The Eden Prophecy: A Thriller [Mass Market Paperback]

Graham Brown's latest thriller opens, as these things often do, with a prologue. Not set in antiquity, but dealing with antiquities--specifically on an archeological dig in Iran, circa 1979, just as the American hostages have been taken. All hell is breaking loose in the country, and what is briefly found is quickly lost again. Next at the United Nations in present day New York, an American delegate opens a letter containing a lot more than empty threats. The building is quarantined.

Soon after that, readers are reunited with Hawker and Danielle Laidlaw, the NRI operatives who are the male and female protagonists of two prior novels. (Knowledge of their previous exploits is nice, but not necessary for the enjoyment of this latest.) These two and the agency get dragged into the drama above through an acquaintance of Hawker's colorful past. And that's really about all you need to know. The fun of these books is in the twists and turns and non-stop forward momentum. Mr. Brown has always excelled at acceleration. His books move at a lightning pace.

My favorite aspect of these novels continues to be the smart integration of science within the plots. Whatever the discipline (and he's tackled quite a few at this point), the author always appears to have done his homework. In addition to the science, Brown's prior novel, Black Sun, dealt with a well-known Mayan prophecy. This book, as the title indicates, returns to Judeo-Christian territory most creatively.

Black Rain, the novel in which Danielle and Hawker were introduced, was very much peopled by an ensemble cast. The two characters were at their best when surrounded by and interacting with others. Alas, a lot of their associates tend to die, and as this novel opens the two alone are at the center of the action. Fortunately, as the story moves forward, the cast expands. For some reason, I still find these appealing characters to be at their best when they have others to play off of. It makes me wonder if I really do want these two to get together, while at the same time feeling frustration for the things that keep them apart.

This novel wraps up reasonably completely, so there's no indication of what to expect next from Mr. Brown or his characters. Whatever it is, I'm counting on it being brainy, brawny, and byzantine.

What if everyone on the planet could live nearly forever? What impact would that have on the planet? And why would someone want to make that happen?

In "The Eden Prophecy" by Graham Brown, those questions are answered, but you may not like the answers.

In 1979, on the eve of the revolution in Iran, an archaeologist discovers a mysterious scroll that may hold the secret to immortality. But before the scroll can be taken to safety, the team of archaeologists are forced to frantically evacuate the camp, once again surrendering the scroll to the desert.

Flash-forward to the present. In the U.N. building in New York City, a U.S. ambassador is quarantined when she contracts an unknown virus after opening a threatening letter.

In a slum near Paris, a well-known geneticist is found dead. His last message was a cry for help sent to an old friend, former CIA agent Hawker.

Just as in Brown's first two books, Hawker teams up with NRI operative Danielle Laidlaw to track down the killers and discover the secret of the titular prophecy. From the present location of the Garden of Eden to an underground auction in the catacombs of Beirut, Laidlaw and Hawker attempt to stop a fanatical cult, determined to bring about a new Eden.

Brown obviously did a huge amount of research for this book, on everything from ancient languages to DNA sequencing. That research paid off, as the accuracy and the details he includes make the difference. Brown skillfully melds science and religion, along with a healthy dose of action and adventure. The action sequences jump off the page with an intensity that pulls you into the scene.

I had not read the first two books in the Hawker-Laidlaw series, but I didn't feel lost at all. Brown did a great job of filling in whatever backstory I needed in a way that seemed organic, not forced.

"The Eden Prophecy" is a action-packed, non-stop thriller that is sure to appeal to any fans of Boyd Morrison, Steve Berry or James Rollins.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give "The Eden Prophecy" a 4.

Stop me if you've heard this before: terrorists are about to unleash a dangerous new virus on an unsuspecting world. Yes, you've heard it before. You're also familiar with the chase scenes (this book features a car and motorcycle chasing a boat and dune buggies chasing ATVs), gunfights, explosions, hot women, studly men, and exotic locales, all standard ingredients in the recipe for a movie-style thriller. There's even a villain named Draco and some international finance intrigue involving stolen artwork. So why bother to open this book when it sounds like bad imitation of a Bond movie? A few reasons come to mind.

First, the virus is designed to infect cells but leave them intact, rather than destroying them as would a typical virus. The purpose of the infection isn't immediately clear, but once it was revealed I had to give Graham Brown credit for avoiding the obvious. His virus isn't unique -- I've seen the concept before -- but it isn't trite. Second, the terrorist group isn't one of the usual suspects (hint: it isn't Islamic!). Third, before it turns into a Bond film, the novel sounds like a Dan Brown story, complete with archeologists and a lost scroll written in a lost language that holds the key to .... something. The intersection of the two thriller subgenres produces an intriguing result, even if it's not quite new. Fourth, the novel has important things to say about overpopulation and torture and the inequities that result from making medical research largely dependent upon a market economy. There's also a useful theological message: Question authority, even (or especially) if the authority is biblical, but don't invite Armageddon to prove the falsity of divinity.

But enough of messages and plot points. The real reason to read The Eden Prophecy, despite its familiarity, is simple: it's a good book. In addition to the standard story about good guys saving humanity from bad guys, there is a more personal story about saving a child from a fast-approaching death, although it fades into the background until the final chapters. The good guys, National Research Institute operative Danielle Laidlaw and an ex-mercenary named Hawker, have been road tested in Brown's earlier novels, Black Rain and Black Sun. (Reading the prior novels isn't necessary to understand this one, but doing so would enhance a reader's appreciation of the secret revealed at the novel's climax.) Laidlaw and Hawker aren't complex characters but Brown gives them good chemistry. The story races along faster than a turbo-charged dune buggy. Brown's writing style is clean and direct, well-suited to an action-driven story. The "race against the clock" ending might be too predictable, too movie-like despite the insertion of a final plot twist, but it's consistent with the novel's slightly outrageous, cocky attitude.

The Eden Prophecy is well researched: in addition to the Old Testament (as suggested by the title), we hear about ancient languages and Gilgamesh and telomeres and Middle Eastern geography and the 5.9K event (a geological event, not a race). A surprising amount of information is packed into this novel. Still, I don't recommend The Eden Prophecy for its history or science lessons. I recommend it because it's fun. I would give The Eden Prophecy 4 1/2 stars if that option were available.