Amazonia

By: James Rollins

Narrated by: John Meagher

Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

The Rand scientific expedition entered the lush wilderness of the Amazon and never returned. Years later, one of its members has stumbled out of the world's most inhospitable rainforest - a former Special Forces soldier, scarred, mutilated, terrified, and mere hours from death, who went in with one arm missing...and came out with both intact.

Unable to comprehend this inexplicable event, the government sends Nathan Rand into this impenetrable secret world of undreamed-of perils, to follow the trail of his vanished father...toward mysteries that must be solved at any cost.

But the nightmare that is awaiting Nate and his team of scientists and seasoned U.S. Rangers dwarfs any danger they anticipated - an ancient, unspoken terror, a power beyond human imagining - that can forever alter the world.

©2002 Jim Czajkowski (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Okay story with decent characters.

Amazonia was a solid, if typical, story. The competence of the Rangers was lacking; while the ending seemed to close too fast.

One of my favorite authors

I loved this book. The author really makes you think about possibilities. It’s the story of the Amazon and makes you feel like you’re really there.
#tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Started well.... then fizzled....

Started with an interesting punch but continued to get more and more goofy and unrealistic until I had to stop and return it... not my cup of tea.

Annoying Narration

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

Yes

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

Fairly predictible

How did the narrator detract from the book?

There is a constant hissing. Don't know if it's in the production or his voice, but there is always this hiss

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

Probably, it would be full of CGI

Loved it!

One of my favorites, a great journey thru the Amazon! Drama, love, treachery, suprises and sadness... All the things needed to make a book great

A Good Adventure Story

I absolutely love stories of adventure and treasure hunting. Although this book was a little more supernatural than I was expecting, I still really loved the suspense. I found myself obsessing over what might happen until I could get back to listening.

Creepy-Crawly!

"Amazonia" reminds me a little bit of Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings," where a stalwart band of allies sets off on a hopeless mission, against insurmountable odds, to save the world. At each turn, they face a deadly danger that their inscrutable quarry has cast into their path; while behind them stalks an evil hunter out to wrest their prize from their very grasp. Unlike "The Lord of the Rings," however, Amazonia takes place not in Middle Earth, but in the eponymous rain forest; and, rather than Orks, these questers face every other kind of creepy, crawly, venomous, wickedly-toothed creature imaginable ... and then some unimaginable ones, as well. As with all of Rollins novels, "Amazonia" does not lack for thrills or chills. Also in line with Rollins' other novels, "Amazonia" explores one of Nature's mysteries -- in this case: prions. (If you haven't yet heard of prions, you will learn a lot about them here. Suffice it to say that they are real-life deadly pathogens.) However, unlike with his previous novels, with "Amazonia," Rollins adds in a couple of timely, apposite environmental/ecological messages:

1) Don't decimate the habitats of our fellow creatures;

2) Don't underestimate traditional wisdom.

As an herbalist, I very much appreciate Rollins' investigation into the power of native medicinal herbs. As always, he has done his research! Since "Amazonia" was only his fourth novel, I suspect that he was probably still doing that research himself, rather than hiring a team of experts to do it for him. Whatever other reviewers may think of Rollins' writing style (and, I have to admit, he sometimes does write a bit awkwardly in these early novels), I think that his very curious, very intelligent open mind more than compensates for any such shortcomings. I appreciate beautiful writing as much as anyone; but, if I have to choose, then I would value a questing, curious mind even more.

Torn

I'm torn on this one. The action, suspense, overall story, etc... was great. On the other hand some of the little things really bothered me. The rangers seemed poorly equiped. I would think thermal imaging would be needed along with night vision considering the importance of the mission. The tribesman that followed the rangers really hated them but didn't mind the "bad guys" that were behind them. Seemed like the other team was able to waltz in while the rangers were being taken out. Just a few things that bothered me a little but overall a good listen. Will listen to this author again.

pretty darn good

not Rollins best work ever the ending seemed pretty rushed. I believe he could've added alot more to it, but still an incredible story.

Exciting reading

Exciting reading

I could not put this book down! It has an exciting and original story line. I strongly recommended it to any one who likes good old fashioned thrilling story lines that move from one cliff hanger to the next, while at the same time give you a 101 lesson in an advanced technology.
I’m going right out to get another Rollins e-book!