The Third Gate

A Novel

By: Lincoln Child

Narrated by: Johnathan McClain

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Under the direction of famed explorer Porter Stone, an archaeological team is secretly attempting to locate the tomb of an ancient pharaoh who was unlike any other in history. Stone believes he has found the burial chamber of King Narmer, the near mythical god-king who united upper and lower Egypt in 3200 B.C., and the archaeologist has reason to believe that the greatest prize of all - Narmer's crown - might be buried with him. No crown of an Egyptian king has ever been discovered, and Narmer's is the elusive crown of the two Egypts, supposedly possessed of awesome powers.

The dig itself is located in one of the most forbidding places on Earth - the Sudd, a nearly impassable swamp in northern Sudan. Amid the nightmarish, disorienting tangle of mud and dead vegetation, a series of harrowing and inexplicable occurrences are causing people on the expedition to fear a centuries - old curse. With a monumental discovery in reach, Professor Jeremy Logan is brought onto the project to investigate. What he finds will raise new questions... and alarm.

In the hands of master storyteller Lincoln Child, The Third Gate breaks new ground and introduces a fascinating new protagonist to the thriller world.

©2012 Lincoln Child (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Lincoln Child's novels are thrilling and tantalizing." (Vince Flynn)

"Bestseller Child ( Terminal Freeze) more than succeeds in making a mummy's curse terrifying in this superb supernatural thriller.... Child evokes fear through understatement...Readers will hope to see more of [lead character] Logan in a sequel." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Ample gadgetry, New Age soul-shifting, and pyrotechnics sufficient to employ a stable of stuntmen when brought to film: Child's newest is the sort of thing to delight all those who got wrapped up in The Mummy. Think, a Dan Brown-ian adventure amongst Pharaohs ready with a pocket full of curses." ( Kirkus)

Reliable Entertainment for Child Fans

A talented author in his own right, Lincoln Child is at his best when he is collaborating with Douglas Preston on the Pendergast series. That being said, I enjoy both Preston and Lincoln's independent novels as well.

Most of Child's stand alone stories have a similar flavor and pattern to them. The Third Gate is no exception, and if you are a regular reader you will recognize the general situation the protagonist is put in, and the type of characters he is surrounded by. The fun comes by sitting back, and allowing yourself to be carried along on an enjoyable story.

I hovered between placing the narration rating between a 2 and a 3; it was fine, really, but there were times when it appeared that Mr. McClain didn't know what the next sentence would say; so you end up with situations such as the narrator saying at full volume, ' "It can't be true!" he whispered ' - and then, having finally read the word "whispered", he completed the phrase whispering - ' "how could it happen?"

There were several moments like that, and so it wasn't my favorite reading; but it's not anything that will ruin the story for you.

As mentioned before, the plot line will feel somewhat familiar to those who regularly read Child's work; but that can be a good thing; it means you know what you're getting, and you know you like it. The second half of the book had a fun twist, and all in all I ended feeling entertained. There was one aspect of the book I found baffling, but it was strictly a side note.

I don't anticipate this will be many people's favorite book of all time, but I think fans will generally be satisfied.

Would YOU Ignore a Pharaoh's Curse?

I???m not superstitious, but I actually wondered if I would ignore the AUTHORITY of a dead ruler...a pharaoh at that. This book met my expectations when I picked it. The characters are intelligent and absolutely audacious. The author does an excellent job at capturing the foreboding of a true Egyptian curse, one that expresses itself through an overpowering dark presence and deadly happenings. The key reason this book works is because the author establishes credibility in regards to the unknown. There is real imagination here. You will listen intently when the characters unearth strange artifacts that seem to defy parts of traditional Egyptology. You'll BELIEVE it. The banter between the lead characters about ancient Egyptian lore tapped into my childhood fascination, exactly like I hoped it would. There is a Jurassic Park-like feel to this story, smart characters meddling with something forbidden, while caged in by an exotic location.

Finally, the author brings the quasi-science of the paranormal right alongside a classic, old school, Egyptian excavation. But I will warn you, the book starts a bit slow, but stick with it because the author is surrounding you with details and themes. The ending is intense and sweeping in its finality. I definitely enjoyed this read.

Only okay

I have listened to most of Lincoln Child's books, as well as the ones he wrote with Douglas Preston. I enjoyed most of them, but I was disappointed with this one. It is okay, but it is not a book I'll listen to again and I probably won't recommend it to others. It just didn't work for me. The narrator was okay.

Excellent new spin in the Egyptology genre

The premise is the tomb of the pharaoh that united upper and lower Egypt was never found -- Narmer. His tomb contains something of incalculable value -- of coarse.
The central plot-line is interesting and a new slant on the same-old tired 'let's find a new pharaoh tomb' with new and varied challenges. All of that is good stuff. The subplots were pretty thin and mixed with mysticism that Child just really didn't pull off. I look for change of some sort in the main character -- they should have a pivotal moment of truth and start or stop doing something. The main character didn't -- he was static during the novel and didn't add much in the way of tension or illumination.

I think Child should scrap the characters, keep the plot and try again; make me connect with the characters and care about them. There wasn't one character that I really want to know what happens to after the story is over. I also felt trial and tension points of the hero's evolution were weak. Instead of Child pushing you up a mountainside of conflict and reversals, it was more like a bumpy road of problems and resolutions with clumsy foreshadowing. Child is a great author and McClain did a good job of narration.

So if I am so negative, why am I recommending reading it? Well it is written by Lincoln Child and I am a fan. Plus I return to the idea that the plot is interesting. Give it a listen it won't blow you away; but it does have entertainment value.

Very predictable.

A good plot for a teenagers' action comic but not a satisfying read for this old chook who loves her mysteries and suspense stories unfold through some intelligent story writing. There was little or no character development and I was quite happy when the ride was over. I think Lincoln should stick to writing books with Douglas who is obviously the one whose in charge of developing the characters in their novels. The narration was average, but I guess it was difficult for the narrator to get excited about reading this book too.

If I were to use one word to describe this book...

it would be "stupid". I could not even determine the genre for this novel--science fiction? horror? Action/adventure would be a stretch not in the least because nothing much is believable including the characters. Very weak.

Not as good as expected

I am a Lincoln Child fan and I really enjoy Child/Preston books. I think Egyptology is interesting. This book starts with all elements necessary for me to really look forward to the listen. Something just went wrong. Johnathan McClain probably needs to preread and make notes before he starts speaking. However; in the places where the story gets good it is good enough that the rest of the negatives are not overwhelming. As the team talks through the issue of the dual crowns, the ancient preoccupation with life/death experiences and process of burial the book shows Lincoln Child's ability to write a good story. As with most things familiar the general tone of the story is comfortable. This is not a book that I would recommend especially for listeners just meeting Lincoln Child.

Not worth the time

I did make it through the entire audio. Then asked myself why I did. Just not that good. Very cookie cutter. Narrator seemed bored reading it as I was listening to it. I've enjoyed Childs books, was hoping to enjoy this one. The concept could have been good. It is almost like it was written by someone trying to copy Child's style but missing the mark by a mile.

This is a page burner.

Not being a qualified critic, I must say the plot is intreaging. The narration is excellent and helps establish carracter personna and depth of color. This story robbed me of sleep several nights in a row. All in all, I was delightfully entertained. Thank you Lincoln Child.

Was This Abridged?

What disappointed you about The Third Gate?

The atmosphere of the location never felt fully developed. It is set in a part of Egypt that I had never heard of before. I wanted to feel like I was there. I mostly felt confused with all the colored wings and pontoons. The characters were one-dimensional and not as appealing as those in the novels written with Mr. Preston. While the premise takes on more meaning later on in the story, it still feels like an outline.

What do you think your next listen will be?

The Road to Omaha by Robert Ludlum

Would you be willing to try another one of Johnathan McClain’s performances?

Perhaps. I really like Scott Brick and George Guidall

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

If you have read The Relic, you will be disappointed with this effort.

Any additional comments?

I don't think this will be a great series. Enigmatist? Is that right? I applaud him for not jumping on the "vampire wagon" to sell a story, but no, it seems better to stick to the scientific aspects of his storytelling rather than the supernatural as a given.