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Digging into the past
This biblical tale includes a fight with the prince of darkness.
by steven m. thomasPublished: February 01, 2012
Operating in the archeological adventure-mystery genre defined by authors like Clive Cussler and Steve Berry, three O.C. businessmen have written a well-received first novel that takes readers back through time in the company of Cain, the much-maligned biblical poster child for sibling rivalry who turns out to have been very long-lived.
The book opens in present-day Los Angeles as Amanda, a hot surfer archeologist working for the Getty Museum, gets a call from her college boyfriend Juan Carlos asking her to rush that day to an archaeology dig near the buried town of Pompeii.
He has spotted a bronze door inscribed in many languages, including Chinese, and wants her to come and decipher the mysterious inscriptions.
She goes, enters the chamber and is caught up in a time-traveling sort of adventure in which Noah, Moses, Homer, Xerxes, Jesus and the Devil all take part.
The narrative shifts back and forth between present-day Italy and all the historical epochs that Cain travels through, eventually leading up to a Hollywood-style confrontation in the midst of an earthquake between Cain and the prince of darkness over a mysterious talisman that will surely reappear in the sequel.
Fact:
Founded by oilman J. Paul Getty, the $1.3 billion Getty Center opened
in 1997. In addition to a museum, it houses the Getty Research Institute
and the Getty Foundation.
≈ MORE RECOMMENDED READS ≈
‘The Jefferson Key’
By Steve Berry
Ballantine, 2011, $9.99
The New York Times bestselling author brings former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone back for another historical mystery that swirls around America’s assassinated presidents.
‘The Race’
By Clive Cussler
Putnam, 2011, $27.95
Detective Isaac Bell gets caught up in a 1910 cross-country airplane race. A jealous criminal is out to murder a beautiful female pilot; realistic historical details are highlights.
‘The Devil Colony: A Sigma Force Novel’
By James Rollins
William Morrow, 2011, $27.99
The discovery of a group of mummified bodies in Utah and a modern day terrorist attack blamed on Native Americans sets off the story.
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The book opens in present-day Los Angeles as Amanda, a hot surfer archeologist working for the Getty Museum, gets a call from her college boyfriend Juan Carlos asking her to rush that day to an archaeology dig near the buried town of Pompeii. He has spotted a bronze door inscribed in many languages, including Chinese, and wants her to come and decipher the mysterious inscriptions. She goes, enters the chamber and is caught up in a time-traveling sort of adventure in which Noah, Moses, Homer, Xerxes, Jesus and the Devil all take part. The narrative shifts back and forth between present-day Italy and all the historical epochs that Cain travels through, eventually leading up to a Hollywood-style confrontation in the midst of an earthquake between Cain and the prince of darkness over a mysterious talisman that will surely reappear in the sequel. Fact: Founded by oilman J. Paul Getty, the $1.3 billion Getty Center opened in 1997. In addition to a museum, it houses the Getty Research Institute and the Getty Foundation. ≈ MORE RECOMMENDED READS ≈ ‘The Jefferson Key’ By Steve Berry Ballantine, 2011, $9.99 The New York Times bestselling author brings former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone back for another historical mystery that swirls around America’s assassinated presidents. ‘The Race’ By Clive Cussler Putnam, 2011, $27.95 Detective Isaac Bell gets caught up in a 1910 cross-country airplane race. A jealous criminal is out to murder a beautiful female pilot; realistic historical details are highlights. ‘The Devil Colony: A Sigma Force Novel’ By James Rollins William Morrow, 2011, $27.99 The discovery of a group of mummified bodies in Utah and a modern day terrorist attack blamed on Native Americans sets off the story. |
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