Relic (Pendergast, #1) in WACKY READING CHALLENGES

Jan 13, 2020 Li'l Owl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owl-s-audible-audiobooks-own, owl-s-favorite-narrators, owl-s-favorite-books-authors, series, owl-s-favorite-audiobooks, owl-s-absolute-favourites, owl-s-books-own, science-fiction, horror

He who walks on all fours.....

Upper Xingú
Sept. 17, 1987

Montague, I’ve decided to send Carlos back with the last crate and go on alone in search of Crocker. Carlos is trustworthy, and I can’t risk losing the crate should anything happen to me. Take note of the shaman’s rattle and other ritual objects. They seem unique. But the figurine I’ve enclosed, which we found in a deserted hut at this site, is the proof I’ve been looking for. Note the exaggerated claws, the reptilian attributes, the hints ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Nancy rated it it was ok

Shelves: thriller

Something is prowling the basement of the Natural History Museum in New York, slashing people and eating their brains on the eve of the opening of one of the biggest exhibitions in the Museum's history. Despite the grisly murders, the director and his two henchmen - the PR woman and the exhibition curator, are determined to continue with the opening against the advice of the police and Pedergast, the FBI agent from the South who arrived to lead the investigation. The opening happens and it isn't Something is prowling the basement of the Natural History Museum in New York, slashing people and eating their brains on the eve of the opening of one of the biggest exhibitions in the Museum's history. Despite the grisly murders, the director and his two henchmen - the PR woman and the exhibition curator, are determined to continue with the opening against the advice of the police and Pedergast, the FBI agent from the South who arrived to lead the investigation. The opening happens and it isn't giving anything away to say that disaster occurs. Whatever it was that was lurking is out for blood.

That is pretty much a summary of what I found was a pedestrian book which, although kept me reading, brought very few surprises. In fact, my main reason for wanting to get to the end was that I was cheering the monster on. The characters in this book were so terrible that I was itching for them to get eaten. Unfortunately, every character was a stereotypical caricature - some didn't even get that far, being simply wooden cut-outs of what that particular type of person was expected to be. Perhaps the most infuriating was Smithback, the journalist who was supposed to be writing a book about the exhibition. I can not imagine that anyone would be so vacuous that when they were running for their lives through a dark, waterlogged basement after having witnessed someone being eviscerated by a monster, their first thought would be to ask the redundant journalistic question of the police officer leading the group "how does it feel to have 40 lives in your hands." Please. I so wanted the monster to get him.

The three heads of the museum were so unspeakably awful that there were no possible redeeming features about any of them. But even the good characters - Pendergast, Margo - were empty. About the only character who vaguely developed was D'Agosta, but even then I found it really hard to be invested in any of them. It's hard to feel anything for people who are actually just a parody.

Unfortunately, this book fell from a three star to a two star in the last quarter. I kept trying to be positive about it, but the characterisation - what of it there was - descended into such predictability and annoyance that I almost put the book down. Yes, there was a twist at the end (although perhaps it was more like a gentle curve than a twist), and yes, I accept that this book was written some 15 years ago but I still wouldn't be recommending it. ...more

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