The Lost Tomb (Jack Howard)

If paid by word, word salad over the top. Too long to get to the story and the finale was so disappointing. I have donated the book to Goodwill, just wordy between the story you had to fight boredom to get through it.

I recently read The Last Gospel and am stunned to now come here and read all of the dreadful reviews. As a commuter, I get to read in two 30 minute train journey each day. The Last Gospel has been my companion for the last month or so on these train journey. Every day I was excited to get on the crammed train and open the book again. I sat at work during the day contemplating stealing a few more pages time. Now perhaps I am just not the right kind of reader, maybe I don't try to pick out faults enough. Maybe I just don't know how to critique a book. But the only thing that I noticed about the narrative style was that no-one ever asked anything, all question were narrated like "Is this a bad book?" Costas Said. I found that a little odd, but I am not an English major, so what would I know. I didn't find any of the characters lacking development or unbelievable. Lucky yes, but unbelievable, no. I did wonder if I was at a disadvantage though, since the characters seem to have been carried from the previous two novels, which I have not read, so I may have missed some good background information. As a whole though, I love this book. It made the last book I finished (The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman) look slow and poorly written by comparison. It also held my interest in a more compelling way than did The Da Vinci Code. It may not have been quite as fast-paced, but I feel the historical segments really held everything together. Who cares if it is speculative... at least someone has enough creativity to string together ideas like this. It would be fascinating if one day some discoveries along these lines could be made at Herculaneum or elsewhere. I have already bought both of the earlier works of Gibbins and intend to read them as soon as possible.

I have now read all three books by David Gibbons and loved them all. (it helps if you read them in order though!) Lots of action and adventure - sort of like the DaVinci Code in that the author proposed alternate (believable) theories. I hope to see more from this author in the future.

I read to clear my head. A long day a work combined with some entertaining reading= a good nights sleep. I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Tomb: Why? I enjoy fiction based on fact. Mingle a little science with some fiction, and I'm in. Throw in some "political or religious stretches" and I'll finish a book overnight. The Lost Tomb was a good read & I'll leave it at that. I haven't read anything else by this author but I will.

Gibbins presents his material in an awesome fashion, on the mark and well researched. For those interested in the "lost libraries" of time this is a MUST READ !

Many thought that Claudius died from poisoning in 54 AD, but the diabolical Roman Emperor faked his death and that of his freedman Narcissus because he knew his health did not allow him to rule any longer. He rushes to Herculaneum in the shadows of the Vesuvius where he takes up his writing .He once met with Herod Agrippa who he knew in Rome and later met with him and Jesus in Galilee where he hoped the Christ would cure him of his affliction. He didn't but Claudius writes down their encounter but to guard Jesus he hid the scroll in a safe place. In the present marine archaeologist Jack Howard confirms that he has found the shipwreck that St. Paul was on when he was being deliveried to Rome. Before Jack and his crew can complete their quest, he is called to Herculaneum by his colleague Costas, who found the secret villa of Claudius that was devastated by an earthquake, but the quake opened up a concealed secret room that contains information about a scroll written by Jesus. They head to Rome seeking the lost gospel; there a message sends them to London devotion that leads them to Santa Paulo, California and finally to Jerusalem. The last decipher proves difficult but ultimately they find a secret chamber in a a church; those who were following them want them killed.. Jack understands immediately why as what he and Costas has found will send tsunami like waves throughout organized religion. Obvious Brownian connections aside, this tale is filled with adventure and action as readers will enjoy the escapades of the two brave heroes. Jack is an Indiana Jones style archaeologist who understands the danger he and his friends will face as he accepts the mission. He is on a scavenger hunt that if successful will change the world as he simply seeks the truth, which in some ways may not set people free. David Gibbons provides a fun tale that feels like a cross (no pun intended) between Dan Brown, Clive Cusssler and George Lucas. Harriet Klausner