For 30 years or so, I’ve seen books by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child in Book Sales and on remainder tables. I have never bought one of their many books nor read their work…until I read the first review of their books that I’d ever seen.
The brilliant David Vineyard, who contributes frequently to Steve Lewis’s excellent blog, Mystery*File, wrote a review of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s The Cabinet of Dr. Leng–the 21st book in the Special Agent Pendergast series. Not only did the review highlight elements that intrigued me, David’s comment to me gave me direction and motivation:
- David L Vineyard Says:
March 25th, 2024 at 1:50 p.m. My personal reading recommendation for this long series would be to start with RELIC (and its sequel RELIQUARY), and then jump to the Diogenes and Helen trilogies that fill in a great deal of Pendergast’s intriguing history. BRIMSTONE, featuring Count Fosco as a villain, is far and away my favorite among the books, I was always a fan of the boys, loving books like ICE LIMIT and RIPTIDE, but the Pendergast saga has really grown on me.The books are a saga, and you could easily read them in order, but it isn’t necessary in order to enjoy them. Other stand outs in the series are THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, STILL LIFE WITH CROWS, THE WHEEL OF DARKNESS, CEMETARY DANCE, THE OBSIDIAN CHAMBER, and VERSES FOR THE DEAD. The Diogenes Trilogy consists of BRIMSTONE, DANCE OF DEATH, and BOOK OF THE DEAD. The Helen Trilogy: FEVER DREAM, COLD VENGANCE, and TWO GRAVES. There really hasn’t been anything quite like this since the 19th Century French feullitons, newspaper serials like the works of Dumas and Hugo, but also Ponson Du Terrail’s Rocambole saga, Paul Feval’s the Black Coats saga, or Jean de la Hire’s tales of the Nyctalope.
How could I resist after reading that comment! I immediately visited my favorite used bookstores and found Relic (1995) and Reliquary (1997). A couple days later, I finished both books and happily agree with David Vineyard on the Pendergast Saga. Pendergast–in the first two books of the series–casts an enigmatic shadow on the investigations. In Relic, Pendergast shows up on page 78; in Reliquary, he shows up on page 108. Events are in motion when Pendergast appears unbidden to assist in the mysteries.
The action in Relic takes place mostly in the New York Museum of Natural History as visitor are being savagely murdered. The police are confused by these seemingly random killings. Museum researcher Margo Green uses her scientific expertise to point Pendergast towards a bizarre explanation for the dead bodies. GRADE: B+
The action gets ramped up in the sequel to Relic, Reliquary. Margo Green is again involved in a series of savagely murdered victims. The trail leads to the warren of tunnels, sewers, and galleries beneath Manhattan where thousands of homeless people live. But something new and deadly has been added to the underground societies. Lieutenant D’Agosta, Pendergast, and Green again face danger as a massive catastrophic event is about to occur. GRADE: B+
I’m currently tracking down the other books in the Pendergast series!
I read these years ago. Probably the best of the series. I had a problem with the lead character who just seemed to good too be true.. The Relic was made into a decent film in 1997. They got rid of the character of Pendergast and made him into a police detective.
Steve, I missed the movie version THE RELIC. Pendergast has some Sherlock Holmes tendencies.
I read the first book when it came and enjoyed it. For reasons known only to no one (including me), I never followed up with nay of the subsequent titles, although there are a number of them buried on Mount TBR. After reading your comments (and David’s), I’ll be moving them to that area of Mount TBR to that section known as Read-Real-Soon-Maybe.
As to the film version of RELIC — interesting, but can’t hold a candle to the book. It featured Tom Sizemore, Penelope Ann Miller, Linda Hunt, and James Whitmore.
Jerry, since you’ve read RELIC and seen the movie, you’re ready for the sequel, RELIQUARY. Fasten your seat belt!
Like Jerry, I read the first book (how could I resist something set in the Museum of Natural History, which I loved as a kid?) but never went back. I might have to try another.
Jeff, you’ll love all the action of RELIQUARY in the tunnels of New York City! Bill Crider would have loved the alligators!
I read “The Relic” about a year ago and found it a fun, junky summer read. Very much the kind of stuff I would have read as a 14-yesr-old. The movie adaptation is very watchable with a lovely performance by James Whitmore and would definitely recommend it as a time killer. I hated the tacked on “post credits” ending of the book so I never read anymore in the series although I’m curious. If you give any of them a thumbs up I’ll reconsider.
Preston and Child are among the last of the dad book authors still toiling away which is sort of comforting. They recently published yet another book so hats off to them. Fiction reading (actually ALL reading) among younger men is dropping off at an alarming rate so this could be the end of an era.
Byron, my male students were into video games (almost an addiction for some of them) and watching sports on TV. I assigned Charles Dickens’ HARD TIMES in one of my classes as an Extra Credit book. One student, in his mid-twenties, came up to me at the end of the semester and said, “Dr. Kelley, HARD TIMES is the first novel I’ve ever read all the way to the end. I loved it!” I gave him a copy of DAVID COPPERFIELD that I had in my Office and he went away to Summer Vacation delighted!
I read Relic before my first visit to NYC/the Museum of Natural History. Then I read it again when I went back with my girlfriend in 2019.
I haven’t followed the series but I really enjoyed that first book.
Beth, the sequel to RELIC, RELIQUARY, really extends the story in wild ways! Well worth a read!
A bit OT:
Whenever I read about the Museum of Natural History I have to remember my visit to NYC around 20 years ago when they had this exhibition about Einstein’s private life including his US office – phantastic!
Wolf, another large exhibition at the Museum of Natural History plays a role in RELIC.