Blue Labyrinth

Every Preston and Child novel is readable with enough twists and turns to make anyone love the book. I have read several of them, and was pleased with every one of them _ even the ones that scared me😁.

This isn't the best Preston & Child book, but it's definitely on the right track.After the meandering and boring "Helen" trilogy and the somewhat better (although still lacking) White Fire, I had my doubts about my favorite duo of authors. Afterall, the 2 have written some absolutely amazing novels in the past like The Cabinet of Curiosities , Relic, and The Ice Limit. But then they decided to go down a weird path with the atermentioned "Helen" books and the overall dislikable Gideon Crew series (although the latest one wasn't that bad, if I'm being perfectly honest).Even though Blue Labyrinth promised to be a return to the older, more suspenseful style of previous Pendergast novels, I still had my doubts. In recent books Pendergast had quickly become almost annoying, and almost immortal. The situations Preston & Child wrote him into were weird and unbelievable. His attitude and mannerisms made him almost a different person than he was in earlier (and far superior) novels. And the past plots and storylines tended to be uninteresting, lacking the complexity and plot twists that the authors were known for.But being a fan sometimes means continuing to support things you enjoy, even if they disappoint you (and I know a lot about disappointment, I'm a Chargers fan). So, I still bought the book, despite my trepidations and concerns...and actually quite enjoyed the newest Pendergast novel.Like I said, it's not perfect and it fails in comparison to earlier adventures staring Pendergast, however, it's moving back into the right direction of those novels. Back are the compelling plots and surprise twists. Back is the research and history that made me such a fan in the first place. Even Pendergast himself is back to a more normal place and this time we see a bit of his human side and the reasons behind his actions.It's true that Blue Labyrinth drags a bit in the beginning. The first 150 pages or so are a bit of a task to get through, but once the story gets moving and the plot thickens, it's hard to put down. The only reason I took a week reading this was because of my horrible grave-yard shift hours which make it hard to keep motivated reading when sleep seems the better option.

When almost a thousand readers offer their opinion on a book, especially an ongoing series, there will be divergent opinions as each fan reads the series for somewhat different reasons and has differing abilities to suspend their sense of disbelief. But does an effort, such as "Blue Labyrinth", manage to live up to the legacy of the "body of work" surrounding the characters-- in this reviewer's opinion-YES! The 14th installment in the Agent Pendergast series returns readers to the fun of following the modern day Shelock Holmes on a deadly suspense driven storyline that stretches from ancient Pendergast family history to a modern cornucopia of Pendergast characters including "appearances" from brother Diogenes, sons Alban and Tristram, Margo Green, Constance Greene, and, of course, Lt. D'Agosta. For loyal readers of this series, Preston and Child offer a novel full of respectful remembrances and homages of people and actions from past offerings.The Pendergast family has its share of long buried secrets--one such secret emerges to threaten all that Aloysius Pendergast holds dear, icluding his own life. A highly skilled antagonist with unlimited resources seeks vengeance against Agent Pendergast for a transgression of an ancient Pendergast relative that resulted in several tragic deaths. Interestingly, as Pendergast dives headlong into this case after a very significant and uncommon past enemy is dumped on his doorstep, he discovers that a case Lt. D'Agosta is working has common threads with his case. Soon, all major characters in Pendergast's arsenal (Margo, Constance, D'Agosta) are hard at work to solve this enigmatic case, especially once Pendergast himself is stunningly compromised.As a loyal reader of all the Pendergast novels, I felt this one definitely belongs in the top 5 or 6, especially when considering the past "body of work", the development of certain characters, and past plotlines. This installment in the series just felt "right" to me--the atmosphere, the characcter reactions and interactions, and the mysterious plotline that creates extreme vulnerability in Pendergast and ratchets up the suspense level to a "white knuckler" in the last 200 pages. Oh, and my past complaints about Constance being a do-nothing distraction-wow, have those quibbles been rectified in "Blue Labyrinth". Pendergast novels are characterized by moody atmospheres, strong character interactions, a slight touch of the supernatural, and modern literature's Holmesian super sleuth. Longtime readers of this series should enjoy the modern twists of the plot line mixed with clever homages to the past.

The book is in excellent condition.

Can't wait to read the next one.

Got what I expected, another entertaining Pendergast tale! This book takes a page from Cemetery Dance by killing off a familiar character in the first chapter, which hooked me immediately. Events shape from there and end up tying in to Pendergast's ancestors and their shady dealings.It's good to once again be seeing Pendergast stories with less supernatural stuff and more character development. Flesh and blood bad guys with believable motivations are always a plus. Admittedly, some of the action scenes here - particularly the climatic battle in the Botanical Gardens - are a little ridiculous, but they are fun to read.The only real complaint I have is that I'm tired of the New York Museum of Natural History. It was fascinating in the first couple of books, with an eye opening look of the behind the scene sets and politics. Twelve books later, the same old plot lines are being recycled. It always seems to be one of Pendergast's allies (Margo/Nora) being sandbagged and victimized by a senior curator for no good reason. This will be followed up by the inevitable chase scene as the killer appears and stalks the woman through the museum storage areas where there's conveniently no one else around. It's so predictable it's almost comical. Hoping the museum doesn't show up in Book 15

I enjoyed the book very thoroughly

This is book 14 in this series and it still has plenty of momentum.In this instalment Pendergast is haunted by the actions of his great-great grandfather. An alchemist who sold an elixir that was supposed to heal but caused a slow, painful death and which was then passed on to future generations.As usual the book delves in some of the paranormal, the bizarre and the macabre. Never a dull moment.

Everytime I read a new Pebdergast book I'm convinced that the next one won't be as good, only to be suprised over and over again. Marvelous writing, almost impossible to stop reading.

.... also for all the long-time readers of the books written by the authors Preston & Child. And for all those who like a very well elaborated showdown, this time entirely in female hands. And I wonder as always why readers who don't like the fictive person Pendergast then buy the books, only to write a devastating review afterwards :(...Special agent Pendergast has fully recovered from his loss 18 months ago, when all of the sudden he had become a father, too. Forgotten is the Colorado episode which gave him enough to do to distract himself and return with the living. But a new even more sinister plot awaits him, when on his doorstep the body of Alban, his estranged son, is kind of delivered. Like a deadpan message - catch us if You can...Pendergast follows the killers to the Salton Sea, a very interesting joke of Mother Nature - a salt lake in the desert of California, once a paradise for the rich and beautiful. Here he falls into a deadly trap - only to be saved on the stairway to heaven (we hope... :-) in extremis by his nearest and dearest friends. But before that the well constructed plot takes him in a wild-goose-chase to Brazil where we learn more about the favelas and Alban's life as a totally changed person. He goes to Switzerland too, only to be assured that his other son, Alban's twin is alright. But then the bitter truth overcomes the oh so special agent - he is a mortal person, too...A race against the time forces Vincent D'Agosta and Marge Green - both veterans of the "Relic"- and the connected "Reliquary"-cases and of the massacre in the New York Museum of Natural History more than 10 years ago - to unite their forces to those of Constance Greene, Pendergast's ward. Who has very deep and tender feelings for our hero. After all possible and impossible complications caused by very powerful people with an enormous cat to skin with the Pendergast family, the breathless readers can follow two showdowns in two very very special locations. Both are fought 'til the last breath of air and the last drop of blood by the two super-heroic women in this thriller. Who do never give in, even to a great number of most fearful enemies - only to try to save the life of Aloysius Pendergast. Who joins in the fight, but is overcome by his malady. And that's the point where fans and followers will learn something about science, but also about faith. Into what the capacity of improvision and trust can obtain ...This is a thriller - that's for sure. The suspense is high and rising, the pace fast and also sometimes really shocking twists and turns are provided, too. The supernatural powers of the Special Agent, often highly discussed, are almost not present this time - on the contrary! Aloysius Pendergast, who is knocking on heaven's door - that's a first, gosh! That the authors are not ready to let their special hero go for good - that's fine with me. And I am not spoiling - everyone who buys the book knows of the ending, too. Certainly the Pendergast family has skeletons in the cellars and penthouses to fill other books, but the presence of the newly-wed Vincent D'Agosta and his wife Laura, Margo Green and a Constance in full power let myself hope for other Relic-style adventures in the fantastic Museum of Natural History. Which surely has much more potential than all the past and present (and future?) Pendergasts together. Very entertaining and interesting after the book's ending: A list of all characters of the whole series and the Pendergast family, together with that family's story from zero...A 5-star-book for all the Fans of the series, but surely a good 4-star-read for all the friends and lovers of thrilling crime stories, too.And I also have to admit that the price for the ebook with Euro 4,99 is really a bargain!

Palpitant, bien construit ce roman nous fait découvrir d'autres facettes des personnages que nous avons déjà rencontrés.Je n'ai pas voulu attendre la traduction en français et j'ai eu raison. Il mêle des thématiques appartenant aux romans précédents et en fait une synthèse surprenante.