The Alexandria Link

For other reviews hollering about the history not being accurate read the author's afterword separating fact from fiction. This is a favorite along with "The Amber Room." Next I'll read the Charlemagne Pursuit. I was so disappointed in Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code". Big let down at the end. Angels & Demons I liked better. Reading The Alexandria Link I found the story believable. The story moved along at a good pace. I found the ending much more satifying than Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.

I might be a little bias since this man is my favorite writer, but I think that the Cotton Malone Series just keeps getting better and better. I personally loved this book. And can't wait to read the next one when it comes out in paperback in nov. It kept me very interested and I really hated putting it down. I actually had to force myself to put it down at night so I could get some sleep! I think some of the reviews are being way too hard on him. It is a great work of fiction, and I highly recommend this book or any of his books. They are all great and I hope he keeps up the great work!!!

A great read combining historical theories that are out there into a fast paced thriller. Reads something akin to the DaVinci Code. Read the book in two days. Berry's knowledge of biblical locations are woven into the fabric of the story. Loved it.

My first go at a Steve Berry Book was "The Templar Legacy" which introduces us to Berry's newly retired agent Cotton Malone. I couldn't put that book down. Berry is a great storyteller and has become one of the books my friends and I share. We continuously introduce each other to new authors to obsess about, like Preston Childs, James Rollins, which all share a similar way to adventure, mystery and suspence. The Alexander Link once again picks up with Berry's character Cotton Malone, thrown into a grand adventure, full of clues with a few of the characters from Templar in pursuit of The Alexandria Library. Definitely a must read to keep up with the Malones if you know what I mean. *LOL* In two weeks Berry will yet again return to tell a new Tale with Cotton Malone in "The Venetian Betrayal", so if you haven't read The Alexander Link order it and if you haven't read The Templar Legacy, order both and read them in sequence. Be ready for some good fun!

As with the other works that I have read by this author, this one is simply hard to put down. An interesting mélange of historical fiction and adventure, it makes for an engrossing thriller. The plot, which is centered on the search for the ancient lost library of Alexandria, is well-executed and has a number of clever and surprising twists and turns. While some of them may seem somewhat far-fetched, it does not diminish the entertainment value of the book. The book's central character is Cotton Malone, a former secret agent for the United States government, now retired and living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Malone operates a book store and is living in peace and tranquility, until his peace is shattered when his ex-wife, Pam, shows up on his doorstep with the news that their son has been kidnapped. This sets the plot in motion, as the kidnappers want information about the Alexandria Link, which is information that only Malone has. It is a link that could conceivably lead one to discovering the ancient lost library of Alexandria. It is information that the head of a secret organization of immensely wealthy business men, known as the Order of the Golden Fleece, wants very badly. To find it, he has sent his emissary, a killing machine known as the Talons of the Eagle, to get it by any means necessary. Intermixed with the action, is a novel theory involving the accepted translations of the Old and New Testaments, intra-governmental chicanery, and global conspiracies that have to do with the Middle East. It seems that the lost Library of Alexandria may contain information that could upset the current world order and the balance of power. There are, therefore, many who have an interest in keeping that information under a tight lid. It seems that only a privileged few are allowed access to that information. Who is to be allowed access is decided by gatekeepers known as the Guardians, and it is a strictly by invitation only proposition. This all makes for a fast-paced, exciting story that is wholly plot driven. The short shrift given to character development does not diminish the capacity of this book to grip the reader, so strong is the story line. It is quite ingenious, and I found myself riveted to the pages of this book until the very last one was turned. Those who enjoyed "The Da Vinci Code" will especially enjoy this book.