Link

Rating:
Summary: Simplistic garden variety thriller
Review: A dissapointing entry into the Michael Crichton sweepstakes. "Link" is a simplistic thriller that takes a high concept idea but does very little with it besides your typical, run-of-the-mill characterizations and plot twists. This is a very light, by-the-numbers effort that takes a good concept and ruins it with lackluster writing.

Rating:
Summary: Important fiction
Review: Yes, it's fiction. But it's so well researched and well-written that readers of all tastes should check this tale out! For the thrill-seeking reader, there are "zings" a-plenty. For the serious researcher, there are references (not stretched ones) galore. Maybe his tale will make us all think. Maybe we will live to know that God touched every heart, human, ancient, and alien. Get this book and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Trust me-- you have to get this book! I loved it.
Review: LINK is a wonderful adventure thriller that is one of the most exciting and thought-provoking books I've read in a long time. I received an advanced copy from a friend who reviewed it for a magazine(who also loved it) and I couldn't put it down. It follows a group of anthropologists who are searching for the Missing Link. It has enough action, romance, science, and thrills to satisfy any reader. This is the type of book that you will want to share with your friends and will surely be the topic of many dinner conversations. I highly recommend this novel!

Rating:
Summary: Good story. Bad science
Review: I enjoyed the story, but the author's insistence on pushing a Creationist agenda greatly detracted from it.

The main character is supposedly questioning established scientific theories, yet he not only misrepresents them, he shows a complete lack of understanding.

Bad physics. Misrepresents abiogenesis. Misrepresents evolution. Shows a complete lack of understanding of the Big Bang theory. Shows a complete lack of understanding of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

For an ignorant Fundie, this would be a great book. For everyone else, if you can stomach the pseudo-science, the story's not too bad.

Rating:
Summary: Movie, Please... :-)
Review: Let's see... what do I have to add? I actually read this about four years ago and its effect on my outlook on life is still apparent. Although a work of fiction there is a tremendous amount of historical, geological, and archeological fact lain as groundwork. Character development is somewhat lacking but it doesn't detract from the reader's enjoyment of the storyline (character dev. isn't what this book is about anyway...).

If you're looking for "depth", though, read "Forbidden Archeology" by by Michael A. Cremo and Richard L. Thompson - one of the many works cited in the bibliography. None-the-less, I would encourage you to do your own research on the specific and verifiable references in the story. There is a reason that you do not hear much about this subject matter - because much of it cannot be explained such as the megaliths in Lebanon that cannot be moved much less lifted and megaliths and smaller stone incorporating laser precision cutting in Bolivia or the Dogon's seemingly impossible astronomical knowledge that dates back well over 5000 years OR... - I could go on and on and I don't want to give everything away! :-)

This is a fast-paced Indiana Jones/Lara Croft meets "The X-Files" thriller that will grab your attention from the first couple of pages until the last and have you salivating for more - I found it very difficult to put it down and cursed Becker for not including several hunderd more pages! There are some books that you wish they'd make movies of and this one was one of those for me. Yes, some may call this "shallow fun" but if I'd written a story in the 15th century (for example) about how we'd set foot on the moon I would have been beheaded or burnt at the stake for blasphemy (THOSE shallow morons...)!!! Hope you enjoy this quick read as much as I did!

Rating:
Summary: An entertaining romp that would make Speilberg smile.
Review: "Link" is the type of book that you can sit down to for an hour of two and really dive into. It's an extremely fast read that will appeal to Crichton and Indiana Jones-type fans. Not too deep, it's an well-researched debut novel by Walt Becker with a large number of cited resources in the back of the book.

Becker has created some memorable lead characters, Jack and Samantha, who stumble on to what could be the most important discovery in the history of the world. The "link" that they discover in the jungles of Mali may not just change Darwin's Theory of Evolution, but the future of mankind, as well.

Without giving away important plot details, let me suffice to say that the intrepid aforementioned scientists end up battling not only a greedy entrepreneur for their discovery, but the US Govenment as well. There's a sufficient amount of action and romance to appeal to a wide range of readers. "Link" is entertaining without becoming cheesy, yet fantastic enough to keep the reader guessing what might be coming around the next bend.

It's pure escapism and good for a few hours of enjoyment.

RECOMMENDED

Rating:
Summary: Truly awful
Review: This book takes the book "Chariots of the Gods?" to a new level and uses a fictionalized plot to explain most of the mysteries of that book. There is a lot of information presented here which makes us question if the theories of evolution and the creation of life are correct. In a archeological dig, some artifacts are discovered of such immense importance that a former archeologist turned college professor (Jack) walks out of the middle of his class to board a helicopter that will take him on a wild adventure. Jack rushes to the site in Mali and examines what looks to be artifacts of an "alien" race.

One of the artifacts has strange powers and gives Jack enough information to know that all the secrets it possesses can be found in an ancient temple's ruins in Bolivia. The only problem, he needs to be there at the next equinox which is just days away. Jack and the other scientists race to the site. When they get there they discover the secrets to man's creation along with a power source that can be man's salvation or can lead to man's destruction.

A corrupt businessman (Dorn) who deals in arms sales to foreign nations is funding Jack's venture using a drug cartel for transportation and equipment. One can easily guess Dorn's motives right away and they are nowhere near benevolent. Knowing that we can also guess up front that Dorn will stop at nothing to have the secrets of the ancient ruins for his own personal gain.

The book moves at a fairly rapid pace with the scientists, the drug cartel, Dorn, and the CIA all competing for the secrets. It is definitely worth a read though not as good a book as Robin Cook's "Abduction," which takes a different slant on explaining man's origins.

One thing definitely missing from this book is an appendix to explain what is actual fact and what is not. Throughout the book the Jack talks about ruins that have features (such as one with aluminum between the stones) that could never have been produced in ancient times with the available technology. Jack also refers to several biblical and other religious texts for other unexplained mysteries. I was not sure any of these are actually in the quoted sources as I had never heard of them before reading this book.