Tomes of Miscellany

Welcome to the land of danger and intrigue, where individuals are legion and non-conformity is the norm. Join me as I explore the many facets of humanity and meet the scum of the earth and its angels incarnate.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Thunderhead
Author: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Publisher: Warner Books
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1999

Sixteen years ago Nora Kelly's father went on an expedition in search of an archaeological legend...and vanished, never to be seen or heard from again. That is, until a letter written sixteen years ago but mailed only recently. And with the letter comes a terrible legacy, as Nora Kelly--following in the footsteps of her father--finds herself the target of strange wolf-like humans...or human-like wolves...who will do anything to reclaim the letter and prevent her from pursuing her path to its end. But Nora is determined to finally learn the truth about her father's own quest, and through the help of a wealthy sponsor is able to mount her own expedition into the wastelands of Utah. But anything can happen so far from civilization. Will Nora survive long enough to attain her goal, or will internal strife destroy their chances for success? And even if the group holds on long enough, will those strange creatures--whatever they are--give her the opportunity to return home again?

Thunderhead, like the other novels written by Preston and Child, is a suspenseful page-turner filled with science and intrigue, with just enough of the supernatural--or at least not natural--to tantalize horror and mysticism fans. And, just to tantalize fans of The Relic and Reliquary, the authors even bring back Bill Smithback...not that this is a sequel to the other two books, just that Smithback figures in prominently, that's all.

I don't know a whole lot about Native American pre-history or the history of the Anasazi, but you don't necessarily need to know a lot about it. The authors tell you what you need to know, when you need to know it. On the other hand, I have been to Mesa Verde, so I at least know something about how the Anasazi lived. As a result, I can more easily visualize what the authors are describing, so a bit of prior background knowledge on your part is sure to make your understanding of the text that much easier. Of course, don't expect that to help you when the authors start talking about skinwalkers.

Thunderhead is a good quick--though not that quick--read that bogs down only occasionally when background knowledge must be provided. On the other hand, you don't want to read through the book too quickly and miss any exciting moments, right?

Rating: Thumbs up! Is this a horror novel or something else??

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This page posted May 1, 2002.

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