Rutherford Tyler is an all-round nice guy, charitable, with contacts in highest places (he has a direct line to the VP), and extremely famous. It won't exactly hurt his fame to interview the finder of the tablet — the headline news everywhere — before it is authenticated, and once found ancient enough will probably cause WW-III. But having a dream assignment for any reporter doesn't mean you can't have your secrets.
Given the description, I was expecting a cross between Bourne Identity (an elusive mercenary terrorist) and Jack Ryan series by Tom Clancy (given the protagonist's occupation), with maybe a dash of Codex (ancient secret haunting modern lives). If that sounds like a mishmash of a lot of books, don't fear.
Once you get into the story, you are lulled into the comfortable position of “knowing everything,” and just when you think that the book isn't going anywhere surprising now, the shocks start, and go on till the epilogue. And although the hardcore thriller buff in you will expect that it is time for surprises, that doesn't harm the story or the suspense a bit.
The one slight crib I have with the book was that the book does not delve deeper into the personalities of the characters. I mean, you know (or at least you think you know) the background of Jason Bourne or Jack Ryan, and can understand most if not all decisions and actions. Admittedly doing that is not possible for some characters here without injuring the suspense, yet I cannot help but think that some of the characters could have been developed a bit more.
Of course, that does not mean that the book is any worse as a thriller, or that it does not leave you with the familiar feeling at the end of good mystery/thriller that “you see, but you do not observe.”
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net , which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States, and to Boston.com. Nice work!
2 - Rebecca (Sunshine's mom)
What a fantastic review! I'm very proud of your accomplishments- I can't wait to feast my eyes on that book! A hearty congratulations to you:)
3 - Fleiger
@Natalie: Thanks...
---------------------------------------------
@Rebecca: Thanks... I am sure Thriller fans would definitely like it.
4 - James Houston Turner
The amount of background to include for certain lead characters was a something I struggled with while writing the story. Fleiger definitely has an eagle eye along these lines, and I wish I could have offered more. Choosing to write much of the story in real time, with character revelations dropped in while the story races along, was a stylistic choice that I made, and one that I personally like although I take note of Fleiger's keen observations and will work on ways to improve. Thanks for your comments, Fleiger. The Eagle soars!