Relic: Pendergast, Book 1

Excellent book! Interesting setting and subject matter. Kept one guessing throughout the story. Good job by authors melding ancient lore with modern science.

The first book in the Pendergast series is just what it promises to be: a mystery-thriller with an intriguing sci-fi twist. Unusual, gruesome deaths are piling up at the New York Museum of Natural History, characterised by two disturbing traits: gaping chest wounds, like those inflicted by predatory animals, and missing brains -- which appear to be eaten. Margo Green, a researcher at the Museum, finds herself at the center of the mystery, attempting to piece together scraps of information -- hints from a disastrous mission to the Amazon, forensic clues, genetic oddities. At the museum, she works with her supervisor, Dr. Frock, and prodigy geneticist Greg Kawakita. On the law enforcement side of things, Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta is investigating the homicides, aided by the nigh-preternatural FBI Special Agent Pendergast. Pendergast, though his role is fairly small in this first book, is the focal point of this whole series of loosely-connected thrillers. Part James Bond, part Sherlock Holmes, wrapped up in the package of a Louisiana polymath. He's a Gentleman and a Scholar who also knows several hundred ways to kill you. Margo's also friends with Bill Smithback, a journalist who's been hired by the Museum to write a book about the venerable institution -- and who's been chafing at the censorship imposed by the Museum's head of public relations.So. These are our protagonists. The first murders in the Museum seem a tragedy. But as the bodies start mounting, the situation becomes ever more dire -yet the Museum is determined to go forward with the opening night of a new exhibit, called Superstition. As it happens, one of the key pieces of this exhibit is a figurine of Mbwun, an Amazonian monstrosity who appears to have been worshiped (or at least venerated) by a remote tribe... and the figurine depicts a creature with traits that fit the profile of the murderer/murder weapons. And so rumours start to build of a Museum Beast, lurking in the bowels of the Museum... While D'Agosta and Pendergast are convinced by the scientists as to the increasing viability of this hypothesis, the Museum heads and the head of the New York FBI office aren't buying it, and insist on going forward with the opening... setting the stage for a whole lot of trouble.P&C have a talent for description, both atmospheric and characteristic. Though I have no doubt readers with a more intimate familiarity with the Museum of Natural History would get even greater enjoyment out of this book, they draw vivid enough pictures for those of us, like myself, who've only made brief passes through years earlier, or those who've never set foot in that museum at all. From the vast open hallways to the claustrophobic below-ground research labs, the sense of place is incredibly strong, as is the sense of mood -- vitally important to a thriller. When the Beast pursues Margo, I could clearly visualise her dim, shadowy surroundings, I could feel Margo's barely-controlled panic, I could hear the snuffling of the beast. P&C handle both stillness and chaos deftly.The sense of character is also great. P&C have an ability which I often associate with Law and Order episodes -- to evoke a very specific personality, with a distinct background, in a very short amount of time. Of course, by mid-book, you start strongly suspecting that anyone new introduced is probably going to be the next victim, but that's not too much to overcome. The major characters all have complex backgrounds -- which often aren't even fully explored in this book (Pendergast's less than anyone's) -- and while they certainly all have their flaws, it's that psychological veracity that makes them so compelling. Many of these characters weave through P&C's other novels, both within and outside of the Pendergast series, which makes returning to them, either in re-reads or when each new book comes out, rather like returning to old friends. These books often get compared to Michael Crichton's work, and I think the strong characters are what actually make them better. They do the science, the thrills, and the mystery all very well, too, but the magnetic personalities are what bring me back to these books time and again.Overall, this book is a fun, quick read and the start to a great series. It's certainly not high literature -- and it doesn't need to be. But it is incredibly high-quality brain candy. I thoroughly recommend Relic, the rest of the Pendergast series, and all of P&C's work, both as a pair and individually (and I'll be reading and reviewing the rest over the coming months). Read them on the beach, on planes, at the park -- read them when you've been working too hard and need to give your brain a treat. They're a wonderful respite, and the most entertaining thrillers I've ever read.

I have read this numerous times and it never fails to be a most exciting read, with this the first time I am reading it on my Kindle. Two masters of the written word spinning a fantastic tale of beasts, things that go bump in the night and the brave people who face it. And who doesn't love a museum story? The atmosphere in here is just perfect, dark and creepy. And you never know for certain exactly when the beast will jump out and grab someone. You only know for certain that it will - but who will it take? There are some truly frightening moments in here, with characters running blindly in the dark for their lives. The tension is high. It's like something told around a campfire, those scary ones that make you jump and look behind yourself to make certain its only a story. I think it goes back to our roots, of us being hunted by a smart predator who knows exactly what it's doing and has excellent natural weapons to attack. And this thing is not easy to catch or kill, even for the FBI. The FBI after all is meant to deal with human criminals not a supernatural creature - its a bit out of their experience.But I also love the characters in here. Once you start reading they seem like old friends. Margo who tries hard to do the right thing and finds herself caught up in this huge mess at her museum, Pendergast who is smart but has others getting in his way, Smithback who is chasing news for his book, Lt D'Agosta the police officer trying to save lives.... Then of course are the other characters, the ones you definitely don't like. And as I was reading I just knew they were going to run into huge issues. And of course they did. Because they were refusing to listen! And then chaos comes and bites them one... Its all quite exciting.. A mix of ancient history, science and big scares; jungles and museums and secret tunnels deep underground. and the worse definitely happens: its the perfect adventure story.And I must say the story definitely ends with a huge twist! Its been long enough since I read this that I really didn't remember the end. And that certainly made it way more fun. Plus the fun will continue in the next book.But these two never displeased me with their stories.

Fast pace plot, excellent character development. I will be reading the rest of this seriesMy copy of the book fell apart as I read it. By the time I finished the books center pages were loose. Never had this problem before

I didn’t know this was the first book in a series! And I am so happy it is! I love series books, so I was excited to read more. I’m now in book 4, and I am spacing them out between reads so I can enjoy them longer

A great read! I was unable to put the book down once started and will continue to read all the subsequent books in the Agent Pendergast series!

Libro molto bello, mi ha invogliato a prendere altri libri di questi autori

Me encantó el libro, te mantiene enganchado y no quieres dejar de leer. Suspenso, acción, terror, tiene de todo.

The story begins with an expedition in the Amazon rainforest that discovers mysterious artifacts. Fast forward to New York City, where a series of gruesome murders occur at the Museum of Natural History just days before a major exhibition is set to open. The murders appear to be connected to the artifacts brought back from the Amazon. FBI special agent Pendergast must find out who or what is behind the killing before time runs out.Overall, Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is a captivating and thrilling read that successfully merges horror, science fiction, and mystery.