Book Reviews

Manda Scott - The Crystal Skull
Bantam Books
ISBN 978-0-553-81766-9
www.thecrystalskull.co.uk

Mayan prophesies about the end of the world, crystal skulls, 16th century adventurers and the world of academia are all woven together into a good read.

J.L.Carrell  - The Shakespeare Secret
Sphere
ISBN 978-0-7515-4035-2
www.shakespearescret.com
 
Don’t be put off by the title, even if your knowledge of Shakespeare is little more than a few quotes and a couple of movies, as this book is a great thriller with a modern serial killer murderously echoing Shakespeare’s plots. The lead character, chasing intrigues and clues left by one of the murder victims, ends up as both the quarry and the suspect as the action travels from England to the USA and back. A great mixture with Dan Brown style mystery and Michael Crichton page-turning action, plot twists aplenty keeping you guessing till the very end all woven around the intriguing life of Shakespeare.

Charley Boorman – Race to Dakar
(paperback)
ISBN 9780751538175 
www.racetodakar.com
 
A vivid account of how Charley and his team fared during the 2006 Dakar Rally. Following Charley from his initial idea of entering the race as a privateer after completing ‘Long Way Round’ to the race itself, the book charts the training, team assembly and the arduous rally – 15,000 kms through desert, wadis, mountains and more in death-defying detail. Written in a familiar format to Long Way Round, the book also has maps of each stage and foreword by Ewan McGregor. It captures the trials, tribulations, heartbreaks and exhilaration of the ultimate racing challenge and in the thoughts and words of Charely and his team. A must for fans of the ‘Long Way…’ series.

Michael Crichton - Next
ISBN 978 0 007324100 2
www.crichton-official.com
www.harpercollins.co.uk

This thriller is set in a world just-round-the-corner from ours in a medical future where bio engineering, genetics and corporate greed intermingle with chilling results. Crichton comprehensively covers all areas of genetics, from animal engineering to body-parts ownership, weaving many individual stories into, at times, a very complex plot. Hugely readable, it does collapse from high drama into farce in a couple of places.

Included is a comprehensive ‘author’s note’ laying out his own conclusions after research for the book and a bibliography for any readers who wish to make inroads into the world of genetics and bio-engineering.