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Jeremy Logan #3
The Third Gate
Under the direction of famed explorer Porter Stone, an archaeological team is secretly attempting to locate the tomb of an ancient pharaoh who was unlike any other in history. Stone believes he has found the burial chamber of King Narmer, the near mythical god- king who united upper and lower Egypt in 3200 B.C., and the archaeologist has reason to believe that the greatest prize of all—Narmer’s crown—might be buried with him. No crown of an Egyptian king has ever been discovered, and Narmer’s is the elusive “double” crown of the two Egypts, supposedly possessed of awesome powers.
The dig itself is located in one of the most forbidding places on earth—the Sudd, a nearly impassable swamp in northern Sudan. Amid the nightmarish, disorienting tangle of mud and dead vegetation, a series of harrowing and inexplicable occurrences are causing people on the expedition to fear a centuries- old curse. With a monumental discovery in reach, Professor Jeremy Logan is brought onto the project to investigate. What he finds will raise new questions . . . and alarm.
In the hands of master storyteller Lincoln Child, The Third Gate breaks new ground and introduces a fascinating new protagonist to the thriller world.
From the Hardcover edition.
The dig itself is located in one of the most forbidding places on earth—the Sudd, a nearly impassable swamp in northern Sudan. Amid the nightmarish, disorienting tangle of mud and dead vegetation, a series of harrowing and inexplicable occurrences are causing people on the expedition to fear a centuries- old curse. With a monumental discovery in reach, Professor Jeremy Logan is brought onto the project to investigate. What he finds will raise new questions . . . and alarm.
In the hands of master storyteller Lincoln Child, The Third Gate breaks new ground and introduces a fascinating new protagonist to the thriller world.
From the Hardcover edition.
403 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 12, 2012
1149 people are currently reading
5476 people want to read
About the author
Lincoln Child
179 books4,945 followersLincoln Child was born in Westport, Connecticut, which he still calls his hometown (despite the fact that he left the place before he reached his first birthday and now only goes back for weekends).
Lincoln seemed to have acquired an interest in writing as early as second grade, when he wrote a short story entitled Bumble the Elephant (now believed by scholars to be lost). Along with two dozen short stories composed during his youth, he wrote a science-fiction novel in tenth grade called Second Son of Daedalus and a shamelessly Tolkeinesque fantasy in twelfth grade titled The Darkness to the North (left unfinished at 400 manuscript pages). Both are exquisitely embarrassing to read today and are kept under lock and key by the author.
After a childhood that is of interest only to himself, Lincoln graduated from Carleton College (huh?) in Northfield, Minnesota, majoring in English. Discovering a fascination for words, and their habit of turning up in so many books, he made his way to New York in the summer of 1979, intent on finding a job in publishing. He was lucky enough to secure a position as editorial assistant at St. Martin's Press.
Over the next several years, he clawed his way up the editorial hierarchy, moving to assistant editor to associate editor before becoming a full editor in 1984. While at St. Martin's, he was associated with the work of many authors, including that of James Herriot and M. M. Kaye. He edited well over a hundred books--with titles as diverse as The Notation of Western Music and Hitler's Rocket Sites--but focused primarily on American and English popular fiction.
While at St. Martin's, Lincoln assembled several collections of ghost and horror stories, beginning with the hardcover collections Dark Company (1984) and Dark Banquet (1985). Later, when he founded the company's mass-market horror division, he edited three more collections of ghost stories, Tales of the Dark 1-3.
In 1987, Lincoln left trade publishing to work at MetLife. In a rather sudden transition, he went from editing manuscripts, speaking at sales conferences, and wining/dining agents to doing highly technical programming and systems analysis. Though the switch might seem bizarre, Lincoln was a propeller-head from a very early age, and his extensive programming experience dates back to high school, when he worked with DEC minis and the now-prehistoric IBM 1620, so antique it actually had an electric typewriter mounted into its front panel. Away from the world of publishing, Lincoln's own nascent interests in writing returned. While at MetLife, Relic was published, and within a few years Lincoln had left the company to write full time. He now lives in New Jersey (under protest--just kidding) with his wife and daughter.
A dilettante by natural inclination, Lincoln's interests include: pre-1950s literature and poetry; post-1950s popular fiction; playing the piano, various MIDI instruments, and the 5-string banjo; English and American history; motorcycles; architecture; classical music, early jazz, blues, and R&B; exotic parrots; esoteric programming languages; mountain hiking; bow ties; Italian suits; fedoras; archaeology; and multiplayer deathmatching.
Lincoln seemed to have acquired an interest in writing as early as second grade, when he wrote a short story entitled Bumble the Elephant (now believed by scholars to be lost). Along with two dozen short stories composed during his youth, he wrote a science-fiction novel in tenth grade called Second Son of Daedalus and a shamelessly Tolkeinesque fantasy in twelfth grade titled The Darkness to the North (left unfinished at 400 manuscript pages). Both are exquisitely embarrassing to read today and are kept under lock and key by the author.
After a childhood that is of interest only to himself, Lincoln graduated from Carleton College (huh?) in Northfield, Minnesota, majoring in English. Discovering a fascination for words, and their habit of turning up in so many books, he made his way to New York in the summer of 1979, intent on finding a job in publishing. He was lucky enough to secure a position as editorial assistant at St. Martin's Press.
Over the next several years, he clawed his way up the editorial hierarchy, moving to assistant editor to associate editor before becoming a full editor in 1984. While at St. Martin's, he was associated with the work of many authors, including that of James Herriot and M. M. Kaye. He edited well over a hundred books--with titles as diverse as The Notation of Western Music and Hitler's Rocket Sites--but focused primarily on American and English popular fiction.
While at St. Martin's, Lincoln assembled several collections of ghost and horror stories, beginning with the hardcover collections Dark Company (1984) and Dark Banquet (1985). Later, when he founded the company's mass-market horror division, he edited three more collections of ghost stories, Tales of the Dark 1-3.
In 1987, Lincoln left trade publishing to work at MetLife. In a rather sudden transition, he went from editing manuscripts, speaking at sales conferences, and wining/dining agents to doing highly technical programming and systems analysis. Though the switch might seem bizarre, Lincoln was a propeller-head from a very early age, and his extensive programming experience dates back to high school, when he worked with DEC minis and the now-prehistoric IBM 1620, so antique it actually had an electric typewriter mounted into its front panel. Away from the world of publishing, Lincoln's own nascent interests in writing returned. While at MetLife, Relic was published, and within a few years Lincoln had left the company to write full time. He now lives in New Jersey (under protest--just kidding) with his wife and daughter.
A dilettante by natural inclination, Lincoln's interests include: pre-1950s literature and poetry; post-1950s popular fiction; playing the piano, various MIDI instruments, and the 5-string banjo; English and American history; motorcycles; architecture; classical music, early jazz, blues, and R&B; exotic parrots; esoteric programming languages; mountain hiking; bow ties; Italian suits; fedoras; archaeology; and multiplayer deathmatching.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,534 reviews
June 13, 2018
The Third Gate is a cross between a Dan Brown novel and Raiders of the Lost Ark. A brilliant archaeologist is hot on the trail of the burial site of the first ruler of unified Egypt. The anticipated riches include the first crown of the Egyptian pharaohs, which would cement the archaeologist in the annals of archaeology. The problem is that the tomb is submerged in 50 feet of impenetrable water, muck and mire. The other problem is that the tomb is safeguarded by a curse. Hence, the archaeologist calls in a Yale professor known for his paranormal research. He is the protagonist.
From the beginning, you feel from the writing that you're in sure hands. It's mature and colorful, much like Dan Brown's. The story begins with hiring the protagonist who is widely regarded no better than a witch doctor at the dig, or dive, in this case. Half of the novel is spent finding the tomb. The next portion about what is found and deciphering the mystery of the runes. The final portion is about the curse, which says that if anyone broaches the third gate, all hell will be let loose on the defilers.
While the ride is not as wild and spectacular as Dan Brown's or Raider's, you do want to turn the pages to find out what's next. I have some other quibbles with the author's choices but I can't go into them here without signaling the ending. So, good read. Worth the time spent. Enjoy.
From the beginning, you feel from the writing that you're in sure hands. It's mature and colorful, much like Dan Brown's. The story begins with hiring the protagonist who is widely regarded no better than a witch doctor at the dig, or dive, in this case. Half of the novel is spent finding the tomb. The next portion about what is found and deciphering the mystery of the runes. The final portion is about the curse, which says that if anyone broaches the third gate, all hell will be let loose on the defilers.
While the ride is not as wild and spectacular as Dan Brown's or Raider's, you do want to turn the pages to find out what's next. I have some other quibbles with the author's choices but I can't go into them here without signaling the ending. So, good read. Worth the time spent. Enjoy.
May 9, 2023
The Third Gate has an interesting premise, but is ultimately disappointing. I never really bought into the supernatural premise, though it was integral to the story being told. Still, it became more absurd as the book went on. The book wasn't terrible, but it could have been much better.
January 30, 2016
3.5 stars
This is not one of those adventures that plops you into a conspiracy or conundrum on the very first page, takes off at warp speed, and doesn't give you a moment's rest until the very last page. This is what is known as a 'slow-burner'. The plot gradually builds up, clues and hints are dropped at random points, and the picture develops chapter by chapter until we reach the final thrilling conclusion.
I've read a few of the Pendergast novels Lincoln Child has written with Douglas Preston and enjoyed them; however, this is the first of Child's solo novels I've read. As anyone who knows even the slightest bit about me could've guessed, the Egyptian setting of this novel was right up my alley due to the fact that I'm mad about Egypt and especially ancient Egypt. Not only do I love reading books set in ancient Egypt, I love reading about modern or near-modern individuals discovering that ancient country's hidden treasures, buried by time, sand, and memory. The Third Gate introduced me to a new aspect of that area's geography, being set in the Sudd, a vast swamp formed by the White Nile in southern Sudan and one of the largest wetlands in the world. Although the Sudd is quite treacherous, choked as it is with grasses, reeds, papyrus, water hyacinth, and other aquatic plants, forming mats of vegetation which can shift position and block waterways and are in various stages of decomposition, not to mention the ever-changing water levels as well as the dangerous animals, mosquitoes, and parasites, it's an important resource to the rural populations for whom it provides valuable grazing land for their livestock. However, the Sudd as pasture isn't what's presented in The Third Gate. The novel's Sudd is an almost living thing, dark, ominous, fetid, choked with a foul miasma which is nearly solid in its potency and pervasiveness. Add in the discovery of the tomb of Narmer, the first king to have unified Upper and Lower Egypt, a string of inexplicable accidents which some believe to be powered by the powerful curse attached to Narmer's tomb, and the enigmatic leader of the entire expedition, Porter Stone, and you've got a situation ripe for danger, discovery, and death.
Yet, despite all these intriguing ingredients, as a whole the book felt slightly lacking. As I said in the first paragraph, this is a slow-burner of a novel, which is fine; I like stories which build to a climax. Yet this was almost too much of a slow-burner. Though the expedition suffers from traumatic and horrific accidents through the first half of the book, to make the tension build and to lead to the biggest event which makes up the climax of the novel, the persons involved are minor characters, so we're not really invested in either the person or the horrible event happening to them. It's only toward the end that things ramp up and the characters around whom the story is revolving get mixed up in the disasters. There just don't seem to be enough thrills or action. I think part of that comes from the narrator, one Jeremy Logan, a professor of medieval history and a self-proclaimed “enigmalogist” (an expert in deciphering enigmas). (Well, he's not really the narrator as the novel is told through the 3rd person P.O.V., but his eyes are the ones through which the reader views the action.) Because he's hired as an observer to Stone's expedition and thus witnesses all these events as an observer, it creates a distance which sets the reader apart and diminishes the drama. However, what really torqued me off about this novel is what always sets me off when authors reference ancient Egypt: the use of Greco-Egyptian terms rather than the true Egyptian words. ***Slight spoiler alert*** One of the characters is supposedly channeling an ancient Egyptian. Yet, when that Egyptian speaks, does s/he speak of being “The Mouthpiece of Heru”? No, s/he says they're “The Mouthpiece of Horus,” Horus being the Greek interpretation of the Egyptian divinity. Argghh! That sort of thing annoys me to no end; it's not only one of my pet peeves, it's my main pet peeve, the one I dress up in little sweaters, take out for walkies, and feed only the best organic pet peeve food.
For all that, though, the history, the supernatural aspects, the Egyptological discoveries (even if they are fake) are quite entertaining; in fact, they're the strengths of the novel and are what make it work when other aspects fail. Not to mention the writing itself, the technical makeup of it, is strong: vivid descriptions, realistic dialogue, well-paced scenes. What does that add up to? A book that, though slowly-paced, compelled me to keep reading to discover how it all turned out.
See more of my reviews at: http://lollyslibrary.blogspot.com/
This is not one of those adventures that plops you into a conspiracy or conundrum on the very first page, takes off at warp speed, and doesn't give you a moment's rest until the very last page. This is what is known as a 'slow-burner'. The plot gradually builds up, clues and hints are dropped at random points, and the picture develops chapter by chapter until we reach the final thrilling conclusion.
I've read a few of the Pendergast novels Lincoln Child has written with Douglas Preston and enjoyed them; however, this is the first of Child's solo novels I've read. As anyone who knows even the slightest bit about me could've guessed, the Egyptian setting of this novel was right up my alley due to the fact that I'm mad about Egypt and especially ancient Egypt. Not only do I love reading books set in ancient Egypt, I love reading about modern or near-modern individuals discovering that ancient country's hidden treasures, buried by time, sand, and memory. The Third Gate introduced me to a new aspect of that area's geography, being set in the Sudd, a vast swamp formed by the White Nile in southern Sudan and one of the largest wetlands in the world. Although the Sudd is quite treacherous, choked as it is with grasses, reeds, papyrus, water hyacinth, and other aquatic plants, forming mats of vegetation which can shift position and block waterways and are in various stages of decomposition, not to mention the ever-changing water levels as well as the dangerous animals, mosquitoes, and parasites, it's an important resource to the rural populations for whom it provides valuable grazing land for their livestock. However, the Sudd as pasture isn't what's presented in The Third Gate. The novel's Sudd is an almost living thing, dark, ominous, fetid, choked with a foul miasma which is nearly solid in its potency and pervasiveness. Add in the discovery of the tomb of Narmer, the first king to have unified Upper and Lower Egypt, a string of inexplicable accidents which some believe to be powered by the powerful curse attached to Narmer's tomb, and the enigmatic leader of the entire expedition, Porter Stone, and you've got a situation ripe for danger, discovery, and death.
Yet, despite all these intriguing ingredients, as a whole the book felt slightly lacking. As I said in the first paragraph, this is a slow-burner of a novel, which is fine; I like stories which build to a climax. Yet this was almost too much of a slow-burner. Though the expedition suffers from traumatic and horrific accidents through the first half of the book, to make the tension build and to lead to the biggest event which makes up the climax of the novel, the persons involved are minor characters, so we're not really invested in either the person or the horrible event happening to them. It's only toward the end that things ramp up and the characters around whom the story is revolving get mixed up in the disasters. There just don't seem to be enough thrills or action. I think part of that comes from the narrator, one Jeremy Logan, a professor of medieval history and a self-proclaimed “enigmalogist” (an expert in deciphering enigmas). (Well, he's not really the narrator as the novel is told through the 3rd person P.O.V., but his eyes are the ones through which the reader views the action.) Because he's hired as an observer to Stone's expedition and thus witnesses all these events as an observer, it creates a distance which sets the reader apart and diminishes the drama. However, what really torqued me off about this novel is what always sets me off when authors reference ancient Egypt: the use of Greco-Egyptian terms rather than the true Egyptian words. ***Slight spoiler alert*** One of the characters is supposedly channeling an ancient Egyptian. Yet, when that Egyptian speaks, does s/he speak of being “The Mouthpiece of Heru”? No, s/he says they're “The Mouthpiece of Horus,” Horus being the Greek interpretation of the Egyptian divinity. Argghh! That sort of thing annoys me to no end; it's not only one of my pet peeves, it's my main pet peeve, the one I dress up in little sweaters, take out for walkies, and feed only the best organic pet peeve food.
For all that, though, the history, the supernatural aspects, the Egyptological discoveries (even if they are fake) are quite entertaining; in fact, they're the strengths of the novel and are what make it work when other aspects fail. Not to mention the writing itself, the technical makeup of it, is strong: vivid descriptions, realistic dialogue, well-paced scenes. What does that add up to? A book that, though slowly-paced, compelled me to keep reading to discover how it all turned out.
See more of my reviews at: http://lollyslibrary.blogspot.com/
July 2, 2012
It's not a good sign when you can't recall the protagonist's name from a book you finished two days ago but this is, unhappily, one of those books. It's all about the supposed science-- the Egyptian tomb to end all tombs is found beneath the fetid waters of a ginormous hellishly hot swamp and a group of scientist in the pay of Sir Kenneth--oops, wrong billionaire-- some billionaire dilettante go to find the secret of...well, I'm just not sure. Except that it's protected by a curse and people die and no one seems to care overly much. There is virtually no character development. No one grows, no one emerges as a different person as a result of their ordeal. The one interesting character never gets a POV so we never "know" her and then she dies, too. There is simply nothing of value at stake for either the characters or the reader.
let me say on the plus side it reads fast.
I love the Penderpast series Mr Child co-authors with Mr. Preston and this will in no way deter me from buying the next in that series.
let me say on the plus side it reads fast.
I love the Penderpast series Mr Child co-authors with Mr. Preston and this will in no way deter me from buying the next in that series.
July 1, 2012
Quick, fun, brainless read, but I wish Child had adapted his story to the facts, rather than changing the facts to suit his story. Egyptology is fascinating on its own; he doesn't need to have changed the historical rituals, dates, facts, and beliefs of ancient Egypt so *very* much (as he admits he did in the afterword.) Don't read this expecting to actually learn anything true about Egypt or archeological digs.
Also the Sudd? In real life it's not a hell on earth. It's a very important, very wonderful piece of wetlands - it was actually designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2006. Far from being a place no one could conceive a use for, and which no scientist would want to study, it's a place that is wildly alive with migrating birds and flora and fauna of all varieties. It's also a critical grazing ground for the livestock of those who live there. Too bad Child couldn't have worked a few facts into his story! Google it - it's actually a strikingly gorgeous piece of land, not at all what you're picturing after reading this book.
Also the Sudd? In real life it's not a hell on earth. It's a very important, very wonderful piece of wetlands - it was actually designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2006. Far from being a place no one could conceive a use for, and which no scientist would want to study, it's a place that is wildly alive with migrating birds and flora and fauna of all varieties. It's also a critical grazing ground for the livestock of those who live there. Too bad Child couldn't have worked a few facts into his story! Google it - it's actually a strikingly gorgeous piece of land, not at all what you're picturing after reading this book.
February 20, 2022
Lincoln Child delivers a unique take on the cursed Egyptian tomb story. Searching for the fabled burial place of Egypt’s first pharaoh an archeological team begins to be plagued by strange occurrences. Simple, unfortunate incidents or an alarming ancient curse? Jeremy Logan, an investigator of enigmas, the strange and bizarre, is hired to investigate the cause and assist with the discovery of the pharaoh’s final resting place and the secrets buried within.
October 29, 2012
I checked this book out from the library's audiobook collection for one purpose: to keep me awake during some late night driving. It succeeded. Thank you for keeping me alive, Mr. Child.
Not a dull book, to be sure, but not a terribly interesting one. The plot is predictable, the pseudoscience is laughable, and the drama is overdone. The main premise surrounding the archaeological discovery is creative, but hastily detailed and poorly explained.
I leave you with two particularly awful quotes that lodged themselves in my mind:
"He will come for thou, the defilers" . It was kind of to speak in English, though it seems modern English was a bit of a challenge. Actually, Elizabethan English was a challenge too, because "thou" is nominative singular. Referring to "the defilers" with a second person pronoun would be "you," even in archaic English.
"... every atom in his body was now screaming out for oxygen." This is dumb on so many levels. Child is reaching for hyperbole on the order of playground banter: "I could beat you infinity plus one!" I can pass over with a groan the idea that atoms were screaming for something, but I cannot ignore the notion that atoms could be in need of oxygen -- a molecule! Trying to imagine how this possibly made sense to the author makes my brain sore.
Not a dull book, to be sure, but not a terribly interesting one. The plot is predictable, the pseudoscience is laughable, and the drama is overdone. The main premise surrounding the archaeological discovery is creative, but hastily detailed and poorly explained.
I leave you with two particularly awful quotes that lodged themselves in my mind:
"He will come for thou, the defilers" . It was kind of to speak in English, though it seems modern English was a bit of a challenge. Actually, Elizabethan English was a challenge too, because "thou" is nominative singular. Referring to "the defilers" with a second person pronoun would be "you," even in archaic English.
"... every atom in his body was now screaming out for oxygen." This is dumb on so many levels. Child is reaching for hyperbole on the order of playground banter: "I could beat you infinity plus one!" I can pass over with a groan the idea that atoms were screaming for something, but I cannot ignore the notion that atoms could be in need of oxygen -- a molecule! Trying to imagine how this possibly made sense to the author makes my brain sore.
June 13, 2012
The Third Gate introduces Professor Jeremy Logan, an empathic medieval history professor who moonlights as a supernatural investigator (where does he find the time.)
He is invited by Ethan Rush, a brilliant doctor a self-confessed expert in near-death experiences to look into an ancient tomb disovered in 'The Sudd' a horrible uninhabited swamp that forms part of The Nile that hides a deadly secret.
Not too surprisingly the tomb is cursed, and its a particularly nasty scary curse.
Child combines elements of paranormal investigation with classic 'curse of the mummy' story elements, and for the most part does quite well. Especially the unusual relationship between Ethan and his wife.
SORT OF SPOILERS AHEAD...
I do have two problems however, while the idea of combining paranormal investigation with cursed Pharaoh terms is somewhat original, it is a little hard to swallow at times. Especially the idea that a group who believes in the paranormal and also know of a curse would go traipsing straight into said curse. The typical cursed mummy things tends to rely on sceptical archaeologists only discovering too late that the curse is true.
The second problem is the stakes of this story are just too low. The climactic ending was entertaining, however up into the last few pages, the only people in dire trouble were no-name extras who got picked off while the main characters enjoyed pottering around discussing their concerns in the meantime.
In the end, Third Gate is quite enjoyable as long as you don't take it too seriously. Certainly Child has not changed my book reading world with Third Gate, but I also don't regret the time spend reading it either. Apparently Prof Jeremy Logan is planned for sequels, he's probably going to need better luck with the ladies to keep our interest!
He is invited by Ethan Rush, a brilliant doctor a self-confessed expert in near-death experiences to look into an ancient tomb disovered in 'The Sudd' a horrible uninhabited swamp that forms part of The Nile that hides a deadly secret.
Not too surprisingly the tomb is cursed, and its a particularly nasty scary curse.
Child combines elements of paranormal investigation with classic 'curse of the mummy' story elements, and for the most part does quite well. Especially the unusual relationship between Ethan and his wife.
SORT OF SPOILERS AHEAD...
I do have two problems however, while the idea of combining paranormal investigation with cursed Pharaoh terms is somewhat original, it is a little hard to swallow at times. Especially the idea that a group who believes in the paranormal and also know of a curse would go traipsing straight into said curse. The typical cursed mummy things tends to rely on sceptical archaeologists only discovering too late that the curse is true.
The second problem is the stakes of this story are just too low. The climactic ending was entertaining, however up into the last few pages, the only people in dire trouble were no-name extras who got picked off while the main characters enjoyed pottering around discussing their concerns in the meantime.
In the end, Third Gate is quite enjoyable as long as you don't take it too seriously. Certainly Child has not changed my book reading world with Third Gate, but I also don't regret the time spend reading it either. Apparently Prof Jeremy Logan is planned for sequels, he's probably going to need better luck with the ladies to keep our interest!
September 12, 2020
Interesting but failed to surprise
My first book by this author, it engaded my interest quickly. Paced well, it's characters were fascinating as was the premise. Momentum builds as the team makes their way through the three chambers of the tomb. And with each, fascinating discovery is made. The subplot is a bit contrived however and as it's theme is revealed, the ending becomes predictable which in my opinion, ruins the momentum. Regardless, it's well written and engaging.
My first book by this author, it engaded my interest quickly. Paced well, it's characters were fascinating as was the premise. Momentum builds as the team makes their way through the three chambers of the tomb. And with each, fascinating discovery is made. The subplot is a bit contrived however and as it's theme is revealed, the ending becomes predictable which in my opinion, ruins the momentum. Regardless, it's well written and engaging.
May 14, 2015
This the unlikely tale of a high-tech yet strangely half-assed archeological expedition into the infernal Egyptian swamp called the Sudd to uncover the lost tomb of the great pharaoh Narfer, uniter of Upper and Lower Egypt. I liked to read his name as "Marklar" because I am a fan of "South Park" and also because this book made about as much sense as the Marklar from the Marklar when they Marklar. Inexplicably, an empathic enigmalogist (you've never heard of that because Lincoln Child made it up) is invited along, as is the possibly insane wife of the expedtion's doctor--she is included because a near-death experience has rendered her "retro-psychic" and she is able to channel the spirits of the dead, though in this scenario they tell her absolutely nothing of value or interest except to reiterate the dreaded Mummy's Curse which everyone knew about anyway. The expedition leader is the uber-archeologist H. Porter Stone, who is in such a lather that he ignores the Mummy's Curse even though he included a couple of quasi-spiritualists on his team to presumably do...something about it, breaks every known rule of archeology (as imagined by moi), can't be bothered to read any of the multiple papyri laying around in the tomb before he jumps to conclusions, and essentially throws a hissy fit when things don't turn out as he expected, which he would have been prepared for if he had used some of the long stretches of down time peppering the novel, during which several auxiliary characters are killed or maimed, like anyone cares, to do some studying of said papyri. All kinds of nonsensical mayhem occurs, culminating in a big explosion! (That's not a spoiler, you can see everything coming a mile away.) I enjoyed lounging on the sofa with my amusing cats and wasting my day off reading this fluffy adventure story, because I am familiar with Child's work, and was expecting Mild Entertainment, not Great Literature. Kind of wish I weren't so addicted to the immediate gratification aspect of my Kindle and had waited til the price came down but oh, well.
June 23, 2012
I've enjoyed other books by Lincoln Childs and was intrigued when I read the teaser on this one! A mummy's curse, talk about dying and coming back, intrigue - yeah baby! Sadly, it was blah. Total milk toast, no one was more than 2 dimensional, the swamp got more in-depth descriptions than any of the characters. It felt like the author had to crank out a book to pay the bills or meet a quota. :-(
July 3, 2022
Who knew a story set in a swamp could be so dry?
February 17, 2013
I cannot decide. I think I would rather rate this 2.5 stars. I am so disappointed by that ending I really don't know what to think of the entire novel.
I, like many, am a Pendergast fan. That means I am a fan of the Lincoln Child AND Douglas Preston novels. I have enjoyed their individual works just fine (really liked The Codex but I may be alone there) although they're collaborative efforts and truly something else.
The Third Gate felt like a Preston-Child novel at first. A misleading tone.
Fans are familiar with the formula. usually it contains: an unseemly expedition chartered by an insane-by-greed but rich leader, lots of factual history, a team of specialists, warnings from the locals to stay away and eventually chaos, violent death, and chase through a labryinth in darkness. It's a formula often repeated but works just fine.
The Third Gate was on board with this formula all the way up to the conclusion.
I will not give away any details but will say that it felt as if Child were up against a deadline and rushed through the sequence of events.
Maybe it's me because I'm just not that smart. I could not get a picture in my head of the settings. Generally the settings are briefly described to set the tone but I just felt this courtesy to the reader was missed yet we were supposed to follow this throughout the brief but inevitable concluding chaotic chase. And who were some of these people that fell victim to the curse? The characters were in and out, you didn't know who to or not trust or commit to memory.
I am such a slow reader. I'm starting to believe narcolepsy is at play here. I feel a reader, a faithful reader at that, should be rewarded at the conclusion of a novel that takes a month to complete...it just wasn't here unfortunately.
I, like many, am a Pendergast fan. That means I am a fan of the Lincoln Child AND Douglas Preston novels. I have enjoyed their individual works just fine (really liked The Codex but I may be alone there) although they're collaborative efforts and truly something else.
The Third Gate felt like a Preston-Child novel at first. A misleading tone.
Fans are familiar with the formula. usually it contains: an unseemly expedition chartered by an insane-by-greed but rich leader, lots of factual history, a team of specialists, warnings from the locals to stay away and eventually chaos, violent death, and chase through a labryinth in darkness. It's a formula often repeated but works just fine.
The Third Gate was on board with this formula all the way up to the conclusion.
I will not give away any details but will say that it felt as if Child were up against a deadline and rushed through the sequence of events.
Maybe it's me because I'm just not that smart. I could not get a picture in my head of the settings. Generally the settings are briefly described to set the tone but I just felt this courtesy to the reader was missed yet we were supposed to follow this throughout the brief but inevitable concluding chaotic chase. And who were some of these people that fell victim to the curse? The characters were in and out, you didn't know who to or not trust or commit to memory.
I am such a slow reader. I'm starting to believe narcolepsy is at play here. I feel a reader, a faithful reader at that, should be rewarded at the conclusion of a novel that takes a month to complete...it just wasn't here unfortunately.
June 29, 2013
Trapped in Salt Lake City Airport this spring break on what turned out to be a 12 hour delay for my trip, I desperately scanned the limited offerings on the shelf and settled on this. Enigmalogist! Egypt! Treasure! Evil ghosts! Life after death! Preposterous, but vivid and engaging read.
Best money I ever spent in an airport.
Best money I ever spent in an airport.
June 18, 2012
I'm disappointed because The Third Gate ended up being a very different book than the one I was expecting, based on the summary. I expected to be reading about an archeological team plagued by curses after opening a pharaoh's tomb, and instead what I got was an archeological team being plagued by curses while searching for a pharaoh's tomb. At first blush, it's not a big difference, but when the tomb is opened after the halfway point instead of during the first couple of chapters as I expected, the curse becomes more about equipment failures and unexplained sightings of ghostly ladies and weird stuff about near death experiences, instead of swarms of scorpions or booby traps or other cool stuff.
So yeah, I was really disappointed by the lackluster start. The first six chapters just felt like a complete waste of time, setting up a backstory that could've easily been fit in later. And the near death experience angle, while important to the climax and ending, just really felt like a weird inclusion for most of the book. At first, I was really wondering what the hell CTS had to do with the story at all. The book really didn't get interesting until Jeremy Logan gets to the Sudd, the massive swamp that's the supposed location of the tomb, and didn't get really good until the team finally enters the tomb. But by then, more than half the book's gone by, and there really wasn't enough time or pages to pile on the action and then wrap up the plot in a satisfying way like I expected.
I have to say though, Child really did his research. I was completely engrossed by his descriptions of the tomb, of the grave goods, of the mummy even, that was what I was expecting out of this book. His choice of the Sudd as the backdrop to the story's a creative masterstroke, really added an interesting flavor to an atypical mummy's curse book, but at the same time it makes no sense whatsoever. Child's meticulous and detailed in explaining a lot of other things, the construction of the tomb, the science behind the excavation, and I just couldn't believe he leaves out any sort of explanation for how Narmer manages to build his tomb in the Sudd, in South Sudan, hundreds of miles from Egypt, and that detail just nagged at me through the entire book.
And then, just like that, it was all over. I mean, the whole thing reminded of an action/adventure movie where you could see the end coming far before getting there, and I just wanted a bit more action before everything goes down, and that just never happens. And the ending ended up being really opened ended; the entire curse thing turned out really mediocre and unsatisfying, meh.
So yeah, I was really disappointed by the lackluster start. The first six chapters just felt like a complete waste of time, setting up a backstory that could've easily been fit in later. And the near death experience angle, while important to the climax and ending, just really felt like a weird inclusion for most of the book. At first, I was really wondering what the hell CTS had to do with the story at all. The book really didn't get interesting until Jeremy Logan gets to the Sudd, the massive swamp that's the supposed location of the tomb, and didn't get really good until the team finally enters the tomb. But by then, more than half the book's gone by, and there really wasn't enough time or pages to pile on the action and then wrap up the plot in a satisfying way like I expected.
I have to say though, Child really did his research. I was completely engrossed by his descriptions of the tomb, of the grave goods, of the mummy even, that was what I was expecting out of this book. His choice of the Sudd as the backdrop to the story's a creative masterstroke, really added an interesting flavor to an atypical mummy's curse book, but at the same time it makes no sense whatsoever. Child's meticulous and detailed in explaining a lot of other things, the construction of the tomb, the science behind the excavation, and I just couldn't believe he leaves out any sort of explanation for how Narmer manages to build his tomb in the Sudd, in South Sudan, hundreds of miles from Egypt, and that detail just nagged at me through the entire book.
And then, just like that, it was all over. I mean, the whole thing reminded of an action/adventure movie where you could see the end coming far before getting there, and I just wanted a bit more action before everything goes down, and that just never happens. And the ending ended up being really opened ended; the entire curse thing turned out really mediocre and unsatisfying, meh.
July 28, 2012
Bad writing. Bad/boring plot. Characters that struggle to be even two dimensional. Surprise ending that wasn't. Basically nothing more than derivative crap. Could perhaps be considered a good summer read if you...no. There's no situation where this could be considered a "good" read.
July 29, 2012
While I wanted to love this book despite some negative reviews, I do now understand the negativity. Actually, it started out well with fascinating subject matter, such as Egyptology, archeology, and NDEs (Near Death Experiences) with the development of the different professional characters involved in each category. It was fast, easy reading, but I found that as the suspense was supposed to be building, I was losing interest because of my growing skepticism of even a remotely possible outcome. It started reading like someone making up a story as he went.
I will give Lincoln Child credit for the book being based on pure fiction, not fact, and a lot of imagination; however, I had difficulty picturing in my mind the physical descriptions of the complex housing the characters involved in the exploration of the tomb of King Narmer of ancient Egypt and his artifacts. Also the complicated structure called the Maw, rigged for entrance into the tomb, which delved somehow under the thickness of rotted vegetation and mud of the Sudd river was impossible for me to visualize. That may be my own shortcoming.
The story had great potential but was lacking the creativity to pull it all together. It was a disappointment for me. By the time I reached the last chapters of the book, I didn't care how it ended.
I will give Lincoln Child credit for the book being based on pure fiction, not fact, and a lot of imagination; however, I had difficulty picturing in my mind the physical descriptions of the complex housing the characters involved in the exploration of the tomb of King Narmer of ancient Egypt and his artifacts. Also the complicated structure called the Maw, rigged for entrance into the tomb, which delved somehow under the thickness of rotted vegetation and mud of the Sudd river was impossible for me to visualize. That may be my own shortcoming.
The story had great potential but was lacking the creativity to pull it all together. It was a disappointment for me. By the time I reached the last chapters of the book, I didn't care how it ended.
September 2, 2019
A Lincoln Child book fills the hollow left by the X-Files - this book about Egyptian curses, NDAs and a remote scientific expedition in a deadly swamp is just what I needed 👌
May 8, 2018
To be honest, I have to read a bunch of books that take place all over the world, which really isn’t my think...or so I thought. I think if I take my time and pick the right books I won’t be as bored as I think I would be. This book really caught me by surprise. It was a mix of a new kind of Indiana Jones in the character of Porter Stone and his band of other archaeologists. They are looking for the tomb of King Narmer who was a mythical person known who joined Upper and Lower Egypt thousands and years before. Stone could be kind of a jerk but so can Jack Reacher, another favorite character of mine. This is the first book by this author and the series is the Jeremy Logan series, yet Logan barely makes it in the book. This book was ok. I would recommend this to people who like action and adventure mixes with the mythical. Solid 3 stars.
October 1, 2018
I’m not sure about this one. It had really great elements. I’m not sure they came together as nicely to make this as interesting. At least Logan was more apart of this story.
Logan really contradicted himself a lot in this one. Fighting for his right to be there for the opening of the first gate, but he wasn’t there for the opening of other two after all the justifications he made.
Rush’s wife begged for his help, yet he really didn’t make a huge effort to do so.
A nurse leaving a patient alone to get her hair done? That was the weakest thing I’ve ever heard. She would be caught and fired???? It was a bad plot device to have Rush’s wife alone.
Narrator was okay.
Logan really contradicted himself a lot in this one. Fighting for his right to be there for the opening of the first gate, but he wasn’t there for the opening of other two after all the justifications he made.
Rush’s wife begged for his help, yet he really didn’t make a huge effort to do so.
A nurse leaving a patient alone to get her hair done? That was the weakest thing I’ve ever heard. She would be caught and fired???? It was a bad plot device to have Rush’s wife alone.
Narrator was okay.
June 25, 2012
Barely 3 stars. I am a HUGE fan of Preston and Child. I read anything either one of these guys puts out (with the exception of the hideous Gideon series)
This one held my attention and entertained me. I only wish Child would enlist a decent medical previewer to make these aspects of his writing more believable. I almost didn't make it through the first scene due to some pretty unforgivable errors. It was almost as bad as a line in one of the Pendergast novels when a character's eye was dangling from its "optical nerve." I mean, come on, it doesn't take much research to avoid such nonsense. And later on in this one he has the doctor using an ophthalmoscope to check pupils--just plain wrong. Mr. Child, you have hundreds of thousands of fans and readers, certainly you must have a friend or aquaintance with a medical degree who can take this nonsense out of your manuscript. If you don't, look me up and let me help you fix this sort of stuff.
When I wasn't distracted by the medical errors, I found myself pretty well entertained. I don't regret reading this.
This one held my attention and entertained me. I only wish Child would enlist a decent medical previewer to make these aspects of his writing more believable. I almost didn't make it through the first scene due to some pretty unforgivable errors. It was almost as bad as a line in one of the Pendergast novels when a character's eye was dangling from its "optical nerve." I mean, come on, it doesn't take much research to avoid such nonsense. And later on in this one he has the doctor using an ophthalmoscope to check pupils--just plain wrong. Mr. Child, you have hundreds of thousands of fans and readers, certainly you must have a friend or aquaintance with a medical degree who can take this nonsense out of your manuscript. If you don't, look me up and let me help you fix this sort of stuff.
When I wasn't distracted by the medical errors, I found myself pretty well entertained. I don't regret reading this.
June 22, 2012
Disappointing. Felt contrived all along. Main character should have had better back story. The suspense of finding the third gate felt rushed. Very disappointing.
June 26, 2012
Slow and totally ridiculous. I usually look forward to Lincoln Child's books but this one was a disappointment.
February 9, 2013
Exciting novel of archaeological premise. 7 of 10 stars
October 19, 2015
Me enganchó desde el principio. Mantiene al lector intrigado hasta el final, donde la trama es descubierta. Si te gustan las aventuras de arqueólogos y nuevas tecnologías, no te defraudará.
December 29, 2017
When unexplained accidents start happening at Porter Stone's secret archeological dig in the Sudan, Professor Jeremy Logan is called in to investigate! Porter is trying to locate the long lost tomb of Narmer, the Egyptian Pharaoh who united Upper and Lower Egypt. The tomb is located and an ancient and powerful curse is unleashed. A powerful and intriguing tale of greed and revenge from beyond the grave. A must read thriller mystery for any fan of all things Ancient Egypt!
September 9, 2023
4 wonderful stars!!
A compelling read by a brilliant author.
If you like adventure, mystery, suspense and a dynamic plot twist, this is the book to read. Also, contains elements of history, Egyptology and science.
Mind blowing world building, the dialogue is perfect, except for some technical terminology that I had to research the meaning of, and the conclusion was breathtaking!! Cannot wait to read the other books in the series!!
A compelling read by a brilliant author.
If you like adventure, mystery, suspense and a dynamic plot twist, this is the book to read. Also, contains elements of history, Egyptology and science.
Mind blowing world building, the dialogue is perfect, except for some technical terminology that I had to research the meaning of, and the conclusion was breathtaking!! Cannot wait to read the other books in the series!!
March 19, 2018
Meh. I am not averse to paranormal suspense, and the setting of the story in "The Third Gate" - isolated station in the middle of nowhere - appealed to my preference for closed-room mysteries, but the result was too far-fetched, too convoluted, but also too blunt. The books basically follows the "take Egyptian tomb, add curse, subtract compelling resolution, serve the concoction" script, and no "enigmalogist" can save that.
The dismissive attitude towards the Sudd - world heritage site, no less - is deeply disappointing. I accept that fiction requires some liberties, but not to the extent of proclaiming major nature reserve "useless and worthless". As I said - meh...
The dismissive attitude towards the Sudd - world heritage site, no less - is deeply disappointing. I accept that fiction requires some liberties, but not to the extent of proclaiming major nature reserve "useless and worthless". As I said - meh...
July 13, 2022
This is the second book I've read following Dr. Jeremy Logan, the enigmalogist. I liked it a lot. It was suspenseful and the description of the setting really makes this one memorable. There were just a few moments toward the end that seemed a little too perfect for me, almost like the ending was rushed. Ultimately, a suspenseful read that I would recommend.
August 2, 2012
What a mess. I was hoping for something a little more interesting given that I have enjoyed Child's novels with Preston. Sadly, I was sorely disappointed.
The characters were boring and underdeveloped, with even the (ha) hero being an unforgettable non-entity. Worse yet, it felt like an assembly of classic "Preston & Child" stock characters.
Worst of all was the jarring sense that the novel never quite figured out what it wanted to be. Scifi adventure? Ghost thriller? You never got a straight sense of the laws Child set up for this universe. Its like he tried to play coy but only managed to come across as confused until finally going (a little over half-way though) "YES THE PARANORMAL IS REEEAAAAL." Of course, by then, the reader no longer cares.
Also, the "secret" of what is contained in the "Third Gate?" The deeply mysterious mystery that a ghost would kill to protect? Has nothing to actually do with there being a FREAKING GHOST. It MIGHT have been what killed the original human the ghost became. That's it. The amazing fact that it was probably a zillion-year-old battery-powered Egyptian defibrillator is lost completely in the face of KILLER GHOST ATTACK FROM ABOVE. The specifics of the artifact are ultimately meaningless. It could have been a gold-plated brick, a nice jar of strawberry jam or a porcelain Elvis figurine. It made no difference.
So ultimately, the source of plot (the ghost) is revealed rather anticlimactically and ham-fisted about half-way through the novel and the BIG MYSTERY, is a dud. At the very least, make the artifact revelation first, then the mystery of the ghost as the climax. OR, better yet! HAVE THE TWO MYSTERIES BE DIRECTLY RELATED. Not tangentially. Make the artifact is the literal source of the ghost, or the reason it can do what it does. Not some stupid BS that the ghost could do what it did because the archaeology team happened to have a "soulless" NDE victim present.
Again, a mess. I expected better.
The characters were boring and underdeveloped, with even the (ha) hero being an unforgettable non-entity. Worse yet, it felt like an assembly of classic "Preston & Child" stock characters.
Worst of all was the jarring sense that the novel never quite figured out what it wanted to be. Scifi adventure? Ghost thriller? You never got a straight sense of the laws Child set up for this universe. Its like he tried to play coy but only managed to come across as confused until finally going (a little over half-way though) "YES THE PARANORMAL IS REEEAAAAL." Of course, by then, the reader no longer cares.
Also, the "secret" of what is contained in the "Third Gate?" The deeply mysterious mystery that a ghost would kill to protect? Has nothing to actually do with there being a FREAKING GHOST. It MIGHT have been what killed the original human the ghost became. That's it. The amazing fact that it was probably a zillion-year-old battery-powered Egyptian defibrillator is lost completely in the face of KILLER GHOST ATTACK FROM ABOVE. The specifics of the artifact are ultimately meaningless. It could have been a gold-plated brick, a nice jar of strawberry jam or a porcelain Elvis figurine. It made no difference.
So ultimately, the source of plot (the ghost) is revealed rather anticlimactically and ham-fisted about half-way through the novel and the BIG MYSTERY, is a dud. At the very least, make the artifact revelation first, then the mystery of the ghost as the climax. OR, better yet! HAVE THE TWO MYSTERIES BE DIRECTLY RELATED. Not tangentially. Make the artifact is the literal source of the ghost, or the reason it can do what it does. Not some stupid BS that the ghost could do what it did because the archaeology team happened to have a "soulless" NDE victim present.
Again, a mess. I expected better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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