further than that's always a good thing. A quick run through Google will point you not only to the Hausa people but also to information about the Spider God (fictional though it may be).

Combine that with the already legendary sword of Joan of Arc and you have the foundation for a great read. I hate to be clichéd but I must admit that I found this book to be quite the page turner. I haven't had this much fun since book 3 of the "Left Behind" series, at which point I just started flying through THAT series.

Although I am prejudiced about this book, since I have read and reviewed the other two, I do find one common irregularity in all of them. These are very well written books of action, intrigue, mystery, suspense and information. But I find myself getting completely LOST in at least one fight seen in every book. Now I will admit, The Spider Stone seemed to rely more on character development and plot advancement that violence, but in the same vein the fight in the cave was over WAY to quickly for MY enjoyment.

However, if you a fan of action the rope bridge chapter will keep you reading all the way through to the end. Over all an A+ and surely the best book of the three, so far. I admit that I am now expecting a great deal of good things from this author in the future. I also commend GOLD EAGLE for publishing a series that has as much thought provoking material as this one does.!

Buy it, read it, enjoy it, and then run out and get the FIRST two!

The premise of these novels is that of a beautiful young archeologist who is, to put it simply, discovers she is a reincarnation of Joan of Arc. Not quite discovers, Annja Creed was tracking down a legendary monster when she finds a metal amulet that proves to be the missing piece of the legendary saint's sword. With the help of two 500 year old men the sword suddenly reassembles itself and becomes a permanent part of Annja's being. All she has to do is reach out and, la voila!, she is holding the sword and has the wherewithal to use it.

You would think this would make life as a superhero easy, but far from it, this is a sword that comes with a certain amount of ethics and Annja has to keep from using it a general purpose solution to an excess number of bad guys. There's a lurking suspicion that the penalty fro sword abuse is severe - remember what happened to Joan. This time Annja's natural self control is tested when the bodies of a large number of slaves is discovered during the cleanup of an old mill in Kirktown, Georgia. Called in as an archeologist, Annya discovers that this is more than a collection of remains. One corpse reveals an ancient carved stone that hides the true location of the power that protected an African village until the slavers came.

If there is a power, there are men who will want it for selfish powers - to exploit a country or rule a world. Annja follows a trail that leads her into the land of the stone's origin and a desperate struggle to make sure that a deadly secret remains exactly that. The story starts out a bit slow as Alex Archer develops the complexity of a plot that touches both legendary themes and slavery as it was not all that long ago. But in short order Annja is the center of a great deal of drama and suspense with all the moves of Lara Croft - and that woman adventurer never kept a sword in inner space.

One has to wonder where all this will eventually lead. You can't keep pulling a sword out of nowhere and leaving witnesses without someone catching on that Annja herself has become an object of power. Nor are the motives of Garin and Roux, the two men who remember Joan as a living person, especially clear. Each has unspoken agendas for Annya that the reader can only guess at. Underneath this straightforward action adventure story lays an interesting thematic architecture that will no doubt produce many successful volumes to come.

It isn't often that an archeologist can discover important historical evidence within the United States and when Annja Creed is invited to help explore what might have been a stop along the underground railroad, she doesn't hesitate to grab the chance. But the evidence soon points to a different picture than an 'accident' for escaping slaves' deaths. Could they really have been a war party--murdered as they attempted to revolt? Within the body of one of the ex-slaves, Annja finds the mysterious Spider Stone, an artifact far more ancient than the underground railroad. In fact, the Spider Stone was brought from Africa by an early slave--and contains a priceless treasure map.

Annja's archeological experience has made her skeptical of ancient treasure. True treasure, for an archeologist, is writings, evidence of society. But others are vitally interested in treasure--and will happily kill to get it. One of those treasure-hunters is a West African warlord whom the Department of Homeland Security would badly like to track down. Annja and agent Andrew McIntosh develop an uneasy relationship.

As possessor of Joan of Arc's sword, Annja is more than an archeologist. Still. against the weapons and manpower that the African warlord can bring to bear, even within the United States, it will take all of her martial arts skills, and a great deal of luck for Annja even to stay alive--let alone discover a treasure. But Annja is not without resources and there are forces at work who would like the treasure discovered--whether for good purposes or evil.

Author Alex Archer is in fine form in THE SPIDER STONE. Annja's martial arts skills, frustrations over her career as an archeologist, and current boyfriendless state all come through clearly, making this exceptional woman a profoundly sympathetic character. Although an African stone carved with the spider symbol of an African trickster god lacks the cultural references of say Solomon's Jar of Demons for most of us, Archer makes us care about the results, care about the battered continent of Africa, and certainly entertains us with a fast-paced thriller.

THE SPIDER STONE is a strong addition to Archer's ROGUE ANGEL series. Although having read the earlier books in the series will increase the reader's enjoyment in seeing Annja continue to grow and to learn more about the forces at work in the world, this book stands alone--readers need not start at the beginning to enjoy this exciting story.

Rogue Angel: The Spider Stone was another amazing read. This series has quickly become my favorite this year. Getting off to an exciting start, Rogue Angel: Destiny introduces us to Annja Creed. Creed is a part-time archeologist, part-time host of a tv show called Chasing History's Monsters, and full-time adventurer.

In this third book in the Rogue Angel series,The Spider Stone, Annja is hired to find a treasure with a small stone as her only clue. From Atlanta, Georgia to West Africa, Annja is hunted by mercenaries and treasure seekers. But wielding the lost sword of Joan of Arc, Annja is a formidable force to be reckoned with.

As in the first book, the characters are all well developed. I can't wait to see where this series takes Creed and her mysterious, occasional allies, Garin and Roux. As always, action and adventure abound in this cross between Indiana Jones and Laura Croft.

Mel Odom and Victor Milan alternately write the Rogue Angel series, under the pseudonym Alex Archer.

Annja Creed is both an archaelogist and the wielder of the sword of Joan of Arc. Called to Kirktown, Georgia, Annja is asked to assist with identifying the bodies of slaves from over 150 years ago. However, she finds herself embroiled in the search for the legendary spider stone and its treasure as one of these slaves was the guardian of the stone. The trail leads from Georgia to Africa where Annja will battle against an evil warlord, Tafari, who wants possession of THE SPIDER STONE.

ROGUE ANGEL: THE SPIDER STONE continues the phenomenal adventures of Annja Creed. Annja's strong character development makes the ties to Joan of Arc believable as even she struggles with it at times. The hint of romance teases the reader as one wonders whether Agent Andrew McIntosh will reappear in future books although this is by no means a romance novel! McIntosh's job in Homeland security adds an interesting wrinkle to the overall storyline.

Alex Archer has mastered the art of crafting high-octane thrillers! The cleverly interwoven archaeological mysteries keep this series fresh and interesting. The reoccurring theme of using the internet newsgroups for research provides credibility to the tales and is a great change of pace in the story. Alex Archer's gift at combining the old with the new makes the Rogue Angel series unique among other books in this genre.

ROGUE ANGEL: THE SPIDER STONE is yet another enjoyable story about Annja Creed. While Alex Archer continues to tease the reader with bits of knowledge regarding Roux and Garin Braden, the storyline stands alone without requiring knowledge from the other books. However, after reading ROGUE ANGEL: THE SPIDER STONE, the reader almost certainly will want to read DESTINY and SOLOMON'S JAR!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES