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)

Good story

Sound effects are not necessary with a good story. And this is the first in the Pendergast books. The narrator doesn't do as good a job with these characters as the one they have for the later books. Still a good story, one I read many years ago, but enjoyed hearing again.

Creature

I liked how the authors mixed fictional yet believable cultural and scary artifacts with curses, deeply routed in cultural beliefs of South American peoples.

The narrator was good with keeping me interested.

I listened to this on my way to and back from Central America. I fell asleep, not from boredom, from exhaustion. And, I still could follow the story every time I woke.

It's kind of gruesome, sci-fi mystery mix.

A Good Listen

I'd previously read some of the Pendergast series and decided to try them in audio format to see how they held up. "Relic" held up very well, and I'm going to eventually listen to the entire series.

Entertaining!

Great twist at the end! Enjoyed it!

Only complaint was the annoying overuse of the word “gingerly”. One sentence even had it twice.

Pendergast debut!

I read several books by this team of authors involving FBI Agent Pendergast before I read this one, which first introduces one of my favorite literary characters. I originally read this book several years ago after seeing the movie adaptation. I had forgotten a lot of the story (and even the fact that Pendergast was involved) when I listened to this audiobook version.

This book is full of interesting scientific tidbits and looks into the behind the scenes life of a large museum. But, it is also a great thriller with supernatural undertones. It is full of action, twists and turns and just the right amount of snark (thanks, Smithback) to keep me entertained. I was reminded of "Jaws" at times, as well as some of the old 1950's horror movies that I enjoyed as a child. And, of course, Aloyisus Pendergast, the perfect Southern gentleman who can insult you and you don't even realize it....what's not to love?

Since this book was written in 1994, it lacks the modern day use of cell phones, so a lot of the technology failures wouldn't be true today. But, in my opinion, it has withstood the test of time and is still just as much fun to read. This team of authors write a well-developed story with great characters and I always enjoy their work.

The narrator did a great job with his pacing and his different voices for the cast of characters. Even though I knew this story, is performance really made it come to life all over again.

Once again, Preston & Child Deliver

From the story itself to the narration, this book is AH-MAY-ZING.

If you like thrillers with archeology, science, mystery, and a bit of paranormal type stuff, you want to get this book.

great story

I read this book many years ago and loved it. This audio was great. I had forgotten some portions but it was the same edge of your seat thriller.

pay for an actress!

wonderful, except the narrator attempting to sound female or with a higher voice, as typical female voices are.
Hire an actress! are you really that cheap?
many audiobooks have several actors, ie voices.

Excellent reading

The readers enthusiastic presentation makes this story. Multiple character voices and very good emphasis. Keeps you on the edge throughout.

Still a good read

I have read this book multiple times and still thinks it is still good, a solid read. A good beginning to a series.