The Short Take:

Hints to the location of a vanished legend come to light. But more than one party is in a race to capture the prize, no matter what the cost. The resulting thrillers not only keep you immersed from first page to last, they also send you to the Internet to learn more about the historical context of Berry’s novels.

Why?

A winning combination of break-neck action and mysteries of the ages make Steve Berry’s thrillers truly enjoyable reads. He one-ups Dan Brown by cutting down on the talkiness; then he amps up the action. The results are must reads for pure escapism.

The secrets of Fatima, the treasure of the Knights Templar, the Amber Room of Imperial Russia — these are just a few of the mysteries Berry sends his protagonists in search of. His heroes not only have to solve riddles and seek out clues around the world, they must contend with the nefarious deeds and traps set by others who seek the same goal but for more sinister reasons.

Yes, it’s a formula. But there’s a book-load of difference between each of Berry’s books. He doesn’t even get around to introducing a continuing hero until his fourth book, The Templar Legacy. But his Cotton Malone, a retired elite operative for the U. S. State Department, is certainly worth the wait. Cotton has since been joined by a circle of enemies and friends. But, no worries, you can pick up Berry’s book in any sequence and not miss a thing.

But you’ll miss plenty if you pass this author by.

I’ll confess right now to loving this genre. Mysteries and thrillers that bring in ancient (or even not so ancient) lost treasures or secrets always intrigue me. But Steve Berry gets it spot on. I can’t wait to get my hands on his next thriller, coming out in December.

Want to learn more about the Steve Berry and his books? Check out his website by clicking here.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 9:56 am and is filed under Gotta Read Them All. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.