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Fans of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft will thrill to the fourth adventure in Robert Gallant’s series starring clandestine agent Travis Weld and his graduate student protégé, Chesney Barrett. Weld bows out for a side role, and Barrett seizes the lead when she accepts a mission to rescue an archeologist from guerillas at a Mayan site in the Yucatan Peninsula. Though the task is speedily accomplished with hair-raising theatrics, Barrett is plunged into even greater danger when David Phillips reveals more about his dangerous interest in a Peruvian archaeological site sacred to the legendary deity Viracocha. Together, Phillips and Barrett face the manipulation of Phillips’ controlling, business-savvy father, their murderous double-dealing partner, and a ruthless military commander shadowing Phillips’ every move. Ultimately, the former are small obstacles compared to the world-threatening challenges dealt by the mysterious Incan deity and the servile ancient culture that revered it.
Gallant skillfully weaves a rich mix of history, mythology, and fantasy in this well-researched tale that hits the ground running and never stops racing to an explosive ending. Neither heroes nor villains disappoint despite many characterizations being somewhat cliché, a trait not uncommon in the thriller genre. But Chesney Barrett will please both feminists and oglers of strong women with her no-nonsense, take no prisoners swagger coupled with beauty and brains. Phillips, too, has complex traits, and his naiveté and upstanding moral code contrasted with Barrett’s take-charge attitude and practicality is a fresh pairing. The trajectory of the story is complex and will keep readers guessing about Barrett’s and Phillips’ next moves. The novel’s descriptive passages are often vastly superior to the usual thriller fare, revealing that Gallant, a former chemical engineer, has a flair for writing as well as a deep and personal fascination with the topics and settings explored to build his exciting scenes.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review