Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

12.21.12

by Killian McRae (Goodreads Author)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 152 ratings · 69 reviews

The only way to save the future is to decode the past. The only way to decode the past is to save the future.

Archaeologist Sheppard Smyth has staked his career and the honorable memory of his wife and partner on proving his widely panned theory: Cleopatra VII, the last sovereign pharaoh of Egypt, was not a victim of suicide as history suggests, but of a well-concealed murd...more

Paperback, 2nd, 266 pages

Published November 2011 (first published December 19th 2010)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Cover Couples

89th out of 558 books — 464 voters

The Unidentified Redhead by Alice Clayton

Lesser Known Authors

112th out of 2,255 books — 3,362 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,894)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Mar 26, 2013 Jennifer Lane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Killian McRae has one creative mind! I really enjoyed this suspenseful novel combining a race against time, ancient art, end-of-the-world predictions, and completely unique theories about how humanity started. When the alien aspect entered the story, I was totally surprised.

Omnific Publishing lists this novel as romantic suspense, though other genres enter the story as well (historical romance, crime drama, paranormal, action-adventure). It was a little different to have the main character in a...more

like 10 likes · see review

Sep 30, 2010 Killian McRae rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

My review will be a little biased on this. :)

like 14 likes · see review

Jan 02, 2011 Lisa Sanchez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy smokes! It's not often I'm taken by complete surprise in a book, and even less often when it happens more than once. 12.21.12 is a fast paced, well written story loaded with twists, turns and surprises that kept me burning through pages well into the night.

I will say nothing of the plot. I don't want to spoil anything. It's complex and loaded with all kinds of good stuff that had me staring at my Kindle screen in wonder.

Debut author Killian McRae did a fabulous job weaving an intricate plo...more

like 4 likes · see review

Mar 28, 2012 Kara-karina rated it 5 of 5 stars

That was one hell of a great book! Honestly, guys, if any of you liked Stargate, Lara Croft, The Mummy and stories about gods and godlike creatures, this book is for you.

Immensely entertaining paranormal mystery, intriguing characters, really good world-building, fast pace... What else do you want? I gobbled up 12.21.12 in just a few hours, and felt really satisfied afterwards. There was no cliffhanger. The story was nicely rounded up, and you sort of knew what to expect from book #2. The romant...more

like 3 likes · see review

Apr 08, 2011 Megan (magan bagan) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, romance

First of all, look at this gorgeous cover! That's what first drew my interest to this story. It's so haunting and amazing. If nothing else, I could just stare at it for hours.

12.21.12 follows Sheppard Smyth, Victoria Kent, and Dimitri Kronastia on a pretty amazing journey that you'd never see coming. Shep is an archeologist and Eygptologist, jaded from losing his wife and more determined than ever to prove his theory that Cleopatra was murdered.

When he's brought in to check out some finds at a d...more

like 2 likes · see review

Nov 19, 2011 Swiftfire added it

^ Edit: "to-read-soon-before-the-world-ends"

... *headdesk* This book is going to be such a fail to the people who read it in 2013.

(IF THERE EVER IS A 2013! *shifty eyebrows*)

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 19, 2011 Page (One Book At A Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

I'm not in the camp of believing in the idea that the world is going to end on 12.21.12. But, I admit that the basic idea behind this book had me really intrigued. It's hard not to when it includes Cleopatra, Mayan civilization, and the end of days. I wanted to know how the author couldn't possible manage to tie them together.

I liked Sheppard from the opening pages. He's a man that's been dealt a hard blow, and I could see how he would blame himself for his wife's death. It seems like he's bent...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 24, 2011 Melissa (i swim for oceans) added it

Shep has enough problems as it is. He's an archaeologist with a drinking problem since his wife's death, and now he's finally got the chance to prove something to both himself and everyone around him that he's not a kook, he's still got game and he's actually right in his theories about Cleopatra. Unluckily for Shep though, he's going to have to contend between two hustling characters to do so, and he inevitably falls down a path that's darker and scarier than he imagined...but not just that...t...more Shep has enough problems as it is. He's an archaeologist with a drinking problem since his wife's death, and now he's finally got the chance to prove something to both himself and everyone around him that he's not a kook, he's still got game and he's actually right in his theories about Cleopatra. Unluckily for Shep though, he's going to have to contend between two hustling characters to do so, and he inevitably falls down a path that's darker and scarier than he imagined...but not just that...there's a chance he might just figure out more than he anticipated, and it's not good.

First off, if the world is really going to end in 2012, I'm glad I read 12.21.12, so I'm just going to throw that out there. Killian McRae did something in 12.21.12 that not too many authors can do. She mastered throwing multiple subgenres into one cohesive storyline with dynamic characters and a topsy-turvy plot that never failed to surprise me. While it's leaning towards an older YA audience, I couldn't resist the apocalyptic connotations in the title, and I can definitely say that the dark undertones of 12.21.12 don't disappoint.

One of the biggest strengths of 12.21.12 was the superb cast of characters. Shep, though an older MC than I'm used to, was engaging and heroic. He's got a strong voice that also hints at his loss and vulnerability because of it. As a perfect counterpart, Dimitri was this seemingly stereotypical mobster with his hot features and dirty, dirty ways, and yet, he had this sort of saccharin undertone that made you realize the guy wasn't all that bad if you could look past the whole gangster shebang. Victoria was every bit as snaky as I'd anticipated, but knowing there was more to her than surface beauty made her strong and captivating. I would have to say that some of the interactions between the characters seemed a bit forced though, and I liked them better all in their separate scenes. I also think that the scenery within 12.21.12 fell a bit flat compared to the detailed characters.

Overall, 12.21.12 is a great read if you're looking for a slim book with a fast-paced plot and endless action. I give it a strong 4 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to more of an adult audience due to language and some adult situations. It's especially great for those who enjoy a good mystery and thriller, as well as anyone who wants a taste of the apocalypse.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Apr 12, 2011 Once Upon rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a powerhouse of a book. When a book can give you so many different elements and balance them all together, then it deserve high remarks. Killian created her own special world infused with mythology we know about today. You won't be reading about what you have probably heard about as far as end of the world prophecies. The characters are each very interesting and addicting to read about. Its just all around Compelling!

You meet Shep and his story starts pretty sad, he looses his wife on a ar...more

like 1 like · see review

May 30, 2011 Sangria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own-on-kindle-3

The story reads out like a movie playing in your head. The action, the characters, the story, and the secrets that slowly unfold truly makes this book a very memorable one. I would love it if they would choose to make this book into a movie. The one and only comment I have about this book is the ending – although not a bad ending, it presented itself too much in a all-tied-up-in-a-pretty-bow fashion and a little too quick, in my opinion. Otherwise, it’s a great story to read that I would recomme...more

like 1 like · see review

May 15, 2013 Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: podcast, romance-ick, historical, missing-poc

I listened to this last year and essentially forgot about it until my daughter reminded me. I thought I'd go ahead and write a brief review.
I'll begin by saying that I have high regard for indie authors, being one myself, and give Ms. McRae kudos for that. Additionally, she obviously put a lot of effort into researching history and mythos and she did an awesome job incorporating all of this into her tale.
When I started listening, I was enthralled and impressed. The story moved quickly and the ch...more I listened to this last year and essentially forgot about it until my daughter reminded me. I thought I'd go ahead and write a brief review.
I'll begin by saying that I have high regard for indie authors, being one myself, and give Ms. McRae kudos for that. Additionally, she obviously put a lot of effort into researching history and mythos and she did an awesome job incorporating all of this into her tale.
When I started listening, I was enthralled and impressed. The story moved quickly and the characters were interesting enough. Then it fell flat. I admit that some of my inability to continue to enjoy this tale could very well be me, my personal take on specific issues such as romance, instalove, and the absence of POC especially in geographical places where POC would abound, especially since there appear to be so many high ratings for this tale.
First, I do not appreciate, believe, or find ANY value in instalove, which is fairly the case to my recollection.
Secondly, weaving in sex or near sex scenes for the thrill, I find repulsive.
Third in 2012, when this story takes place, our characters go from one continent to the next on their adventures. They end up in Egypt and eventually meet (if memory recalls) Isis along with other well known Egyptian figures from history and legend. Even here, even here on the continent of Africa, they appear as white. Even our protagonist, whose name I can't immediately recall (Victoria?) was supposed to be from among the mesoamericans of South America. And I know she was magical and ancient and powerful and otherworldly but she appeared as distinctly European. Um.
Fourth, Mary Sue is boring as all hell, and our pretty perfect all powerful protagonist was Mary Sue's momma. Everyone wanted her, was enthralled, no mesmerized by her gorgeousness. Ack.
Fifth, I like twists and turns and tight spots, but this book was a tad overdone with that. Lots of plot armor. Tons of god of the machine.
I couldn't finish listening to the series for all of the reasons listed above, which was pretty annoying because it started off pretty good.(less)

like · see review

Nov 17, 2011 HellyBelly rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who really like Dan Brown

Shelves: gods-and-goddesses, egypt, immortals, love-the-cover, mixed-up-relationships, mystery, now-that-was-different, sci-fi, aliens

The first half of this book gets a 5-star-rating from me, excellent writing, interesting premise and good pacing. Unfortunately, in the second half things start to fall apart, shades of the Da Vinci code really. Where as the main male character, Shep, remains credible until the very end, some of the other characters sayings and doings stop making sense - at least to me. The end is too soppy, drawn out, sugary sweet and totally unbelievable. Too bad.

like 1 like · see review

Sep 16, 2012 Jess Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Killian admits a penchant for Indiana Jones. Well, I enjoyed this just as much as one of those movies. In fact, this would make a great movie.

This isn't the first book to suggest that we all might be descended from aliens. Somehow, the author manages to incorporate Christianity into her alternate-Earth-universe without making it offensive (I don't care for the Dan Brown canon). Admittedly, I had to suspend my disbelief at times, but this is a really fun read, and the thing I like best is that th...more

like 1 like · see review

Sep 28, 2011 Kasi Alexander rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a really good read. It's well-written, nicely plotted, and an engaging story. Killian takes the 12/21/12 legend, rethinks it, and builds a story around it. There are several interesting plot twists and a good suspenseful buildup to the end. I enjoyed it very much!

like 1 like · see review

Mar 09, 2013 Jarek rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: podiobooks

12.21.12 by Killian McRae is a speculative fiction novel, which takes place over the final days before the alleged date of the end of the world. The premise, although not particularly original, could have been developed into an interesting story. Unfortunately the plot of 12.21.12 lost momentum after the first couple of chapters, and then the book became simply boring. Subsequently depicted events and slowly revealed facts were constantly greeted with shock and awe by the protagonists, but I fou...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 21, 2012 Krystel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author wove history and mythology with a dash of romance so amazingly well. She takes us through Ancient Egypt to modern day Mexico and back to Egypt. Using the backdrop of a highly well known Egyptian Queen as the focal point surrounding the mystery, bridging modern day and an ancient past together. All of which culminates to the prophecy that leads to the end of the world. Or what we believe to be the end of the world.

The characters draw you in, and just when you think you know the charact...more

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 25, 2011 Maylin marked it as to-read

Shelves: wishlist

So glad this has been re released. I made sure to buy it straight away this time!

like 1 like · see review

Jun 10, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought that this was such a unique and interesting take on what people claim to be the last day of the world.

When I first started reading this story, I honestly thought I had the whole plot figured out in the first chapter or two. Man, was I wrong, and I'm so glad I was!

While in Egypt doing research, Shep lost his wife Christine to an earthquake. He's heartbroken and trying to piece his life back together still some months later when he receives a phone call from an old friend regarding an u...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 15, 2012 Elizabeth Marx rated it 4 of 5 stars

12.21.12 combines the back-of-our-mind fear about doomsday and ancient Egyptian cultures flawlessly. If you like a complex narrative that combines the elements of mythology, archaeology and science fiction, this fantastic mash-up of genres has a twisting plot that will keep you intrigued to the very end.

Sheppard Smyth is man who has spent his entire academic career seeking answers, answers specifically about Cleopatra, and the questions he’s asked have cost him everything. Victoria Kent is a go...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 08, 2012 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

3 1/2 to 4 stars (can't nail down just one number).

In 12-21-12 Sheppard Smyth is an archaeologist who lost his wife on a dig in Egypt a couple of years earlier while attempting to prove that Cleopatra was actually murdered. Since his wife’s death he’s basically muddled through life, with the help alcohol, until he gets a call from Hector, a friend from grad school, telling him that he needs Shep to come to Mexico because of some odd finds, including a Cleopatra statue.

Once there, he meets Victor...more 3 1/2 to 4 stars (can't nail down just one number).

In 12-21-12 Sheppard Smyth is an archaeologist who lost his wife on a dig in Egypt a couple of years earlier while attempting to prove that Cleopatra was actually murdered. Since his wife’s death he’s basically muddled through life, with the help alcohol, until he gets a call from Hector, a friend from grad school, telling him that he needs Shep to come to Mexico because of some odd finds, including a Cleopatra statue.

Once there, he meets Victoria Kent, an intern at the dig, which is being funded by Dmitri Kronastia, a Russian mobster that everyone fears. Quickly, however, all hell breaks loose when Victoria steals artifacts and takes off with Kronastia, who takes Shep and Hector, hot on her heels.

I really don’t want to go into the plot much, other than to say the obvious, that it’s about a Cleopatra murder theory and the Mayan prophecy of the world ending on December 12, 2012, because there is a lot going on that is tangled together. I normally don’t read books involving “real” doomsday prophesies or ones that involve well-known, actual people if it involves changing big historical events. Also, this book was a little more sci-fi than I normally go for, however, overall McRae did a good job of tying everything together (though I did think one or two reasons for certain things or events were a bit flimsy) and the explanation behind everything was a very original idea.

The one thing about the story that had me grinding my teeth a bit was that the third person POV changed between characters, which meant that someone would talk about things that the reader had no clue about, so, in that sense, information was dealt out kind of piecemeal. I’m sure this was done to drag out the mystery, but it drove me a little nuts at times.

Also, I know this may seem stupid to some, but a big complaint for me was the actual book itself; I didn’t like the font, which looks bold and actually changed to a different one a couple of times in the book, and every paragraph had a space between them. There were also way too many typos and grammatical mistakes. Things like this may not bother others, but they definitely knock points off for me.

Those two things aside, I like the way McRae kept the reader guessing while throwing twists into the story. I’d feel one way or think one thing about a character, but my views kept changing as more things were revealed. This was a good, pretty quick read with some likeable characters and doses of snark and humor throughout. I’d recommend this book, especially to straight-up sci-fi fans and people who are into doomsday prophecy books; McRae definitely put a good spin on this one.(less)

like · see review

Jun 22, 2011 Holjo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sheppard Smyth is an archaeologist whose professional goal has always been to prove that Cleopatra was murdered – going against common belief amongst his peers. He has focused his entire life on this goal until the day his beloved wife is killed in an archaeological accident.

In the years after Christine’s death, Shep has mostly lost his will to live, drowning himself in alcohol to help him forget his pain. Finally, the day comes when Shep is drawn back into the archaeological world again by the...more Sheppard Smyth is an archaeologist whose professional goal has always been to prove that Cleopatra was murdered – going against common belief amongst his peers. He has focused his entire life on this goal until the day his beloved wife is killed in an archaeological accident.

In the years after Christine’s death, Shep has mostly lost his will to live, drowning himself in alcohol to help him forget his pain. Finally, the day comes when Shep is drawn back into the archaeological world again by the discovery of a Cleo relic by one of his colleagues. without knowing that the dig site is owned and operated by dangerous man named Dmitri, he agrees to help his friend identify the legitimacy of the find. When he reaches the site in Mexico, he meets the beautiful Victoria Kent, an intern on the dig. Although he is drawn to her immediately, he senses that she is not exactly who she says she is.

Within 24 hours, Shep finds himself neck deep in a mystery that reaches outside the human world and extends thousands of years back into human history. Although he puts the pieces of the puzzle together slowly, he becomes increasingly aware that the two keys to learning the truth are Victoria and Dmitri. He also becomes very aware that the fate of the entire world is at stake, just as was described in the Mayan prophecy that the world would end on 12.21.12.

There were parts of this book that were quite captivating. However, I found myself vacillating between being really absorbed in the story and really bored by the story. Part of the issue was that the same scenes were often retold by more than one person. The second telling of the scene would give me a new POV of what had occurred, but the scene itself was the same and therefore was dull compared to the first perspective. Also, there were a lot of flashbacks in this book. Flashbacks are a risky way to tell a story because (as was the case in this book for me) it can feel anticlimactic when the characters eventually discover the same information that the reader has already guessed or read about in the flashback sequences. Lastly, I was not emotionally connected to any of the characters at all. There were moments when I would start to feel connected to one of the characters, but then the POV would change and the connection would be lost.

Overall, I thought this concept was creative. I liked the combination of history and scifi. I also liked that each of the characters had both good and evil qualities – I found this refreshing. I also liked that the author wasn’t afraid to kill off characters when necessary for the plot. In the end, I wound up stuck right in the middle between the things I liked and didn’t like about the book.

I don’t read a lot of scifi, so I can’t think of a comparable book to this. However, it did remind of a movie called Stargate that was made back in the early 90s. If you like that sort of thing, then this might be a good fit for you.

(less)

like 1 like · see review

Jun 15, 2011 Hywela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sheppard Smyth is struggling to come to terms with the accidental death of his wife, Christine and throws himself into his work as an archaeologist. Christine, had worked with him to try and prove his theory that the death of Cleopatra V11 was not the suicide history relates, but murder. He is driven to relentlessly continue with his investigations, not only to uphold his reputation but to ensure that his beloved wife had not died in vain.

When an incredible find is made - the discovery of a stat...more
Sheppard Smyth is struggling to come to terms with the accidental death of his wife, Christine and throws himself into his work as an archaeologist. Christine, had worked with him to try and prove his theory that the death of Cleopatra V11 was not the suicide history relates, but murder. He is driven to relentlessly continue with his investigations, not only to uphold his reputation but to ensure that his beloved wife had not died in vain.

When an incredible find is made - the discovery of a statue of Cleopatra, in an Olmec excavation site - he immediately travels to Mexico - and embarks on an adventure that is even more amazing than the theory he is trying to prove.

Egyptian mythology merges with Olmec history, and the shadow of the Mayan prophesy of the end of the world order on 12-21-12. The thrilling and complex plot of this novel moves swiftly and inexorably toward its surprising conclusion. Along the way, Shep becomes involved with some of the most interesting and memorable characters I have come across in a long while. In addition to his old friend, Hector Gonzales, there is Victoria Kent, the beautiful and charismatic collector of archaeological ‘souvenirs’ with whom Shep immediately feels a ‘connection.’ Then there is the sinister Dmitri Kronastia, a rather untypical Russian Gang Leader, and Christine’s brother, Alex, who turns up unexpectedly. Few of the main characters in this novel are what they seem, and are all extremely well drawn and memorable.

As Shep becomes drawn into the mysterious web of ancient powers, prophesy and an alien civilization he finds his own quest is just a small piece of an age old plan which is about to reach its amazing finale.

I was gripped by this story from Page 1, and was immediately drawn to the characters, Shep is easy to empathize with, dedicated and enthusiastic, although dealing with a broken heart, and even the characters who seem to be on the ‘wrong side’ have a charisma about them which makes one want to find out more.

I was keen to read 12-21-12 because I have a fascination for the civilizations of Ancient Egypt and South America, and I was not disappointed, but there is something for everyone in this novel, whether one enjoys romance, suspense, Science Fiction/Fantasy, the paranormal or just an entertaining and thought-provoking read. I can thoroughly recommend it.(less)

like · see review

Jun 18, 2011 Saewod Tice rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's time for a proper review. (Took me long enough)

Killian McRae weaves an amazing tale from this Mayan prophecy. I'm not completely 'edumacated' in the Mayan 12.21.12 prophecy, but generally know it's their prediction for the end of the world. Having said that - Wow, just wow! Killian must have one of the best imaginations or have done an amazing amount of research for this book. And well, it paid the heck off!

I honestly couldn't tell you what she 'made up' because she pulled in just enough hi...more

like 1 like · see review

May 04, 2011 Stacy/GirlsInTheStacks.com rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, so this is pretty much about the Mayan prophecy of the end of the world, but don’t think doom and gloom. This book pretty much focuses on a select group of people; some aliens, some ancient gods and a couple of mundanes (or are they?). While that mix-up may seem a little, well, weird…it’s not. It works. Trust me.

Here are some things I liked about the story:
1. It wasn’t doom and gloom. It was more light-hearted, and it was actually quite funny at times. Not ha-ha funny, just quick quips.
2....more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rak, read-in-2012

Have you ever added a book to your TBR list and then took so long to get to it that you couldn't remember what it was about? And then when you went to read it, didn't re-read the summary, just dove right in? This is what I did with this book, and I was thoroughly surprised and entertained.

Based on the title, I expected the book to be focused on Mayan mythology about the end of the world. This is so much more than that though. There is a whole world of Egyptian mythology hidden in this book, well...more

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 14, 2011 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review originally posted at: http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...

MY THOUGHTS
12.21.12 combines various mythologies from both the Mayan and Egyptian cultures to create an intriguing millennia-spanning mystery that beautifully blurs fact, fiction, and the paranormal. Though this story makes reference to historical figures, the tale woven between its pages incorporates entirely new elements into the lives of people we know existed, making the reading experience an interestingly imagined jaunt th...more Review originally posted at: http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...

MY THOUGHTS
12.21.12 combines various mythologies from both the Mayan and Egyptian cultures to create an intriguing millennia-spanning mystery that beautifully blurs fact, fiction, and the paranormal. Though this story makes reference to historical figures, the tale woven between its pages incorporates entirely new elements into the lives of people we know existed, making the reading experience an interestingly imagined jaunt through past, present, and future. The supernatural aspect of the story is seamless in its execution, the beliefs of both the Mayans and the Egyptians in multiple powerful gods paving the way for paranormal believability. Our curiosity as to the hows and whys of that element is then ultimately satisfied while our imaginations are thoroughly entertained.

In addition to a riveting and suspenseful story, we are also given access to complex characters. Dmitri and Victoria are individuals who are both villainous and unrelatable when they project their seemingly indifferent view of society, proceeding to take lives when they deem it necessary while sparing barely a moment to dwell on the loss. Then, just as we're convinced of our negative opinion of them, their entire demeanor shifts to reveal moments of true emotion and vulnerability, and a beautiful humanity shines through their otherworldly facade to make us realize these two are more than they initially seem to be on a multitude of levels. Reading to see what layer of their personality will be peeled away from one page to the next is one of the most engrossing aspects, and one that makes us feel as though we've been given our own private mystery to solve as we find ourselves trying to sort through our reactions to each of them in an attempt to come to an emotional conclusion.

While 12.21.12 is an entrancing blend of mythologies with characters who force us to think about them even when we shut our eyes at night, sometimes the complicated connections between all the pieces of this puzzle cause us to blink in confusion as we attempt to digest everything we've learned. Characters from the present are not only linked to one another in various ways, but they are also connected to figures of the past as well which at times pulls us from the story as we have to flip back to prior pages to completely comprehend the relationships. Overall, however, this book is unique and suspenseful with diverse and multifaceted characters all coming together to create a very memorable read.

Rating: 4/5 (less)

like 1 like · see review

Apr 06, 2011 Between the Covers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, fantasy, literary-fiction, mystery

Reviewed by Christin for Between the Covers

Egyptian legend, a Mayan prophecy, the Russian mafia, and an American professor couldn't possibly have anything in common, right? Wrong. In 12.21.12, Killian McRae blends together a world of peoples and stories into a truly compelling narrative.

What happens when an archeologist comes close to discovering proof of his theory, proof that the ancient Egyptian gods would rather keep hidden? This is the story of Sheppard Smyth, an Egyptologist devastated by...more Reviewed by Christin for Between the Covers

Egyptian legend, a Mayan prophecy, the Russian mafia, and an American professor couldn't possibly have anything in common, right? Wrong. In 12.21.12, Killian McRae blends together a world of peoples and stories into a truly compelling narrative.

What happens when an archeologist comes close to discovering proof of his theory, proof that the ancient Egyptian gods would rather keep hidden? This is the story of Sheppard Smyth, an Egyptologist devastated by the loss of his wife. Jarred from his routine existence by a phone call from an old friend, Shep rushes to Mexico to investigate a recently-excavated sculpture of Cleopatra. There he meets Victoria Kent, and intern on the project who studied with the renown expert Anathea Hermapolous. When an unexpected theft occurs, project manager and Russian mobster Dmitri Kronastia rushes to the scene. Little does Shep know that, through the stories of these two people, he may come to know the truth of Cleopatra's death. What he does know, however, is that something is not right with Victoria Kent - behind her exterior beauty lurk dark secrets. As the days rush toward 12.21.12, the rumored end of the world as it is known, will Shep be able to piece the puzzle together? And even if he can, will the knowledge save him?

Wow. It's been a long time since I read something that wasn't YA, and this venture back into adult fiction was definitely well worth it. This book was a fast-paced, gripping novel that kept me eager to know what happened next. Though Shep is arguably the hero of the book, it is Victoria that is the most interesting. Her secrets are revealed over the course of the book, presenting one puzzle to solve after another. Dmitri is just as complex, bringing his own shady past to the mix of things. In this novel, McRae often switches points of view, allowing the reader to know more about each character. In addition, there were several flashbacks, each of which were well placed, sometimes revealing new information, sometimes clarifying suspicions that had already been raised. The writing flows very naturally, with great descriptions and a refreshing tone.

I don't want to say too much and give away any of the intrigue, but I will say this - I am usually fairly good at predicting endings, and this book thwarted my expectations more than once and left me stunned. There are also some great one-liners...and who could forget a little touch of romance?

12.21.12 truly has it all - it is an around-the-world, cross-genre, excellently-written page turner that had me hooked from the first page to the last. I cannot wait to see what McRae writes next!(less)

like · see review

Feb 28, 2011 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

12.21.12 is a cryptic date that some believe will be the end of the world. They get this theory from the Mayan calendar, which ends on this date for no apparent reason. If you are one of the many people in the world that likes puzzles, mythology, twists, conspiracies, Egyptology, or anything mysterious and unexplained in the ancient world, this book will be right up your alley.

This is an ensemble cast of characters that includes an archeologist, a Russian mob boss, a Vessel, an Order of Dan Brow...more 12.21.12 is a cryptic date that some believe will be the end of the world. They get this theory from the Mayan calendar, which ends on this date for no apparent reason. If you are one of the many people in the world that likes puzzles, mythology, twists, conspiracies, Egyptology, or anything mysterious and unexplained in the ancient world, this book will be right up your alley.

This is an ensemble cast of characters that includes an archeologist, a Russian mob boss, a Vessel, an Order of Dan Brown proportions, and various gods and goddesses from Egyptian mythology. I will only give one spoiler in this review: no one is what they appear to be on the surface. In very basic terms and without additional spoilers, this ensemble takes the reader through explanations of who the gods/goddesses are, their role in history, explanations for things such as the real cause of Vesuvius’ eruption, the truth behind Cleopatra’s death, and even proof for the Bible’s story of how woman was created from a man’s rib. There are many more not listed that just slide into the plot. Yep, this book really has something for every conspiracy theorist out there. Just HOW these things are explained and interconnected are well done and formulated by the author.

What I enjoyed about this book is how the author brings various theories and conspiracies throughout human history and ties them together to explain how mankind will be saved or destroyed on 12.21.12. It is absolutely nothing like I have ever heard or thought about…truly unique. The feel of this book reminds me some of Preston and Child’s books that include Pendergast, the very intelligent agent that seems to solve all kinds of impossible mysteries. It’s not quite the same, but when looking for comparison, this is closest. The main characters are well developed and even those we don’t see as much throughout the book have a voice of their own when they do appear.

What I did not enjoy about this book was the explanation of Cleopatra’s death. To some, it will be ingenious and does connect to one of the main elements throughout the book, but to me, the fake reason she died is more interesting.I didn’t buy the reasoning behind the main character’s explanation. I can't give specifics as to why without giving too much away, but personally, I didn’t feel it. But, I assure you, for others, this will be one of the things they love. This does not take away from the book overall for me, it’s a small part, just one thing I didn’t care for personally. I also would have liked to have seen more romance displayed, not just the love of characters, or forbidden love, lost love, etc. I am a huge fan of Omnific Publishing and from prior experience; their adult books do tend to have quite a bit more romance included. This is the first I read that it is all implied or has previously taken place.

All in all, this was a good book! I am a fan of Egypt and ancient cultures. I use to teach ancient cultures/civilizations to middle school students, so I was very familiar with the references and followed along very well. Although you don’t need to know a great deal about Egyptian history to enjoy reading this book, the author tells you who the god/goddesses are, etc. I did enjoy the twists, the turns, and revelations along the way. I would recommend this book to those that would like a lighter version of Dan Brown or Preston and Child’s work.
(less)

like · see review

Mar 10, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

12.21.12 is an action packed, conspiracy theory book based on the theory that the Mayan calendar just mysteriously ends on this date - possibly leading to the end of the world. This books is full of conspiracy theories and mythology with a lot of twists and turns thrown in to keep the reader guessing to the very end of the book.
Instead of focusing on one character, the book switches back and forth between the viewpoints of several different characters. Each character has their own secrets and p...more

like · see review

Mar 01, 2011 Colleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-ish, thriller

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 63 64 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (3)

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Genres

Mystery

19 users

Fantasy

14 users

Romance

5 users

Thriller

5 users

Young Adult

5 users

Cultural > Egypt

3 users

Adult

3 users

Adventure

2 users

Science Fiction > Aliens

2 users

Science Fiction

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Killian McRae

Killian McRae would tell you that she is a rather boring lass, an authoress whose characters’ lives are so much more exciting than her own. She would be right. Sadly, this sarcastic lexophile leads a rather mundane existence in the San Francisco Bay Area. She once dreamed of being the female Indiana Jones, and to that end she earned a degree in Middle Eastern History from the University of Michiga...more

More about Killian McRae...

Books by Killian McRae

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About 12.21.12

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: 12.21.12
avg rating	preview: 12.21.12 Goodreads rating: 3.96 (152 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12368700-12-21-12?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328893620l/12368700.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12368700-12-21-12?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]12.21.12 by Killian McRae[/url]

12.21.12

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website