Jim Skamarakas

This was a rather amazing and enjoyable book. I first made note of it when I started reading it and went through it every morning and evening nonstop. The story involves a Harvard professor called into investigate a murder. Why is he called? An ancient cult that the professor researches are believed to be involved due to a strange calling card left at the scene of the crime. The pace quickens and we find ourselves on the way to the lab to witness a tremendous device. And then we hear where the device is located. At this point, the author tries to hide its source, location and other items, and his ability to keep the suspense up starts to falter. At this point I was 1/3 of the way through the book. I put it away, talked to a few people that have read his stuff and heard similar tales “Hard to get through the first xx%” or it started out great then fell apart but all came back together. Clearly Dan Brown has many fans, hell he evens has a quote on his site from the author I just finished with Dale Brown saying,

ANGELS & DEMONS IS ONE HELL OF A BOOK

Intriguing, suspenseful, and imaginative.

12-time New York Times bestselling author, Dale Brown

But I see lots of points in the story where this is a very good book, but not great. I just could not suspend disbelief. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would recommend it to anyone as a good book to read. But it does not go on my list of greatest books, or a story I could reread later. There are no subtle hints to expose by reading it a second time. All of the hints and clues are there in large blinking neon letters. Hell at one point the author goes so far as to state “little did he know he would need that fact to save his life later this day” Unfortunately when people write reviews they like to forget the small points and concentrate on how great the piece of work is. I like to point out the down sides. Because if you are that person who hit the first few chapters and was frustrated or the first 1/3 and had the story solved in your head and gave up - you would be missing out on an enjoyable story.

So my wife got this for me and I asked her if she enjoyed the scenes of Rome, since I took her there for the 2000 Holy Year and millennium celebrations. I don’t think she ever finished this book. I will have to ask her again. But she raved over this guy other book which she tried to get me to listen to, and I handed it back unread telling her I don’t red stuff just because every idiot on TV talks about it. So I have yet to read the DiVinci Code book (sp?)

4 out of 5 - a compelling adventure thriller that once it gets you, has you for the entire tale. There is a mix of history, tourism and science mixed with the ancient cult, murder and a building love affair. It has everything and is a book you cannot miss reading. Just remember when you hit a speed bump or pot hole in the story that the journey is worth finishing. Now off to find the websites of pundits who tear apart the facts in the book and expose that one word on that one line that make it all crap - we call them Pugilist and his merry band of Steve Jackson protestors.

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