3 stars for Destiny (Rogue Angel book 1) by Alex Archer.
I love reading. Yet in my mind's eye, it is a vicious cycle, one I dislike. A lot. It is a cycle which I almost always willingly let myself fall into, and then struggle against the tide when I fall head over heels into a bottomless pit, to rid myself of the emptiness, the horrid void feeling that always ensues following my re-emergence from a deeply entrenched fictional world to the real one. Yes, reality bites.
After the previous 2 Did Not Finish (DNF) books, I tell myself that I really must finish reading whatever book I pick up next. Truth be told, I dislike posting book review with DNF rating.
Back to Destiny. I read this book becaue the book cover depicts a tough looking kickass girl who reminds me of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, and that the blurb has this catchy "Archaeologist" that simply tugs me in.
Written from third person point of view, Destiny centers on an American young lady, Annja Creed who loves archaeology for its challenges, stories and puzzles. Trained in archaeology, anthropology and ethnography, Annja is always searching for truths in the past.
The story opens in Lozère, France with Annja attempting to solve the mystery of the La Bête, one of the French legends for the cable show, Chasing History's Monsters. While hunting for the beast, Annja comes into possession of a charm, a piece of antique metal, a talisman of some sort in a hidden cave in the Cévennes Mountains. At the same time, she meets the mysterious Roux, an old man who saves her from being pursed by people with criminal background for unknown reasons.
As if there is invisible arcane forces at work, Annja soon finds herself bounded by destiny to Roux and his past. The search for answers to solve the mystery leads the chase across Paris, France to Manhattan to Brooklyn, New York and back.
The characters are well drawn and the plot, packed with actions, moves at a good pace, one which is sufficiently fast but yet does not compromise on the depth of the various characters. I enjoy much of the story for the first three quarters of the book before it bore me to tears by dwelling too deeply on the topic of knights and historical events, all of which I do not bother to validate. This is afterall, an urban fantasy novel.
Publisher: Gold Eagle Rogue Angel
Publication date: 1 Jul 2006
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Archaeologist and explorer Annja Creed's fascination with the myths and mysteries of the past leads her to a crypt in the caves of France, where the terrifying legend of the Beast of Gevaudin hints at the unimaginable. What she discovers is shattering: an artifact that will seal her destiny: a brotherhood of monks willing to murder to protect their secret; and a powerful black-market occultist desperate to put his own claim to centuries-old blood money. Annja embarks on a high-tension race across Europe and history itself, intent on linking the unholy treachery of the ages with the staggering revelations of the present. But she must survive the shadow figures determined to silence her threat to their existence.
*Blurb from Goodreads*
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