This novel
brings together several genres: crime novel, mysticism, historical fiction, and
travelogue. Albert Poliska and Richard Halden, are
anthropologists who have been independently studying as-yet undeciphered
hieroglyphics from the ancient Mayans. They both hit roadblocks in their
research and needed to collaborate with each other to advance their academic
understanding. For them, it’s a collegial and happy union of forces. They learn
that there are still a few Mayans alive who believe in and practice their old
beliefs, who might be able to help them read the old symbols. However, Padre
Mio, the 105-year-old keeper of the Maya secrets had a vision of the Mayan
ancient forces needing to destroy the world in order to give it a rebirth. The
anthropologists find Mio as he is in the process of bringing his vision to
fruition. Mio needed a warrior to carry out the human sacrifices that his
ancient directives demanded. The warrior he chose was none other than Carols
Javeda, a Los Angeles drug dealer, a psychopath who underwent a remarkable
conversion in the face of the mystical power of Mio.
I thought the
first few pages were a bit choppy as the author set up the characters and plot,
but I was hooked by page 30. I usually steer clear of this much mysticism, but
I’m sure it is right up the alley for East Coast Don and his love for author
Robert McCammon. With the mystic side of the story, it’s possible to buy into
the conversion of Carlos. The author’s well-written travelogue took the reader
from Los Angeles, to the Yucatan, New York, Louisiana, and Sedona. There was a
Cussler-like quality to the grand adventure of the anthropologists, although
all of Matthew's characters were more three-dimensional and real than Cussler’s
stereotypic and predicable ones. I thought Matthews did a wonderful job
of intertwining the several story lines and bringing them to a surprising
conclusion. There were twists that I did not see coming until they happened in
the last few pages.
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