The Relic is an entertaining novel and is a good choice when you want a light and simple read, say over a weekend beach trip. While we do get some back story on the main characters, they never quite evolve beyond cookie cutter and often seem cliche. The plot is very interesting, activating daydreamed thoughts of “what if” and dystopian fears of secret societies building power and manipulating the world from the shadows. I hope to see this author evolve from mass market paperback style writing to character and plot development like Ken Follett or science fiction that approaches prophetic or realm of the possible like Isaac Asimov or Michael Crichton. I did not enjoy the reader of the audiobook. He read many of the lines whimsically with a forced lightheartedness that did not at all seem to match the tone of the situation in the story.