Friday, 7 December 2012

BOOK REVIEW: The Doomsday Key, James Rollins



The Doomsday Key BLURB:
At Princeton University, a famed geneticist dies inside a biohazard lab. 

In Rome, a Vatican archaeologist is found dead in the heart of St Peter’s basilica.

In Africa, A US Senator’s son is slain at a Ghanaian Red Cross camp.

These three murders on three continents are linked by a horrifying tie: all the victims are marked by a Druidic pagan cross burned into their flesh.

The bizarre deaths thrust Commander Gray Pierce and Sigma Force into a race against time to solve a riddle going back centuries, to a ghastly crime against humanity hidden within a cryptic medieval codex.

Aided by two women from his past, Gray must piece together the horrifying truth. But the revelations come at a high cost, and to save the future, Pierce will have to sacrifice one of the women at his side. That alone might not be enough, for as he soon discovers, it seems the only road to salvation may lie with…The Doomsday Key.

GOOD:

1.       Writing style:
When I first started reading the book, it instantly reminded me of Matthew Riley’s Ice Station. James Rollins writes with a similar style of quick action packed paragraphs filled with simplistic descriptions. This specific writing style provides the ability to portray massive amounts of information and terminology that can be quite complex in an easier to understanding and entertaining way. 

2.       Real Life Issues:
James Rollins cleverly incorporates his fictional plot with present day issues, which consist of: food security, overpopulation and the continuing conflict between different religions, as well as the conflicts between religion and science. Having studied a semester of sustainable development in university, I felt an appreciation on how Rollins maintains the honest dangers and consequences of food security and over population. As a result, the fictional storyline is heavily grounded by the realistic issues that are presently in play, which can decide the fate of us and the world.  

3.       Character design:
The characters involved in the storyline are quite memorable and enjoyable to read. Rollins designed the characters with great thought as; both the main and minor characters are all inter-related and relevant to the overall plot. There are moments of delight when minor characters are revealed to have a more significant role than initially portrayed. 

Ultimately, if you enjoy novels that provide an entertaining and relaxing read, such as Ice Station then The Doomsday Key will provide an initial burst of nostalgic excitement, which is followed by interesting links to real life issues. I was constantly engaged with the many side plots that gradually intertwined together to create a well written ending, as such The Doomsdays Key is a worthy read.

Discover more about James Rollins and his books at: www.jamesrollins.com  

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