Throwback Thursday: Deep Storm by Lincoln Child

Author: Lincoln Child
First published in 2007 by 

Former naval doctor Peter Crane is urgently summoned to a remote oil platform in the North Atlantic to help diagnose a bizarre medical condition spreading through the rig. But when he arrives, Crane learns that the real trouble lies far below—on “Deep Storm,” a stunningly advanced science research facility built two miles beneath the surface on the ocean floor. The top secret structure has been designed for one purpose: to excavate a recently discovered undersea site that may hold the answers to a mystery steeped in centuries of myth and speculation.

Sworn to secrecy, Dr. Crane descends to Deep Storm. A year earlier, he is told, routine drilling uncovered the remains of mankind’s most sophisticated ancient civilization: the legendary Atlantis. But now that the site is being excavated, a series of disturbing illnesses has begun to affect the operation. Scientists and technicians are experiencing a bizarre array of symptoms—from simple fatigue to violent psychotic episodes. As Crane is indoctrinated into the strange world of Deep Storm and commences his investigation, he begins to suspect that the covert facility conceals something more complicated than a medical mystery.The discovery of Atlantis might, in fact, be a cover for something far more sinister . . . and deadly.

Deep Storm is the first book in the  Jeremy Logan series.  I'm not sure why this would be labeled as part of that series since the guy shows up in like 5 pages.  I read that the author decided to make him more of a protagonist in later books, so by the third book in this set, he is "on screen" a lot more.  

As a thriller, this one was a bit bland, but as a cheesy sci-fi story it was kind of fun.  You have to suspend a lot of belief to buy into this story.  However, there wasn't too much originality.  If you've read Sphere or seen movies like Leviathan you have read this book.  You know what I mean...a big corporation or the government finds something and wants to acquire and exploit it, despite all of the warning signs.  There were a couple of surprises, but nothing that made the book really stand out.  The story gets bogged down in the science at times.  I found it easier to try no to make sense of what was trying to be explained.  I am not a mathematician at all. 

If you missed his early one, it's not a bad read.  It's just not that great either.  I'll probably give some of the others in the series a try at some point to see if they improve.

The Third Gate by Lincoln Child

by:  Lincoln Child
published by:  Knopf Doubleday
publish date:  June 12, 2012

Under the direction of famed explorer Porter Stone, an archaeological team is secretly attempting to locate the tomb of an ancient pharaoh who was unlike any other in history. Stone believes he has found the burial chamber of King Narmer, the near mythical god- king who united upper and lower Egypt in 3200 B.C., and the archaeologist has reason to believe that the greatest prize of all—Narmer’s crown—might be buried with him. No crown of an Egyptian king has ever been discovered, and Narmer’s is the elusive “double” crown of the two Egypts, supposedly pos­sessed of awesome powers.

The dig itself is located in one of the most forbidding places on earth—the Sudd, a nearly impassable swamp in north­ern Sudan. Amid the nightmarish, disorienting tangle of mud and dead vegetation, a series of harrowing and inexpli­cable occurrences are causing people on the expedition to fear a centuries- old curse. With a monumental discovery in reach, Professor Jeremy Logan is brought onto the project to investigate. What he finds will raise new questions . . . and alarm.

Lincoln Child is one of my favorite writers.  When he teams up with Douglas Preston to write the Agent Pendergast book, it's nothing but thriller perfection.  I had been feeling a little bit let down lately with the Gideon Crew books, because I just don't care for them.  The Third Gate made me happy again.

Jeremy Logan was solid character.  I think he would be a great foundation to build a series around.  I really enjoyed the archaeological aspects of the book.  I learned a lot of things that I never knew about before.  I never knew there was a giant swamp in Sudan and it sounds like a pretty horrible place.

The Third Gate was back to the more traditional Lincoln Child writing that I really like.  I would love to see this continue as a series. 

Gideon's Corpse by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Authors: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Audiobook: Hachette Audio
Date of publication: January 2012


A top nuclear scientist goes mad and takes an innocent family hostage at gunpoint, killing one and causing a massive standoff.
A plume of radiation above New York City leads to a warehouse where, it seems, a powerful nuclear bomb was assembled just hours before.
Sifting through the evidence, authorities determine that the unthinkable is about to happen: in ten days, a major American city will be vaporized by a terrorist attack.
Ten days. And Gideon Crew, tracking the mysterious terrorist cell from the suburbs of New York to the mountains of New Mexico, learns the end may be something worse--far worse--than mere Armageddon. 

Gideon's Corpse is the second in the Gideon Crew series by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.  Autumn and I both reviewed the first one, Gideon's Sword, last year.   The second book in a series can always be iffy for me, especially if I really liked the first one.  While I didn't love Gideon's Corpse, I still thought it was an enjoyable book.

This one picks up right where the first one left off.  Gideon is asked to try to talk a former colleague out of a hostage situation.  When that goes badly, he finds himself in the middle of a terrorist plot with only 10 days to stop it.  The mystery of who is trying to start a war on American soil was pretty good.  With a couple of possibilities on the table, I wasn't truly sure who was behind it. There were also a few twists that I liked.  Gideon's Corpse also has some great action scenes that helped to build the tension.

Gideon is pretty much the same in this book.  He is still good looking, a great liar and master of disguise. The thing that appeals to me most about Gideon is that he isn't the perfect alpha male.  He just seems real and is a pretty nice guy.  He has flaws and messes up all the time.  He even has an unknown amount of time left to live.  The blockage in his brain could burst at any time.  What I would love to see is for him to find a girlfriend.  So far, his track record hasn't been that great.  One thing that did bother be about the book is that the "romance" in the book felt forced and probably could have been left out.

I listened to the audio and I enjoyed the narrator. As in the first book, this one ends with a clue as to the next of Gideon's adventures.  I look forward to seeing what trouble he can get into next!

Kari's most anticipated of 2012

Most of mine are sequels.Are you looking forward to any of these as well?

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Gideon's Sword

Authors: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Publisher: Hachette Book Group (Grand Central Publishing imprint) February 2011

Gideon Crew has a lot on his mind. His mother has died, but only after revealing on her deathbed the true story of his father's murder. Reeling and thirsting for revenge, this talented operative must confront an even more pressing matter: He was been enlisted to steal plans for a Chinese mega-weapon from a defecting scientist.


Gideon's Sword is the first in a new series by the writing team of Preston and Child. I have long been a fan of these guys. Relic is my favorite book by them.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The beginning is a bit slow as he enacts revenge on those who killed his father, but it soon takes off running and doesn't stop. Gideon Crew is a master at lying and changing his appearance. His character is very likeable because while he is good looking, he has his flaws and is pretty green in the espionage arena. It was fun to see how he navigated his first case which is filled with many twists and turns. One of which I definitely didn't see coming. This is definitely pure thriller, no romance in this one.

I think fans will like this latest by Preston and Child. The book's ending gives a hint as to the the next adventure in Gideon's life. I can't wait to see what the team has next in store for Gideon!

--Kari

I also read a good majority of this book.  Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are easily my favorite writing team.  Whenever something new comes out by them  I AM ON IT!  I was really excited to get a chance to read this book.  I was a little bit disappointed with this.  It wasn't bad.  It just wasn't Aloysius Pendergast.  I guess that's what I was hoping for, something sort of like that, but different, and it just wasn't.  If you're a fan of Vince Flynn or Clive Cussler or Brad Meltzer, you'd probably like this. 

--Autumn

* note: I read an complimentary copy of Gideon's Sword supplied courtesy of Hachette Book Group . I was not compensated in anyway for this review. By receiving a complimentary copy, I am in no way obligated to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me.*

Fever Dream

By:  Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

From Goodreads:  At the old family manse in Louisiana, Special Agent Pendergast is putting to rest long-ignored possessions reminiscent of his wife Helen's tragic death, only to make a stunning-and dreadful-discovery. Helen had been mauled by an unusually large and vicious lion while they were big game hunting in Africa. But now, Pendergast learns that her rifle-her only protection from the beast-had been deliberately loaded with blanks. Who could have wanted Helen dead...and why?

I read this because I read pretty much everything written by Preston and Child together and individually.   I was particularly interested in this book because it featured Aloysius Pendergast.  I love that guy! 

Fever Dream had appearances by what's left of the old cast of characters.  Vincent D'Agosta and his girlfriend Laura Hayward were prominent in this book.  Constance Green featured in a little sideline story that I thought was a little strange and didn't make much sense, but I couldn't remember too much of the details of her past before her time in the monastery.  I think a quick reread of the books that feature her might be in order.

This story was a little different than the others, there were no monsters or anything of a supernatural nature.  There weren't any grand archeological explorations or anything like that.  There was an  investigation of John James Audubon, hence the birds on the cover.  That was the only historical aspect of this book and it was sort of secondary, not the really interesting anthropological history we usually get.  It didn't detract from the story, but it was just a little different that the past books.

I really enjoyed reading this book because much of it was set in Baton Rouge and Port Allen, Louisiana.  That was kind of fun to read.  I live and work in the Baton Rouge area.  The only local inaccuracy that bothered me was the basement.  I don't know anyone around here that has a basement.  They flood. 

Overall, I was very happy with this book.  It started off a little slow, I was getting a little nervous thinking I wasn't going to like it, but around 200 pages into it I realized that I wasn't going to be able to put the book down!