A brilliant FBI agent, rotting away in a high security prison for a murder he did not commit. His brilliant, psychotic brother, about to perpetrate...
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Sep 08, 2010
La Petite Américaine
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I normally never buy NY Times bestsellers, as it's usually the morons of America that cause the shittiest books ever written to end up on this list. The Book of the Dead was an exception I made. This time American readers got it RIGHT! I just finished this book and I'm still reeling.
This book is the way a thriller/myster should be written. It's full of complex, well-developed characters, it has an evil genius (part Hannibal Lecter, part Sideshow Bob) conspiring to ruin lives, a co More...
This book is the way a thriller/myster should be written. It's full of complex, well-developed characters, it has an evil genius (part Hannibal Lecter, part Sideshow Bob) conspiring to ruin lives, a co More...
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Aug 09, 2008
JoJo
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i found this book in the bargain bin at the borders where my sister works. the cover interested me and i asked my sister about it, and when she said that people asked her about it a lot, i bought it since with my discount it came to about $2. was a great book and i'm sorry i read it first because its the last book in a trilogy made by the two authors about their FBI protagonist, special agent pendergast. i highly suggest this book, its awesome and i rarely care much for mass market paperback
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(2 people liked it)
Oct 11, 2007
Irishcoda
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jul 23, 2007
Donna
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One dreary December evening some years ago, I slogged in to my local Fred Meyer, stamping snow off my shoes, and encountered a tall, friendly, dapper gentlemen hawking paperback books near the door. He introduced himself as Douglas Preston and said the book, Relic, was being made into a movie. I thought, Yeah, sure. So why are you standing here in a deserted grocery store in Kennewick, Washington, on a night like this? I sort of felt sorry for the guy, so I bought the book.
About 24 h More...
About 24 h More...
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Sep 30, 2011
Jessi
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I found this book at my library book store. The cover interested me, and since it was $2, I bought it. I'm sorry I read it first because it’s the last book in a trilogy. Good suspense, mystery, and surprise throughout it, but not always fully explained. I thought everything was overall fleshed out, I never understood the character of Constance. Her “mysterious past” was never fully brought out. Everything else I felt comfortable with and was brought up to speed on. The main characters had
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May 31, 2011
Colleen
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I was happy to discover Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs because now I have a whole new series of books to read. I'm about halfway through their books and loved every one of them so far.
Spoilers below...
I admit that as much as I love their books, the Diogenes trilogy are my least favorites because I don't like having to put up with the same killer through three books...in the same way I didn't like that CSI had that recurring serial killer character throughout this w More...
Spoilers below...
I admit that as much as I love their books, the Diogenes trilogy are my least favorites because I don't like having to put up with the same killer through three books...in the same way I didn't like that CSI had that recurring serial killer character throughout this w More...
Feb 05, 2011
Paul
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I enjoyed Douglas Preston's recent best-selling sci-fi thriller, Impact (also reviewed here on Facebook), but did not much like this one, a bit of airport trash he co-wrote with Lincoln Child. It's not as bad as Ted Bell's Spy (reviewed here: http://pwoodford.net/blog/?p=1314), but it's pretty bad all the same. My biggest problem? The Book of the Dead is one of a series of novels, with a cast of characters introduced (and presumably more fully developed) in earlier novels. Unfortunately, thou
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Jul 01, 2010
Johnny
rated it:
Warning: I tend to enjoy books in a series more and more when I've developed a "relationship" with the characters. This may not be the best written book in the series, but it feels like it to me because it is so true to the characters.
Raise your hand if you really think a detective can be as near-omniscient as Sherlock Holmes. Uh huh! I didn’t think so. Now, that being said, if you still enjoy suspending your disbelief enough to enjoy the improbable mastery of minutiae that More...
Raise your hand if you really think a detective can be as near-omniscient as Sherlock Holmes. Uh huh! I didn’t think so. Now, that being said, if you still enjoy suspending your disbelief enough to enjoy the improbable mastery of minutiae that More...
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Jun 03, 2010
Mike
rated it:
Remember those old movies that blended cartoons and live action? Like Who Framed Roger Rabbit or Cool World? This book reminded me of those, perhaps more the latter than the former.
The book starts with promise, presenting some compelling scenes and introducing some believable characters. Than we're introduced to the villain and the hero, two ridiculous cartoons striding through a world of normals. The plot quickly spins out of the realm of the remotely plausible, as the car More...
The book starts with promise, presenting some compelling scenes and introducing some believable characters. Than we're introduced to the villain and the hero, two ridiculous cartoons striding through a world of normals. The plot quickly spins out of the realm of the remotely plausible, as the car More...
May 25, 2009
Teresa
rated it:
Things are not going well for Special Agent Pendergast. He's been locked up in a federal prison for a murder he did not commit. His friends, Lt. Vincent D'Agosta, Proctor, Pendergast's butler, and Constance Greene, Pendergast's ward, know who the real killer is: Diogenes, Pendergast's evil brother. The only way they can catch Diogenes is to break his wrongly accused brother out of prison.
At the New York Museum of Natural History, a generous benefactor has donated 10 million dollars t More...
At the New York Museum of Natural History, a generous benefactor has donated 10 million dollars t More...
Jul 12, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
A standard mystery-thriller wrapped in Egyptian heiroglyphic paper. It starts off extremely slow and very gradually builds up steam. About 1/3 of the way through I realized this book was part of a series, and I think I would've enjoyed it more if I'd read the preceding books - there were a whole lot of characters introduced right away, which was confusing, and a lot of them had interconnected backgrounds that were mentioned but not fully explained. This took away from my connection to the charac
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Jun 09, 2010
Derek
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The last book in the "Diogenes" trilogy is a fitting finale. Filled with lots of derring-do and thrills, this one is set largely back at the museum where RELIC, RELIQUARY, and CABINET OF CURIOUSITIES were set. This time there is a long-lost Egyptian tomb, curses, and, oh, yes, Pendergast's evil younger brother causing problems.
I enjoyed a lot of the backstory revealed in this book, although there were a few sections (paricularly involving Constance and Diogenes) where I fe More...
I enjoyed a lot of the backstory revealed in this book, although there were a few sections (paricularly involving Constance and Diogenes) where I fe More...
Jan 25, 2010
Cassie
rated it:
The Book of the Dead is the gripping conclusion to the trilogy. The beginning was a bit slow after the exciting finish of the last book but picked up quickly once the story started moving.
Diogenes is definitely a psychopath but he comes off simultaneously as a little more homicidal and a little less insane in this book. I liked how Preston and Child let us into his psyche for an extended period. He still intrigues me...
Constance has a bigger role in this book. I really t More...
Diogenes is definitely a psychopath but he comes off simultaneously as a little more homicidal and a little less insane in this book. I liked how Preston and Child let us into his psyche for an extended period. He still intrigues me...
Constance has a bigger role in this book. I really t More...
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Oct 03, 2009
Mazel
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Au Museum d’Histoire naturelle de New York, Nora Kelly se prépare à présenter au public le sarcophage de la momie égyptienne Senef. Mais c’est oublier la malédiction qui semble lui être attachée…
En effet, plusieurs employés sombrent dans la folie et assassinent leurs collègues.
Pendant ce temps, avec l’aide de ses amis D’Agosta et Constance, Pendergast parvient à s’échapper de prison. Très vite, il comprend que le responsable des meurtres n’est autre que Diogène, son prop More...
En effet, plusieurs employés sombrent dans la folie et assassinent leurs collègues.
Pendant ce temps, avec l’aide de ses amis D’Agosta et Constance, Pendergast parvient à s’échapper de prison. Très vite, il comprend que le responsable des meurtres n’est autre que Diogène, son prop More...
Jun 04, 2010
Lizzy
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A friend gave me this book, and when I started reading it I had no clue it was actually part of a series (and in fact the last book in a trilogy within that series). I had noticed it in passing at bookstores and such, and always assumed it was a stand-alone book. So when I began reading it, (and subsequently had the feeling I was missing something big) I looked it up online and discovered the truth.
I think it says something about this book that I still enjoyed it, despite my lack of More...
I think it says something about this book that I still enjoyed it, despite my lack of More...
Jul 29, 2011
Joe
rated it:
I am fan of Preston & Child, however the Agent Pendegrast books do not rank among my favorites.
"Book of the Dead" is fast paced and action packed but relies heavily on relationships developed in previous novels. Events happen quickly with little or no set up. The characters suffer little or no consequences when they break the law, and plot lines are tied up with an abrupt "Oh, never mind."
"Book of the Dead is simplistic to put it mildly, perhaps due to laziness More...
"Book of the Dead" is fast paced and action packed but relies heavily on relationships developed in previous novels. Events happen quickly with little or no set up. The characters suffer little or no consequences when they break the law, and plot lines are tied up with an abrupt "Oh, never mind."
"Book of the Dead is simplistic to put it mildly, perhaps due to laziness More...
Dec 12, 2010
Lynette
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 27, 2011
Dirk
rated it:
Well, I guess the magnificent run of Pendergast novels couldn't last forever. This was a good book, but I felt cheated. The Tomb of Senef with its colourful history and its macabre 'curse' offered so many real opportunities. In the end, when The Event was revealed, the whole thing just fell flat. Also, I wasn't too impressed with the wrap-up of the whole Diogenes sequence. What's this? Is this the same Diogenes who was so masterfully powerful in Dance of Death (Pendergast, #6)? I don't want to r
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Jul 10, 2011
Lou
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 16, 2008
Diane
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 20, 2008
Sophiene
rated it:
I just love the mix of history and thriller. Especially the museum history is fascinating. I'll try to get more of these.
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Nov 17, 2011
Shannon
rated it:
A fine read that concludes the Pendergast trilogy. This was my first read in the series but it made enough sense with the hints and backstory. By far the best part was the escape from a maximum prison facility. The ending and the fate of the villain was disappointing for a number of reasons (no spoilers). There are a lot of sub tales taking place and most of them revolve around the NY museum but that's okay, especially if you like Egyptian History and all its mysteries. Pendergast is a compellin
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Oct 19, 2010
Dirk
rated it: 
I listened to this one on CD.
I have read around 90 books since the beginning of summer. I enjoy all genres.
This book is so overwritten as to make it unbearable. The story is interesting, but by the end of the first CD my hand was situated on the steering wheel so I could keep my finger on the "Next Chapter" button.
The writers of this book seem to subscribe to the James Cameron way of thinking - "Why make a scene 10 minutes long when you can make it More...
I have read around 90 books since the beginning of summer. I enjoy all genres.
This book is so overwritten as to make it unbearable. The story is interesting, but by the end of the first CD my hand was situated on the steering wheel so I could keep my finger on the "Next Chapter" button.
The writers of this book seem to subscribe to the James Cameron way of thinking - "Why make a scene 10 minutes long when you can make it More...
May 01, 2010
Mark
rated it:
I don't read much fiction but this book truely was a page turner. This is the first book I've read by these two authors and even though I started with the thrid book in this series I wasn't lost or confused, like some people have said in other reviews. Reading this third novel just makes me want to read the other two now. And after reading the final two words spoken by Constance I have to read The Wheel of Darkness now! There was so much in this book and it was writen so well I know I'll remembe
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Sep 29, 2009
Quinn
rated it:
A great deal of detail goes into these books. I felt disappointed by the ending of this book. After toiling through 3 complete novels I expected a cleaner better developed conclusion. The use of Egyptian folklores is captivating and it makes for an extremely interesting book but I felt like the book meandered and strayed off course in the end. I have the feeling that this is not the last Diogenes novel because the ending was so weak. It is hard for me to believe that with all the effort and
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Jan 16, 2010
Lisa
rated it:
First preston/child novel I've read and I really enjoyed it. Wish I would have known it was third in a trilogy when I started, as I had a few questions, but overall it stood well on its own. There were a lot of characters, which I found difficult to keep track of. Even now after finishing it I might not be able to identify everyone if you asked me, so don't ask. :)
Pendergast, however, is an interesting and complex character. At first I found his rather flowery speech pattern really More...
Pendergast, however, is an interesting and complex character. At first I found his rather flowery speech pattern really More...
Aug 23, 2011
Rick
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This represented an excellent and satisfying conclusion to the Diogenes Trilogy. There was plenty of excitement and suspense as well as exceptionally well crafted resolutions to all of the hanging plot points from book two. I still enjoyed the middle book the best, which is very unusual in a trilogy, but there it is. I will begin The Wheel of Darkness as soon as I can get my hands on it and look forward to continuing adventures with the amazing Special Agent Pendergast and all of the others.
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Jul 23, 2011
Paula
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I listened to this one on an audio CD and, once I was able to keep the characters stratight, I was hooked! [I think if I had read the book instead of listening to it, it would've been easier to keep the characters straight]. The reader (Renee Aubernejois (?) had a pleasant reading voice and he affected all the characters, both males and females, enviably.
The book had some parts that seemd a bit far-fetched but toward the end there were some amazingly unexpected twists! The very end of the More...
The book had some parts that seemd a bit far-fetched but toward the end there were some amazingly unexpected twists! The very end of the More...
Mar 27, 2009
Jenny
rated it:
I can't remember if this is a 4 star of 5 and so until I re-read them, this is what you get. What I can tell you is that the Character Agent Pendergast is a lot of fun because he is different and interesting. Oh, I'm also putting these on here because I just talked to Grandma and said I would put these down in case she hasen't read them because they are pretty good. Of course, I told her my kids were entertained at the moment so now would be a good time. Grandma being a mother of a few kids,
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Mar 07, 2009
Betita
rated it:
Adorei!
Esta é uma triologia de nos tirar o folego, só tenho pena de não ter lido os 3 seguidinhos, pois acabamos sempre por nos esquecer de alguns detalhes que são por vezes muito importantes.
Neste ultimo livros da Triologia de Diógenes somos transportados para as lendas Egipcias e claro as suas inerentes Maldições dos Faraós. Diógenes continua a fazer das suas mas desta vez começa a deixar pontas soltas...
Achei espectacular o "acordar" de Constance na história e a su More...
Esta é uma triologia de nos tirar o folego, só tenho pena de não ter lido os 3 seguidinhos, pois acabamos sempre por nos esquecer de alguns detalhes que são por vezes muito importantes.
Neste ultimo livros da Triologia de Diógenes somos transportados para as lendas Egipcias e claro as suas inerentes Maldições dos Faraós. Diógenes continua a fazer das suas mas desta vez começa a deixar pontas soltas...
Achei espectacular o "acordar" de Constance na história e a su More...
