Thunderhead

June 28, 1999
The adventure is marginally higher than the suspense in Preston and Child's sturdy new tale of scientific derring-do, concerning a search for Quivira, the legendary Anasazi Indian City of Gold. With four high-concept thrillers behind them, from 1995's Relic to last year's Riptide, the authors know what buttons to push and levers to yank--perhaps too well. The novel has a clockwork feel, from its first tick--the spooky stalking of archeologist Nora Kelly on an isolated New Mexican ranch--to its last tock. Playing it safe, Preston and Child take no missteps as Nora finds an old letter from her long-missing father with clues to Quivira's location; leads an expedition of central-casting types (a leathery old cowboy, a beautiful female photographer, the jokey journalist who figured in Relic and Reliquary, etc.); after much difficulty, discovers Quivira, which is revealed as a repository of ancient evil; and encounters death by way of the Native American witches who threatened her at the novel's start. It's all predictable but rarely dull. The authors display deep affection for the pulp they're recycling, talent for exciting set pieces--a hazardous ascent along a ridge toward Quivira and the flash-flooding of the canyon harboring the city are showcases of action writing--and, always their ace, the ability to infuse every aspect of their story with authentic techno-scientific lore. This is a novel in which the archeological niceties of ancient black-on-yellow micaceous pottery are as important to plot as the caliber of the gun the heroine wields. Fans of the authors' similarly inspired, and similarly metronomic, scientific textbooks-cum-thrillers should find this one much to their taste. Simultaneous audio.

March 1, 1999
The authors move from Riptide to The Relic to the deserts of Utah, where archaeologist Nora Kelly's father vanished in his search for the legendary Lost City of Gold. Now it's her turn to try.

October 1, 1999
YA-Checking on disturbing noises at her family's abandoned ranch house, Nora Kelly experiences a frightening encounter with two entities that resemble extremely large and ferocious wolves (in reality men disguised as skinwalkers), barely escaping with her life. On her frantic flight toward safety, she accidentally stumbles across the last letter her father wrote, describing the route he had taken in finding the lost legendary Anasazi city of gold, Quivivra. Nora finds a financial backer and puts together an expedition staffed with experts to help her find the site once more. The group encounters monumental natural obstacles and deep personality conflicts. And once the skinwalkers reappear, the eerie power of evil seems to take over. Members of the team begin to die mysteriously, and when a flash flood hits the canyon, the body count rises. The delicate balance of good and evil in the world serves as the major theme. The adventure occurs amid the beauty and spectacular dangers of the harsh environment, inspiring and frightening to behold. The constant challenge of staying alive keeps the excitement sharp. The strong emotion of greed and the interaction of opposing interests insures continual strife within the group. High-tech communications and the latest knowledge about diseases contrast with the ancient culture, and also provide answers to many of the mysteries associated with the Quivivra. This is a story filled with excitement, a sense of place, and personable characters, delivered in a quick-paced race against evil, humankind, and the tremendous forces of nature.-Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 1999 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.