Steve Berry is a former attorney, born in 1955, now he’s an author and professor. He has written fiction novels of the genre of suspense-thriller with historical conspiracy and adventure, just like Dan Brown and Matthew Reilly use to write. Last month I was searching for a new novel, and Deepak sir ( @deepak27 ) suggested me to try his novels, I searched over the net and chose the 2nd novel of his ‘Cotton Malone’ series ‘The Alexandria Link’. He has written around 4 standalone novels starting his career with ‘The ambekar_ashishr Room’ which was published in 2003, and has written 7 novels in the CM series, 8th is going to release in May 2013. Though the books belong to the series, but each novel has a separate tale to tell. I Got TAL from Homeshop18 for Rs.197, and my copy was published by Random House, containing 443 pages of story. This novel was first published in 2007.
Here’s the story – Cotton Malone is the ex-US Secret Agent, a divorcee, and his son is kidnapped. He comes to know about it when his ex-wife Pam came to his book-shop in Copenhagen, Denmark to tell him this. Now he had to find his son. And he has been kidnapped by a guy named Dominick Sabre, who is working for a secret political order ‘The order of the Golden Fleece’, headed by Alfred Hermann. This order works for money by creating political instability, and they come to know that Bible (Old and New Testament) has wrongly depicted Israel as the land given to the Jews by God, instead that land is actually existed in Saudi Arabia. This can be proved by some ancient documents which once existed in the lost library of Alexandria. If this can be proved that it will cause a great stir for 3 religions – Christianity, Judaism and Islam as all these religions has their root in the place Jerusalem which could depict to some region in Arab land and not the Jerusalem of Israel. And an Arab George Haddad is the key to truth. Cotton is been helped by Stephanie, the chief of secret agency ‘Magellen Billet’, who is also his best friend and by one more friend, the wealthy Dane Henrik Thorvaldsen. And then a big conspiracy rolled out. What is the truth, read and find out.
The story is of the same pattern which Dan Brown, Matthew Reilly use to write, and I have read this kind of story many times, but still I found it very different and its very very engaging. It’s a fast paced ride to truth, intriguing till the end, easily one of the best books I have read recently. The chase is good; the conspiracy related with US government is good. And I read it quite fast, completed 443 pages in 17 days. Language used is simple with a nice and fitting climax, and it also contains action scenes too. Though during end, some things I was not able to digest about the library but still its description is good and well-explainable. The puzzles seem too easy and it didn’t took much of effort to find the library. The way Steve wrote about Christianity, Bible manipulating, collecting clues make me remember the classic novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’ of Dan Brown and ‘The Rozabal Line’ by Ashwin Sanghi.
I will certainly suggest this book to all history-thrill-adventure lovers, and Dan Brown fans, it has all the thrill potions intact, and give you the adventurous ride to the lost library of Alexandria. My take 4/5.
GRuchirG.
Jai Raam ji ki :)