Map of BonesBy
James Rollins
This novel about an ancient secret society and the race to find priceless antiquities is sure to be compared to Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, but, in every way, it's a much better book. Where Brown's best-seller was predictable despite its compelling premise, this tale is clever and suspenseful. Where Code featured ropey dialogue and assembly-line characters, this one offers (mostly) real people engaging in (mostly) real discourse. Like Brown, Rollins makes the most of a moderately implausible premise, this one requiring that the reader accept the literal truth of a certain allegorical aspect of the Bible. But, as both books prove, a thriller can be as implausible as it likes as long as it is entertainingly developed. Fans of The Da Vinci Code will obviously want to read Map of Bones, but even those who found Brown's opus unpalatable will thoroughly enjoy the taste of this one. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Like the lawyer books that came after John Grisham’s The Firm, thus comes The Da Vinci Code impersonators. While a slow read, and with characters who seem to have an extraordinary encyclopedic memories, Map of Bones is not a bad book and one not to call the Catholic Church into questionable light.
However, that being said, the novel still seems to say that the church has many supernatural secrets -though, Rollins does seem to advocate the idea to seek the truth, and not just take what the church -or for that matter -any organization that says they know all. Some claim divine right of kings, but that does not make it true.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Like the lawyer books that came after John Grisham’s The Firm, thus comes The Da Vinci Code impersonators. While a slow read, and with characters who seem to have an extraordinary encyclopedic memories, Map of Bones is not a bad book and one not to call the Catholic Church into questionable light.
However, that being said, the novel still seems to say that the church has many supernatural secrets -though, Rollins does seem to advocate the idea to seek the truth, and not just take what the church -or for that matter -any organization that says they know all. Some claim divine right of kings, but that does not make it true.
I just read Map of Bones and it's not as gripping as Dan Brown's books, though it held its own. Also, there's too much supererogatory information, which can leave you in a state of muddiness. I like the flow of the story. An overall 7/10 for me.
ReplyDelete