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Gideon Crew #1
Gideon's Sword
Introducing Gideon trickster, prodigy, master thief. At twelve, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down. At twenty-four, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth that his His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him. Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful. But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills.
Someone who has need of just such a renegade. For Gideon, this operation may be only the beginning . . .
Someone who has need of just such a renegade. For Gideon, this operation may be only the beginning . . .
342 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2011
2189 people are currently reading
7565 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Preston
230 books13.3k followersDouglas Preston was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1956, and grew up in the deadly boring suburb of Wellesley. Following a distinguished career at a private nursery school--he was almost immediately expelled--he attended public schools and the Cambridge School of Weston. Notable events in his early life included the loss of a fingertip at the age of three to a bicycle; the loss of his two front teeth to his brother Richard's fist; and various broken bones, also incurred in dust-ups with Richard. (Richard went on to write The Hot Zone and The Cobra Event, which tells you all you need to know about what it was like to grow up with him as a brother.)
As they grew up, Doug, Richard, and their little brother David roamed the quiet suburbs of Wellesley, terrorizing the natives with home-made rockets and incendiary devices mail-ordered from the backs of comic books or concocted from chemistry sets. With a friend they once attempted to fly a rocket into Wellesley Square; the rocket malfunctioned and nearly killed a man mowing his lawn. They were local celebrities, often appearing in the "Police Notes" section of The Wellesley Townsman. It is a miracle they survived childhood intact.
After unaccountably being rejected by Stanford University (a pox on it), Preston attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he studied mathematics, biology, physics, anthropology, chemistry, geology, and astronomy before settling down to English literature. After graduating, Preston began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as an editor, writer, and eventually manager of publications. (Preston also taught writing at Princeton University and was managing editor of Curator.) His eight-year stint at the Museum resulted in the non-fiction book, Dinosaurs in the Attic, edited by a rising young star at St. Martin's Press, a polymath by the name of Lincoln Child. During this period, Preston gave Child a midnight tour of the museum, and in the darkened Hall of Late Dinosaurs, under a looming T. Rex, Child turned to Preston and said: "This would make the perfect setting for a thriller!" That thriller would, of course, be Relic.
In 1986, Douglas Preston piled everything he owned into the back of a Subaru and moved from New York City to Santa Fe to write full time, following the advice of S. J. Perelman that "the dubious privilege of a freelance writer is he's given the freedom to starve anywhere." After the requisite period of penury, Preston achieved a small success with the publication of Cities of Gold, a non-fiction book about Coronado's search for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola. To research the book, Preston and a friend retraced on horseback 1,000 miles of Coronado's route across Arizona and New Mexico, packing their supplies and sleeping under the stars--nearly killing themselves in the process. Since then he has published several more non-fiction books on the history of the American Southwest, Talking to the Ground and The Royal Road, as well as a novel entitled Jennie. In the early 1990s Preston and Child teamed up to write suspense novels; Relic was the first, followed by several others, including Riptide and Thunderhead. Relic was released as a motion picture by Paramount in 1997. Other films are under development at Hollywood studios. Preston and Child live 500 miles apart and write their books together via telephone, fax, and the Internet.
Preston and his brother Richard are currently producing a television miniseries for ABC and Mandalay Entertainment, to be aired in the spring of 2000, if all goes well, which in Hollywood is rarely the case.
Preston continues a magazine writing career by contributing regularly to The New Yorker magazine. He has also written for National Geographic, Natural History, Smithsonisan, Harper's,and Travel & Leisure,among others.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/dougla...
As they grew up, Doug, Richard, and their little brother David roamed the quiet suburbs of Wellesley, terrorizing the natives with home-made rockets and incendiary devices mail-ordered from the backs of comic books or concocted from chemistry sets. With a friend they once attempted to fly a rocket into Wellesley Square; the rocket malfunctioned and nearly killed a man mowing his lawn. They were local celebrities, often appearing in the "Police Notes" section of The Wellesley Townsman. It is a miracle they survived childhood intact.
After unaccountably being rejected by Stanford University (a pox on it), Preston attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he studied mathematics, biology, physics, anthropology, chemistry, geology, and astronomy before settling down to English literature. After graduating, Preston began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as an editor, writer, and eventually manager of publications. (Preston also taught writing at Princeton University and was managing editor of Curator.) His eight-year stint at the Museum resulted in the non-fiction book, Dinosaurs in the Attic, edited by a rising young star at St. Martin's Press, a polymath by the name of Lincoln Child. During this period, Preston gave Child a midnight tour of the museum, and in the darkened Hall of Late Dinosaurs, under a looming T. Rex, Child turned to Preston and said: "This would make the perfect setting for a thriller!" That thriller would, of course, be Relic.
In 1986, Douglas Preston piled everything he owned into the back of a Subaru and moved from New York City to Santa Fe to write full time, following the advice of S. J. Perelman that "the dubious privilege of a freelance writer is he's given the freedom to starve anywhere." After the requisite period of penury, Preston achieved a small success with the publication of Cities of Gold, a non-fiction book about Coronado's search for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola. To research the book, Preston and a friend retraced on horseback 1,000 miles of Coronado's route across Arizona and New Mexico, packing their supplies and sleeping under the stars--nearly killing themselves in the process. Since then he has published several more non-fiction books on the history of the American Southwest, Talking to the Ground and The Royal Road, as well as a novel entitled Jennie. In the early 1990s Preston and Child teamed up to write suspense novels; Relic was the first, followed by several others, including Riptide and Thunderhead. Relic was released as a motion picture by Paramount in 1997. Other films are under development at Hollywood studios. Preston and Child live 500 miles apart and write their books together via telephone, fax, and the Internet.
Preston and his brother Richard are currently producing a television miniseries for ABC and Mandalay Entertainment, to be aired in the spring of 2000, if all goes well, which in Hollywood is rarely the case.
Preston continues a magazine writing career by contributing regularly to The New Yorker magazine. He has also written for National Geographic, Natural History, Smithsonisan, Harper's,and Travel & Leisure,among others.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/dougla...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,601 reviews
May 16, 2016
Well boys and girls we have a new vocabulary word today! Our word for the day is "ludicrous". Can you say that word boys and girls? That's "lu·di·crous". Do you know what that word means children? Here is a definition: lu·di·crous: –adjective
causing laughter because of absurdity; provoking or deserving derision; ridiculous; laughable.
So now we know a new word and we know what it means, let's use it in a sentence, okay?
"Ludicrous, this book is ludicrous".
Yes boys and girls we will use our new word to discuss the book in question. In this book a little boy sees his daddy shot. After this the boy's mommy changes and isn't a very good mommy anymore. His mommy began to do something called "chain smoking" and she also began to drink a lot of beverages with "alcohol" in them. Do you know what that is boys and girls? Well, the mommy didn't take very good care of the boy so he grew up to be a master art thief. Then one day he was at the hospital seeing his mommy as she was dying from cirrhosis of the liver and emphysema (these were caused by her "chain smoking" and heavy drinking of "alcoholic beverages" boys and girls)... AND his mommy told the boy that his daddy had been killed, not for the reason the boy thought but by a bad man as part of a conspiracy.
Do you know that word boys and girls? Conspiracy.
Well the mommy, who hadn't been a very good mommy, told the boy he had to get "revenge" on the bad man who was behind the killing of the boy's daddy.
And the boy does...he spends 10 years becoming a PHD. (do you know what that is boys and girls? A PHD is a college degree that takes 6,8 or more years to achieve, wow.)He gets a job where he works in Los Alamos building nuclear weapons. Do you know what those are boys and girls?
Now all this is just the set up for the book! Now it gets really fun as a super secret company that is sort of a private spy, engineering, planning, pseudo-military company that subcontracts to the government thinks that the boy (all grown up now) is just what they need. Now why would the boy work for them when he's finally finished with revenge and can now plan a life?
Well, he's dying of a brain cloud...no wait that's from a bad movie where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan jump into a volcano. But if you read this book you will see boys and girls why someone might confuse it with a bad movie...or a bad TV show...or a bad case of food poisoning. And it was easy to confuse it with Joe Vs. the Volcano as I wish I'd thrown this book into a volcano instead of putting my time into it.
I have read other books by these writers boys and girls and some are pretty good and some are pretty bad. They wrote a character named Aloysius Pendergast who sometimes gets very close to being "ludicrous" but he usually manages only to get close and not be "ludicrous". Your reviewer likes most of the Pendergast books, some very much. But this book did not stop at being close to "ludicrous", it became "ludicrous", very, very "ludicrous". There are other words that this reviewer could apply to this book: laughable, nonsensical, silly, preposterous. Do you know those words boys and girls?
Well, the reviewer will stop now. I suppose some people will like this book, but this reviewer did not. In fact boys and girls while I did not hate this book I (the reviewer that is) just didn't care much about it at all...if I could give less than 1 star boys and girls I would! So...I can't recommend this book. If you want to read it I hope you like it boys and girls but I don't plan to read any more of Mr. Preston and Mr. Child's Gideon Crew books. With these from now on you are on your own boys and girls.
causing laughter because of absurdity; provoking or deserving derision; ridiculous; laughable.
So now we know a new word and we know what it means, let's use it in a sentence, okay?
"Ludicrous, this book is ludicrous".
Yes boys and girls we will use our new word to discuss the book in question. In this book a little boy sees his daddy shot. After this the boy's mommy changes and isn't a very good mommy anymore. His mommy began to do something called "chain smoking" and she also began to drink a lot of beverages with "alcohol" in them. Do you know what that is boys and girls? Well, the mommy didn't take very good care of the boy so he grew up to be a master art thief. Then one day he was at the hospital seeing his mommy as she was dying from cirrhosis of the liver and emphysema (these were caused by her "chain smoking" and heavy drinking of "alcoholic beverages" boys and girls)... AND his mommy told the boy that his daddy had been killed, not for the reason the boy thought but by a bad man as part of a conspiracy.
Do you know that word boys and girls? Conspiracy.
Well the mommy, who hadn't been a very good mommy, told the boy he had to get "revenge" on the bad man who was behind the killing of the boy's daddy.
And the boy does...he spends 10 years becoming a PHD. (do you know what that is boys and girls? A PHD is a college degree that takes 6,8 or more years to achieve, wow.)He gets a job where he works in Los Alamos building nuclear weapons. Do you know what those are boys and girls?
Now all this is just the set up for the book! Now it gets really fun as a super secret company that is sort of a private spy, engineering, planning, pseudo-military company that subcontracts to the government thinks that the boy (all grown up now) is just what they need. Now why would the boy work for them when he's finally finished with revenge and can now plan a life?
Well, he's dying of a brain cloud...no wait that's from a bad movie where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan jump into a volcano. But if you read this book you will see boys and girls why someone might confuse it with a bad movie...or a bad TV show...or a bad case of food poisoning. And it was easy to confuse it with Joe Vs. the Volcano as I wish I'd thrown this book into a volcano instead of putting my time into it.
I have read other books by these writers boys and girls and some are pretty good and some are pretty bad. They wrote a character named Aloysius Pendergast who sometimes gets very close to being "ludicrous" but he usually manages only to get close and not be "ludicrous". Your reviewer likes most of the Pendergast books, some very much. But this book did not stop at being close to "ludicrous", it became "ludicrous", very, very "ludicrous". There are other words that this reviewer could apply to this book: laughable, nonsensical, silly, preposterous. Do you know those words boys and girls?
Well, the reviewer will stop now. I suppose some people will like this book, but this reviewer did not. In fact boys and girls while I did not hate this book I (the reviewer that is) just didn't care much about it at all...if I could give less than 1 star boys and girls I would! So...I can't recommend this book. If you want to read it I hope you like it boys and girls but I don't plan to read any more of Mr. Preston and Mr. Child's Gideon Crew books. With these from now on you are on your own boys and girls.
October 1, 2017
Decided to break off from the Pendergast series and give Gideon Crew a try. It felt a lot different. It was pretty good, but did not blow me away like the Pendergast series. Here are my pros and cons.
Pros:
- Love how each scene with Crew is a different character - a master of disguise
- Enjoyable and suspenseful climax
- Humor mixed with action
Cons:
- The story had me like "huh?" Just a wee bit confusing; never sure I fully understood everything that was happening and why.
- So many convenient twists. Just when you think our hero is out of luck, it just so happens that the exact thing that will save the day comes along.
- Stretching believability. With Pendergast, they stretch believability quite a bit, but in the end they explain everything so well that it becomes believable. That did not really happen here.
I am looking forward to the next book - hoping for an improvement. But, this one was okay and decently entertaining.
Pros:
- Love how each scene with Crew is a different character - a master of disguise
- Enjoyable and suspenseful climax
- Humor mixed with action
Cons:
- The story had me like "huh?" Just a wee bit confusing; never sure I fully understood everything that was happening and why.
- So many convenient twists. Just when you think our hero is out of luck, it just so happens that the exact thing that will save the day comes along.
- Stretching believability. With Pendergast, they stretch believability quite a bit, but in the end they explain everything so well that it becomes believable. That did not really happen here.
I am looking forward to the next book - hoping for an improvement. But, this one was okay and decently entertaining.
July 31, 2023
A very good friend recommended the series to me. We'd buddy read most of the co-authors' other series, Pendergast, and so it seemed like a natural next step. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child created another memorable character with Gideon Crew who has been both a good and a bad guy, and now, it seems like fate has given him a surprise twist with the future of his life. I won't reveal any spoilers but he's recruited to do some intense spy work, knowing he can't say no and has very little to look forward to beyond the next year of his free-ish life. The book mostly took place in New York City with a few trips to Asia and another place or two, but each setting was vividly described and made for a fast and furious chase. Of course there are intensely driven scenes where you think he'll die but miraculously survives... toss in a charming yet wily and oddly nuanced personality, the series seems like it will be a good fit for me. Looking forward to the second one.
May 29, 2019
I’ll go with a solid 3 stars on this one.
Gideon’s Sword is the first book in the Gideon Crew series. After I finished up the Pendergast series by Preston & Child, I was looking for another series by these fabulous authors!
The first book in the Gideon Crew series is not as good as the Pendergast series but I’ll keep reading this because,
1. It’s still entertaining and I can see promise for more exciting thrillers in the future!
2. Gideon Crew seems like an interesting main character. Not as interesting as A.X.L. Pendergast but I really don’t expect anyone to be THAT interesting and unique.
3. The writing of Preston & Child is still great! It’s entertaining and action packed, along with having great science and technology information in the plot.
In Gideon’s Sword, we’re introduced to Gideon Crew who’s a master thief, excellent liar and overall man of many faces. The book starts off with a bang with Crew going after the man who framed and killed his father. I was expecting the book to be only about this topic but that wasn’t the case. It gets resolved pretty quick!
After Crew gets revenge, we get introduced to Eli Glinn who's the main character of The Ice Limit. Glinn and his company wants Crew to go after an impossible task and target.
The book was fun and entertaining but not necessarily shocking. Everything was a little too convenient with the plot and things got unbelievable at times for me.
At least with Pendergast, that series felt like I could believe it even though it seemed ridiculous at times. I think Preston & Child just do a better job with explaining the plots in that series. Hopefully they will do that in the future with this series as well.
And yes, I will continue with the Gideon Crew series. I still found this an enjoyable and fast paced book!
From what I’ve heard, the series does get better and I’m excited for that!
Gideon’s Sword is the first book in the Gideon Crew series. After I finished up the Pendergast series by Preston & Child, I was looking for another series by these fabulous authors!
The first book in the Gideon Crew series is not as good as the Pendergast series but I’ll keep reading this because,
1. It’s still entertaining and I can see promise for more exciting thrillers in the future!
2. Gideon Crew seems like an interesting main character. Not as interesting as A.X.L. Pendergast but I really don’t expect anyone to be THAT interesting and unique.
3. The writing of Preston & Child is still great! It’s entertaining and action packed, along with having great science and technology information in the plot.
In Gideon’s Sword, we’re introduced to Gideon Crew who’s a master thief, excellent liar and overall man of many faces. The book starts off with a bang with Crew going after the man who framed and killed his father. I was expecting the book to be only about this topic but that wasn’t the case. It gets resolved pretty quick!
After Crew gets revenge, we get introduced to Eli Glinn who's the main character of The Ice Limit. Glinn and his company wants Crew to go after an impossible task and target.
The book was fun and entertaining but not necessarily shocking. Everything was a little too convenient with the plot and things got unbelievable at times for me.
At least with Pendergast, that series felt like I could believe it even though it seemed ridiculous at times. I think Preston & Child just do a better job with explaining the plots in that series. Hopefully they will do that in the future with this series as well.
And yes, I will continue with the Gideon Crew series. I still found this an enjoyable and fast paced book!
From what I’ve heard, the series does get better and I’m excited for that!
May 27, 2019
Definitely not my favorite Preston & Child book, but enjoyable for what it is. No great mystery and quite a bit of predictability but an enjoyable action ride none the less. If you’re looking for something similar to the Pendergast series however, this would not be it. Pure action adventure here. 3.5/5.0 stars.
August 29, 2011
This book is absurd. Completely off of its rocker. Now, I'm all fine and dandy with some unrealistic nuances in any type of mystery/thriller novel since it comes with the territory-genius detective, amazing tracking skills etc etc. However, this book takes it way far up to the next level. Gideon can do everything (went to MIT! has a PhD! is a thief! can hack into government databases without breaking a sweat! can con a man with his amazing acting skills! and more!) On top of that he has a tragic past (father was shot in front of him! Conspiracy! Mother drank and smoked herself to death!) and now he must get his revenge at the request of his mother.
Of course this entire tidbit occurs and is solved within the first 11 chapters then moves onto an entirely different story. So all of that, it was just prologue...you know for the REAL story. Take some super mumbo jumbo government engineering company + super secret weapon that needs to be obtained -> The need for Gideon to be involved. Why is that? Because Gideon has a fatal disease and of course must do this to get money to live the rest of his short life in comfort and he is the only one with the unique skill set to pull it off! Are you freaking kidding me? Seriously. Not amused.
The only reason why I trudged my way though this book was because I love Preston & Child's Agent Pendergast series among a lot of their other books. Of course, Pendergast can get pretty absurd at times too, but it always manages to stop just short of silly. Not so much for the Gideon series. I had thought that this book would have been something more similar to that (Pendergast's) particular line of writing. Guess I was wrong, and I am such a fan of their works too.
I'm sure there will be people who will like this book. Unfortunately, I am not one of them and cannot recommend this book to anyone. If they should ask about something written by Preston & Child, I will direct them to the lovely Agent Pendergast series instead-where things are absurd, but only in a good manner.
Of course this entire tidbit occurs and is solved within the first 11 chapters then moves onto an entirely different story. So all of that, it was just prologue...you know for the REAL story. Take some super mumbo jumbo government engineering company + super secret weapon that needs to be obtained -> The need for Gideon to be involved. Why is that? Because Gideon has a fatal disease and of course must do this to get money to live the rest of his short life in comfort and he is the only one with the unique skill set to pull it off! Are you freaking kidding me? Seriously. Not amused.
The only reason why I trudged my way though this book was because I love Preston & Child's Agent Pendergast series among a lot of their other books. Of course, Pendergast can get pretty absurd at times too, but it always manages to stop just short of silly. Not so much for the Gideon series. I had thought that this book would have been something more similar to that (Pendergast's) particular line of writing. Guess I was wrong, and I am such a fan of their works too.
I'm sure there will be people who will like this book. Unfortunately, I am not one of them and cannot recommend this book to anyone. If they should ask about something written by Preston & Child, I will direct them to the lovely Agent Pendergast series instead-where things are absurd, but only in a good manner.
July 7, 2011
This book was a real hit with me so you can imagine my shock when I went to the book's page on Amazon and found that the book was really slammed by reviewers. I read a wide variety of different types of fiction and found this book was not lacking in the least.
At the beginning of this story we learn that Gideon Crew witnessed his father's death as a young boy. He grows up thinking that his father was a traitor to his country only to learn later that he was no traitor at all. Looking to get revenge, Gideon ends up in the clutches of a super secret government contractor and is sent on an impossible mission. To say much more, would give away too much of the book.
The technical aspects of this book were flawless. Having read a few books that were coauthored, Preston and Child coauthor so seamlessly that you never feel like you are hearing two writer's separate voices - they ring through as one voice. The pacing of this book is fast, as thrillers often are, but there is enough character development that it made me want to read more about Gideon Crew.
Sadly, one might not buy this book due to the poor reviews. If you are dancing on the edge of shelling out hard earned cash, then read the first several pages through the "Look Inside" option on Amazon. If you're still on the fence, then borrow it or wait for the paperback version to come out. My vote is to recommend this book highly as it was good enough to earn keeper status on my shelf.
At the beginning of this story we learn that Gideon Crew witnessed his father's death as a young boy. He grows up thinking that his father was a traitor to his country only to learn later that he was no traitor at all. Looking to get revenge, Gideon ends up in the clutches of a super secret government contractor and is sent on an impossible mission. To say much more, would give away too much of the book.
The technical aspects of this book were flawless. Having read a few books that were coauthored, Preston and Child coauthor so seamlessly that you never feel like you are hearing two writer's separate voices - they ring through as one voice. The pacing of this book is fast, as thrillers often are, but there is enough character development that it made me want to read more about Gideon Crew.
Sadly, one might not buy this book due to the poor reviews. If you are dancing on the edge of shelling out hard earned cash, then read the first several pages through the "Look Inside" option on Amazon. If you're still on the fence, then borrow it or wait for the paperback version to come out. My vote is to recommend this book highly as it was good enough to earn keeper status on my shelf.
March 24, 2011
As a fan of all the other books these guys have written together I was disappointed that their next book wasn't a Pendergast adventure, but was excited that a new book (and series) was in the works. Having finished it not 2 minutes ago, I wish it had been the next Pendergast (or even a stand-alone).
It was a quick, fun read but was ultimately disappointing since it doesn't match the level of smart thriller action and mystery (and interesting characters) they've established in their previous books. On all fronts it just felt like something was missing. Action scenes were action packed but were filled with more "oh, c'mon" than "oh my god" moments. Characters had quirky traits but never any real depth. And too many times did pure luck and incredible coincidence help rescue the situation.
The biggest hurdle to enjoying the story was Gideon himself. His decade-spanning origin/revenge story is quickly told in the first few chapters, a story that itself could have been its own book. Then we speedily enter the real meat of the novel, where he does things that make you question how he ever accomplished anything, not helped by juvenile remarks that don't ever come close to being witty, making this Ph.d sound like a high schooler. Throw in some clichéd dialogue and unbelievable plot points (a hooker falls in love with Gideon after only a few hours and asks "Why do you keep pushing me away?") and you have an inauspicious start to a series.
I'll give the next one in this series a try but I'm not hopeful.
It was a quick, fun read but was ultimately disappointing since it doesn't match the level of smart thriller action and mystery (and interesting characters) they've established in their previous books. On all fronts it just felt like something was missing. Action scenes were action packed but were filled with more "oh, c'mon" than "oh my god" moments. Characters had quirky traits but never any real depth. And too many times did pure luck and incredible coincidence help rescue the situation.
The biggest hurdle to enjoying the story was Gideon himself. His decade-spanning origin/revenge story is quickly told in the first few chapters, a story that itself could have been its own book. Then we speedily enter the real meat of the novel, where he does things that make you question how he ever accomplished anything, not helped by juvenile remarks that don't ever come close to being witty, making this Ph.d sound like a high schooler. Throw in some clichéd dialogue and unbelievable plot points (a hooker falls in love with Gideon after only a few hours and asks "Why do you keep pushing me away?") and you have an inauspicious start to a series.
I'll give the next one in this series a try but I'm not hopeful.
March 17, 2022
Historia de espías facilona, previsible y un tanto peliculera.
El personaje principal abre todas las puertas a la primera y se vale de burdas mentiras que nunca te llegas a creer del todo.
Se salva únicamente por el buen hacer de los autores, que aún no siendo uno de sus mejores libros, tiene una trama dinámica y fácil de entender, dónde hay muchas dosis de acción.
El personaje principal abre todas las puertas a la primera y se vale de burdas mentiras que nunca te llegas a creer del todo.
Se salva únicamente por el buen hacer de los autores, que aún no siendo uno de sus mejores libros, tiene una trama dinámica y fácil de entender, dónde hay muchas dosis de acción.
May 21, 2019
This is just laughably bad so back to the library it goes. DNF @ 15%.
February 24, 2011
I have been a fan of Preston and Child's entire joint career. I was very excited to see that they were finally writing another story that wasn't part of the Pendergast cycle. I love Agent Pendergast, but I was ready for a new story.
This book falls completely flat and is very disappointing. In all honesty, after the bizarre first 50 pages (which should've been either a stand alone novella or it's own book), this book is the story of the movie The Saint. The characters are one dimensional and boring. The authors characters have always run towards the unbelievable, but they were guilty pleasures with great histories and personalities. That is not what happened here.
This book falls completely flat and is very disappointing. In all honesty, after the bizarre first 50 pages (which should've been either a stand alone novella or it's own book), this book is the story of the movie The Saint. The characters are one dimensional and boring. The authors characters have always run towards the unbelievable, but they were guilty pleasures with great histories and personalities. That is not what happened here.
February 2, 2016
Erm? I was listening to this at work and the next thing I knew, it was over.
Damn those cliffs. I fell right over.
This was like a watered-down, low-budget, mediocre. thrill-filled Mission Possible. Yeah, I meant to say it that way. Gideon smooth talks and moonwalks his ass out of every hard corner he gets into. It was fun at first, but then even the character doesn't believe he gets away with the stuff he does.
This could be a fun, waiting on the next best thing, read. You just have to half listen/read it.
I'll check out the next one just to see what the hell happens next. Did I mention the cliffhanger? Oh, okay. Carry on.
Damn those cliffs. I fell right over.
This was like a watered-down, low-budget, mediocre. thrill-filled Mission Possible. Yeah, I meant to say it that way. Gideon smooth talks and moonwalks his ass out of every hard corner he gets into. It was fun at first, but then even the character doesn't believe he gets away with the stuff he does.
This could be a fun, waiting on the next best thing, read. You just have to half listen/read it.
I'll check out the next one just to see what the hell happens next. Did I mention the cliffhanger? Oh, okay. Carry on.
February 5, 2013
This character is supposed to be smart and he does do some clever things. He also does some bonehead things that detracts from some good plot lines. 7 of 10 stars.
August 29, 2025
I was having Pendergast withdrawals, and I've had this book on my TBR for ages, so I figured, why not?
While I had a good time and the story is fast-paced and interesting, I don't think I enjoyed reading about him as much as my dear Aloysius, even if Guideon appears to be a very charming MC.
Still, I'll continue the series because I am not sure I fully trust Eli Glinn, and I want to see how this ends.
While I had a good time and the story is fast-paced and interesting, I don't think I enjoyed reading about him as much as my dear Aloysius, even if Guideon appears to be a very charming MC.
Still, I'll continue the series because I am not sure I fully trust Eli Glinn, and I want to see how this ends.
June 9, 2016
August 1988
Gideon Crew is 12 years old when he accompanies his mother down to Arlington Hall station, where his father works for INSCOM, The United States Army Intelligence and Security. His father is holding hostages. When the hostages are let go Gideon and his mother watch as Gideon’s father is gunned down.
October 1996
Gideon goes to the hospital to see his dying mother. After years of drinking herself into oblivion, her liver is failing. Gideon hasn’t spent a lot of time with his mother. He’s been too wrapped up in his own life. His mother tells of him of his father’s job vetting the government project named Thresher. Against the advice of Gideon’s father, the NSA signed off on the flawed project. Several months later the Russian government cracked it. General Chamblee Tucker was in charge of the Thresher project and he saw to it that Gideon’s father was set up as the scapegoat for the disaster. When Gideon’s father tried to take the information public he was assassinated. After she tells him the tale, Gideon’s mother asks him to “even the score” and “do to Tucker what he did to your father.” These were his mother’s last words.
Current Day
A decade later we meet up with Gideon again. He is now in his 30s and he works on “The Hill” at Los Alamos National Lab. Everything Gideon has done for the last decade has been done with the design of putting him in a position to fulfill his promise to his mother; the promise of seeking revenge for his father’s death by bringing General Tucker down. His job gives him access to necessary information that he needs to accomplish this. When Gideon finally locates the memo his father wrote criticizing Thresher and advising against it, his revenge comes to fruition.
Now that Gideon has fulfilled the goal he’s spent the last decade devising, he is in limbo, wondering what’s next in life. He is recruited by Eli Glinn, who works for an organization called Effective Engineering Solutions, to carry out a sensitive mission. EES wants Gideon to intercept a Chinese scientist who is defecting to the United States. The scientist carries top secret information that could be important to the U.S. government. They believe this is information on the development of a new weapon. Gideon has perfected many arts over the years and they believe he is just the man for the job.
Indeed, Gideon does have some experience that will be put to good use. We learn that he used to be an art thief and as he undertakes this new job, we watch him artfully change personas again and again. He knows the art of a con and uses social engineering to his advantage. He knows people in the right places to get necessary information that he isn’t getting from his employers. Gideon is a survivor but it will take everything he is to survive this mission.
I’ve been a fan of the Preston and Child writing duo for a long time. I love their FBI Special Agent Pendergast series. The Pendergast character and his sidekicks have been artfully built throughout each of the books. I would even venture to say that Pendergast and his dastardly brother are two of the most intriguing characters featured in modern day thrillers. Additionally, I have read and enjoyed each author’s solo works. These authors always flesh out the landscape of their books, giving us a tidbits of great historical background on New York and other locales. This new series is not an exception. Gideon’s Sword is the first book in the Gideon Crew series and introduces a character that is young, clever and resourceful. This book had a well-written, fast-paced story-line that put me in mind of watching a one of those adventure movies like Die Hard. I look forward to seeing where these authors take Gideon’s character in the rest of the series.
Gideon Crew is 12 years old when he accompanies his mother down to Arlington Hall station, where his father works for INSCOM, The United States Army Intelligence and Security. His father is holding hostages. When the hostages are let go Gideon and his mother watch as Gideon’s father is gunned down.
October 1996
Gideon goes to the hospital to see his dying mother. After years of drinking herself into oblivion, her liver is failing. Gideon hasn’t spent a lot of time with his mother. He’s been too wrapped up in his own life. His mother tells of him of his father’s job vetting the government project named Thresher. Against the advice of Gideon’s father, the NSA signed off on the flawed project. Several months later the Russian government cracked it. General Chamblee Tucker was in charge of the Thresher project and he saw to it that Gideon’s father was set up as the scapegoat for the disaster. When Gideon’s father tried to take the information public he was assassinated. After she tells him the tale, Gideon’s mother asks him to “even the score” and “do to Tucker what he did to your father.” These were his mother’s last words.
Current Day
A decade later we meet up with Gideon again. He is now in his 30s and he works on “The Hill” at Los Alamos National Lab. Everything Gideon has done for the last decade has been done with the design of putting him in a position to fulfill his promise to his mother; the promise of seeking revenge for his father’s death by bringing General Tucker down. His job gives him access to necessary information that he needs to accomplish this. When Gideon finally locates the memo his father wrote criticizing Thresher and advising against it, his revenge comes to fruition.
Now that Gideon has fulfilled the goal he’s spent the last decade devising, he is in limbo, wondering what’s next in life. He is recruited by Eli Glinn, who works for an organization called Effective Engineering Solutions, to carry out a sensitive mission. EES wants Gideon to intercept a Chinese scientist who is defecting to the United States. The scientist carries top secret information that could be important to the U.S. government. They believe this is information on the development of a new weapon. Gideon has perfected many arts over the years and they believe he is just the man for the job.
Indeed, Gideon does have some experience that will be put to good use. We learn that he used to be an art thief and as he undertakes this new job, we watch him artfully change personas again and again. He knows the art of a con and uses social engineering to his advantage. He knows people in the right places to get necessary information that he isn’t getting from his employers. Gideon is a survivor but it will take everything he is to survive this mission.
I’ve been a fan of the Preston and Child writing duo for a long time. I love their FBI Special Agent Pendergast series. The Pendergast character and his sidekicks have been artfully built throughout each of the books. I would even venture to say that Pendergast and his dastardly brother are two of the most intriguing characters featured in modern day thrillers. Additionally, I have read and enjoyed each author’s solo works. These authors always flesh out the landscape of their books, giving us a tidbits of great historical background on New York and other locales. This new series is not an exception. Gideon’s Sword is the first book in the Gideon Crew series and introduces a character that is young, clever and resourceful. This book had a well-written, fast-paced story-line that put me in mind of watching a one of those adventure movies like Die Hard. I look forward to seeing where these authors take Gideon’s character in the rest of the series.
April 9, 2013
This is the first book by these authors that I’ve experienced. This one was on audio at my library, so I took the opportunity to read it.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this book was very good. At the most, it was somewhat entertaining, but the writing was just odd and didn't succeed with me. Gideon is a strange character. He never quite comes off as completely competent. Instead, he seems to bumble his way through situations. He is a fast talker and has a way of getting people to tell him what he wants to know, but I didn’t really count that as a significant skill. He's intelligent, but still slow on the uptake at times. I know that as a reader, we often have oversight in a situation that the character lacks, but I like to think that the main character can use the brains the Good Lord gave him. And I hate when the villain continually out-thinks him.
This book has this 'off' feeling that never goes away. I had hoped things would come together, but it stayed weird, and not in a good way, over the course of the book. I would use the term 'half-baked' to describe this book. Ingredients in this novel could have come to a good finished product, but they just don't.
While I don't like paper tiger villains, I felt that the villain was way out of Gideon's league. I didn't get this David and Goliath feeling where you have an unlikely hero who has the odds stacked against him and triumphed. Instead, I felt as though Gideon didn't have a chance against Nodding Crane. I was actually wincing at how inept Gideon was at times. I really hate being so harsh in my criticisms, but it's how I felt. I always hope for the best when I read a book, and this book never got to be better. It's just barely at 2.5 star read.
The saving grace was that I did listen to it on audio. The narrator, well-known actor John Glover, brought this story to life with his clever vocalizations and personifications of the dialogue. This is one of those cases when a good narrator can stave a sinking ship from going down, or mostly. While this book is not a good one, it was at times entertaining because of the narration.
I might seem foolish, but I want to try the next book, since it is also at my library on audio. My hope is that Gideon does get his act together and has learned something from his experience in this book. I'd like to see that Gideon has something to offer as a hero in future books. Maybe the authors have a better grasp on his character for his next outing. I'm holding onto my hopes!
Unfortunately, I don’t think this book was very good. At the most, it was somewhat entertaining, but the writing was just odd and didn't succeed with me. Gideon is a strange character. He never quite comes off as completely competent. Instead, he seems to bumble his way through situations. He is a fast talker and has a way of getting people to tell him what he wants to know, but I didn’t really count that as a significant skill. He's intelligent, but still slow on the uptake at times. I know that as a reader, we often have oversight in a situation that the character lacks, but I like to think that the main character can use the brains the Good Lord gave him. And I hate when the villain continually out-thinks him.
This book has this 'off' feeling that never goes away. I had hoped things would come together, but it stayed weird, and not in a good way, over the course of the book. I would use the term 'half-baked' to describe this book. Ingredients in this novel could have come to a good finished product, but they just don't.
While I don't like paper tiger villains, I felt that the villain was way out of Gideon's league. I didn't get this David and Goliath feeling where you have an unlikely hero who has the odds stacked against him and triumphed. Instead, I felt as though Gideon didn't have a chance against Nodding Crane. I was actually wincing at how inept Gideon was at times. I really hate being so harsh in my criticisms, but it's how I felt. I always hope for the best when I read a book, and this book never got to be better. It's just barely at 2.5 star read.
The saving grace was that I did listen to it on audio. The narrator, well-known actor John Glover, brought this story to life with his clever vocalizations and personifications of the dialogue. This is one of those cases when a good narrator can stave a sinking ship from going down, or mostly. While this book is not a good one, it was at times entertaining because of the narration.
I might seem foolish, but I want to try the next book, since it is also at my library on audio. My hope is that Gideon does get his act together and has learned something from his experience in this book. I'd like to see that Gideon has something to offer as a hero in future books. Maybe the authors have a better grasp on his character for his next outing. I'm holding onto my hopes!
September 25, 2024
In the end, it was the same kind of page turner I've come to expect from this thrill-writing duo. International intrigue, rogue heroes and a few unexpected twists along the way.
Unlike their other books, this series took me quite a few chapters and two attempts (five years apart) to finish. I'm glad I stuck with it, Gideon Crew is a worthy protagonist with an interesting future.
(Reviewed 7/3/16)
Unlike their other books, this series took me quite a few chapters and two attempts (five years apart) to finish. I'm glad I stuck with it, Gideon Crew is a worthy protagonist with an interesting future.
(Reviewed 7/3/16)
April 26, 2016
Overall okay. Nothing great, but no too bad. I agree with some reviews that everything seems to come easy for our hero. The fight at the end was darn good. I used a digital library to read this book. I will see if the library has the 2nd and 3rd books in this series.
July 19, 2020
3'5/5 estrellas
Me ha gustado bastante. Aunque si es verdad que me esperaba más, ya que Presto y Child son de mis autores favoritos y la serie de Pendergast una de mis favoritos.
Pero aún así me ha gustado mucho. Me ha parecido un libro entretenido que engancha porque pasa muchas cosas. Nada me parecía de relleno. Y las partes que podían ser algo más lentas eran necesarias .
Esta novela también tiene ese toque en el que los malos le ponen las cosas muy difíciles al protagonista, vamos poniéndole entre las cuerdas. Ese toque que también tienen otras novelas de estos autores y eso me ha gustado.
La historia me ha gustado, hubo partes que me sorprendieron. En cuanto al final me dejó con más ganas de saber sobre Glinn, me dejo algo confundía .
En cuanto a los personajes, el protagonista me gustó bastante. Tiene esa personalidad que me gusta, es gracioso, valiente e inteligente. Y poco más se puede decir de otros personajes porque no destaca ninguno más. A parte que tampoco te los da a conocer. El único que conocemos es a Crew.
En conclusión es un libro que entretiene y engancha y con algún otro giro que puede sorprender . Aunque no es nada del otro mundo. Así que no hay que esperar mucho. Aún así lo recomiendo.
Me ha gustado bastante. Aunque si es verdad que me esperaba más, ya que Presto y Child son de mis autores favoritos y la serie de Pendergast una de mis favoritos.
Pero aún así me ha gustado mucho. Me ha parecido un libro entretenido que engancha porque pasa muchas cosas. Nada me parecía de relleno. Y las partes que podían ser algo más lentas eran necesarias .
Esta novela también tiene ese toque en el que los malos le ponen las cosas muy difíciles al protagonista, vamos poniéndole entre las cuerdas. Ese toque que también tienen otras novelas de estos autores y eso me ha gustado.
La historia me ha gustado, hubo partes que me sorprendieron. En cuanto al final me dejó con más ganas de saber sobre Glinn, me dejo algo confundía .
En cuanto a los personajes, el protagonista me gustó bastante. Tiene esa personalidad que me gusta, es gracioso, valiente e inteligente. Y poco más se puede decir de otros personajes porque no destaca ninguno más. A parte que tampoco te los da a conocer. El único que conocemos es a Crew.
En conclusión es un libro que entretiene y engancha y con algún otro giro que puede sorprender . Aunque no es nada del otro mundo. Así que no hay que esperar mucho. Aún así lo recomiendo.
February 1, 2012
When I was in college I had a writing class with a famous author. In it he said the worst books had revenge as a plot and one should never do that. I disagreed in my head because I love novels & films with revenge as a central point.
And that's what this series is. Parts were a tad unbelievable, but really, most spy/thriller novels have to accept a suspension of disbelief. Yeah, Preston & Child's heroes are always a little affected. Pendergast with his fancy apartment in Dakota, sipping 100 year old wine, while eating dove's eggs and reading Samuel Johnson. Here we have a new hero, Gideon, who is busy preparing his one daily French gourmet meal in a beautiful rustic cabin filled with fancy computer equipment, with stolen artwork on the walls.
But these authors keep the ball rolling, and when things get dumb, they're always dumb in a smart way. Even their books I wound up not liking so much, it always occurred to me like a week later I was hoodwinked.
Anyways, I find it interesting it has the return of Eli Glinn and Engineering Solutions as a main character. I want to know more obviously how he survived the Ice Storm. Did they love this character so much they just had to bring him back?
I'm happy with this series as long as they keep churning out more Pendergast books.
And that's what this series is. Parts were a tad unbelievable, but really, most spy/thriller novels have to accept a suspension of disbelief. Yeah, Preston & Child's heroes are always a little affected. Pendergast with his fancy apartment in Dakota, sipping 100 year old wine, while eating dove's eggs and reading Samuel Johnson. Here we have a new hero, Gideon, who is busy preparing his one daily French gourmet meal in a beautiful rustic cabin filled with fancy computer equipment, with stolen artwork on the walls.
But these authors keep the ball rolling, and when things get dumb, they're always dumb in a smart way. Even their books I wound up not liking so much, it always occurred to me like a week later I was hoodwinked.
Anyways, I find it interesting it has the return of Eli Glinn and Engineering Solutions as a main character. I want to know more obviously how he survived the Ice Storm. Did they love this character so much they just had to bring him back?
I'm happy with this series as long as they keep churning out more Pendergast books.
May 5, 2016
While I do have considerably lower standards for my audio books than I do for the paper ones, this was still pushing it. I thought Preston and Child were suppose to be good. I downloaded three books in this series, although now I know why they were just sitting in the library catalog readily available. This one was very much in line with the Clive Cussler audio books, glib, bland, heavy on action, light on substance, like a straight to cable B flick. Didn't care for the reader either. It wasn't utterly terrible, it had a plot and all the marginal basic necessities of a book, it just wasn't really interesting or compelling or even that much fun. Maybe Preston and Child are indeed talented, but this read like it was just phoned in to cover the bills. Not much to recommend here, except for fans of really intellectually unchallenging action.
June 24, 2015
After careful consideration, I'm dropping this to a two star book. Just too many implausible moments to rate it a three. Gideon may end up being a good character but many of his abilities just seem to come out of nowhere. This is the first book with the character so I guess other things could be revealed down the line but since I really enjoy their Pendergast series, I was expecting much more from them. The one good thing I can say is it was a quick read.
July 8, 2018
quite a welcome departure from the pendergast style in the same literary universe
p288: then he sank the [box] cutter into the flesh and drew a long line; retracted the scalpel; drew another parallel line a centimiter away; then another.
p288: then he sank the [box] cutter into the flesh and drew a long line; retracted the scalpel; drew another parallel line a centimiter away; then another.
March 7, 2011
Sincerely, this is my first read of this dynamic duo. Go ahead and chuckle at my expense, I understand. Interesting plotline in Gideon’s Sword: A family wronged and father framed by a government employee to cover his tracks as many people die heinous deaths for no reason other than the government employee’s stupidity and arrogance. Original and thought provoking, I mean the way they went about it, the narrative, not the over used and tired plotline, hahaha, gotcha. Really though, let’s check out what is between the sheets:
“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 megaweapon from a defecting scientist. Trademark Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child action and suspense in a new series starter.”
I didn’t know they had a trademark but they made a fast impression on this reader. Action, suspense, fun, wit the whole nine yards: this is one fast engaging read. Any one following my posts or has through my archives, understands this type of novel is right in my wheelhouse, but I have to say that it separated itself from the pack. There is nothing tired, old or even stogy about this except the early premise of the death bed confession by Gideon’s mom about the cover-up surrounding his father’s death. The manner of delivery, the high drama and tension delivered inside the covers more than makes up for the same old same script. The dialogue is fresh and crisp, the characters rich and inviting, the prose of the authors intense and gripping. Okay I liked, I think you got the point. If you get the chance pick this up and give it a go, have some fun with Gideon and the gang.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“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 megaweapon from a defecting scientist. Trademark Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child action and suspense in a new series starter.”
I didn’t know they had a trademark but they made a fast impression on this reader. Action, suspense, fun, wit the whole nine yards: this is one fast engaging read. Any one following my posts or has through my archives, understands this type of novel is right in my wheelhouse, but I have to say that it separated itself from the pack. There is nothing tired, old or even stogy about this except the early premise of the death bed confession by Gideon’s mom about the cover-up surrounding his father’s death. The manner of delivery, the high drama and tension delivered inside the covers more than makes up for the same old same script. The dialogue is fresh and crisp, the characters rich and inviting, the prose of the authors intense and gripping. Okay I liked, I think you got the point. If you get the chance pick this up and give it a go, have some fun with Gideon and the gang.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
December 18, 2014
This is the first book featuring Dr. Gideon Crew, whose mission in life is to avenge the murder of his father, who was made a scapegoat by the U.S. government as a result of an unsuccessful intelligence project. Because I'm a fan of both authors (singularly and collectively), when I got a chance to get all three books in the series at a super price, I jumped on it - even though of the 440 reviews of the first one at Amazon.com (at the time of this writing), 213 were one and/or two stars.
Here's the deal: A renegade through and through, Crew is offered a job with a private contractor that involves finding a Chinese scientist who is supposedly sneaking plans for a deadly weapon into the United States. Apparently, someone else wants what the scientist has as well, and in an early-on melee, the scientist ends up dead. But that's not before he passes on a string of numbers to Crew, who tries to save him. Now, the race is on to find out what those numbers mean.
Now that I've finished the book, I understand why many of the ratings are so low. The action is almost nonstop - with gruesome murders happening at every turn. But that's not necessarily a good thing; much of the action involves such super-human efforts that it's just not believable. Perhaps worse, speed seems to have replaced quality; the characters aren't very well developed. Crew himself fares a little better in that regard, though I won't go so far as to call him likable.
All those issues aside, it really wasn't that bad; the ending set up a scenario for the next one, Gideon's Corpse, and yes, I still plan to read it - if only to see if the characters are better fleshed out and some of the over-the-top wild action gets tamed.
Here's the deal: A renegade through and through, Crew is offered a job with a private contractor that involves finding a Chinese scientist who is supposedly sneaking plans for a deadly weapon into the United States. Apparently, someone else wants what the scientist has as well, and in an early-on melee, the scientist ends up dead. But that's not before he passes on a string of numbers to Crew, who tries to save him. Now, the race is on to find out what those numbers mean.
Now that I've finished the book, I understand why many of the ratings are so low. The action is almost nonstop - with gruesome murders happening at every turn. But that's not necessarily a good thing; much of the action involves such super-human efforts that it's just not believable. Perhaps worse, speed seems to have replaced quality; the characters aren't very well developed. Crew himself fares a little better in that regard, though I won't go so far as to call him likable.
All those issues aside, it really wasn't that bad; the ending set up a scenario for the next one, Gideon's Corpse, and yes, I still plan to read it - if only to see if the characters are better fleshed out and some of the over-the-top wild action gets tamed.
July 4, 2012
Well mesieurs Douglas & Child had some time left inbetween the Pendergast books and their own individual books, so they came up with a new series with the main character Gideon Crew. Former art-thief and currently a nuclear weapon scientist in Los Alamos. His whole live untill the Pre Title Sequence (lets call it that in good ole movie-language) he tries to solve the betrayal of his father by collegues. ANd after he has done so he gets kinda recruited to do a little job for some unknown quantity of a organisation who also is paying his debts in return. Oh yeah and then the biggie: he finds out that he has about a year to live and after that his chances on survival dwindle rapidly into non-existance.
All set for a routine job for a shed load of money. Wrong!- Everything that can go wrong goes wrong and on top of that he gets some brilliant assassin after him. It all ends on Hart Island in the bay of New York. And the end of the book is essentially the 1st chapter in the next one Gideons' Corpse
It is a great beachbook in the style of the late Ludlum. A quick read with some nice twists in the story to not make it too predictable. At NO moment does it reach the quality of work we expected based upon the earlier writing by Douglas & Child. It has less taste and feels somewhat coloerless in comparisson. It does feel like it is written for an immediate filming by Mr. Tom Cruise. Which is no bad thing in itself.
Like its sequel it is a fun read and does not overstay its welcome. A third one is in the making I believe.
Enjoy reading it.
All set for a routine job for a shed load of money. Wrong!- Everything that can go wrong goes wrong and on top of that he gets some brilliant assassin after him. It all ends on Hart Island in the bay of New York. And the end of the book is essentially the 1st chapter in the next one Gideons' Corpse
It is a great beachbook in the style of the late Ludlum. A quick read with some nice twists in the story to not make it too predictable. At NO moment does it reach the quality of work we expected based upon the earlier writing by Douglas & Child. It has less taste and feels somewhat coloerless in comparisson. It does feel like it is written for an immediate filming by Mr. Tom Cruise. Which is no bad thing in itself.
Like its sequel it is a fun read and does not overstay its welcome. A third one is in the making I believe.
Enjoy reading it.
![Profile Image for Ed [Redacted].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1429513592i%2F3968676.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 16, 2012
This book is fairly absurd. it is the story of a guy who apparently was a super art thief, though this is just sort of blurted out at one point rather than actually set up. Anyway, he stopped being an art thief when he got his PHD in physics and went to work at Los Alamos. Then the former art thief and current scientist finds out his father was wrongly accused of treason and killed when the art thief was 12. The former art thief and current scientist and suddenly awesome con man uses his highly convienient skills to take revenge on the guy who got his father killed.
Then the story begins. The former art thief, scientist, con artist and revenge murderer is talked into attempting to locate a super weapon for a private company that, for some reason, is being contracted by the government to do some spying. I guess there must be a republican president in office at the time of the book, bent on privatizing everything in sight.
Anyway, this is a pretty silly book throughout and the authors cause the protagonist to do some truly stupid things to move the plot forward. Oh well, it's Preston and Child and if you have read their books before, you should be used to this kind of nonsense. Anyway it's a fun read, fast paced, exciting. Just try not to think about it as you read.
Then the story begins. The former art thief, scientist, con artist and revenge murderer is talked into attempting to locate a super weapon for a private company that, for some reason, is being contracted by the government to do some spying. I guess there must be a republican president in office at the time of the book, bent on privatizing everything in sight.
Anyway, this is a pretty silly book throughout and the authors cause the protagonist to do some truly stupid things to move the plot forward. Oh well, it's Preston and Child and if you have read their books before, you should be used to this kind of nonsense. Anyway it's a fun read, fast paced, exciting. Just try not to think about it as you read.
November 1, 2019
Another character developed by the authors, Preston & Child -- Gideon Crew. Gideon, is like a cross between James Bond, and Macgyver.
The storyline develops slowly from Gideon's childhood to present day. If you can get past the first third of the book, it is worth the read.
The storyline develops slowly from Gideon's childhood to present day. If you can get past the first third of the book, it is worth the read.
September 4, 2021
9/4 update: ok why tf was this called Gideon's Sword there are NO swords in this I'm not trying to be funny I genuinely want to know why this was called that. Like??? he doesn't even metaphorically "fall on his sword" like????????? Preston. Child. explain.
9/2: Okay I enjoyed this but this book was like???? There were so many weird encounters and shit that barely made sense???? However, I loved that I guessed one of the twists I’m so smart. But yeah the MC does shit that it’s like,,, girl when did you get this training????? Based on the back story given to us in the first few chapters I can understand being a good schemer/thief but how do u go from that to borderline FBI/CIA level training I need answers. Like even tho I enjoyed this I cannot give it 4 stars.
9/2: Okay I enjoyed this but this book was like???? There were so many weird encounters and shit that barely made sense???? However, I loved that I guessed one of the twists I’m so smart. But yeah the MC does shit that it’s like,,, girl when did you get this training????? Based on the back story given to us in the first few chapters I can understand being a good schemer/thief but how do u go from that to borderline FBI/CIA level training I need answers. Like even tho I enjoyed this I cannot give it 4 stars.
September 5, 2018
I'm really not sure if I was supposed to laugh at the end or just be amazed that it was over. Does he really only have a year to live?
I enjoyed the narration by John Glover.
I'm not sure if I'm interested enough in the character to read the next book or not. Maybe...
I enjoyed the narration by John Glover.
I'm not sure if I'm interested enough in the character to read the next book or not. Maybe...
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