REVIEW BY BRIAN LOWEN ON SHOW 18TH AUGUST
I think this book is well summed up by the sticker on the front cover that says if you love Dan Brown you will love this.
I also think that it would be most advisable to read Library of the Dead, to which this book is a sequel, before reading this as you will not know what is going on until you get well into the book.
A shocking truth lies within the pages of an ancient library, locked inside a high-security complex deep beneath the Nevada desert. The US government will stop at nothing to keep it classified, but now a shadowy group of ex-employees want the world to know – however terrifying the disclosure might prove to be. When a single volume, missing from the original collection, mysteriously surfaces at a London auction house, they persuade former FBI agent Will Piper to help them obtain it and unlock the ultimate secret of the library, once and for all.
Travelling to England, Will discovers the text contains a sonnet that holds a series of clues that reveal the book has had a profound effect on the history of mankind. But all the time he is being watched, and as he gets nearer to the final revelation, he and his young family become a direct target for a deadly group of men whose duty it is to protect the library’s secret – whatever it takes.
Another good story from Glenn Cooper, completely far-fetched, but still very enjoyable.
Not so much of a thriller, well, until the last few chapters, but rather a good tale of following mysterious clues and solving ancient riddles.
Once again, the story jumps across the centuries, but this is not a problem as each part is well contained and you know how they are going to slot into the final conclusion.
Well recommended.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Glenn Cooper. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Glenn Cooper. Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Glenn Cooper - Library of the Dead
review by Brian Lowen on show 28th July
I enjoyed this book. Completely far-fetched and jumping about between the centuries, but as with some books this can be very annoying and confusing, not with this story.
We move from the year 777 at a monastery on the Isle of Wight, to the year 1947 in the same place, and then to present day New York City. Each place has its own story to tell which all finally come together towards the end.
Our hero is maverick FBI special agent Will Piper, once the most accomplished serial killing expert in the bureau’s history, but now on a dissolute spiral to retirement.
He is reluctantly given one final case – to catch a murderer who is loose on the streets of New York, nicknamed the Doomsday Killer, he has already claimed six victims. The police are mystified because the victims have nothing in common, defying all profiling, all that connects them is that each received a mysterious postcard in the mail before they died, announcing the date of their death.
Will’s search for the killer takes him in a direction he could never have predicted, uncovering a shocking secret that has been closely guarded for centuries. A secret that once lay buried in an underground library beneath an eighth century monastery, but which has now been unearthed.
The reader will find this secret completely preposterous but it does make for a good story.
There is a sequel to this book which I shall seek out, as Will is a believable character who you can empathise with. A recommended read.
I enjoyed this book. Completely far-fetched and jumping about between the centuries, but as with some books this can be very annoying and confusing, not with this story.
We move from the year 777 at a monastery on the Isle of Wight, to the year 1947 in the same place, and then to present day New York City. Each place has its own story to tell which all finally come together towards the end.
Our hero is maverick FBI special agent Will Piper, once the most accomplished serial killing expert in the bureau’s history, but now on a dissolute spiral to retirement.
He is reluctantly given one final case – to catch a murderer who is loose on the streets of New York, nicknamed the Doomsday Killer, he has already claimed six victims. The police are mystified because the victims have nothing in common, defying all profiling, all that connects them is that each received a mysterious postcard in the mail before they died, announcing the date of their death.
Will’s search for the killer takes him in a direction he could never have predicted, uncovering a shocking secret that has been closely guarded for centuries. A secret that once lay buried in an underground library beneath an eighth century monastery, but which has now been unearthed.
The reader will find this secret completely preposterous but it does make for a good story.
There is a sequel to this book which I shall seek out, as Will is a believable character who you can empathise with. A recommended read.
Glenn Cooper - Library of the dead
review by showhost
Another charity shop buy and another first for me and this author.
It's a strange book. Time wise it jumps backwards and forwards from 2009 to 300AD to a929. At times it grabbed my attention then it let it go again......
300AD the Abbey, Vectis (IOWight). Brother Josephus has taken in the remaining twin of the 7th son of a 7th son. The child is very strange, fair skinned, giner hair, no speech, no interaction at all and toitally uneducated, yet he draws symbols in the dirt earth. The Abbott is intrigued what the symbols are for. In a moment of inspiration they give the child a quill and parchment paper. He writes and doesn't stop ..his pages are full of names from all over the world and dates, either of their birth or death. These dtaes cover hundreds/thousands of years in the future.
The brethren feel he is sent from God to register these events. They dig and extend the church to provide subterranean rooms for him to work and sleep in and to keep the volumes of these records.
The church bring in young girls to keep this strange boys lineage going, the off spring are all born looking the same and all perpetually write.
2009, Will Piper and FBI agent is near to early retirement but he is given a high profile job to crack - the Doomsday serial killer. Each murder is preceeded by a postcard with a coffin drawn on it.
1929, a group of archeaologists find the site of the old priory and the tomb of the library and also a tomb of hundreds of human bones.
Back to 2009 and Will Piper meets up with a computer geek from his college days who works on a secret location in Nevada. He has found a way to smuggle out the Top Secret info stored there in 'Area 51', to make millions of dollars. The secret info is names & dates.
They are all obviously linked and it all comes together in the end.
At the end of the book is a chapter of his next book. I had a quick read but it smacks a lot of this one - its the sequel.....
I can't say I would rush to pick up one of his books again. His characters ddn't leave a lasting impression, there was too much unnecessary 'small talk', irrelevant detail - to pad out the story? And some of the grammer didn't make sense.
As I said earlier there were snatches of attention holding but then it would lapse again. It's classed as a thriller but it wasn't 'thrilling' enough for me.
I'm glad I finished it cos now I can look for another, hopefully better, book.
Another charity shop buy and another first for me and this author.
It's a strange book. Time wise it jumps backwards and forwards from 2009 to 300AD to a929. At times it grabbed my attention then it let it go again......
300AD the Abbey, Vectis (IOWight). Brother Josephus has taken in the remaining twin of the 7th son of a 7th son. The child is very strange, fair skinned, giner hair, no speech, no interaction at all and toitally uneducated, yet he draws symbols in the dirt earth. The Abbott is intrigued what the symbols are for. In a moment of inspiration they give the child a quill and parchment paper. He writes and doesn't stop ..his pages are full of names from all over the world and dates, either of their birth or death. These dtaes cover hundreds/thousands of years in the future.
The brethren feel he is sent from God to register these events. They dig and extend the church to provide subterranean rooms for him to work and sleep in and to keep the volumes of these records.
The church bring in young girls to keep this strange boys lineage going, the off spring are all born looking the same and all perpetually write.
2009, Will Piper and FBI agent is near to early retirement but he is given a high profile job to crack - the Doomsday serial killer. Each murder is preceeded by a postcard with a coffin drawn on it.
1929, a group of archeaologists find the site of the old priory and the tomb of the library and also a tomb of hundreds of human bones.
Back to 2009 and Will Piper meets up with a computer geek from his college days who works on a secret location in Nevada. He has found a way to smuggle out the Top Secret info stored there in 'Area 51', to make millions of dollars. The secret info is names & dates.
They are all obviously linked and it all comes together in the end.
At the end of the book is a chapter of his next book. I had a quick read but it smacks a lot of this one - its the sequel.....
I can't say I would rush to pick up one of his books again. His characters ddn't leave a lasting impression, there was too much unnecessary 'small talk', irrelevant detail - to pad out the story? And some of the grammer didn't make sense.
As I said earlier there were snatches of attention holding but then it would lapse again. It's classed as a thriller but it wasn't 'thrilling' enough for me.
I'm glad I finished it cos now I can look for another, hopefully better, book.
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Glenn Cooper - Library of the Dead
review by showhost
Another charity shop buy and another first for this author. It's a strange book. Time wise it jumps backwards and forwards from 2009 to 300AD to 1929. At times it grabbed my attention then it let go again......
300AD an abbey, Vectis (Isle of Wight). Brother Josephus has taken in the remaining unwanted twin of the 7th son of a 7th son. The child is very strange, fair skinned, ginger hair, no speech, no interaction at all and totally uneducated, yet he draws symbols in the dirt earth. The Abbott is intrigued what the symbols are for. In a moment of inspiration they give him a quill and parchment paper. He writes and doesn't stop...his pages are full of names, from all over the world, and dates either of their birth or death. These dates cover hundreds/thousands of years in the future.
The brethren feel he is sent from God, to register these events. They dig and extend the church to provide a subterranean room for him to work & sleep in and to keep the volumes of records. The church bring in young girls to keep this strange boys lineage going, the off-spring are all born looking the same and all perpetually write.
2009, Will Piper an FBI agent is near to early retirement but he is given a high profile job to crack the 'Doomsday' serial killer. Each murder is preceded by a postcard with a coffin drawn on it.
1929, a group of archaeologists find the site of the old priory and the tomb of the library but also a tomb of hundreds of human bones.
Back to 2009 and Will Piper meets up with a computer geek from his college days who works on a secret location in Nevada. He has found a way to smuggle out the Top Secret information stored there in Area 51, to make millions of dollars. The secret info is names and dates.
They are all obviously inexorably linked and it all comes together in the end.
At the end of this book is a chapter, a prologue, of his next book. I had a quick read but it smacks a lot of this one!
He is not an author I would reach for again. His characters didn't leave a lasting impression, there was too much 'small' talk, irrelevant detail, to pad out the story? And some of the grammar didn't make sense. As I said earlier there were snatches of attention holding but then it would fade again, it's classed as a thriller but it wasn't 'thrilling' enough for me.
I did want to finish it rather than give up on it. And I'm glad I have finished it cos now I can look for another, hopefully better book!
Another charity shop buy and another first for this author. It's a strange book. Time wise it jumps backwards and forwards from 2009 to 300AD to 1929. At times it grabbed my attention then it let go again......
300AD an abbey, Vectis (Isle of Wight). Brother Josephus has taken in the remaining unwanted twin of the 7th son of a 7th son. The child is very strange, fair skinned, ginger hair, no speech, no interaction at all and totally uneducated, yet he draws symbols in the dirt earth. The Abbott is intrigued what the symbols are for. In a moment of inspiration they give him a quill and parchment paper. He writes and doesn't stop...his pages are full of names, from all over the world, and dates either of their birth or death. These dates cover hundreds/thousands of years in the future.
The brethren feel he is sent from God, to register these events. They dig and extend the church to provide a subterranean room for him to work & sleep in and to keep the volumes of records. The church bring in young girls to keep this strange boys lineage going, the off-spring are all born looking the same and all perpetually write.
2009, Will Piper an FBI agent is near to early retirement but he is given a high profile job to crack the 'Doomsday' serial killer. Each murder is preceded by a postcard with a coffin drawn on it.
1929, a group of archaeologists find the site of the old priory and the tomb of the library but also a tomb of hundreds of human bones.
Back to 2009 and Will Piper meets up with a computer geek from his college days who works on a secret location in Nevada. He has found a way to smuggle out the Top Secret information stored there in Area 51, to make millions of dollars. The secret info is names and dates.
They are all obviously inexorably linked and it all comes together in the end.
At the end of this book is a chapter, a prologue, of his next book. I had a quick read but it smacks a lot of this one!
He is not an author I would reach for again. His characters didn't leave a lasting impression, there was too much 'small' talk, irrelevant detail, to pad out the story? And some of the grammar didn't make sense. As I said earlier there were snatches of attention holding but then it would fade again, it's classed as a thriller but it wasn't 'thrilling' enough for me.
I did want to finish it rather than give up on it. And I'm glad I have finished it cos now I can look for another, hopefully better book!
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