2008 Book 26: The Codex

Book #:	26
Book Title:	The Codex
Author:	Douglas Preston
Publisher:	Tor
Pub. Date:	April 2005
Pages:	404
Started:	March 30, 2008
Finished:	April 2, 2008
Time to Read:	4 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"'Greetings from the dead,' declares Maxwell Broadbent on the videotape he left behind after his mysterious disappearance. A notorious treasure hunter and tomb robber, Broadbent accumulated over a half a billion dollars' worth of priceless art, gems, and artifacts before vanishing--along with his entire collection--from his mansion in New Mexico. As a final challenge to his three sons, Broadbent has buried himself and his treasure somewhere in the world, hidden away like an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. If the sons wish to claim their inheritance, they must find their father's carefully concealed tomb. The race is on, but among Broadbent's treasures is an ancient Mayan codex that may hold a secret far more important than the wealth of riches among it, and Broadbent's sons aren't the only ones after it."
Stars:	****
Review:	The setting was Orlando, Florida: The Swan hotel at Disney World. I was there for most of a week in the late spring of 2005, participating in a boondoggle for work. (As the event's planner, I spent about $40k on 25 travelers over 4 days - that was BEFORE I went to work for an airline, mind you!) It was the last day of the event and my job that afternoon was to entertain the wife of a potential client (read: drink heavily with her by the pool, paid for by my company) while my boss took her husband golfing. Yah, you betcha! After realizing that I had next-to-nothing in common with this Southern belle socialite, I headed to the bookstore and found this treasure. Given the book's topic, the pun is intended. I risked life and limb (ok, I just got a nasty, nasty sunburn) as I sat by the pool and flew through the whirlwind tale of three sons who barely tolerate each other and their unlikely trek to a South American jungle, determined to find their father and/or his treasure. The writing is superb, the story line is even better, and there are enough twists and turns that I can read this book time and time again and still forget how it all turns out. You may recognize Douglas Preston's name from the many books he's co-written with Lincoln Child, such as the book-turned-movie, The Relic. He's in high form during this novel, and I think you'll enjoy.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany