Il teschio di cristallo

by Manda Scott, Dario Leccacorvi (Translator)

Una leggenda maya narra dell'esistenza di tredici teschi di cristallo, creati dopo il diluvio che ha sommerso la mitica città di Atlantide. Nove destinati agli uomini, quattro al regno animale. Si dice che il 21 dicembre 2012, giorno in cui l'umanità si troverà ad affrontare l'abisso, le tredici pietre si riuniranno per dar vita al serpente piumato, Quetzalcoatl, lo spirito della Terra... Parigi, 1556. Il medico inglese Cedric Owen mostra a Nostradamus un teschio di cristallo azzurro. Turbato, Nostradamus spiega all'uomo che quell'oggetto segnerà il suo destino: Owen dovrà andare nel Nuovo Mondo, scoprire i poteri del teschio, scriverli perché non vadano perduti, e infine nascondere l'oggetto, affinché torni alla luce nel momento propizio... Inghilterra, 2007. Stella, una giovane speleologa, e suo marito Kit, professore a Cambridge, esplorando le grotte dello Yorkshire, ritrovano lo scheletro di un uomo con accanto un teschio di cristallo azzurro. I due scoprono che di quell'oggetto si parla in un antico manoscritto ornato da numerosi glifi maya che sembrano indicare un luogo, forse una data... Stella e Kit dovranno ripercorrere i cunicoli più oscuri della Storia per svelare un segreto che unisce un remoto passato a un futuro potenzialmente catastrofico per l'umanità...

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Adventure

402 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Manda Scott is an award-winning novelist, host of the international chart-topping Accidental Gods podcast and co-creator of the Thrutopia Masterclass.

Best known for the Boudica: Dreaming series, her previous novels have been short-listed for the Orange Prize, the Edgar, Wilbur Smith and Saltire Awards and won the McIllvanney Prize.

Her latest novel ANY HUMAN POWER is a 'seismic' Mytho-Political thriller which lays out a Thrutopian road map to a flourishing future we’d be proud to leave to the generations that come after us.

Welding the power of intergenerational connection to combat the sting of death and the vicious vengeance of a dying establishment, it opens the doors to a new way of being.

Dream Deeply. Rise up Strong. Change is Coming!

'Instantly immersive and compelling, rich and strange, human and humane, and most of all inspiring ... an extraordinary story.’
Lee Child

"One of our best, most challenging writers is back..." Ian Rankin

"If you don't believe a world where our democracy improves as fast as our devices is possible... Manda Scott will change your mind with this visionary novel." Audrey Tang, Digital Minister of Taiwan

"A light to guide us through a difficult time: Descrying the thin possible path between static social decay and populist rage is the defining problem of our time. Without lights like Manda Scott and this blessed book, we would surely fail." Glen Weil, co-author of Plurality.

Reviews

[Tonkica · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

Početak je stvarno bio obećavajući. Lijepo uvlači u priču.. Da bi dalje realizacija došla do toga da su mi svi likovi išli na živce i da je pripovijedanje bilo loše i dosadno. Jedva sam čekala da ju završim! :-/
Kratak sadržaj je u ovom primjeru puno bolji od kompletnog ostvarenja! :P

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, I'd even say a great read...up until the last three chapters. At that point, the logic, the reasoning, and the painstaking tying/weaving of two story lines separated by 450 years that had marked the first 343 pages abruptly ended to be replaced by a hasty and incomplete conclusion (I think authors/publishers have become brainwashed by too many series titles and have forgotten the necessity of a well-executed closing sequence). That said, the book still makes it onto my recommended read list because Ms. Scott has succeeded better than most at tying past to present to future, creating a plausible end-times scenario based on the current political/economic climate, and manages to take us into beautiful locales in New Spain and Great Britain in the process. In fact, if she had not succeeded so well up until the end of the book, my expectations would not have been high enough to be disappointed in the conclusion.

The story revolves around two main characters, both appointed by destiny (or the gods?) to play a pivotal role in saving the human race from precipitating their own self-destruction. One, Cedric Owen, physician and scientist, lived during the time of Bloody Mary, Elizabeth I, Catherine de Medici, Nostradamus, the Mayas (?), and the exploration of South America. I wouldn't bother looking too deeply into the "factual" basis of this book, but just enjoy it for what it is. Cedric has inherited a blue skull stone that has passed through his family for generations and has been given a quest to 1) learn how to use the stone, 2) learn where and when the stone needs to be used, and 3) safeguard this information and the stone so that it can only be, and will be, retrieved by the correct person 450 or so years into the future. His quest is fraught with danger, most originating from the church, who believes his stone is a work of the devil and his science is sacrilegious, from nature, or from those who wish to use the heart-stone's power for themselves.

The other character is Stella Cody, newlywed, avid caver, and academic astrologer, who has married a man and befriended two others whose goal in life is to find the blue skull which has been missing for 450 years. Needless to say, she finds the stone. Her quest then becomes to stay alive long enough to find out what she needs to do with the stone and to do it, in order to revive an, uhmm, mythical creature who will somehow keep the human race from destroying the planet.

Really, the heart of the story is human relationships and emotions. The lust for power, the strength of friendship, the crippling effect of jealousy, the bitterness of loss, and the blindness of preconception all play pivotal roles in the story and are reflected and enhanced by the sentient crystal skull. I recommend this book to those who enjoy adventure stories, light suspense/mystery enthusiasts, and those who can enjoy Armageddon theories that have nothing to do with the rapture.

[Dianne Ascroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really shouldn't have read a book that begins with a hair raising account of a caving expedition the week before I'm booked on a cave tour. But I did and I was captivated from the first page by this book. I constantly turned a few pages ahead to find out what would happen next and hated to put the book down to go to bed at night. It's an exciting read that put vivid images in my mind of the places, people and the action.

The book moves well from present day to the 16th century and captures the essence of both. Even though I knew that many of the places and people were fictional I could still believe in them as I read. I wasn't familiar with crystal skulls or Mayan legends and beliefs about the End Times so the premise of the book was totally new to me and I enjoyed learning about both.

I loved the mix of fantasy and history and would recommend this novel unreservedly.

[Sandra Nedopričljivica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zapravo bi bile dovoljne 2 i pol zvjezdice. Početak obećavajući i ona priča u priči, što ja volim. E pa svidio mi se samo početak i jedna od priča, a ostalo za zaborav. Šteta, bilo je potencijala.

[Antonio Rosato · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Era difficile dimenticare la passione che aveva provato fin dal primo momento per la pietra. Anche sott'acqua, gelata e prossima all'annegamento, era stata travolta da quel senso di ritorno a casa, di benvenuto. Le sembrava di aver concluso un patto, molto tempo prima, di averlo poi dimenticato e di cominciare solo allora a ricordarlo di nuovo. Nella sua mente quel sentimento così nitido aveva lasciato una traccia profonda".
Non mi ha entusiasmato per niente (in realtà, verso pagina 100 stavo anche per mollarlo)… Prima metà lenta e monotona, seconda in cui succede di tutto e di più.
[https://lastanzadiantonio.blogspot.co...]

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO good! if you love Indiana Jones...read this!! much different than most of what i read, and now i want to find more adventures like this!!

[Jessica Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this on a whim for a bit of fun and enjoyed it a lot. I don't normally read historical fiction but found the sections set in the 16th century to be vividly written with a subtle humour. The story bounces back and forth between Elizabethan England & New Spain, and the modern day, weaving together ancient mysteries and contemporary anxieties about the end of the world. I thought the visionary shamanic passages were particularly well handled, showing the blurred boundaries between the real and the imaginary, and highlighting how much of our fear of the future may simply be in our own heads.

Interesting coincidence: just as I was finishing the book, literally turning the last page, a huge dark moth fluttered into the living room from the kitchen behind me. There were no windows open and I have no idea how the moth came to be inside. It flapped about a bit, looking distressed, until I opened the window and let it fly free. Traditionally moths symbolise rebirth and new beginnings. Being attracted to the light, they show the need for spiritual transformation, to search for the light in darkness. It seemed a fitting symbol to end a book about the end of the world. As Manda Scott says in her author's note, the Mayan date at the close of 2012 may've been an approximation, since we're all still here. But there is still plenty of darkness. I don't believe any number of crystal skulls will do us much good. It is our choice to turn on the light, follow the heart as Stella must in the story...

[Korin: A Crone Running Amok · Rating 3 out of 5]

A twist on the legends of the Crystal Skull. Not nearly as well done as her Boudica series.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 sterren - Nederlandse paperback

21 december 2012 is voorbij. De Maya's voorspelde dat de aarde en enorme catastrofe zou overkomen. Een catastrofe veroorzaakt door misbruik van moeder aarde door de mens. Het jaar 2012 is voorbij. Ik wil niet zeggen zonder slag of stoot maar waarschijnlijk wel zonder Armageddon. Tenminste ik heb het niet bewust mee gekregen. Wel dat er veel, echt veel natuurrampen gebeuren. Tsunami's en aardbevingen te over.

Zou het komen door de kristallen schedels en hun hoeders dat er geen Armageddon heeft plaats gevonden?

In dit boek worden we meegenomen naar het Engeland van de 16e eeuw en het Engeland van de 21ste eeuw. Stella en Kit, net gehuwd, ontdekken in de grootboeken van een Engelsman de laatste verblijfplaats van de blauwe kristallen schedel. Hij is verborgen in een grot. Zij is grot-specialist en neemt hem dus mee...... met een partner.
Ze vinden de schedel maar ze zijn niet alleen. Om hun achtervolger te ontlopen kiezen ze ervoor zich te scheiden.
Een ongelukkige val van Kit ontketend het verdere verhaal.

En vlot geschreven boek. Duidelijk in in welke tijd het speelt met duidelijke verwijzingen naar Nostradamus, kristallen schedels, Maya's, Nieuw Spanje ect. De jacht is geopend (eigenlijk is hij al eeuwen gaande). Lekker weglezende hoofdstukken en ik was niet in staat hem snel weg te leggen. Ik baalde eerlijk gezegd van als ik gestoord werd. Eigenlijk moet ik eens een bordje "Niet storen" invoeren denk ik.

Recencie eerder geplaatst op hebban.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's a sticker on my copy advertising the film whose blurb is...
"As the world faces a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions, cities collapse and continents crumble. 2012 brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors."

...& if that's what you want, forget this book! Okay, I haven't seen the film but that blurb bears no resemblance in any way shape or form to the book I read.

The book is set in 2007 & the 1550's, the latter being the far better part in my opinion. I knew from the first couple of chapters I wasn't going to be impressed. The finding of the skull by Kit & Stella seemed unbelievable to me. I know...I know...it's a fantasy tale but for me there has to be something that pulls me in & makes me "believe" at least whilst I'm reading & this just didn't do it. As the book progressed I just didn't care for these characters at all. The adventures of Cedric Owen & Fernandez de Aguilar back in the 1550's were at least more entertaining.

The skulls are supposed to stop Armageddon which is apparently due on 21st December 2012 (well we've safely passed that point lol) but the whole crystal skull scenario seems full of holes & loose ends. And as for the ending, well that seemed to me to completely contradict the skull legend....though it's possible in my disinterest I missed a crucial point!!

[Liubov · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that literally beg for a screen version..

[Danique van Dijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. It definitely creeped me out, and I'm sure it would've been even creepier if I'd read it before 2012, before the whole Maya thing was supposed to happen.

When Stella finds a mysterious crystal skull that her and her husband Kit had been searching for for a long time, they realize there's more to it than they first thought. The skull was so mysterious, and I loved that it was her face that was recognized in the skull. The mystery was definitely the best thing in the book, and I loved figuring out what happened by the back and forth from Stella's POV to Cedric's. Surprisingly, I enjoyed Cedric's POV even more, especially his friendship with Fernandez De Aguilar, that actually made me tear up at the end. We slowly learn more through his POV, and I liked to see it all come together. His chapters were a bit like a fever dream at times, especially on the island and with Najakmul, that was so vague??

I literally didn't trust anyone in Stella's POV, but I was sort of surprised by the end reveal. I don't think I suspected Gordon, he was barely featured? I was convinced of Tony honestly. The ending was a bit too vague for me as well. It made no sense how quickly De Aguilar was suddenly in love with this random Martha chick, and then the whole scene with Stella placing the stone - and then Cedric was there so she didn't have to die?? I still don't get it. How were the others, like Tony, in the cave as well? I thought they couldn't just enter?? I also didn't get the dragon and what happened after - did anything change? It was too vague for me honestly.

The pacing did feel off at times, I was left feeling a bit confused, while I didn't even skip anything. The mystery kept me enthralled, and I liked the originality. It was also quite funny because we already know the whole 2012 thing was BS, and that was laughable lol. I definitely don't believe in that sort of thing anyway, but I'm sure it would've made me doubt if I'd read it before the whole prediction thing. I enjoyed the fact that it was based on a few existing things, such as the two crystal skulls that were actually found.

So yeah, enjoyable! The ending did ruin a bit for me, the story is still quite unexplained and we're just supposed to accept that, which I hate. I appreciated the mystery and the back & forth between past and present, Fernande and Cedric definitely were the best thing in the story - I might've secretly been rooting for a gay romance ngl.

[Karen Wellsbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally I read 3-4 books on holiday, but on the last trip this was the only one, and I was totally hooked from the first chapter.
Scot writes woman that you want to know, you may not like them all the time, but you'd want to know them, Stella Cody was the most frustrating character. Brilliant, kind, funny, loving, selfish, single minded and unsympathetic. Human.
The book is a mix of thriller, historical and mythology centering around a series of Mayan skulls that have huge power. Stella is newly married, and her husband Kit is deeply involved in finding one of the skulls that belonged to a benefactor of his Cambridge college. Once all the skulls are brought together they will stop the end of the world.
Kit and Stella break a centuries old code that leads them to find the final, blue skull. In doing so Kit is injured, and Stella and the blue skull become linked. Told in parallel is the story of Cedric in the 16th century, who is the keeper of the blue skull and shares the same strong connection with it that Stella does.
I've been on a bit of a Manda Scott binge recently, and The Crystal Skull is much more blockbusterly than the other books I've read of hers, I found it very entertaining, but overall less satisfying than the others.
For the majority of the book this was a 4 star read,but for a long (ish) book the ending felt too rushed and compared to the rest if it, unsatisfying.

[Boris Yugi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knjiga kristalna lubanja. Uci da ono stoje opasno da ne treba trazii. U toj prici sam naucio da je najvaznije susati straije i ne se protiviti. Pouka knjige glasi da treba slusati upozorenje i ne biti brzopleti.

[Nina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Naslovnica me privukla, ali radnja razočarala ... Loše 😔

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf @53 procent. Het verhaal lijkt me wel interessant maar ik kom er niet doorheen.

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crystal Skull is, in many ways, the literary equivalent of candy floss – it’s nice once in a while, but you shouldn’t make a habit of it in case your teeth fall out. I bought this because the story line surrounds the theory that the ancient Mayans prophesied the end of the world on December 21st, 2012. This book came out a short while before that, presumably intending to ride the wave of publicity and public attention that the event would cause, and it certainly worked for me – I bought it, after all.

The crystal skulls from the title are ostensibly based on fact (I say that because it says that it’s based on fact on the rear cover but I haven’t done any research to check), with the theory being that five thousand years ago, the Mayans carved thirteen crystal skulls, which were sent to the four corners of the globe. Also presented as fact is that only by reuniting all thirteen crystal skulls can the world be saved from destruction on 21st December.

The plot follows Stella, and her lover, Kit, as they discover one of the skulls and begin a race against time to reunite them all and to save the world. As you can imagine, it’s a pageturner, and it’s easy to read and just as easy to forget about. It’s been a while since I read this book, and I can only remember isolated incidents – I certainly don’t remember either of the characters, which says something itself. But all of that said, it was still enjoyable enough, and it easily qualifies for a 7/10, which is my minimum rating for a professional quality book.

Interestingly enough, my copy of this book contains a sticker on the front which says “discover the legend of the crystal skull before you see the film”. I have no idea whether that film was ever made, but I’ve never heard of it – that said, I’d still check it out. In many ways, this book is like a Dan Brown novel, in that it’s basically designed to sell huge quantities and to be adapted into a major motion picture. I have no idea whether The Crystal Skull succeeded with that – I haven’t done the research.

So I guess it all boils down to the question of whether I’d recommend this or not. That’s a tough question – I think most people would enjoy it, but it’s the kind of book that seems impersonal. If it could appeal to anyone, then it’s not exactly a recommendation based on the type of book that people enjoy reading. It’s a good guess that the average person on the street would like it, and that people with an interest in conspiracy theories would be particularly well suited to it, but it’s simply not good enough for me to recommend it over anything else.

That said, a lot of work has clearly gone into it, and you can’t knock it for the quality – it just feels a little soul-less, and I like my books to be tormented. I probably wouldn’t bother reading anything else by the same author. What does that say?

[Erik Hay · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Stella Cody goes caving, she finds a blue crystal skull made to save the world. The previous skull keeper Cedric Owen died saving the stone, and now Stella has it and is already being hunted. she now must solve puzzles no one else has been able to solve, it's a dangerous job only Stella can complete. She will discover shocking secrets and meet many new friends on this exciting adventure, but what would happen if the stone were to fall in the wrong hands.
This book was okay. It was fun having lots of characters, each with descriptive features, and I also like how it went back in time so you knew the story of the previous keeper, Cedric Owens. Although, I thought it lacked adventure and it got sort of boring and even a little confusing at some parts, like in the scene where Cedric Owens is dreaming, or at least I think he's dreaming. Overall, I wouldn't continue the series or recommend this book.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the prediction by many cultures of a huge 'happening' in 2012, it is really 2 parallel stories of the guardians of the crystal skull. As the stories are mostly unrelated and 500 years apart it can be confusing jumping back and forward. Having said that both stories are quite exciting and well-told in their eras. However, I felt the modern tale was completed but was somehow left up in the air - I suppose because the book was written in 2007, 5 years before the big event! Even Manda Scott was not prepared to guess the details despite her usual worthy research.

[W. Tinkanesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manda Scott has a flowing style with a rhythm that captures my imagination and my attention. Her writing is poetic and detailed at the same time; each word bringing more understanding and more images. I enjoyed reading The Crystal Skull tremendously and I know that I will read more of Manda Scott's books. As a matter of fact, I am planning to read as many as possible this year. Manda Scott is a talented writer, who is not afraid of researching the backgrounds of her stories, and totally deserves her success and more.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved Manda Scott's Boudica quartet. So much so that just seeing her name on the cover caused me to buy this book. Inexplicably, I felt like I was reading a completely different author. I wasn't drawn into the story, I felt no connection with any of the characters. I did like one flamboyant character but not enough to make me love this book.
It would be more accurate to rate this a 2.5: better than OK, less than Good.
I actually feel bad writing this.

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I finished this book, ultimately I found it disappointing. Split between 2 time periods, the historical timeline was stronger than the contemporary timeline. I was unconvinced by the relationship between the contemporary protagonist and her new husband. Some good moments in the book, but the ending failed to deliver.

[Eden · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an audiobook for me and i really could not get into it like other audiobooks. I listen twice a week an hour each way to and from school and this book did not keep my attention very well. It was just too much about a love story and not as much about the search and the adventurers ahead.
Overall was not too trilled with this book

[Lata · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is just an addition to my 'Read' book statistics. Technically it is a DNF, I skimmed the pages and I don't think I read how it ended (not that I cared)

There is nothing to take away, no learning, no entertainment. I am done with these pseudo-adventure- scifi-historical fiction- treasure hunt novels. I should have been forewarned by the low average rating, but I missed it.

[Nathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

UNBELIEVABLE SHIT. Even for an airport book, this was the worst slippery tripe ever. It's "The Da Vinci Code" meets Nostradamus-crystal-shaman bullshit. Laughably bad on every page but not even worth it for comedy value. Avoid.

[Paulo Goulart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Talvez tenha sido excesso de expectativas, pela contracapa, ou talvez o estilo excessivamente descritivo, mas não gostei. Foi até um pouco martirizante chegar ao fim (ainda que este tenha sido relativamente aceitável)...

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Manda Scott. I found the Cedric Owen passages more interesting than the modern day and was a bit irritated by Kit's inconsistent head injury but overall her usual good, punchy novel. Written in the middle of the Boudica series, the same voice is audible in this novel.

[Cisz Geverink - Strasters · Rating 5 out of 5]

geniaal boek!!!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this one.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got through this book rather faster than is normal for me, and I with I could say that that's because it was so good that I couldn't put it down. Alas, the actual reason is because the plot is rather thin, so it felt necessary to read three to four times as many chapters in order to get even just a chapter's worth of information.

The story follows alternately Stella, a spelunker in 2007, and Cedric Owen, an astrologer/physician in the 1550s, as they both come into the possession of a mysterious blue crystal carved in the shape of a "man's unfleshed head". In that sense, it's kind of a hybrid between sci-fi thriller and historical adventure, which sounds great, but in the end left something to be desired.

The slow pacing is irritating, most especially when flashbacks appear in the middle of a scene. I didn't like these italicized flashbacks when actual, foreshadowing scenes would have worked better.

De Aguilar stood rigidly still, with his eyes white all round the rims. His sword dropped from his fingers, noisily.

The snake's venom stops a man's muscles from working--first his speech slurs and then he cannot eat. In time, he can neither walk nor stand and then his chest ceases to move and his heart stops. It is inexorable. The only way to stop it is to remove the limb. Few men live through that. Ah, thank you, Diego. If you care to clear the plates, we will take port outside in the cool of the evening...

Owen grabbed a blade and, this once, the voice of his fencing master did not sound in his head to tell him no. (p. 159)

They end up reading as cheap afterthoughts. Like, "Oh, by the way, they were warned about this particular venomous snake earlier, but I didn't see fit to mention that until just now when they have encountered a venomous snake."

Plot points like this could have been dealt with more elegantly than just last minute inserts.

The author bio states that Manda Scott is a veterinary surgeon, and in the book's Afterward, she speaks of finding 1550s surgical practices fascinating, and I did find her descriptions of injury and surgery to be very grounded and visceral, so that was definitely a strength.

As for characters, I was much more invested in the friendship between Owen and the Spanish swordsman/ship captain de Aguilar than I was in the romance between Stella and her husband Kit, which is unfortunate, seeing as the latter relationship is situated more to the forefront. Kit suffers from that Romance Man Syndrome in that he's handsome (so we're told) and strong (so we're told) and smart (so we're told), but he doesn't really do anything, and in fact his being injured or maimed or otherwise incapacitated is necessary for the furtherance of the heroine's plot. Where girlfriends in action plots are famously stuffed into refrigerators to further the male protagonist's arc, the Romance genre has a nasty habit of beaning the boyfriend in the head with a shovel and sidelining him in a coma, only for him to wake up after the heroine's quest is done, just in time to congratulate her for succeeding without his help. You know, like a Big Girl.

Kit's coma is brief, so much so that I don't consider mentioning it to be a spoiler, but he still feels like an accessory to Stella, not unlike a handbag.

De Aguilar, by contrast, has enough going on with him that if Owen were to leave his life, De Aguilar would still have plenty to do on his own.

A nitpick, though with the amount of research Scott apparently did on the ancient Maya, this seems like a silly error.

More normally, he said, "If you want some jargon to keep the bean counters happy, then you should know that your bauble is made of a single piece of blue quartz, better known as sapphire." (p. 135)

Sapphire is blue corundum (Mohs 9), not blue quartz (Mohs 7).

In all, not a bad book, but it felt sparse and strangely paced and none of the characters really leapt off the page for me.