Relic

Pendergast, Book 1

By: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 13 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Relic, a Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child thriller that introduces FBI Special Agent Pendergast

Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human....

But the museum's directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders.

Museum researcher Margo Green must find out who - or what - is doing the killing. But can she do it in time to stop the massacre?

Prolong the suspense: listen to the sequel, Reliquary.

©1994 by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. (P)1995 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"With its close-up view of museum life and politics, plausible scientific background, sharply drawn characters and a plot line that's blissfully free of gratuitous romance, this well-crafted novel offers first-rate thrills and chills." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Wildly cool....Thrill hounds couldn't ask for a creepier environment....a thriller staged in the world's scariest building, with no room for the squeamish." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Excellent

Excellent story! Was not expecting much but this book and performance was truly wonderful! It was interesting, original, and at points very intense. Solid story and 5 stars!

Big fan of these two just not this book or series

I've read some amazing books by these two, and I was really hoping to like this series and get into the whole thing. It just wasn't the case.

It wasn't awful, but it had no teeth leaving me wanting to read more. I struggled to get through the end as it was one really long scene that wouldn't come to a conclusion.

Destined to become a classic

I am drawn to stories about the unknown - spooky stories about what lurks in the basement of a museum attract me. I had this story on my wish list for awhile, but put it on hold because I listened to another in this series - "Fever Dream", and although I liked the story, I was annoyed by the profanity (mostly from the NYC police officer) and by the attempted rape scene. However, my adult daughter read "Relic", and liked it. So I downloaded it. Yes, there is profanity in this book, too, mostly from the same Police Officer. That said, however, the authors are fantastic writers, IMO, and it is obvious that much research goes into their writing. I gave it 5 stars because it's one of those books with much suspense - you don't want to stop listening. There's no romance or sexual situations in this book. However, if you are put off by gory descriptions of decapitations and the like, you might not like this book.

I enjoyed this book

This is a good book. I was concerned going in that Techno-Thrillers sometimes do not age well. This book did not have that problem.

A bit far fetched

This was a bit out there and it really stretched the imagination. Deep in the jungle a Lost World was found with strange rituals and an even stranger creature. Too many things have to happen for the plot to move to a New York museum. There is also the super agent, brilliant scientist and beautiful girl. At the end the door is opened for a sequel and a plausible explanation is given on how the creature would know how to get to New York. Of course you have to think about the implausibility of humans evolving on this planet to put things in perspective.

Applauding The Relic

Would you consider the audio edition of Relic to be better than the print version?

I cannot compare the audio with the print version because I have not read the print version.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was exciting from the first page. I do most of my reading in the car, and I found myself gripping the steering wheel! Most of my reading is non-fiction, but I occasionally take a break and read a novel. What a great find! I am so happy that I am reading this.The story is unusual in setting as well as plot. It is great to listen and imagine the people, trapped in the Museum of Natural History, and the fear that they are feeling.

What does David Colacci bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

So much! Colacci is by far the best reader that I have listened to! He reads so well, and adapts his voice to the different characters, that it is like I am listening to a play rather than listening to a book.I will now do searches specifically for books that he has narrated.

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

It made me scared and excited! I forget everything and become immersed in the plot.

Any additional comments?

The Relic is the first of a series. Start here and keep reading!

Well...

People who didn't like the movie seem to like this book. I'm an action and gore guy that doesn't like to be bothered to much with non stop in depth how this is happening and why this chromosome is working this way. I have a degree but its not in genetic engineering so sometimes I think stories get bogged down in to much science and not enough story. Anyway This book was good but to me it just lagged on to much. I had trouble staying interested. The book was ok and the movie was good. But thats just the opinion of scifi fan with a short attention span.

Read it on your own

This is one of my favorite books, the performance makes it almost infuriating to listen to.

Interesting Premise

This was an interesting, though gory, premise. I did thoroughly enjoy the Pendergast character. The plot points were pretty "out there," and I definitely had to ignore my disbelief to finish the story. But in all, I'll probably look into another Pendergast novel.

It was ok

I’m surprised by the rave reviews honestly. I never got the feeling of terror, or worry, or even anticipation. I think the author lost me when he began to use the word “suddenly” over and over. I’ve read/listened to other books that did that and had the same feeling about it. I suddenly lost interest (haha see what I did there).
The quality of the audio wasn’t there either. The voice seemed to change at times. I couldn’t be 100% if it was a different narrator or if the sound was off in the recording.