The Spider Stone

Rogue Angel #3

by Alex Archer (pseudonym), Mel Odom

In the crumbling remains of a tunnel that was part of the Underground Railroad, a mysterious artifact reveals one of the darkest secrets of Africa's ancient past. Intrigued by the strange, encrypted stone, archaeologist Annja Creed opens a door to a world—and a legend—bound by a fierce and terrible force. She is not alone in her pursuit of the impossible.

A bloodthirsty African warlord, and an international corporate magnate exploiting a land, a culture and a people, are equally anxious to stake their claim on the relic's unknown power. Annja's odyssey deep into the primeval jungles of Senegal becomes a desperate race to stop those eager to unleash the virulence of the Spider God….

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Action, Ebooks

346 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 7, 2006

About the author

A house name for the Rogue Angel series, published by the Harlequin Publishing's Gold Eagle division.

The first eight novels were written by Victor Milan and Mel Odom. New writers joining the series starting with book nine include Jon Merz and Joseph Nassise.

Reviews

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4 ***

This was another fun one! I love the TV Adventure Show vibe and the fact that after you read the first book you can pretty much read the rest in whatever order you like or as standalones:) As long as you know the story of the Sword and the connection with Rue and Garin, you are good to go:) Once again, this is made for pure entertainment, but there are always stories of legends and myths which are real and they base the episodes on. I love those, and I love the constant change of scenery. You never get bored with one of Annja's stories.

I had read these about 10 years ago, and I had forgotten how much carnage always follows our girl and how well she deals with it. Let's not forget - she is the archaeological equivalent of Superwoman!!! But there are some moments of tenderness as well, and her yearning not to feel alone is also very pronounced... She is super but she is a regular woman too. This time her research gets her on the trail of a Spider Stone, a historical artifact from Sudan and Nigeria's Regions in Africa, which had made its way to Georgia through the slaves traded in the 18th century... The Stone is a connected to the faith of the village it came from, might be connected to a curse, and is rumored to lead to a treasure as well... What more can an adventurous archaeologist with little sense for self-preservation ask for???

I will use this moment to once again recommend this in Audio for all those who want something light and fun for the summer to enjoy!!!! You guys have to give it a chance!!!

Now I wish you all Happy Listening and much joy!!!

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are getting better and better. Or maybe I'm growing attached. It's known to affect the way I perceive a book :D

The thing I liked most about this instalment was the mythos around which the story is based. I'm unfamiliar with African mythology and this book got me curious so as soon as I log off I'll do some quick search to familiarize myself with at least the most popular legends of the area. At the same time The Spider Stone brought me much sadness because I was reminded of how horrible human beings have been to each other and the atrocities humanity has perpetuated in the name of profit. I wish I could say that we've improved as a species but mostly we've just gotten better at hiding the truly awful things we do. Because slavery still exists, it's just not as wide spread.

Annja keeps growing on me. The stories don't seem all that interconnected and apart from some development with Rue and Garin's relationships to Annja herself each book is a completely separate entity. The feeling of a TV show is still strong - like one of those shows you can tune in at a random episode and you would still be able to enjoy the heck out of it despite not knowing what precisely happened in the previous one. I suspect that as we go along this will change but since I plan on reading them in chronological order that's actually something I'm looking forward to.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much happened in this book that I will just have to break it down to my opinion-- Wow!!!
That about sums it up.
Can't wait to see what Wonder Woman/Annja Creed has going in the next book. Once again thank you to my friend, Choko for loaning this graphic audio to me! You rock!!😎

[Sassy Katt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually I like these books, but for the life of me I could not get into this one.

[Timothy Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Alex Archer Collective barrels forward with The Spider Stone, the third entry in the Rogue Angel series. In this episode Annja is called into the American South to investigate a mass murder at the beginning of the Civil War. Discovered during the excavation of a warehouse, they were all killed horribly when the building above them collapsed. One of the slaves was the guardian of the "Spider Stone", and ancient holy relic of the Hausa nation of Africa, given to them by the spider god Anansi. The stone also contained a map of lost treasure. Needless to say, a lot of bad people want to get the stone and the treasure.

I would've hoped by now the fact checkers at Gold Eagle would catch major errors in plot. For instance, it is revealed that the slaves were massacred in 1861 by a psychotic white southerner using dynamite. Gruesome indeed until one does a little fact checking and discovers dynamite wasn't invented until 1867. Oops. Couldn't they have had the decency to go back and correct the errors in date?

The rest of the story takes place in Africa. Annja has to contend with murderous warlords, treasonous oil barons and suspicious American agents. There's an elderly Hausa woman named Jaineba who provides some balance to the story, even if she suddenly knows a lot about genetically modified grain. Naturally she's against the oil barons who want to open up the interior for oil production.

The real scene-stealer is a African warlord named Tafari. This psychopath, who charges into battle with his face skull painted, is the major highlight of the book. As has been said, the best villains do not see them selves as evil. Tafari is a creature of his environment but a believable one. I fear he's too good an enemy to use for one tale.

There's not much character development in this episode with Annja. Which is a shame because she has the potential to be a prototype women warrior. Garin and Roux make appearances, but only the latter stays around very long. Still a welcome development in the series.

[Dianne Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love pulp-style adventure novels, with books in the Rogue Angel series holding a special place for me in particular. They are fast-paced, action-packed and have some rather interesting dialogue. The third book in the series is no exception, and Graphic Audio does another great full cast adaptation for the series.

GIST
When Annja Creed is asked to help with long-dead warriors found in a site about to be demolished, she is placed in the sights of a group of mercenaries charged with retrieving an African artefact for a diabolical warlord at all costs. The adventure will take her from a small town in Georgia to the wilds near Senegal.

THOUGHTS
For a fan of the series, the ghost writer does an excellent job of pacing, yet manages to keep the pressure on for the various characters in this novel. Annja has to deal with a bunch of unknowns, and often has to rely on luck for finding the clues. The author manages to integrate these clues without making them feel convenient, keeping the storyline moving along in a natural way.
The action sequences were well written, and I found myself being able to picture them as I listened to the audio. As for characterization, I felt more comfortable with Annja in this novel than I did in the second installment. She was quick on her feet and avoided the uncharacteristic doubt that we saw in the second book. You really can't afford hesitation when you are dealing with a bunch of people that want you dead.
We also saw the reappearance of Goran, her immortal mentor's former (and also immortal) apprentice. I really dig what I've seen of this guy through the three installments of the series I've read/listened to already. He is a bit of an enigma, but so is Rue for that matter. I also found myself considering possible motives for each character as well as the chance that they might be colluding to get Annja to achieve some mutual goals. I am not sure how much the future installments will tie in to the previous, but I have some theories... probably dancing demons...

CONCLUSION
The Spider Stone is an excellent example of why I love this series. Though I found it a lot more enjoyable than Soloman's Jar, I still have fond memories of that first book in the series. I am not discounting the possibility that this could be due to sentiment. What can be said is that it is a freaking enjoyable listen that I recommend for pulp adventure buffs.

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third installment in the Rogue Angel series finds Annja being asked to investigate a mass murder site that took place in the American South at the beginning of the Civil War. There appear to be ties to the Underground Railroad. One of the bodies at the site was a slave whom the archeologists on site deduce was a guardian of the "Spider Stone", which was a holy relic of the African nation of Hausa. To make matters even more intriguing, the stone relic’s mythology describes it as a gift from the spider god Anansi.

I’m really enjoying these books so far. They are sort of a combination of Indian Jones adventure and Tomb Raider action. The character of Annja Creed is fun to follow along with. Not only is she a smart and knowledgeable historian, she is also capable of much awesome badassery as well. Her good looks get her in some doors that might otherwise be closed to females, especially in some of the off-the-beaten path locations she visits, and yet she is humble, almost embarrassed by this. The fact that she can wield Joan of Arc’s sword, conjuring it up at will from the “otherwhere” is just the sort of pulpiness that makes these books fun reads.

Mel Odom is the author behind this third entry in the series. He wrote the first one as well as many of the first dozen or so and occasional later entries too. He’s a writer primarily known for his novels set in existing properties, everything from Forgotten Realms, to Buffy, to Mack Bolan, to NCIS, and even Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

Looking forward to more.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, Tombraider-type adventure series. Offers good escape reading and has intriguing history/geography info in each entry in the series.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of action with a kick-ass heroine! Annja Creed and artifacts = a great adventure story worth reading.

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I liked this one better than the previous one as the storyline is much simpler to understand. It's basically a treasure hunt with bad guys and lots of action. Annja is turning into quite a fighter. I still don't understand Garin though, but I find him an interesting character.

[Eugene · Rating 4 out of 5]

🍷
Fantasy novels don’t get much better than this; the series is a winner. I read several of these a decade ago or more, and have decided to read it all from the start. Thus far, I’m very satisfied. The series is grounded in the premise that after 500 years, archeologist Annja Creed becomes the possessor of all the pieces of the sword of Joan of Arc, broken and scattered when she was burned at the stake. Many pieces have been hunted and gathered by Garin Braden and the mysterious Roux, two soldiers of fortune who’d allied with Joan and have somehow lived and not aged since her sacrifice. But it comes to Annja to procure the missing pieces and when she does, the sword miraculously is reassembled, strangely invisible and unavailable to anyone except to Annja when she calls it forth. Annja realizes she’s been called to a mission, even if she isn’t sure what it is.
In this third adventure, a call from a fellow archeologist who has discovered skeletons of former slaves found in an abandoned foundry sub-basement in Atlanta, along with a mythical stone, thought to be that of Anansi, the Spider God. Events move apace and ere long we’re in Africa to trace the stone back to its beginnings. Action aplenty, the ever-alluring Annja Creed, and a terrific plot make this a superb fantasy read!

[Starfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third daft-but-fun, action-heavy instalment in the Rogue Angel set about Annja Creed - the archaeologist who'd be Lara Croft if it wasn't for that annoying issue of copyright.

In this one, she's tracking down the treasure from a Hausa (a West African culture) artifact known as the Spider Stone.

There's very little in the way of thought required to read this book, although it's possible to learn a little about the "culture of the novel" which changes in each instalment in the series. It's light, undemanding reading that's great when I'm 10 hours into a 24 hour plane trip and just don't want anything that'll require too much brainpower to digest. Think of it as Tomb Raider in book form, and you won't be far wrong

[Keziah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well book 3 managed to come back from the disjointedness of book 2 and felt a lot more flowing and enjoyable. Annja stopped taking intuitive leaps and rather followed a trail this time, although she was helped along by the mysterious spiritual woman of the Hausa tribe. I liked the investigation of the mythology and history of the Hausa people of Africa along with the very frank and brutal discussions around slavery and the slave trade that Annja has in this book both with the students at the dig site and with her colleague. Also points for bringing Garin back in however briefly!

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

To really experience this series at its best I highly recommend listening to the graphic audiobook. I couldn't stop listening and it was over before I realized it. Great action, good storyline and interesting characters. What more could you want.

[Richard Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun series, and it keeps getting better. My favorite title out of the first three.

Annja Creed, an archaeologist, becomes something of a hero in the first book when she acquires a mystic sword that materializes when she needs it with just a thought and meets two (possibly immortal) men who teach her a little about the magic still residing in the world. Here in the third novel, she's called in to a mass gravesite dating from pre-Civil War times and becomes involved in the search for an artifact and the treasure it points to on the African continent.

This is a pulp series, with much greater emphasis on action and mystery than character development, which makes it more like an episode in a long-running tv show than, say, a stand-alone movie. But that's cool; those are the expectations I have when I pick up the book, and this is no guilty pleasure. The author worked hard to make a book that's fun to read and succeeded.

Overall, the novel is an excellent mix of real-world danger, ancient mystery, dialogue, and action, and is recommended for readers of this type of series.

[Ruby Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what we read the Rogue Angel series for - entertainment, kinda like watching a terminator movie. Like movies we don't read fiction to be educated - we want to be entertained and this book does it. Ending was a bit sudden though!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this one less enjoyable than the others, but I cannot put my finger on why. (Maybe because I just kept thinking of Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys and American Gods and comparing them)

The production was excellent once again, and I will gladly listen to the next in the series.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! A little choppy near the end.

[Anne Bruno]

Pop

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good series of books.

[Paschalis]

elibrary

[Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm usually chagrin to recommend these book-mill books but, for one of said kind, the writing is actually pretty good.

[Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying the series. This one was a bit different, but we keep learning more and more about the main character, so I'll take it.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read this one because I got a 3-book bundle, but this series just gets worse and worse.

[Adrian Bloxham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ace thriller adventure yarn

[Sharon Raskay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book was good, but this book was better! I love the flashbacks!

[R. J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is rather like an action movie. It's interesting and entertaining but rather shallow. This book seems to have less of a mystical element than the first two.

[Éric Kasprak · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the first two books of the series The Spider Stone includes all the elements of a good Indiana Jones type adventure. This time the "relic of the day" is the spider stone, a relic that I knew nothing about but that I found to be quite interesting. The author of this third book offer less of a globe-trotting adventure, but more of an archeological mystery with "guerilla"style action courtesy of the African warlord villain. The series is an unabashed pulpy throwback and I like it.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Archaeologist, and host of Chasing History's Monsters, Annja Creed finds herself on a major dig that was once part of the Underground Railroad in downtown Kirktown, Georgia. Intent on finding out who the dead bodies are, instead she finds in the debris, the Spider Stone, a mythical rock that was taken from Africa and brought to America during the time that slavery was part of the southern cultural.

The back story on the stone was really interesting. I read these books because the authors actually use history as a back drop, and slavery was an awful part of our countries history as well as others.

Greedy African warlords want the stone badly, and send assassins after Annya in order to gain control of the stone. She is still learning how to handle being the new keeper of Joan of Arc's long lost sword.

She travels to Africa where she travels with Homeland Security investigators in order to get close to the warlord that is known as a terrorist. Of course, Garin and Roux make appearances and Garin manages once again to steal the artificat from Annya.

This story is why I like Annya Creed as a character. It's too bad that those who followed this story wouldn't stick to the script. The sword has fully become part and parcel of Annya's character.

[Casia Pickering · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Spider Stone is the third book in the Rogue Angel series. I actually liked this one better than the first two.

It's been a while since I started this series and I wasn't too sure if I should continue with it after the second book Solomon's Jar. But, I thought, why not? After all, I like series books and I needed something that wasn't a book for reviewing. So, I took it up.

I'm glad I did. The book consists of the typical badassery of Anja Creed, but has a history twist that I liked. It consisted of a dash of American Slavery history and one of the many cultures in Africa. It was something different, non European, and something I could get into.

There was a lot of action and the book was fast paced. Though there wasn't much time for pause after the action parts. No real character development for Anja, but I expected as much. This is more of a pulp fluff read.

All in all, it was decent. I even decided to continue the series every now and then.