Relic: Pendergast, Book 1

I have read this numerous times and it never fails to be a most exciting read, with this the first time I am reading it on my Kindle. Two masters of the written word spinning a fantastic tale of beasts, things that go bump in the night and the brave people who face it. And who doesn't love a museum story? The atmosphere in here is just perfect, dark and creepy. And you never know for certain exactly when the beast will jump out and grab someone. You only know for certain that it will - but who will it take? There are some truly frightening moments in here, with characters running blindly in the dark for their lives. The tension is high. It's like something told around a campfire, those scary ones that make you jump and look behind yourself to make certain its only a story. I think it goes back to our roots, of us being hunted by a smart predator who knows exactly what it's doing and has excellent natural weapons to attack. And this thing is not easy to catch or kill, even for the FBI. The FBI after all is meant to deal with human criminals not a supernatural creature - its a bit out of their experience.But I also love the characters in here. Once you start reading they seem like old friends. Margo who tries hard to do the right thing and finds herself caught up in this huge mess at her museum, Pendergast who is smart but has others getting in his way, Smithback who is chasing news for his book, Lt D'Agosta the police officer trying to save lives.... Then of course are the other characters, the ones you definitely don't like. And as I was reading I just knew they were going to run into huge issues. And of course they did. Because they were refusing to listen! And then chaos comes and bites them one... Its all quite exciting.. A mix of ancient history, science and big scares; jungles and museums and secret tunnels deep underground. and the worse definitely happens: its the perfect adventure story.And I must say the story definitely ends with a huge twist! Its been long enough since I read this that I really didn't remember the end. And that certainly made it way more fun. Plus the fun will continue in the next book.But these two never displeased me with their stories.

The first book in the Pendergast series is just what it promises to be: a mystery-thriller with an intriguing sci-fi twist. Unusual, gruesome deaths are piling up at the New York Museum of Natural History, characterised by two disturbing traits: gaping chest wounds, like those inflicted by predatory animals, and missing brains -- which appear to be eaten. Margo Green, a researcher at the Museum, finds herself at the center of the mystery, attempting to piece together scraps of information -- hints from a disastrous mission to the Amazon, forensic clues, genetic oddities. At the museum, she works with her supervisor, Dr. Frock, and prodigy geneticist Greg Kawakita. On the law enforcement side of things, Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta is investigating the homicides, aided by the nigh-preternatural FBI Special Agent Pendergast. Pendergast, though his role is fairly small in this first book, is the focal point of this whole series of loosely-connected thrillers. Part James Bond, part Sherlock Holmes, wrapped up in the package of a Louisiana polymath. He's a Gentleman and a Scholar who also knows several hundred ways to kill you. Margo's also friends with Bill Smithback, a journalist who's been hired by the Museum to write a book about the venerable institution -- and who's been chafing at the censorship imposed by the Museum's head of public relations.So. These are our protagonists. The first murders in the Museum seem a tragedy. But as the bodies start mounting, the situation becomes ever more dire -yet the Museum is determined to go forward with the opening night of a new exhibit, called Superstition. As it happens, one of the key pieces of this exhibit is a figurine of Mbwun, an Amazonian monstrosity who appears to have been worshiped (or at least venerated) by a remote tribe... and the figurine depicts a creature with traits that fit the profile of the murderer/murder weapons. And so rumours start to build of a Museum Beast, lurking in the bowels of the Museum... While D'Agosta and Pendergast are convinced by the scientists as to the increasing viability of this hypothesis, the Museum heads and the head of the New York FBI office aren't buying it, and insist on going forward with the opening... setting the stage for a whole lot of trouble.P&C have a talent for description, both atmospheric and characteristic. Though I have no doubt readers with a more intimate familiarity with the Museum of Natural History would get even greater enjoyment out of this book, they draw vivid enough pictures for those of us, like myself, who've only made brief passes through years earlier, or those who've never set foot in that museum at all. From the vast open hallways to the claustrophobic below-ground research labs, the sense of place is incredibly strong, as is the sense of mood -- vitally important to a thriller. When the Beast pursues Margo, I could clearly visualise her dim, shadowy surroundings, I could feel Margo's barely-controlled panic, I could hear the snuffling of the beast. P&C handle both stillness and chaos deftly.The sense of character is also great. P&C have an ability which I often associate with Law and Order episodes -- to evoke a very specific personality, with a distinct background, in a very short amount of time. Of course, by mid-book, you start strongly suspecting that anyone new introduced is probably going to be the next victim, but that's not too much to overcome. The major characters all have complex backgrounds -- which often aren't even fully explored in this book (Pendergast's less than anyone's) -- and while they certainly all have their flaws, it's that psychological veracity that makes them so compelling. Many of these characters weave through P&C's other novels, both within and outside of the Pendergast series, which makes returning to them, either in re-reads or when each new book comes out, rather like returning to old friends. These books often get compared to Michael Crichton's work, and I think the strong characters are what actually make them better. They do the science, the thrills, and the mystery all very well, too, but the magnetic personalities are what bring me back to these books time and again.Overall, this book is a fun, quick read and the start to a great series. It's certainly not high literature -- and it doesn't need to be. But it is incredibly high-quality brain candy. I thoroughly recommend Relic, the rest of the Pendergast series, and all of P&C's work, both as a pair and individually (and I'll be reading and reviewing the rest over the coming months). Read them on the beach, on planes, at the park -- read them when you've been working too hard and need to give your brain a treat. They're a wonderful respite, and the most entertaining thrillers I've ever read.

This book was different from my usual reads. I found it had a good story line and I like Pendergast. I am now on my third book and it is so hard to put down.

I loved the movie version I saw years ago, it was a haunting thriller with a twist, so when I saw that the movie was based on a book, I made a note to myself to read it. But years passed and I still hadn't checked it out. COVID quarantine made me run out of good reads, so I finally got a copy and was SO WOW-ed! The book is very different from the movie, and includes yet one more twist, which I probably should have expected from my favorite writing duo. Preston and Child always write the best mystery/thriller stories out of the entire genre, IMO, and I'm especially enamoured by the Aloysius Pendergast tales. He's my favorite FBI character of all fiction, and his personal life only adds to the mystery of any story. I don't know who might play him in a movie, he's got a very distinctly unusual appearance. I really wish Hollywood would turn the whole series into movies, they sure would be riveting.Frankly, I loved this book so much, I'm off now to read the sequel, Reliquary.

On the second read, this novel is still gripping, shuddery, and fast-paced. It introduces three unforgettable characters who appear in other books in the series: the FBI special agent and southern gentleman A. Pendergast, police officer D'Agosta, and museum coordinator Nora Kelly. These characters grow and change throughout the Pendergast and Nora Kelly series' into beloved figures who you want to meet again and again. Luckily, you can.

Good story line, but very scientific. Lost me during the scientific explanations. Loved the characters in the book. Not my cup of tea but I can see why others might enjoy it.

Great book to the end. Kept me guessing every time I thought I figured it out. Would love a sequal

Libro molto bello, mi ha invogliato a prendere altri libri di questi autori

Me encantó el libro, te mantiene enganchado y no quieres dejar de leer. Suspenso, acción, terror, tiene de todo.

The Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln child is a masterpiece!!The Relic's been compared to Crichton's 2 Jurassic Park novels, and it's hard not to see why. They're all really well written in the same scary & suspenseful style and both use themes of genetics and evolution, not to mention the creature/monster aspect of both.PLOT:--------In the weeks leading up to the massive opening of a new exhibition in New York's Museum of Natural History, museum workers and patrons alike are slowly disappearing within the dark corridors and stairwells of said museum, and turning up dead & horribly mutilated. Someone or something is committing these hideous murders and has managed to evade detection. With the Museum's directors planning to go on ahead with the event anyway, Police Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta enlists the help of museum researcher Dr. Margo Green, her advisor Dr. Whitney Frock and the charismatic, intelligent Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast in his first appearance in the Pendergast series. Together, these characters must race against time to discern who or 'what' is murdering people within the museum's dark hallways and exhibitions before it's too late!!Get ready for a visit to the scariest place on earth!!REVIEW:----------This story is exceptionally well written!! Let me tell you something, it takes a lot to scare me as I don't scare easy. But reading this book (especially at night) is quite the creepy and unnerving experience in and of itself. But that's not to say it's not enjoyable!! It's just scary enough to want to make you want to unravel the mystery with the books characters, and it never gets stale. It has the science aspect to make the horror feel all the more real, which adds another thick layer of enjoyment.The characters are all exceptionally well written and fleshed out, although Agent Pendergast is kept somewhat mysterious and in the dark, which works well for his first appearance here. They all feel genuine like real, everyday people who are facing an extraordinary situation.The 'Museum Monster' itself is a terrifying force of nature and will definitely make any reader lose sleep over it. The creature itself is mostly kept in the dark, figuratively and literally. The most you experience of the creature in the first half of the novel are just noises in the dark, a weird smell like mold or the book's characters 'feeling a presence' around them. However, it's in the later half of the book where things get REAL INTERESTING!! The body count is quite high and the tension never lets up!!The tribal name for the creature is Mbwun, which means "He Who Walks on All Fours." The picture of his statue or 'Relic' is on most covers of the book.FINAL VERDICT:------------------This book is an amazing techno-thriller that should not be passed up. If you're an avid science fiction, horror and mystery lover like I am and are looking for something that will genuinely creep you out, look no further!! Definitely read this book if you haven't already!! If you haven't heard of it, you're missing out on a GREAT science fiction thriller!!10/10Highly Recommended!!

Wow.. I must say It is truly a Relic.I initially searched for top mystery novels, and found this one. It will have different tracks, like Margo ( a student under Dr.Frock trying to find out rellation between the murders & crates), Agent Pendergast & Lt. Agosta in investigation, Smithback as a journalist, Ian & Wright as Directors etc., At the end, They all will combine to show the clear picture.I must agree the first two chapters & the last two are real potboilers.

I had high expectations for this book and I was not disappointed. It keeps the reader on the edge for the whole book, great story, excellent characters. Can’t wait to read more of these books.