The Grail (Area 51, Bk. 5)

The speed in the plot becomes faster and faster and at the end we do not know any more which character is working for or against the Airlia and if, on which side they are. This series is so intelligently made because it "logically" explains events and myths that have long been enigmas in history, modern or ancient. Myths of the Bible, historical events of ancient Egypt and the statues on Easter island are interwoven with events of our modern times like Mallory's and Irvine's disappearance during their attempt to climb Mount Everest in the 1920s. This is the stuff aficionados of this kind of literature really like. But lets not forget - it is fiction, although you sometimes forget it while reading.

I actually started reading the series with Area 51, and went right back for the remaining books that were available. Read all 5 in a two month period and now have to wait for the next episode. This book left us with a more open end than some of the others. The way he has pulled in all myths, legonds, actual earth sites, deadly diseases and the like is wonderful. Mr Doherty has drawn lines that would crumble most old beliefs. I also like the way enemies are working together as humans of Earth to hopefully save all of humanity. It's still difficult to know who is good and who is not. I believe you can read his books starting at any one of the series and want to know what came before and what comes after.

It's hard to believe that this is the fifth volume in this series. The prose is still going strong. Each explained mystery reveals another one as the plot takes continual twists and turns. Robert Doherty maintains a continuous tempo level as the story shifts from scene to scene. This is fine, high-energy writing. I read the first four novels within a month, and I've been awaiting volume five since then. It took me a bit to reconnect with the story once The Grail became available, so don't expect to be able to start out with this book. Track down the others in the series, they are all worth the effort.The Grail picks up with Lisa Duncan trapped underneath the Sphinx with the Holy Grail. Those Who Wait are on their way to a pyramid in China to awaken the alien Artad. The guardian on Easter Island preparing for battle and the Mission scrambling to take advantage of events. In the middle of all of this, Mike Turcott leads countless raids and adventures, stopping only read excerpts from the secret journal of Sir Richard Burton. All of this happens in a mere 318 pages, so the pace is furious.Doherty is a past master at the action book, weaving intricate plots and making sure everything fits together. Unfortunately, with this fast a narrative style characterization suffers. In Doherty's case it takes several books before you have a strong picture of the players. With the Grail most of the groundwork is complete and pretty much all the cast is on board. This is another good reason to take the time to read the rest of the series.You won't regret it. If you're a fan of the barn burning adventure story, with plenty of intrigue and alien paranoia mixed in you will wait impatiently for each volume as it comes out. Have fun!!

A truly enjoyable read. Picked it up in the airport in Chicago and had it done by the time I got to London. I've read the other books in this series and enjoyed them all-- this one is even better than the Sphinx. The ending there left me hanging andthis answered my questions. Very thought provoking.

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the parts where Burton's manuscript is translated. The Jack the Ripper angle was intriguing-- this author seems to be tying together just about everything from Jack to vampires, to aliens. I also like his Atlantis series under the Donegan name. I do wonder, though, about how this will all shake out, particularly the whole immortality angle.