Thunderhead
Warner Books, 2001
ISBN 0446608378
Monika says:
A letter that reaches its destination sixteen years after being written
plays a key role in this novel. In the letter an archeologist who has been
missing for those sixteen years tells his daughter about a sensational
find in a remote canyon in the southwestern US. It is the location of the
legendary town of Quivira, built by the Anasazi and thought to be a mere
myth by the experts in the field. But Nora Kelly is convinced that her
father actually found it and organizes an expedition to follow his clues.
However, evil powers seem to conspire against modern science…
The names of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child stand for a thrilling
mix of scientific novel, horror, and mystery. THUNDERHEAD as well as their
novel RIPTIDE plays with the
fascination of a treasure hunt even if this time they provide a scientific
cover. Who wouldn’t like to re-discover a legendary city of gold,
although the gold of Quivira turns out to be something very different from
what was expected in the end? As usual not all the protagonists come home
unscathed and if you like that kind of thing you can wonder who will make
it this time as the characters appear. Tension lets up now and then, but
the last third makes up for every slight weakness the book might have
shown before.
The focus of the story is on action and as in Michael Crichton’s
works the characters come up short. I was glad that both protagonists are
female, but they seemed a bit too wooden and clichéd. The same goes for
the male characters. The fantastic elements are not as predominant as they
were in RELIC but play a subordinate
role, giving the story a slightly realistic touch. THUNDERHEAD is an
adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones, and if you like that you won’t
be disappointed. |
Any comments? Write us:
Monika Hübner
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