The Dig

By: Michael Siemsen

Narrated by: Chris Patton

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

A mysterious woven metal artifact is found at a paleontological dig in Africa. Mystified experts, confounded by the impossible timeline they get from traditional dating methods, call upon a stubborn young man with a unique talent. Matthew Turner's gift is also his curse: When he touches any object, his awareness is flooded with the thoughts and feelings of those who touched it before him. It is a talent that many covet, some fear, and almost no one understands. Despite being exploited as a child and tormented by the unpleasant experiences imprinted on him from the various items he has "read", Matthew agrees to travel from New York to the forests of Kenya. There, threatened by unknown enemies and helped by a beautiful but prickly ally who begins to understand his strange ability, he journeys back in geological time to make a discovery so shocking that it forces us to rewrite all human history.

©2010 Michael Siemsen (P)2013 Podium Publishing

I can't wait for the next book!!

Would you listen to The Dig again? Why?

Yes I would! Its a great book, well written, good story, and chilling end!

Any additional comments?

The Dig keeps you caught up in its web from beginning to end! A very satisfying read!

A novel novel

Good story. Unusual situation. Plenty of plot. Well paced. Excellent performance. Plenty for both supporters and cynics of field research.

Missed opportunities

In The Dig, a young man named Matthew Turner has a unique gift and ability to be able to read imprints (memories) left on inanimate objects. He is called to read a man-made artifact from millions ago. The readings reveal an ancient, advanced culture fleeing their home before an asteroid hit.

I found these ancient memories to be fascinating, except for some occasional lulls. There was quite a bit of imagination used here and it really paid off. However, the modern day scenes did tend to be way too drawn out and often times extraneous. While these drawn-out periods did tend to add to the character backgrounds, in the end, they didn't do much to push the story forward. Often times the subplots just hit a dead end (an elephant falling in a pit, a character temporarily disappearing for a few chapters, etc.). The one highlight though was the evil Dr. Reese, who was pretty entertaining through 2/3 of the book.

Overall, the book entertained me well, but had an unrealistic/unbelievable romance, and a poorly executed, poorly planned entry into the second book.

For the audiobook, I felt that the narrator did a surperb job, going between different accents, sexes, and peoples. I never noticed any slip-ups and the voices were nicely distinct.

The Dig

Not bad ,a little juvenile,but entertaining. I will read the series. Narrative is well done.

Unexpected Human Story Epitomizing "What If..."

This story was recommended by several friends, but I wasn't sure what to expect from its summary.

This very different tale will capture your attention with distinct characters and a twist on our humanity.

Next step is to look if a sequel has been published.

the Dig

i couldnt put it down. i almost missed my turn in Denver, but it was great to have in the Mousetrap auto jam.
I got confused over the quick time switches from present to past. A chapter change would make them easier to jump from now to a million years ago instead of blending the two stories.

Great story

Good story, great performance. Interesting concept. I love it when I find an interesting and original story. This one is fairly original (nothing is absolutely original). Just bought book2.

Very enjoyable concept, couldn't put it down.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, just a good fun read. It is nice to see someone with a 'super power' that has serious draw backs, where the small details and details are considered.

Which character – as performed by Chris Patton – was your favorite?

Matt was the most developed, I look forward to hearing the others if the sequel comes to Audible!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I pretty much did. Until it reached 5am and I just had to go to sleep. Finished it today though!

Any additional comments?

Highly recommended, I hope more of Michael's books come to Audible so I can listen to them all. I am interested to see if the characters in both his different series 'feel the same' or if they really do feel separate.

Slow Start But Stick With It

The book starts out slowly but picks up later. The narration is very good. This is an original story idea that combines mystery, history, and mystical abilities to launch this series.

Great story

I really could visualize the characters. Unique twist. I loved it. I would recommend this to anyone that loves science fiction and history.