4.14

1

Aug 04, 2013

A good plot badly written. I don't mean to be harsh but that's how it is. The book felt like reading a movie script instead of a novel. The scenes are too rushed at times, and the scenery abruptly changes, too fast (just like present day TV action series), and so many chapters just makes it more cluttered and confusing. Scenes are not clearly explained in my view, and it was very hard to visualize what was going on.

The story is a typical sci-fi and has nothing to offer out of the box. It is A good plot badly written. I don't mean to be harsh but that's how it is. The book felt like reading a movie script instead of a novel. The scenes are too rushed at times, and the scenery abruptly changes, too fast (just like present day TV action series), and so many chapters just makes it more cluttered and confusing. Scenes are not clearly explained in my view, and it was very hard to visualize what was going on.

The story is a typical sci-fi and has nothing to offer out of the box. It is just a mish mash of everything (evil vs good, nazis, Atlanteans, super human race vs us petty homo-sapiens, a pretty and intelligent female doctor and a strong ex-military male lead, them falling in love together and so on....

The only reason i finished this book is because i usually try not to give up on any books without finishing them, especially when i have paid for them. It was at times a pain to read through it and that is never the case with a good book.

I would say, if you value your time, do not read this book. It would make a great movie, but is a bad book in my opinion. ...more

3

Aug 17, 2016

Overly Complicated

Lately, I've had pretty good luck with exploring different genres. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. Listening to the audiobook was a confusing endeavor, despite the fact that the narration was actually pretty good. There was just way too much going on with this story.

'The Atlantis Gene' was a very complex Sci-Fi story with a plethora of characters. Every time I thought I had a good grasp of who everyone was, and what their motives were, something new would come Overly Complicated

Lately, I've had pretty good luck with exploring different genres. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. Listening to the audiobook was a confusing endeavor, despite the fact that the narration was actually pretty good. There was just way too much going on with this story.

'The Atlantis Gene' was a very complex Sci-Fi story with a plethora of characters. Every time I thought I had a good grasp of who everyone was, and what their motives were, something new would come to light and I'd be lost again. From ancient civilizations and evolutionary theories, to conspiracy theories and religious mysticism, this book tried to tackle every possible angle. Somewhere along the way, it just became too much to keep up with.

Adding to the confusion, the story seemed to jump from person, place and time, with no clear transition. One minute I was listening to the description of a present-day expedition in Antarctica, and the next I was hearing about WWII Nazi experiments. I spent most of my time completely lost.

If you're a fan of Sci-Fi/Action movies, this might be the type of story you'd enjoy. The flow of the story and writing style seemed awkward to me. However, this isn't my preferred genre, so I'm probably not the best judge. At the end of the day, this one didn't do anything for me. ...more

4

Dec 06, 2013

I am not one to go back and modify my reviews (out of sight, and all), but I think there is some confusion about this one. I want to start out by stating that I love this book. Amazon Prime is clunky and I feel so lucky that I stumbled on this book, because the book itself is well crafted. I could easily suspend my disbelief for the duration, and the characters were likeable/unlikeable when they were supposed to be.

I love Sci-Fi, which is the general category that I would put this book in, with I am not one to go back and modify my reviews (out of sight, and all), but I think there is some confusion about this one. I want to start out by stating that I love this book. Amazon Prime is clunky and I feel so lucky that I stumbled on this book, because the book itself is well crafted. I could easily suspend my disbelief for the duration, and the characters were likeable/unlikeable when they were supposed to be.

I love Sci-Fi, which is the general category that I would put this book in, with a secondary classification as mystery/thriller. I work in a biomedical research facility, and I appreciated that it tickled those parts of my brain. I am not a scientist or a geneticist, so I can't speak to the accuracy of the science, but it was good enough that it satisfied me as a person who works around it every day. I think for the average lay person the science will be equally convincing. Some of it falls into the really fanciful parts of Sci-Fi, but at as a certified nerd I don't mind those parts at all.

This book ended on a cliffhanger (at about 4:30am this morning), but that is okay. The second book is available as a free book in the Amazon Prime lending library too! Woohoo! I took the day off today, so after I get my Christmas tree up I plan to reward myself by starting the next one. I have to admit, I am not one of those people who usually reads untested authors. I have my favorites, and I will read new books if some of my friends highly recommend them. I don't often find books that I love by randomly selecting them based purely on the fact that I really like the title (I really loved the title). I am definitely happy I found this one, and I suspect that I will be rereading it at some point too, which is the real hallmark of a good book, in my opinion. ...more

1

Feb 23, 2014

I deserve an award for being able to finish this book. Honestly.

The plot had everything to attract me: genetic experiments, Greek myths and lost cities, evil Nazi conspiracies, even references to my own country. Yet, for the life of me, I cannot figure out how an author could accumulate all these fantastic ideas and deliver such a horrible story.

At numerous times, all I wanted to do was stop reading and delete the book from my kindle, but I kept going, hoping the author would redeem himself and I deserve an award for being able to finish this book. Honestly.

The plot had everything to attract me: genetic experiments, Greek myths and lost cities, evil Nazi conspiracies, even references to my own country. Yet, for the life of me, I cannot figure out how an author could accumulate all these fantastic ideas and deliver such a horrible story.

At numerous times, all I wanted to do was stop reading and delete the book from my kindle, but I kept going, hoping the author would redeem himself and give me something to cheer for. Alas, that moment never came, and I was left a very dissatisfied reader.

It's beyond sad because the plot was genuinely very promising. If only the execution was as good *sighs* ...more

2

Dec 12, 2013

This book has a promising *suggestion* of a plot, which is why I gave it two starts. I gave up on it 38% in. It is written like a cheap action movie, not like a book, and feels as if Mr. Riddle never had any beta readers for this story. The author try to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you: Atlantis, aliens, secret brotherhoods and conspiracies, codes, ultimate good and ultimate evil, Nazis, and the list goes on.

It seems Mr. Riddle was inspired by Dan Brown, but even Dan Brown started This book has a promising *suggestion* of a plot, which is why I gave it two starts. I gave up on it 38% in. It is written like a cheap action movie, not like a book, and feels as if Mr. Riddle never had any beta readers for this story. The author try to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you: Atlantis, aliens, secret brotherhoods and conspiracies, codes, ultimate good and ultimate evil, Nazis, and the list goes on.

It seems Mr. Riddle was inspired by Dan Brown, but even Dan Brown started out simple, with few characters, which is not the case here. You will find dozen of one-chapter characters that are there just to die, and others that are as shallow as a sheet of paper Mr. Riddle probably didn't even use to plan them out. The women can't do anything besides be helpless, look pretty, and swoon as soon as the "right" man shows up. Ugh. I read porn where women had more character than in here. There's plenty of explosions and "heroism" which will make your eyes roll up so high they'd fall back into your skull (there is even a scene were the protagonist woman character has a dream in which the hero IS a knight, literally)

There IS a story to salvage here, somewhere, and I hope Mr. Riddle works on his story and re-releases it. As for now, there's too much ambition and far too little story.

...more

1

Mar 08, 2014

I can count on one hand the number of books I willfully put down before finishing, and this is one of them. I honestly tried (and even got through 73%, according to my Kindle), but it just got more painful. The plot is painfully contrived to the point where it seems the author just tosses in mystery and science fiction cliches and hopes they stick (Atlantis and aliens and evil corporations and Nazis and the list goes on), without any effort to weave them into the story.

The writing is I can count on one hand the number of books I willfully put down before finishing, and this is one of them. I honestly tried (and even got through 73%, according to my Kindle), but it just got more painful. The plot is painfully contrived to the point where it seems the author just tosses in mystery and science fiction cliches and hopes they stick (Atlantis and aliens and evil corporations and Nazis and the list goes on), without any effort to weave them into the story.

The writing is cringe-worthy. Explanations of legitimate scientific concepts are laughably bad (I found parts of the Wikipedia article on Spanish flu dropped directly into the characters' dialogue), and the author goes way overboard with cliches (count the number of times you see the phrase 'brain wiring'). The story is seemingly just a series of cheap action scenes wired together with some token dialogue, sort of the literary equivalent of a Michael Bay movie. This isn't a criticism of popular fiction - I enjoy the John Grishams and Tom Clancys of the world as much as the next guy - but I could find nothing redeeming in this book. ...more

5

Mar 31, 2013

The Atlantis Gene drew me in from the start. This book is extremely fast-paced, almost like watching a movie. Great story line and characters. I especially loved the character development of Kate and David. I think the book does a good job of revealing back story without over doing it. A lot of books I read get bogged down in details and I lose interest but not this book.

I caught myself looking up details from the book and found the author's website to have a great fact vs fiction section The Atlantis Gene drew me in from the start. This book is extremely fast-paced, almost like watching a movie. Great story line and characters. I especially loved the character development of Kate and David. I think the book does a good job of revealing back story without over doing it. A lot of books I read get bogged down in details and I lose interest but not this book.

I caught myself looking up details from the book and found the author's website to have a great fact vs fiction section (atlantisgene.com). Loved all the scientific elements (evolution, genetics, clinical trials) and also interesting historical details. The author clearly did his research.

The spy elements in the book maintain the action and excitement. Each chapter ends on a high note. There are numerous layers to this book but the author is able to mesh everything together in a thought provoking way. What appear to be minor details at the time reappear throughout the story linking the present with the past.

This book will appeal to a variety of readers. As a female reader, I was interested to see if the author appealed to a larger group and was pleasantly surprised. He even threw in a little romance.

I love to travel so the foreign locations were an added bonus.

The Atlantis Gene will definitely have you thinking long after you put it down. I'm looking forward to The Atlantis Plague! ...more

5

Oct 09, 2013

Brilliant. 489 pages of times when I stayed up until 2 in the morning with my eyes glued to my Kindle screen. 489 pages of when I'd be at work and frantically wanting to fangirl and wondering if anyone could see how excited I was.

That's when you know a novel has captivated you with its story. I stumbled upon the book on Amazon, read the description, and thought, "Hm. A sci-fi novel with its own creation theory that involves Atlantis? This must be good." Every minute I had, every break I gained, Brilliant. 489 pages of times when I stayed up until 2 in the morning with my eyes glued to my Kindle screen. 489 pages of when I'd be at work and frantically wanting to fangirl and wondering if anyone could see how excited I was.

That's when you know a novel has captivated you with its story. I stumbled upon the book on Amazon, read the description, and thought, "Hm. A sci-fi novel with its own creation theory that involves Atlantis? This must be good." Every minute I had, every break I gained, I read page after page. The story takes the point of view of third person but each short chapter is separated into the third person point of view of the specific character, thus, weaving the entire story together. Most of the story progression was made through what each character saw or said. Up until the last 20% of the novel, someone would see something another did in one chapter while the next chapter takes up from that person's point of view. I enjoyed this very much.

I am attempting not to spoil the book and still give a good review so excuse me if my words become a tad confusing. The novel involves the lost city of Atlantis that no doubt all of us has heard about. This idea of a lost city interweaves itself into the main plot of the question, "Where did humans come from?" then onto the characters whose lives were drastically changed by the mystery surrounding how their species came to be. Often I would attempt to predict the plot and many times, ended up sitting at my desk at work with my hands to my face hiding my shocked demeanor.

For readers that love sci-fi with a tiny hint of romance enough to make them go, "Aww!" and not gag, The Atlantis Gene is the perfect companion to the creative mind.. Or when you're alone.. In bed. Wanting relief from a long day. What.

[Review originally posted on my blog: www.disarrayedcreativity.me] ...more

3

Mar 08, 2014

This book has everything. Almost literally. Nazis,time travel, Atlantis, a mystical spear that was used to stab Jesus, secret portals that let you walk from Gibralter to Antarctica, space monkeys, miniature nuclear weapons that can be created in days and placed in a 5 year old's backpack, world wide plagues, neanderthals, genetic engineering, gun fights, love stories, crazy plot twists, the Spanish flu, magical potions that cure all wounds and ills, characters with massive Freudian complexes, This book has everything. Almost literally. Nazis,time travel, Atlantis, a mystical spear that was used to stab Jesus, secret portals that let you walk from Gibralter to Antarctica, space monkeys, miniature nuclear weapons that can be created in days and placed in a 5 year old's backpack, world wide plagues, neanderthals, genetic engineering, gun fights, love stories, crazy plot twists, the Spanish flu, magical potions that cure all wounds and ills, characters with massive Freudian complexes, lost loves, World War 1 AND World War II, a secret society that has lasted since the dawn of time, super spies, betrayals, noble deaths, a toss away sex scene, autistic Indonesian kids in peril, hot air balloon escapes from mountain top monasteries with mystical ninja monks. I am not kidding, there is virtually no genre that goes untouched here. At one point, I almost expected Pope John Paul and Jesse James to pull out matching Lugers to keep the Kaiser from escaping in a Vulcan space ship with a horde of infected Nicaraguan mosquitoes that he would take back in time in order to inflict the Crusaders with malaria which would delay the dawn of the Renaissance and prevent Leonardo Da Vinci from creating the blueprint that the Wright brother eventually would use to invent the first airplane. Maybe in the sequel.

Anyway, this was the author's first book and the fact that the book was so incredibly ridiculous did not prevent it from being an enjoyable read. The writing is pretty simple and at times amateurish (especially the dialogue), but the book has a good pace and the fact is all of the different genres are stereotyped for a reason: nazis make great villains, time travel, Atlantis etc. are fun to read about and magic potions that cure bullet wounds, are a nice device to let your hero get shot a few times and still plausibly beat up the bad guy in the end. Nice job A.G. Riddle in putting all this together and working so hard to tie things up. Lots of places for the characters to explain what they are doing, what they have done and what they are about to do for the benefit of the heroes and the reader. I especially appreciated the little summary chapter near the end where you go through the roster of characters and remind us who everyone actually is. ...more

3

Aug 06, 2017

The Atlantis Gene (The Origin Mystery #1) by A.G. Riddle is a very interesting read. I got the audible version from the library. It had so many side stories going and I thought sure it would finally come together at the end but it did to some degree but the rest will be in the next books. I was hoping that more of the story would be in this book about what the secret would be about. I might continue the next books but I was a bit disappoint that this didn't have more. This was very action The Atlantis Gene (The Origin Mystery #1) by A.G. Riddle is a very interesting read. I got the audible version from the library. It had so many side stories going and I thought sure it would finally come together at the end but it did to some degree but the rest will be in the next books. I was hoping that more of the story would be in this book about what the secret would be about. I might continue the next books but I was a bit disappoint that this didn't have more. This was very action packed, full of intrigue but the stuff I was interested in will probably be in later books. It hinted at it briefly in here. So, I did enjoy it and it is worth the read just wanted it to stretch some of the good stuff in more of this book. :) ...more

4

May 21, 2018

Full review now up!

All of the ingredients used to make up The Atlantis Gene story worked really well for my tastes. While I do enjoy reading in the thriller genre, it's not one that I visit a lot. A.G. Riddle has convinced me I need to start clearing my calendar a little more often for this genre.

The basis of this story is one that peaked my interest, even before reading the synopsis of the book. The origin of humanity. Where did we come from? How did we evolve to how we are today? These are Full review now up!

All of the ingredients used to make up The Atlantis Gene story worked really well for my tastes. While I do enjoy reading in the thriller genre, it's not one that I visit a lot. A.G. Riddle has convinced me I need to start clearing my calendar a little more often for this genre.

The basis of this story is one that peaked my interest, even before reading the synopsis of the book. The origin of humanity. Where did we come from? How did we evolve to how we are today? These are questions all of us have asked ourselves from time to time. Riddle's take on this subject is done with a very clever mix of secret societies, medical research, and ancient civilizations.

The pace of this story is pretty quick throughout. By quick, I mean a lot of the chapters are 2 to 3 pages then switching back to another POV. There is well over 100 chapters in the book, and the book is under 500 pages, so you can do the math. There is a section regarding a diary that did drag out a little, but that was the only slow section. It is a vital part of the story, so drag may not be the appropriate word. Just slower than the other sections of the story.

The characters were well developed and realistic. They each had flaws and made their fair share of mistakes. To be honest, I was more invested in the story than the characters, so for me this was a mix between character and plot driven. I believe I just approached it differently due to the subject it involved. But, you may see it differently than I do.

I had high hopes for The Atlantis Gene, and it didn't let me down. I can see why it is a million copy bestseller. I believe all readers can find something in this book they can relate to. I certainly did!

4 stars **** ...more

1

Feb 02, 2015

No, no, no. Don't be misled by four thousand five star reviews on Amazon. Don’t do it. Don't read this book unless...

Unless you thought the Da Vinci Code is a prime example of Great Literature and unless you're a devout follower of the History Channel's Crazy Hair Guy. The Atlantis Gene takes about a hundred plot bits - everything from Indiana Jones-type evil Nazis to 9-11 and Roswell to James Bond spies cross and double crosses, plus the Biblical Flood, Atlantis, eugenics, an Ebola-like flu, No, no, no. Don't be misled by four thousand five star reviews on Amazon. Don’t do it. Don't read this book unless...

Unless you thought the Da Vinci Code is a prime example of Great Literature and unless you're a devout follower of the History Channel's Crazy Hair Guy. The Atlantis Gene takes about a hundred plot bits - everything from Indiana Jones-type evil Nazis to 9-11 and Roswell to James Bond spies cross and double crosses, plus the Biblical Flood, Atlantis, eugenics, an Ebola-like flu, ancient alien influences and a Tibetan monastery ( Holy Shangri-La, Batman!) and chops them up in a giant plot blender. There's also tapestry depicting humanity's future, black goo that cures everything, autism research, people who age way slower than the rest of us, and a diary that holds secrets. But wait, there's more! Just too, too much more.

What isn't evident is an editor. On page 66 "She...ran a hand through her blond hair" and on the next page "He ran his hand through his hair." Page 87 has "Kate ran a hand through her hair" and on the next page "Kate brushed her hair back." All this unruly hair action. Somebody get these people a comb!

You'll also find some expendable good guy who solves the first major puzzle, transfers a couple millions dollars as instructed, creates his own secret message AND destroys the computer with evidence - all in time to be fatally shot. This is followed by a lovely description of how he looks down at the bullet holes in his chest and the blood flowing from his mouth. UGGH. Then Our Hero, after going all Rambo on a gang of warrior bad guys, snaps the last one's neck and then stays on the floor gazing at the ceiling and considers two flies chasing each other. Right. Me, I'd go crack open a Bud.

Here are incredible moments of foresight. The first time of too many that David saves Kate (think 'Come wit me if you wahnt to leeve,’) he convinces her by saying only a good guy would ask her to get in his vehicle, that a bad guy would just grab her and put a bag over her head. Guess what. About two minutes later a certified bad guy will grab her and put a bag over her head.

The book is long, but the chapters are short and they get shorter, down to a couple paragraphs, toward the end. I enjoy science fiction and will gladly surrender my disbelief if an author creates a world worth the effort. In this one the hero super-agent David has several million in secret accounts, a secret hideaway with a bomb shelter, a secret mini yacht, and a stashed secret plane which he and the intrepid blond scientist (who requires repeated rescuing) fly into China, crash land, and gain access to a super-secret installation where hapless Chinese are being murdered daily in dozens by dastardly evil doers.

I’m happy that the author can write his books because everyone should follow his/her dream. I’m just sorry to have read this one.



...more

0

Aug 13, 2013

I will not insult any reader of this DNF review by not disclosing the fact that I simply could not connect with this book and the style in which it was written. Thus, I did not finish it and after only 50 pages decided to put it down. So I will not offer any serious critique other than a rationale as to why I did not connect with it. If you find this annoying, i agree with you, yet as my least favorite saying goes: it is what it is (totally lame, because we all know it is what it is until its I will not insult any reader of this DNF review by not disclosing the fact that I simply could not connect with this book and the style in which it was written. Thus, I did not finish it and after only 50 pages decided to put it down. So I will not offer any serious critique other than a rationale as to why I did not connect with it. If you find this annoying, i agree with you, yet as my least favorite saying goes: it is what it is (totally lame, because we all know it is what it is until its not and then it's something utterly different, hence, a completely useless saying).

Honestly, I felt rushed and did not fully understand the landscape of the many different settings the author takes us to in such a brief number of pages. Other than a setting which is listed next to the chapter number, there was inadequate language offered to create a meaningful visual of where the characters are in space and time. We are instead ushered quite quickly to conversations between characters of different organizations which aim to reveal (much too quickly) the plot of this book. Which I have to say is intriguing. But the devil is in the details, which most authors seem to err on the side of too much and readers get bogged down in a hundred page description of some weapon (Clancy comes to mind here). Conversely, this book offers too little in the way of details to help us (the reader) give a shit about what's actually happening. Apologies, but I'll move on to something worth my time. This was not it. ...more

4

Aug 10, 2013

The first word that came to mind after finishing this novel was "Ambitious".

Perhaps a bit too amibitious. There were many sub-plots requiring a set of characters or at least name changes for the characters. There were interesting people (the boy in the monastery) who were brought in, seemed pleasant, and then forgotten. Then there was the main trunk of the story line....or was it? And we see all these tubes with Atlanteans, but we fail to have any description of what they look like.

So....while I The first word that came to mind after finishing this novel was "Ambitious".

Perhaps a bit too amibitious. There were many sub-plots requiring a set of characters or at least name changes for the characters. There were interesting people (the boy in the monastery) who were brought in, seemed pleasant, and then forgotten. Then there was the main trunk of the story line....or was it? And we see all these tubes with Atlanteans, but we fail to have any description of what they look like.

So....while I thoroughly enjoyed the novel in many contexts, my advice to this first-time novelist would be to simplify. There was way too much going on.

The Immari themselves were not believable from an economic point of view. Worthless in 1947...or nearly so... to a major world player hoodwinking China for it's research facility, the CIA, the Brits, Russia? Ummmm. And 9-11 thrown in?

It was really too much.

Simplify.

I gave this novel a 4-star rating, primarily because the editing and storytelling was in concise, clear, grammatically correct prose. Thank you for that. And also because it was a first novel. Had this been an established writer, it probably would have earned 3 stars. ...more

4

Jun 12, 2015

The Origin Mystery trilogy is four stars or near to it. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I read all three books before writing the reviews, and I gave the first book in the series, The Atlantis Gene four stars. There is something for everyone in this trilogy. Imagine Robin Cook, Frederick Forsyth, Michael Crichton and Ursula K. Le Guin getting together to spin a yarn.

The trilogy has its flaws, so I'd qualify the recommendation by stating it's for readers of the science fiction and The Origin Mystery trilogy is four stars or near to it. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I read all three books before writing the reviews, and I gave the first book in the series, The Atlantis Gene four stars. There is something for everyone in this trilogy. Imagine Robin Cook, Frederick Forsyth, Michael Crichton and Ursula K. Le Guin getting together to spin a yarn.

The trilogy has its flaws, so I'd qualify the recommendation by stating it's for readers of the science fiction and thriller genres. This is the debut novel of an indie author, but it was good enough to be purchased by CBS Films and for the author to be picked up by HarperCollins for his next novel. I was very entertained by non-stop action, conspiracies, factions, and conundrums throughout the book. There are terrorists, secret agents, geneticists and double agents. I thought The Atlantis Gene was a medical thriller at first. Then it was an espionage novel. Then historical fiction, or is it a medical disaster story, or a political thriller. Wait an alien artifact! Is it a science fiction novel?

This is a complex story. Although we are primarily concerned with Dr Kate Warner and agent David Vale, there are lots of characters, lots of factions, and lots of settings, perhaps too many. The story moves so quickly, there isn't enough time for character development, a problem that will come back to haunt the author and reader in later parts of the trilogy.

The protagonists are trying to untie a Gordian knot of intrigue and secrets that goes back hundreds, possibly thousands of years. It may actually answer "where did man come from," and "what is the meaning of life." The real payoff comes as A.G. Riddle ties together seeming disparate science and historical facts to theories woven into the storyline. He does it with such ease, despite anachronistic and plausibility flaws, the story becomes that much more believable.

If you love complex plots, non-stop action, tangled conspiracies, and long stories, this trilogy is for you. This first book is a thrill-ride, but it sets the stage for even bigger things to come. If you are looking for something simple and straightforward, you aren't going to enjoy this trilogy with its complex cast of characters and stories within stories.

Truth is stranger than fiction...
http://www.agriddle.com/Atlantis-Gene...
The author's website for the facts versus the fiction for the history and science used in The Atlantis Gene
...more

3

May 31, 2017

Definitely not the level of techno-thriller as say a Lincoln Child, James Rollins, or Michael Crichton but okay for what it is. The book was interesting enough to keep me reading but ultimately failed to satisfy me as a book by one of the others who I mentioned. I think it was due to the fact that the chapters we're so short and the action seemed to jump around from one storyline to the next much too quickly. I never got a chance to become invested in any of the characters or what was going on Definitely not the level of techno-thriller as say a Lincoln Child, James Rollins, or Michael Crichton but okay for what it is. The book was interesting enough to keep me reading but ultimately failed to satisfy me as a book by one of the others who I mentioned. I think it was due to the fact that the chapters we're so short and the action seemed to jump around from one storyline to the next much too quickly. I never got a chance to become invested in any of the characters or what was going on with them. Not special enough in my opinion to warrant continuing with the series. ...more

5

May 05, 2013

Author A.G. Riddle inaugural novel starts out pretty fast. Make that somewhat insanely fast. He throws things at the reader in rapid succession. But stick with it and pay attention. Comprehension will dawn. The characters begin to make sense and A.G. revisits everything. Every little plot twist gets attention. All the elements he packs into the beginning of the mystery will make sense. The grand scheme begins to make a little too much sense, making me wonder if there isn't some kind of Immari Author A.G. Riddle inaugural novel starts out pretty fast. Make that somewhat insanely fast. He throws things at the reader in rapid succession. But stick with it and pay attention. Comprehension will dawn. The characters begin to make sense and A.G. revisits everything. Every little plot twist gets attention. All the elements he packs into the beginning of the mystery will make sense. The grand scheme begins to make a little too much sense, making me wonder if there isn't some kind of Immari organization manipulating everything from international politics to economic markets. Hmmmm. Hero David Vale is a badass. But he's an unlucky badass, always getting thumped somehow. The baddies, especially Dorian Sloane, is intense and a remarkable opponent. He's smart and seemingly has the upper hand at every turn. Kate Warner isn't some wallflower either. She doesn't just scream when the going gets tough. It took me a week to read this, and I had to put it down occasionally because I just couldn't take the pace. And I love this type of novel. If you're looking for a thriller with a bit of sci-fi angle, this is definitely worth considering. ...more

1

Aug 02, 2013

I borrowed this book for free using the Kindle Lending Library. While I gave this book 1 star, I think this author has potential. The overall concept was ok, but the work just felt unpolished. The sci-fi aspects were well explained, and the plot was fast paced, but the dialogue was cringe worthy. I think in an effort to explain the science but keep the pace moving the author sacrificed character development. My main problem with the book is I couldn't care less what happened to any of the I borrowed this book for free using the Kindle Lending Library. While I gave this book 1 star, I think this author has potential. The overall concept was ok, but the work just felt unpolished. The sci-fi aspects were well explained, and the plot was fast paced, but the dialogue was cringe worthy. I think in an effort to explain the science but keep the pace moving the author sacrificed character development. My main problem with the book is I couldn't care less what happened to any of the people. ...more

5

Jan 08, 2014

Man! An amazing book I couldn't put down (and at 488 pages that's a long thrill ride).

A little bit sci-fi, a little bit mystery, suspense, thriller, and even historical fiction - it's all here and not only kept me on the edge of my seat but kept me guessing where it was going.

This story has some of the most ruthless villains (or are they?) and the author is ruthless in his own way too, not afraid to kill off one character after another just as you get to know them.

Don't really understand some of Man! An amazing book I couldn't put down (and at 488 pages that's a long thrill ride).

A little bit sci-fi, a little bit mystery, suspense, thriller, and even historical fiction - it's all here and not only kept me on the edge of my seat but kept me guessing where it was going.

This story has some of the most ruthless villains (or are they?) and the author is ruthless in his own way too, not afraid to kill off one character after another just as you get to know them.

Don't really understand some of the two star criticism on this one. It is extremely well written, there are no typos or grammar mistakes, and it is very well researched. Kudos if as I understand it this is a first novel by A G Riddle. Some people seemed to object to the wide ranging subject matter (duh ??) that's exactly what makes it so good. Every time you think you know where the story is going it jerks you back to 1917, or 50,000 BC, and back to the present with all kinds of interesting facts and theories. Loved every page of it.

All in all a fascinating book and as much as I hate book series, I will buy the next one.
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1

May 08, 2014

Really simple, plot incomprehensible

Really simple, plot incomprehensible

Thankfully I didnt pay a cent for this, but I did waste my monthlly Amazon Prime freebie loaner book for the month on it. This book is poorly done on every level. period. It's poorly written, it stereotypes Indonesians, Chinese...it jumps around from page to page with no rhyme or reason. I made it to 25 percent, but knew after a couple chapters that I was wasting my time.
I have no earthly idea how so many have given 5 stars Really simple, plot incomprehensible

Really simple, plot incomprehensible

Thankfully I didnt pay a cent for this, but I did waste my monthlly Amazon Prime freebie loaner book for the month on it. This book is poorly done on every level. period. It's poorly written, it stereotypes Indonesians, Chinese...it jumps around from page to page with no rhyme or reason. I made it to 25 percent, but knew after a couple chapters that I was wasting my time.
I have no earthly idea how so many have given 5 stars to this drivel. My advice when checking out a book is to read the one and two star reviews. They typically give a more reasoned review. Seriously... 5 stars? Tolkein, Asimov... they rate five. Books like this??? A few years ago they'd never have made it if not self published ... forgive the rant...back to the book...dont bother. ...more

4

Apr 13, 2015

BRILLIANTLY addictive thriller. Can't wait for the follow ups and a full review will follow when I get to catching up over the next few days.

3

Jan 24, 2016

A.G. Riddle seamlessly combined several genres, including historical fiction, mystery, science fiction, and romance in THE ATLANTIS GENE.

The novel began intriguingly with a dig in Antarctica and a kidnapping in Indonesia then moves around the world from Southeast Asia to China to Europe and back to Asia and Antarctica. The plot revolves around geneticist Kate Warner and counter-terrorism specialist David Vale, who are in a race against time to take down a global syndicate hell bent on killing A.G. Riddle seamlessly combined several genres, including historical fiction, mystery, science fiction, and romance in THE ATLANTIS GENE.

The novel began intriguingly with a dig in Antarctica and a kidnapping in Indonesia then moves around the world from Southeast Asia to China to Europe and back to Asia and Antarctica. The plot revolves around geneticist Kate Warner and counter-terrorism specialist David Vale, who are in a race against time to take down a global syndicate hell bent on killing two kids - and, potentially, much of humanity. The big ideas, including a global conspiracy dating back thousands of years and the origin of modern man, make up in many ways for the novel's flaws including weak characterization of the antagonist, who at times felt more like Dr. Evil than I believe was intended for this kind of story, pacing and point-of-view changes that at times felt unhinged, and dialogue tics that repeat from character to character, making it difficult to distinguish who is whom, particularly late in act two and throughout act three.

The bottom line: I liked the high concept of THE ATLANTIS GENE and found myself wanting to finish the novel, which argues for A.G. Riddle's storytelling skills; recommended for fans of Dan Brown. ...more

3

Oct 08, 2013

I always hate to criticize an indie author's first published work. I know some of what it's like to put yourself out there for the public to notice and critique, and it's not an easy thing to do. So, first, kudos to the author for finishing and publishing.

The concept behind this story is intriguing. While I think he's going off a bad idea of the Atlantis myth, he at least goes all in with it. And the science behind things, to my non-studied brain, seemed plausible and I didn't find myself I always hate to criticize an indie author's first published work. I know some of what it's like to put yourself out there for the public to notice and critique, and it's not an easy thing to do. So, first, kudos to the author for finishing and publishing.

The concept behind this story is intriguing. While I think he's going off a bad idea of the Atlantis myth, he at least goes all in with it. And the science behind things, to my non-studied brain, seemed plausible and I didn't find myself rolling my eyes as I so often do at books where I not only have to suspend my disbelief but expel it and send it to reformatory school. I just always found myself wanting "more". And I can't put an exact finger on what "more" I wanted. I even find it weird that I would want more, after always complaining about Tom Clancy's ability to spend 57 pages on the color of the wires of a bomb. But for this book, some of those type details would have been nice.

I like the main characters so far. The hero almost reaches cartoonish levels of "I can do everything!" syndrome, but never goes over that line. The heroine didn't make me wish I still had hair to pull out (it's currently growing back because of chemo). I don't love them yet though. I still feel like I hardly know them. I hated the villain as I feel he did reach cartoonish levels of sociopathy and I didn't feel like his motive was good enough to warrant that much carnage.

I will say that I am very interested in continuing the story, which at the end of it all, makes this another successful self-publishing in my eyes! ...more

5

May 25, 2013

If the legend of Atlantis fascinates you, if you’re interested in the possible origins of the human species, and if you love a good thriller, the Atlantis Gene is the book for you. Throw in some historical oddities and two warring factions fighting for the future of the human race and you get a potboiler that is extremely entertaining and hard to put down.

As an independent novelist myself, I know how hard it is to get noticed. The Atlantis Gene should be noticed and appreciated for the deftness If the legend of Atlantis fascinates you, if you’re interested in the possible origins of the human species, and if you love a good thriller, the Atlantis Gene is the book for you. Throw in some historical oddities and two warring factions fighting for the future of the human race and you get a potboiler that is extremely entertaining and hard to put down.

As an independent novelist myself, I know how hard it is to get noticed. The Atlantis Gene should be noticed and appreciated for the deftness with which Mr. Riddle tells his tale. Unfortunately, there is a lot of independent fiction out there that is either unreadable or not worth reading. This book is definitely NOT in that category. It is worth reading and enjoying, a great effort. I look forward to the second book in the series.
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5

Jan 09, 2014

Note: this is the same review I wrote on the Amazon site. This book is not yet available through Audible, but the author has a contract with them for the first two books in the series.

I am almost always working on three to five books at a time. I found this debut novel a major page turner, and was unable to read another book while I was immersed in this one. I almost never read a self-published novel. I'm a slow reader, and just don't have time to do a lot of experimental reading. However, in Note: this is the same review I wrote on the Amazon site. This book is not yet available through Audible, but the author has a contract with them for the first two books in the series.

I am almost always working on three to five books at a time. I found this debut novel a major page turner, and was unable to read another book while I was immersed in this one. I almost never read a self-published novel. I'm a slow reader, and just don't have time to do a lot of experimental reading. However, in working through other reviews of this book, I decided to take a chance. Many reviewers claim that this book is too ambitious for a first-time author, and that it reads more like a movie script than a novel. I view both of these "criticisms" as positive, rather than negative.
I'll leave it to others to summarize the major plot points, allowing you to concentrate on the number of spoilers you want before buying the book. Since I am a slow reader, a 500 page book is quite an investment of my limited reading time, but for me, it was worth every minute I spent with it.
I do have a few minor complaints of a personal nature. The book is loaded with well conceived characters. Many of the major characters have two names, depending on the time frame being discussed. Books of this length need a listing of characters, and their relationships to other characters. The author should put it at the end of the book, or on the associated web site. Some people will mention the X-Ray feature available on the Paper White. This doesn't show relationships, but tells the page or location where the character is referred to, or has dialog. This isn't what I need.
I hate series where it take three or more books to complete the story, and you might have to wait several years for that to happen. At my age this is something I have to keep in mind. Again, this is a personal criticism, and doesn't detract from the actual book.
Whatever my opinion, and that of other readers, this book is worth every penny. At the time of this review, book two is already available, and is on sale. I have already bought it, but I'll probably wait until the third book is announced, and read it at that time.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Thanks, Mr. Riddle, for all the time you spent on making this first book the lead-in to a great series.
ONE LAST NOTE: both the book and the web site (www.atlantisplague.com) offer a great deal of information or links to other sites, for anyone who is interested in self-publishing their book. Good luck, and may you be as successful as Mr. Riddle seems to have been. ...more