While i did enjoy this book, the last third was a bit to predictable. Far too much of what happened in the last third of the book was sign posted. You knew that Rebecca would get kidnapped, that the swastika would not be in the salt mine, that all the russian thugs would die and that the girl from the concentration camp would be found alive.

Star Rating: 5 stars

Note: This is the 5th book in the Jack Howard series so this will not be an in-depth review.

If you know me in real life, then you will know that I have a love of ancient history and archaeology, so much so that, at one point, I wanted to be one (I can’t anymore due to an anxiety disorder.). Anyway, I decided to pick up the Jack Howard series because it is written by an archaeologist and features so much actual history that it is almost insane that it is actual fiction (However, if you know anything about history and the fact that it changes with pretty much every new discovery, then you know that a better description is probably speculative fiction.) This volume focuses on Heinrich Schliemann and his evacuations at the site of ancient Troy and a possible connection that he could have with the pacifist movement and the Nazis.

I really enjoyed the fact that the danger got ramped up in this volume. If you have read this series, then you know that the 1st one is not only filled with history and archaeology but also with high stakes and a totally amazing villain. The next three in the series don’t feature as much of an adventure and although they are still entertaining, I missed the danger element. However, it was back in this volume, and it looks like it will be continuing into future volumes as the main villain is still at large, so the stakes are still high.

In the end, this was a great installment to the series and also a great book to read when I was in a reading slump as it was entertaining and exciting. 5 stars!!!!!

3,5 αστρακια.
Για την αρχαιολογια και μονο θα επρεπε να παρει 2, αν και το μπακγκραουντ ειναι στερεο. Αλλα εχει καποια σημεια που το ανεβαζουν πραγματικα.

I'm kind of torn with this one. Objectively, it's a pretty mediocre thriller with very two dimensional characters and an unrealistic approach towards archaeology.

But the ancient history student in me was thrilled. It's a really good book to rekindle interest in the classical world, and was a really fast read. It made me remember why I chose to study the ancient world in the first place!

definitely a page-turner... David Gibbins always amazed me with every thrilling scene...

Thought this had a slow start and there were so many different characters, it was hard to keep them all straight. However, I plowed through and really enjoyed the second half. There's a ton of history in here, not only about ancient Troy, but Nazi Germany too, and that was pretty interesting. I think it would have been an easier read if the plot weren't quite so complicated, and didn't jump between 3 different time periods, but if you enjoy archaelogy and history, you'd like this book.