Relic

Man, Preston and Child are the kings of the sickening, twist ending. Yikes. So often with twist endings, I feel like it's incredibly predictable and cliched. The "the end -- or is it?" of cliched finishes. Preston/Child have a nuance to them in addition to a level of the grotesque or unsettling I feel is rarely seen. True, I may just not have read enough thrillers yet. However, I feel like Preston/Child are setting the bar relatively high. On the cover, this book was touted as better than Jurassic Park. Eh. I don't necessarily think that's true. BUT it certainly gave it a run for its money.

The plot begins with sporadic journal entries from a member of a failed anthropological expedition to Brazil, presumably finding one of the most important relics in human history. Personally, I was captivated right from the start. I began my Preston/Child reading career (haha, just one other book) with Ice Limit which was about a meteorite. I enjoyed it, but my field of study lies so much closer to anthropology that I found this book much more appealing, initially.

What I have been enjoying about their books, as well, is that it takes about 300 pages to really get going. However, once they get rolling, there's at least 150 pages of intense rising action, usually followed by a pretty good climax. And there's always a surprise ending, it seems. Another thing I like is that, with the novels running around about 500 pages or so, there's plenty of time for character development. I particularly liked the portrayal of administrative politicking. That felt particularly true.

I don't really have many downsides to talk about with this one. I had a good time with it, from beginning to end. I didn't ever feel bored, complacent, or wishing the plot moved along better. I also just found out there is a sequel, and with that ending -- I need to read it!