Dark Place

Rating:
Summary: Elkin's worst book
Review: As an archaeologist (formerly physical anthropologist) I was an avid reader of Elkin's books until I picked up a copy of this one. The main reason for the writing of this book seems to have been to get Gideon Oliver together with Julie, the forest ranger. Otherwise, it is poorly researched and unbelievable. Oliver manages to teach himself a non-Indo-European language in a matter of a few nights by studying a printed book? The archaeological references are just plain wrong, and the abilities of the physical anthropologist are over exagerated (always the case to a certain extent in his books, but usually the story makes up for it). His treatment of the Native Americans is offensive and stereotypical. Reading this book, and then Dead Men's Hearts in rapid succession was enough to turn me off of Elkin's books for several years.

Rating:
Summary: Raves for the Dark Place by Aaron Elkins
Review: From reading this book I think Elkins is an outstanding writer. I have read only a couple books in my life, but reading this book was very interesting, knowing that the book took place around here where I live on the Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington.

The part that interested me the most was when Gideon Oliver, a bone detective, got called to look at some bones from a murder that had happened years ago. Gideon and Julie Tendler, a park ranger, go on a six- mile hike in the Olympic National Park where a man named Louis Zander found a spear which they thought could've been the murder weapon. That chapter interested me because it had lots of action in it.

In a way this book is a love story, too, because Gideon falls in love with Julie. That's the main reason he stayed and took the case.

Some parts of the book were confusing because of some of the words the characters used, but overall I thought the book was very well-detailed. I think it was an outstanding book, and I hope Elkins comes out with another book about the Olympic National Park.

Rating:
Summary: IT'S BAD ASS
Review: I liked this book because it takes place in the rain forest and that is where I live. I thought that Aaron Elkins described everything in a way that made you think, and kept you going. I am not a big reader and I wanted to read on. It made me want to know more about what was going to happen, and what clues they were going to find next. This book gives you a good idea of what the rain forest is like. It makes you wonder if things are out there that we don't know about. I also found it interesting how Gideon Oliver could tell you so much information about someone by just looking at a single bone. I really like how the book kept you going right up tile the vary end. They talked about a atlatl and how it could have been used as a weapon. I found it interesting so I built one, and found that it was a very affective tool. I never did master the atlatl but I see how it is used to throw a spear twice as far than by hand. There really wasn't anything I didn't like about this book.

Rating:
Summary: Elkin's worst book
Review: I love Aaron Elkins' entire Gideon Oliver series (and his other fine art series as well, I forget the protagonist's name), and this one is my favorite of the series so far, though an early one. Its a lot of fun, and a little romantic as well. But best of all I love his forensic analysis, it is always so detailed and interesting. If you love Patricia Cornwell or Faye Kellerman you will love these too, but Elkins' is much more lighthearted and even funny at times.