I received a free copy of this audio book, at my request, and am voluntarily leaving this unbiased review.
This was a fun story. It’s relatively short, to the point and flows well. The story never feels like it bogs down and no parts of it feel like they are going on too long. It was a pleasure.
The plot is very Indiana Jones-ish. An archeologist who does the results thing, instead of the book thing, stumbles into a mystery. He gets himself into trouble and has to rely on the secondary characters to get him through. There is plenty of sarcasm and punchy dialog. There is a sense of chemistry between the characters and overall it is a pleasant listen.
The main character is on a physical journey, more so than an emotional one. So character growth isn’t really strongly emphasized. However, the characters felt real enough to be believable, if a little outrageous at times.
The main character is well developed, with complex emotions and drives. The secondary characters have back stories, but are definitely not as well rounded.
The settings are mostly jungle or small village on the edge of the jungle. Even the brief Mayan Ruins are in low light and not well explored. There is little new or exciting about the settings themselves, however this does make for a tense backdrop, at times.
The plot is predictable. However, it’s the “I bet this…” and “ha, I knew that” kind of predictable. Rather than the “uggg, it’s so obvious that….” and “well that took forever to be what I knew”. The book is fast paced and fun, so while the twists and turns are definitely not shocking, they don’t slow the story down and allow for a good time. The feel is very much like an adventure movie, you know where it’s going, the fun is how you get there.
The voice narration, by Phil Thron, is first class as always. He has a range of male and females voices and his accents are excellent. Where Phil truly shines is his comedic timing. When reading a funny or humorous story (like this), he is able to bring out the comedic elements and make them hit home, more than any other narrator I’ve listened to.
All in all, this was a great book. Predictable but fun, with some great characters and an interesting plot. It’s fairly safe, in terms of twists and turns, but it is a fun ride. The narration is amazing and brings the characters to life, and I can’t wait for the next one.