The Forgotten Room

By: Lincoln Child

Narrated by: Johnathan McClain

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best seller Lincoln Child returns with a riveting new thriller featuring the charismatic and quirky Professor Jeremy Logan, renowned investigator of the strange and the inexplicable, as he uncovers a long-lost secret experiment only rumored to have existed.

Jeremy Logan (The Third Gate, Deep Storm) is an "enigmalogist" - an investigator who specializes in analyzing phenomena that have no obvious explanation. In this newest novel, Logan finds himself on the storied coastline of Newport, Rhode Island, where he has been retained by Lux, one of the oldest and most respected think tanks in America. Just days earlier, a series of frightening events took place in the sprawling seaside mansion that houses the organization. One of its most distinguished doctors began acting erratically - violently attacking an assistant in the mansion's opulent library and, moments later, killing himself in a truly shocking fashion. Terrified by the incident and the bizarre evidence left behind, the group hires Logan to investigate - discreetly - what drove this erudite man to madness.

His work leads him to an unexpected find. In a long-dormant wing of the estate, Logan uncovers an ingeniously hidden secret room, concealed and apparently untouched for decades. The room is a time capsule, filled with eerie and obscure scientific equipment that points to a top-secret project long thought destroyed, known only as "Project S." Ultimately the truth of what Project S was...and what has happened in that room...will put Logan in the path of a completely unexpected danger.

One of his most thrilling novels to date, The Forgotten Room is replete with veiled, fascinating history and all the exhilarating action and science that are the hallmarks of a Lincoln Child blockbuster.

©2015 Lincoln Child (P)2015 Random House Audio

Felt like some Chrichton style was channeled in.

Any additional comments?

I have always enjoyed Lincoln Child's works and of course his collaborations with Douglas Preston. This new Jeremy Logan entry was fun in all the usual Lincoln thriller ways. Great atmosphere creation, eerie mysteries to be solved, A good amount of science for plausibility, and action to round out the thriller. Beyond the usual fun of Lincoln Child's works, two things in this particular novel made it all the more enjoyable.

First we get a lot more of Jeremy Logan's history shown to us as the story takes place at a think tank he was attached to about 10 years ago. I always love it when Lincoln Child does this with his characters. Similar to how Agent Pendergast eccentricities become almost endearing when we find out his back story, Logan's history with his start at Yale and current work seem to become become a sort of natural evolution of his character as we learn more about his time at the Lux think tank. Definitely one of the highlights of the book for me.

Second, the mysteries and sciencetific explanation while of course still being fiction are top notch. Mr. Child must have done a serious amount of scientific research to create this story. This particular book felt very reminiscent of Micheal Crichton's Andromeda Strain & Congo. Not that the storyline or setting is similar in anyway to those two books but rather how well the science is fleshed out for us. I found myself repeatedly getting sidetracked by looking up Wikipedia articles to understand some of science or history that is referenced in this book. Every so often in his books ("Utopia" for example), it feels like Lincoln Child is channeling a bit of Chrichton's style into this work. I was expecting a Lincoln Child story which I masterfully got and it feels like the Chrichton gap in left by his passing was partially filled by this book as well. This has been my personal favorite of the Jeremy Logan stories so far. I do hope Lincoln Child continues to use this particular talent of his every once in a while.

As for Narration, Johnathan McClain did another great job, just as he did in the Third Gate. Just as Rene Auberjonois is the voice of Pendergast and Ray Porter is the voice of Joe Ledger, Jonathan McClain is now the voice I hear even when physically reading Jeremy Logan. Getting used to his reading may have taken a bit longer for me since I was used to hearing Scott Brick in the other two novels Mr Logan appears in.

If your a fan of Lincoln Child this book is a must read. If not, i dare say this book will make you one.

19 of 21 people found this review helpful

Overwhelmingly detailed

What would have made The Forgotten Room better?

Certainly less irrelevant detail. The author overwhelms the reader with information that is related to the "mystery" but that does not add to the mood or further the plot. The central event becomes diluted in the detail so that the resolution is totally anticlimactic.

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

The author evidently did excellent research. He needed to select the material that would help him create suspense....he needed to let the reader figure out certain things by herself.

What three words best describe Johnathan McClain’s voice?

in this particular recording, the narrator does not manage to make a difference.

Any additional comments?

This book is the detailed, almost clinical narration of events that are not that interesting to start with. I did not see the point to it. I wanted this to be a mystery...but it was not. I cannot recommend it.

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

Interesting misdirection

A little slow to start, just when you think is one thing, it's another. Aside from a couple of Don't go into the dark room' scenes its an OK read

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Exciting story line

This came up on the "books we think you'd like' Audible recommendations. Had I realized it was third in a sort of series-but not really- I'd have read them in order..if there is a real order.

In any case, all it suffered from is a bit of backstory that I wasn't privileged to and which turned out to be inconsequential anyhow.

An old mansion with the 'Forgotten (Hidden) Room" draws the protagonist to discover why a noted scientist went nutzo. Then he starts to hear things-but he has a talent we just discover and maybe it's his talent coming forth, not the mysterious whatever thats causing other professors to get a bit balmy.

Worth the credit-and look for others with the same protagonist.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Abit derivative, but in the normal Child manner

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

Of course. The narrator is no RC Bray or Mr. Brick, but he does a solid job here. As for Lincoln, well, we all know what we will get from him. Well researched action.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I am not skillful in such things to offer suggestions, but some more conspiracy is always entertaining.

What about Johnathan McClain’s performance did you like?

Good accents, solid and consistent.

Did The Forgotten Room inspire you to do anything?

Read more of this sort of offering.

Any additional comments?

Solid, nothing wild but good story well performed. Entertaining and amusing. Recommended.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Not his best

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I've read all of Lincoln Child's book and am a huge fan of him and his books with Douglas Preston (especially the older books). This one didn't read like a genuine Lincoln Child book. I kept thinking the writing was poor and wondered if maybe he had a ghost writer. Either that or he rushed this book off to the publisher and didn't spend much time in editing. The story and plot are okay but the writing really detracts. The gore reads in a very amateurish way and the dialogue is terrible and unbelievable. Overall disappointing.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Might go old school with Jurassic Park.

What about Johnathan McClain’s performance did you like?

Solid reading. Well done.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Good plot and story premise but poorly executed.

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

A rollicking read

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend this book to friends who enjoyed were prepared to lift the veil of reality to enjoy a bit of fun; for lovers of adventure which is tinged with a bit of historical intrigue and science fiction.

What three words best describe Johnathan McClain’s performance?

Very, very good.

Was The Forgotten Room worth the listening time?

Yes, I enjoyed it and was not disappointed with using a credit to buy it. It was a light book and surely written with a young audience in mind. Definitely a bit of fun (as opposed to humour) in contrast to the recent gory thrillers I've listened to.

Any additional comments?

Not a literary masterpiece, but if you enjoy the genre and have enjoyed this writer's other books, you will enjoy this too.

11 of 14 people found this review helpful

Story is great, performance is odd...

An excellent story from Child, full of misdirection and a very satisfying ending. however, McClain's reading of the story is unusual. McClain's other works don't share this trait, but in this narration, its seems almost as if he struggles with some of the words. I found it mildly distracting throughout the book.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

once I started, I didn't want to stop

i love all the books of Lincoln Child. good storylines and very thrilling. And a very well narrated audiobook.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Punt

A bit too much ,way off to a droning start . I think it dragged on for way to long in a condescending tone.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful