Megalith: Books That Rock!

The Gray Man by Mark Greaney

2009-11-24T11:29:00.003-05:00

Court Gentry is a former covert operative, now an assassin known as "The Gray Man," . He is so-called because of his ability to simply blend in. His identity is known only to few, and he is very good at what he does. He might be a killer, but he is presented as someone who only takes out those who deserve killin. The conflict arises when someone places a bounty on Court's head. People for whom he cares are being held hostages, and he finds himself under assault from all sides.Thus begins an action-packed romp across Europe.

Debut author Mark Greaney has crafted a no-holds-barred thrill ride reminiscent of the Bourne novels and the works of Matthew Reilly. The plot is fast-paced, with nice attention to details. Adrenaline junkies who enjoy a heroic, nigh-indestructible character involved in a straight-forward plot with plenty of fight scenes will love this book. Don't expect much in the way of twists or mystery- there is a light touch, but be ready for fast-paced fun! In this regard, The Gray Man delivers!

The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott

2009-10-27T08:33:00.003-04:00

The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott
Review by Ed Homa

Andy McDermott follows up his first release, The Hunt for Atlantis, with The Tomb of Hercules. Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase return for another go-round, and Andy picks up where he left off. Nina and Eddie are enjoyable and interesting characters whom I really like! Although the second of McDermott‘s series is just being released in the U.S., he has four books in this series published throughout the world. Books three and four in the series, The Secret of Excalibur and The Covenant of Genesis will be published in the U.S. in the spring.

The Tomb of Hercules, like Atlantis, weighs in at over 500 pages and it takes you on an epic journey of action and adventure. Over the course of the book there is action, more action, and then again a little more action thrown in just in case you missed out on some of the earlier action. Then, as the book nears its end, the search for the tomb begins. Fast-paced books, even those in which the action is a bit over the top, are favorites of mine, but I thought that this time McDermott was a little too heavy on the action and a little light on the story. It is much like Indiana Jones on steroids, not that that is entirely a bad thing. The only writer that comes close to this kind of all-out pacing is Matthew Reilly. Like Atlantis ,this book is like reading a combination of Matthew Reilly and James Rollins. You get an enjoyable history lesson and a fun ride.

Fans of Matthew Reilly, James Rollins and Clive Cussler will enjoy this book. I enjoyed it but not quite as much as I liked The Hunt for Atlantis. Andy McDermott has slipped a little with this book. That being said, I can not wait for The Secret of Excalibur and The Covenant of Genesis to be published in the U.S.

If you are looking for a book to be a “getaway” to help you escape from work or the world for a while, this book will more than fit the bill.

Free Book from Sean Ellis

2009-10-26T22:13:00.002-04:00

Sean Ellis, author of The Shroud of Heaven, is giving away his novella The Devil May Care for free in e-book form. Visit his website for more details.

Hunt for Atlantis Winners!

2009-10-08T11:43:00.001-04:00

The winners of the Hunt For Atlantis book giveaway are:

Michael Armbruster
Mihir Wanchoo

Thanks to everyone who entered!

James Rollins Doomsday Key Videos

2009-10-03T19:56:00.001-04:00

James Rollins has posted videos relating to important places from his latest novel, The Doomsday Key. Click here to visit.

Book Giveaway- The Hunt for Atlantis

2009-10-01T22:00:00.000-04:00

The next in our series of giveaways are two copies of The Hunt for Atlantis by Andy McDermott.

We would like to thank the fine people at Bantam Books for making these copies available to Megalith: Books that Rock!

To enter, send your name and snail mail address to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com. Be sure to replace the [at] with @ and to put "Contest" in the header. Time is short, so enter right away!

The Hunt for Atlantis by Andy McDermott

2009-09-30T22:03:00.004-04:00

Review by Ed Homa

Archaeologist Nina Wilde is sure that she has found the location of Atlantis, but no one else believes her or will back an expedition for her to find Atlantis. That is, until billionaire Kristian Frost and his daughter Kari finance the exploration. Ex-SAS Eddie Chase comes along to join the fun, acting as bodyguard, and the action begins.

There have been many lost explorers of Atlantis; Nina's own parents lost their lives in search of the lost continent. Nina and Eddie's search take them on a chase around the world, with a secret and powerful organization on their heels that will stop at nothing to keep Nina from succeeding.

How many times have we seen a novel about Atlantis? There are dozens of thrillers on the market dealing with Atlantis in one way or another. Who needs one more book on the subject? I would think that Atlantis in the title would turn away as many readers and publishers as it attracts, but first time author Andy McDermott hits a home run!

The book has been called "epic", and coming in at 514 pages, epic is a good way to describe it. With its travels around the globe and its length it is epic but when the end of the book came I wasn't ready for it to be over. I found the characters to be believable and very likeable.

Two of my favorite writers are James Rollins and Matthew Reilly. The Hunt for Atlantis was somewhere between those two writers. It didn't have as much science and history as Rollins and it didn't have as much all-out action as Reilly, it fit somewhere in the middle. When I read an action/adventure thriller like this, action and adventure take precedence over character development, as in a Hollywood action movie, but McDermott has done a decent job with his characters. Let's not fool ourselves, though; roller coaster action is what is expected from this book, and roller coaster action is what is in the forefront and is delivered.

The Hunt for Atlantis was published in England in 2007 and was quickly followed by three more novel featuring Nina and Eddie. The fifth novel, The Cult of Osiris will be published in England in 2010. The Hunt for Atlantis was finally published in the US on September 29 and the second novel in the series, The Tomb of Hercules will be published here in the US on October 27 of this year. I don't know how the publishing world works and how decisions and deals are made on how and when books are published but run, do not walk to the bookstore to pick up The Hunt for Atlantis by Andy McDermott!

The Hunt for Atlantis, The Tomb of Hercules, The Secret of Excalibur, The Covenant of Genesis, and the Cult of Osiris (2010) are the books in the series by Andy McDermott. The first two are scheduled to be released in the US and if after reading them you can't wait until the others re released here in North America you can find them online at Amazon UK.

Leviathan by David Lynn Golemon

2009-09-27T21:55:00.003-04:00

The Event Group returns in another pulse-pounding adventure! An undersea vessel, The Leviathan, is wreaking havoc on the seas, and the Event Group is called in. Golemon begins by paying homage to the works of Alexandre Dumas and Jules Verne. The opening of the prologue is very much like the Count of Monte Cristo, which is a bit jarring, but also intriguing,and lays the foundation for a novel which gives a new treatment to elements of a classic story.

As with Golemon's previous novels, the story progresses at a rapid pace, blending historical mystery with elements of adventure and military thriller. What makes this book stand out are the twists. The crew of The Leviathan, though perpetrating evil acts, do have an understandable motivation- defense of the seas, which the world has been abusing for years. Also ratcheting up the tension is a traitor in the midst of the Event Group. Other strengths include a memorable villain, and a marked improvement in Golemon's writing.

Leviathan is Golemon's finest work t0-date, and is one of the top thrillers of the year. Don't miss it!

His Father's Son by Bentley Litte

2009-09-20T09:17:00.004-04:00

His Father's Son by Bentley Little is not the type of thriller I normally review. A former Bram Stoker Award winner, Little has traditionally written in the horror genre, but this novel is more of a psychological thriller. Nonetheless, I found it an engaging read.

Steve Nye is dealing with the apparent mental decline of his father, who one day snaps and attacks Steve's mother. The attack is totally out of character, but during a brief period of clarity, his father says, "I did it." This prompts Steve to begin delving into his father's past, bringing startling revelations to light. The novel takes the reader along on a maddening, yet irresistible journey into the darker realms of the human mind. While reading it, I was reminded of Koko by Peter Straub, and strangely, Sanctuary by William Faulkner.

One of the negative elements of this book, to me, is the emphasis on the cerebral. There is some action, but reading this book is like looking at a very darkly-themed impressionistic painting. Events are filtered through Steve's perceptions, adding a high degree of uncertainty to the reader's understanding of the plot. Also, because Steve is a writer by trade, several of "his" stories are inserted into the book. I felt that this slowed the pace even further. While these elements are negatives to a reader like me, who prefers fast-paced adventures, they will not necessarily be construed as such by those who prefer psychological thrillers.

His Father's Son is a dark, tension-filled story that draws you irresistibly onward until the end. Though some mainstream thriller fans will enjoy it, I especially recommend it to fans of darker, more cerebral mysteries.

Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler and Grant Blackwood

2009-09-04T11:38:00.003-04:00

Review by Ed Homa

Spartan Gold: a Fargo Adventure by Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood (released Sept 1)

Welcome to the new series in the Cussler-verse, the adventures of husband and wife treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo. Sam’s background is in mechanical engineering, and he spent time working for the Department of Defense at DARPA, while Remi is an anthro-pologist/historian. The Fargos join Dirk Pitt, Kurt Austin and Juan Cabrillo in the Cussler stable of heroes, all of whom have had an adventure published this year except the original Cussler hero, Dirk Pitt.

The book opens according to the Cussler formula with a prelude set in the past, in this case in the Alps in 1800 with Napoleon. From the Alps and Napoleon, we move to a Maryland swamp, where we are first introduced to the Fargos. In the swamp the Fargoes discover a Nazi submarine which eventually ties back to the Napoleon story, and the adventure is underway! We are introduced to the Fargos' research team based in their La Jolla, CA home (another part of the Cussler formula- all of his protagonists have unique homes in which the reader would love to live) and we learn why Sam and Remi don’t have to spend time doing boring research, but instead get to spend their time in far off places having fun and exciting adventures. They aren’t really sure what they are looking for, but they run into Ukrainian mobsters who are also looking for the object of the Fargos' search. The quest takes them around the globe and in-and-out of trouble trying to beat the mobsters to the treasure.

The plot moves along and keeps the reader engaged, and as with all Cussler books, plot is more important than character development. The Fargos are likeable characters and they aren’t perfect. They make mistakes and they don’t always have the correct answer or do the correct thing. They are almost an everyman kind of hero. I am sure they will grow and develop with each new adventure.

This book wasn’t a great book, but it was a fun book. The book was a light read, the perfect vacation book. I would say that of Cussler’s spin-off series, this was the best introductory novel. Fans of Cussler are sure to enjoy this book as will adventure fans. Blackwood did a reasonably good job with the writing of the book and as he gets more comfortable with the Cussler formula he will ease right in and grow and develop with the series. I will definitely pick up the next Fargo Adventure.

Interview with Gayle Lynds

2009-08-25T16:36:00.003-04:00

Megalith writer Ed Homa had the privilege of interviewing thriller author Gayle Lynds, whose forthcoming novel, The Book of Spies, is set for a March, 2010 release.

For those of you not familiar with Gayle Lynds, she is the author of multiple Spy/Espionage thrillers. At the end of the Cold War the Spy/Espionage Novel was nearing extinction. With her novels Masquerade, Mesmerized, and Mosaic, Ms. Lynds was one of the authors responsible for breathing new life into a dying subgenre. She also went on to co-create the Covert One series with Robert Ludlum and I would say that her three books in the series are the best of them all. Please stop by her website, http://www.gaylelynds.com/ , to learn more about her and her books. She has had a very interesting career.

Gayle, what can you tell us about THE BOOK OF SPIES?

It’s a first for me – the beginning of a series of international espionage thrillers. I’ve always written stand-alone spy novels, although two of them – MASQUERADE and THE COIL – are connected. I’m really excited about THE BOOK OF SPIES. It began for me when I discovered the existence of the real-life Library of Gold, the gilded, bejewelled illuminated manuscripts in Ivan the Terrible’s legendary lost collection. For centuries historians, potentates, and even the Vatican have searched for the library (all of this is true), but now one of the works, THE BOOK OF SPIES, has surfaced.

The CIA needs to find the people behind the secret library, so they send rare books specialist Eva Blake and former intelligence operative Judd Ryder on a simple mission that turns out to be life-threatening, with consequences no one had foreseen.

Containing some 800 illuminated manuscripts covered in gold and precious jewels, the missing Library of Gold is considered one of the world’s greatest mysteries. In it are priceless works dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, many of which we know about only in legend. For those of us who love books, it’s the ultimate collection, encompassing everything from Bibles and sexy novels to books about science, agriculture, and math. In fact so “ultimate” that its value today is around $40 billion.

I first read about the Library of Gold in a LOS ANGELES TIMES article in 1989, and was instantly hooked. At the same time, I had two problems: I write stories that are contemporary, not historical, and they’re about the world of intelligence. The Library of Gold fit neither of those parameters.

So it was nearly twenty years later when it was time for me to start writing a new book that the Library of Gold visited me in my sleep and would not go away in my waking hours. It demanded I pay attention and write about it. The result was I invented a book for the library – The Book of Spies – and once I’d done that, I was able to begin the story.

The chief librarian wants to escape so he can reveal the international criminal activities of the men in the book club who have inherited the library. The book falls into the hands of the CIA, and a member of the book club reports that the club is working with terrorists. The result is that the CIA pulls in Judd, well-trained but a maverick, and Eva, who is definitely a book wonk but has a shady past of her own. The sparks fly, and the pair travel from London to Rome and Athens to find the library and stop a terrible event from happening.

I must say I thoroughly enjoyed writing this adventure, and I hope my readers love it as much as I do.

What are your thoughts on series and stand-alones?

Each has its strengths. I loved writing standalones because each was a fresh canvas for which I could create brand-new characters with full, strong stories. A series gives me the chance to develop the same characters over several books. In a sense, a series is really one very, very long novel. Think of the TV show “24.”

What is your experience with ThrillerFest and what do you like best about it? Also what was your role on creating the ITW?

I cofounded ITW – the International Thriller Writers – with David Morrell back in 2004. What a great and busy time that was. We held our first meeting in October of that year in Toronto during Bouchercon, and those who gathered had three primary goals. They wanted an organization that offered thriller authors a place of their own, they wanted awards to recognize the best works in the field, and they wanted a convention.

We were warned that it takes at least three years to put on a convention, but we did it in eighteen months, which makes me very proud. I came up with the name ThrillerFest, and the name of the award to recognize those icons who have contributed so much to our field, for a minimum of twenty years – the ThrillerMaster Award. Thus far we’ve honored Clive Cussler, James Patterson, Sandra Brown , and David Morrell. Next year we’ll be honoring Ken Follett, who more than deserves the award.

What I love about ThrillerFest is all of the smiling faces. It’s a happy convention, where readers are welcomed with open arms and can easily rub shoulders with all of their favorite authors and meet new ones whose books they’ll likely enjoy. Doesn’t get much better than that for me.

eBooks? Kindle? How have you embraced the new technology?

THE LAST SPYMASTER and THE COIL are both on Kindle, and I’m told that they’re doing very well. As for myself, I still love the feel of a book in my hands. I spend so much time in front of a computer screen that when it comes time to read, I want the old-fashioned delivery system. I want to savor the cover, lay the physical book in my lap, turn the paper pages, and when I’m finished and it’s really good, give it a hug. Hugging a machine just doesn’t do it for me.

Gayle, thank your for your time, we will be looking for The Book of Spies on March 10, 2010 and we will talk with you again soon.

The Atlantis Revelation by Thomas Greanias

2009-08-14T08:15:00.004-04:00

The Atlantis Revelation by Thomas Greanias published Aug 11 2009

Review by Ed Homa

The Atlantis Revelation is the third book in Thomas Greanias’ Atlantis series following Raising Atlantis and The Atlantis Prophecy. I read the first of the series, Raising Atlantis but have not read The Atlantis Prophecy. While it might have been helpful to have read both of the first two books it wasn’t necessary to have read them, I had no problem following this novel and anything missed was pretty much explained in more than enough detail.

The book begins at the wreck of a Nazi submarine and Hitler’s quest for Atlantis. Returning hero, astro-archaeologist, Conrad Yeats discovers an ancient weapon of great power in the sub and becomes involved in an ancient conspiracy and a race across the Mediterranean chased by assassins and an international organization bent on starting global destruction.

Once again Yeat’s love, Sister Serena Serghetti from the Vatican, is involved with the mystery, a conspiracy with ties to the Third Reich. Will Conrad and Seghetti be able to stop the launching of the deadly weapon? Will a new World Order surface? The book has plenty of intrigue and moves along rather quickly. There isn’t a lot of character development. But I don’t read this kind of book for character development, I read it for thrills and chills and the book more often than not delivers.

Some of the book seems familiar; we have all seen parts of this book before. We have seen it with Indiana Jones, National Treasure, James Bond maybe even Lara Croft. Conspiracies, puzzles and riddles it is all here and Greanias weaves it all into an interesting story. The Atlantis Revelation might not be entirely original, but it is certainly told in a fast paced, entertaining way that carried me through to the end.

Think James Rollins and Steve Berry, Greanias lies somewhere between the two authors, but his writing is not nearly as polished as theirs. Raising Atlantis read like a first novel, in this book you can see the development of Greanias as a writer from his first novel. That being said he is still developing as a writer and I am sure in a book or two he will really start to hit his stride.

The Atlantis Revelation all-in-all was a fast paced enjoyable read. It might have been too fast; it could have been expanded on and been a bit longer. I wasn’t ready for it to end when it did. If you have been a fan of this series get this book and enjoy. If you haven’t been reading this series grab the first book and sit back and enjoy, watch the series and the writer develop and grow as you make your way throw the three books. I will be going back to get book two to read.

The Sword of the Templars- Review and Giveaway

2009-08-12T08:22:00.001-04:00

The Sword of the Templars Free Book Giveaway!

The next in our series of giveaways are two copies of The Sword of the Templars by Paul Christopher. Thank you to the fine people at Signet for making these copies available to Megalith: Books that Rock!

To enter, send your name and snail mail address to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com. Be sure to replace the [at] with @ and to put "Contest" in the header. We will accept entries until Sunday and announce the winner Monday, August 17.

Sword of the Templars
By Paul Christopher

(Review by Ed Homa)

Army Ranger John “Doc” Holliday is ending his Army career teaching at the United States Military Academy at West Point when his uncle passes away. Holliday and his niece Peggy, a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist, find a medieval sword in the house that they inherited and the adventure begins.

The chase for the secret of the sword is on, from New York to Canada then on to Europe and the Middle East. Doc and Peggy are on the trail of experts that can help them learn the secret of the Templar Sword. In each new location trouble is found with each expert that they visit. This is a fast paced thriller that spans the globe and Mr. Christopher presents well researched world history throughout the book.

This book reminded me of a Cotton Malone novel by Steve Berry. A history based thriller with plenty of action, adventure and chases. Berry’s books are a little bit denser than Sword of the Templars but if you like Berry you will like Paul Christopher.

The Sword of the Templars is the first book by Paul Christopher that I have read and it will not be my last. I will be waiting for the release next year of The Templar Cross.

Scott Sigler Updates

2009-08-06T08:49:00.001-04:00

Scott Sigler shares a few updates on his work (edited for the PG crowd).

Here's a quick update on all things Siglerism.

--ANCESTOR HARDCOVER--
I just submitted the third draft of the ANCESTOR rewrite. It will be out in hardcover on May 4, 2010. I've been focusing on this and little else for the past month, so that's why you have no new fiction. However, now that it's out, I am scheduling new fiction so be on the lookout for TITLE FIGHT: Round 5, and a new CRYPT crewmember story.

--THE CRYPT Episode 12: The Tank, Part 2--
There is one new story since my last newsletter. Find out what happens to the crew of the Cranky Pecker. Here's a hint -- it ain't good.

--LAUGHING IN THE FACE OF DEATH--
Get your morbid laugh on with some great short audio bits about the horror movie industry. Yes, the FDO™ gives his opinion, on topics such as:
• The Top 10 Parasite Horror Movies
• Killer Orphans!
• Monster Offspring

--THE ROOKIE HARDCOVER--
We're on schedule to ship your copies of THE ROOKIE the last week of August. However, at my website you can get a sneak peek at the "case," which is the hardcover part under the dust jacket. It's hot! Check it out!

Contest Winner

2009-07-27T20:28:00.001-04:00

Ray Bara of Utica, NY is the winner of the Enemies & Allies giveaway. Congrats to Ray and thanks to everyone who entered!

Video Friday and More

2009-07-24T08:34:00.004-04:00

James Rollins has posted the video of his Doomsday Key book tour. Visit his site to view it.

In other news:

The Deadly Hours, the newest August Adams adventure by Matt Bronleewe, and Leviathan by David Lynn Golemon will be released August 4.

David Wood is hosting an author's roundtable at his blog. This week, guest authors Sean Ellis and Alan Baxter discuss how to write fight scenes.

Don't forget our Enemies & Allies book giveaway. Sunday is the last day to enter.

Rabbit in the Moon by Deborah and Joel Shlian

2009-07-23T10:01:00.002-04:00

Rabbit in the Moon is a mystery-thriller that follows Lili Quan, an American doctor of Chinese descent, as she travels to China to search for her grandfather, Ni-Fu Cheng, whom she believed to be dead. But Lili is not the only person hot on Cheng's trail, because Cheng's research might hold the secret to a veritable modern-day fountain of youth. A variety of tensions add to the plot. The story is set at a time of great political dissension in China. Corporate interests play an important part, as does science, romance, and mystery.

One of the primary strengths of Rabbit in the Moon are the setting, including both place and time period, which draw the reader in and make the story that much more interesting. This is not the cookie-cutter dash from place-to-place adventure. Also, the premise itself is intriguing, and the medical angles are presented in a believable way (at least to the lay person). On the downside, I felt that there were far too many scene breaks, particularly early on in the book. Some were so short that it jolted me out of the narrative, and I was forced to remind myself where I was in terms of point-of-view. This skipping around made it difficult to identify with the characters. As the story progresses, the pacing slows. This might be a negative for some adventure/thriller lovers, but it allows the reader to delve into the characters and setting to a greater degree. The Shlians seem to find their pace in the final third of the book, and the conclusion is satisfying.

Rabbit in the Moon is a solid debut novel, and I look forward to the Shlian's next book.

Enemies & Allies- Book Giveaway!

2009-07-20T08:11:00.000-04:00

Our latest giveaway is a signed copy of Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson. Many thanks to Mr. Anderson and the good folks at William Morrow.

To enter, send your name and snail mail address to megalithbooks [at] gmail.com. Be sure to replace the [at] with @ and to put "Contest" in the header. We will accept entries until Sunday and announce the winner Monday, July 27.

Enemies and Allies by Kevin J. Anderson

2009-07-20T08:07:00.001-04:00

Review by Ed Homa

Enemies & Allies: A Novel by Kevin J. Anderson

The Dark Knight Meets the Man of Steel

Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! ("Look! Up in the sky!" "It's a bird!" "It's a plane!" "It's Superman!")... Yes, it's Superman ... strange visitor from another planet, who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men! Superman ... who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way!

So begins the 1950’s Adventures of Superman TV series. I grew up a fan of comics and I was first introduced to superheroes by reruns of that ‘50’s TV show. I haven’t read a comic in over a decade, but the “feel” of that ‘50’s TV show cemented my view of Superman.

Flash-forward to today when the biggest hits on the silver screen are superhero movies. I still don’t think that superheroes translate well to the movies or novels. They are made for the 4 color page. In my opinion they seem very silly in written novels and movies.

That brings us to Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson. All I can say is WOW! My view of superhero novels has changed!

Setting the book in the ‘50’s gives the book a yesteryear feeling, to a time and place long ago. And set during the Cold War with two titanic World Powers going at it just as two titanic super-heroes meet. The setting and the plot really worked for me. Setting the book back in a long ago era makes it “feel” right, if set in today’s world Anderson couldn’t compete against the visuals presented in the current Batman and Superman movies.

I found this book exciting and it carried me right through it. I was transported back to my youth, but it was the quality of the story and the dialog that kept me interested in the book. It wasn’t billed as a young adult novel but I wonder since it was a bit of an easy read, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book. Kevin kept the book moving by using short chapters and direct prose. It reminded me of David Morrell, getting maximum detail out of a small amount of carefully chosen words.

Kevin did a wonderful job understand and presenting each hero, in and out of costume. Superman, Batman, Clark, Bruce, Perry White, Luthor, Jim Gordon, Lois and Jimmy they are all there. We are all familiar with these characters and they are spun in a wonderful tale in this adventure.

People tell me that to often I judge books by if it is a good beach read or not. This time of year I am all about reading at the beach or at the pool or in the backyard under a shade tree. Do yourself a favor and relax with this book in your favorite summer reading place!

Video Friday

2009-07-10T10:15:00.002-04:00

A few Brad Thor videos for your viewing pleasure:

James Rollins Video

2009-07-09T07:34:00.001-04:00

James Rollins has posted the video of his television interview with Glenn Beck on his website. Click here to view it.

Dan Brown Cover Art Unveiled

2009-07-08T07:25:00.002-04:00

Doubleday has released the cover art for The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown's follow-up to The DaVinci Code, which will be released September 15. The cover doesn't give many hints beyond what is already known about the book. The United States Capitol Building is featured, along with a seal, and various symbols. My money is on a Founding Fathers/Masons plot. We'll soon see what Brown has in store.

Book Giveaway Winners!

2009-07-06T17:55:00.002-04:00

And the lucky winners are...

Brad Thor's The Apostle: Michael Armbruster

David Bischoff's Judas Cross: Eric Winebarger

Congratulations to our winners, and thanks to the generous folks who provided the giveaways!

Rollins' Latest Debuts at #2 on NYT

2009-07-04T09:25:00.000-04:00

From James Rollins' website:

I just learned that The Doomsday Key will debut at the #2 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. I've never hit so high before, and I know it's all because of YOU out there. This just proves I have the coolest readers in the world! THANKS for spreading the word to friends and families, for being so vocal and supportive about the books.

Also, time is almost up to enter our latest book giveaways. We'll announce the winners on Monday.

Video Friday

2009-07-03T08:58:00.003-04:00

Gayle Lynds holds a workshop on writing thrillers at ThrillerFest 2006.

See YouTube for the entire lecture.