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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
rollins knocks another one out of the park!!!, 22 Sep 2008
Quite simply - this guy is a genius. I read this in two hours i could not put it down. My favourite book of the year and that is saying something!!!! the plotline is tight and fast paced and just plain flawless. You can tell the author enjoys writing the characters and has decided to flesh out a few characters which he only explored last book Kowalski - just brilliant Bonding over cigars ( wish we had seen his pov though). Glad the sword of damocles is still only hovering on Monk- love that character.
If you like Dan Brown ..... dont read this you will be shocked by the brilliance of this writer compared to mr brown and not be able to function - it is such a shame that it took that trashy novels release to bring Jrollins to our shops in enough quantities as he is far superior.
Once again sir - you write beautifully and i wait with breathless anticipation for the next installment of the Sigma force novels!!!
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4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really hard to put down!, 28 Oct 2009
I was gripped from the moment I picked it up - and was disappointed when I reached the end - but only because I had been so engrossed that I wanted it to go on for ever!
Having enjoyed all the Sigma force novels that Rollins has written so far, I was looking forward to the next adventure in the series - and this one was certainly no disappointment. As is typical of Rollins, this book is a strong blend of historical fact which he has managed to embed into a gripping plot and introducing a range of spectacular locations - from Delphi to the Taj Mahal and deep into the Punjab, where an amazing discovery is made.
The usual characters feature strongly - Gray Pearce, Painter Crow - and, amazingly, Monk - presumed dead at the end of the last novel, returns - but not without a range of new problems. He also manages to introduce some new, unusual but nonetheless believable characters, including a group of talented autistic yet savant children and some gypsies. The baddies are believable - yet hissably bad - so much so that you really long for them to get their come-uppance!
The quote that inspired this book is an intriguing one, which sets one thinking - especially those of us who have any real knowledge of autism, aspergers and savants, is this one by Dr Temple Grandin, who says `If by some magic, autism had been eradicated from the face of the earth, then men would still be socializing in front of a wood fire at the entrance to a cave'. Hmm - certainly food for thought!
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Back on Track, 13 Oct 2008
After a less than stellar effort with his previous novel 'The Judas Strain', this is a definite return to form for James Rollins. It doesn't diverge greatly from his tried and tested formula. Sigma are back, along with the mix of science, pseudo-science and contemporary science fiction that usually forms the backbone of a typical Rollins novel. There is also a selection of boo-hiss bad guys, some dangerous animals, several parallel, interconnected plot-lines, and a hint of spiritualism thrown in there for good measure.
In contrast to The Judas Strain however, this latest book remains comparatively streamlined. Rollins doesn't pile too many sub-plots on top of one another and avoids extraneous events or blind alleys. There are no killer-squid equivalents in here, for example. That's not to say that the book doesn't jump around the globe. It manages to take in the US, India, the Ukraine and Russia within its pages, but none of it feels tacked on. This gives it a feeling of far greater cohesion and focus, keeps it moving at Rollin's usual lightning pace and means that excitement levels are maintained.
There are criticisms to be levelled of course. Monk's miraculous return from apparent death is rather weak; and his inclusion at the heart of the plot of The Last Oracle is tenuous. The book would not have been weaker without him, and his inclusion comes across primarily as Rollin's being unwilling to actually kill off any of his main characters. The bad guys are also a pretty weak bunch and none of them stick strongly in the memory. Equally their plot for world domination is overly complex and doesn't really work as a palpable threat.
Despite these flaws however, The Last Oracle is an enjoyable slice of OTT action adventure. It doesn't rewrite any rules in terms of what to expect from a James Rollin's novel, but its a definite return to form that will please existing fans and should attract new ones.
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