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)

Loved It

Where does The Third Gate rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book ranks up at the top of my list of fun, interesting to me, books.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jeremy Logan. He, of course, is who you like all the way through the book.

Which character – as performed by Johnathan McClain – was your favorite?

Jeremy Logan

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes i did. I love Egypt, pyramids and thrillers.

Different From Child

What made the experience of listening to The Third Gate the most enjoyable?

This was a very different book than I expected. Took a little to keep going but it was worth it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really never like to single out one over the rest, they were all good and played off each other well.

Which character – as performed by Johnathan McClain – was your favorite?

I liked McClain very much he kept me interested.

If you could take any character from The Third Gate out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Since I am writing this a few weeks after I read it it is difficult to remember ll of the names I would like to have a one on one with the start and I would love to see just how the wife of the Doctor is.

Any additional comments?

Takes some effort to get through but well worth it.

Another great story!!!!

What did you love best about The Third Gate?

Very well researched background story. One of the reasons i like all of Child's novels.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Third Gate?

Not to let out any spoilers, but the climactic ending was unforgettable.

What about Johnathan McClain’s performance did you like?

Believable charachters. He flawlessly portrayed every charachter with the proper inflection and timing. Great narrator.

Any additional comments?

The storyline is typical of a Child novel. Unbelievably valuable treasure with unbelievable technology behind the treasure hunt. Great charachters comingled throughout this plot. But he brilliantly pulls it off again. Great novel.

My opinion.... not as good as previous books

What did you like best about The Third Gate? What did you like least?

I like the that it was on Egypt artifacts and had an after death topic in the story line as these are personal like of mine.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

To me I found the ending to this particular book was more predictable that other books and somewhat weak, this is only my opinion mind you.

What aspect of Johnathan McClain’s performance would you have changed?

Nothing I did enjoy his impressions of the character voice when the spirit of the past came to warn the living.

Do you think The Third Gate needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

A follow up book could be attempted but it would only weaken an already very basic story line and who would be possessed next?

Any additional comments?

All in all....I just did not enjoy this book as much as the others...nothing in particular stood out as bad but just not as good in my opinion.

Ancient Treasure, Curses, Ghosts and a Bad Ending

Would you try another book from Lincoln Child and/or Johnathan McClain?

Lincoln Child, Yes.Johnathan McClain, No.

Would you ever listen to anything by Lincoln Child again?

Possibly

What about Johnathan McClain’s performance did you like?

He made me appreciate the nuances of more talented narrators.

Was The Third Gate worth the listening time?

Overall, yes. The story had some interesting components that could have been formulated better, but it wasn't that bad. I felt like the story needed a larger context with which to place this story into. All the characters felt too one dimensional.

Any additional comments?

It intrigued me that an ancient Egyptian spirit would chose to speak in King James English.

Average at Best Mummy Story

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not really. It was not engaging. The characters were not particularly well drawn. The story was too far fetched.

What could Lincoln Child have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

The basic idea of engaging an 'enigmologist' to deal with a mummy's curse is interesting. The idea that people who have had near death experiences are closer to the spirit world and therefore more susceptible to being possessed is okay. I did not think he pulled those things together very well. The story just had holes.

What three words best describe Johnathan McClain’s voice?

His voice was fine. He does not over emote. I like that.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

I looked up Narmer in Wiki. I don't know if Child did more research or less. But his story was not even close.

good book

Interesting play on early Egypt and first Pharoah.Great narrator, and good book and side story.

Not bad but ending could be better

Great story until the ending. Feels like it there were many loose ends that needed to be addressed.

Narrator is quite flat and monotone. There is a lack of any emotion in his reading.

Exciting

Good book, but didn't care for the ending. Like a lot of books, it was good until the end then it kind of stopped.

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.