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Atlantis #1
Atlantis
Thirty years after a commando raid deep into enemy-occupied Cambodia ended in disaster, Eric Dane, the sole survivor, confronts an ancient enemy from beyond space and time as he seeks to protect the planet from a merciless force that once had destroyed Atlantis. Original.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
February 28, 2011
Yeah, that Robert Doherty guy-- can't review my own book, though one time my editor put a quote from Robert Doherty on a book that was under my own name, or vice versa. But at least need to list it under my books.
July 11, 2024
Excellent book. The connections, the pace, characters, and the chill while reading was absolutely delightful.
December 17, 2017
Un libro interesante y entretenido, que sienta una buena base y que contiene mucho misterio y acción. Aún así, peca de introductorio y en general la historia no avanza. P
Reseña completa: http://paseandoentrepaginas.blogspot....
Reseña completa: http://paseandoentrepaginas.blogspot....
July 5, 2019
A little gory in spots but a terrific take on the Atlantis, Stargate, invading aliens genre. Also, a little too militaristic for my tastes. I'm sure I would have been more impressed with the descriptions of planes and war machines if I cared about that sort of stuff.
June 19, 2014
I read the Kindle version, and I hope the print version was not as poorly edited. There were about half a dozen grammar mistakes. Also, there was one page where the main character's name was replaced on two occasions with what I later learned was the name of the main character of Doherty's Area 51 series. Really? Also kind of annoying that the end of the Kindle version is the first chapter of one of Doherty's Area 51 books. It threw me off that the book ended at a 94%.
Doherty's military background is evident in the detail of that aspect of the characters and their actions, but his lack of depth of knowledge of history and language made some of the storyline ring hollow for me. Even one aspect a military person should have known was off: the main character listened to and deciphered a Morse code message, but then claimed he had no way of replying since he "didn't have a Morse Code key." He had to have know at least some Morse code to understand the incoming message; he would have been able to send an outgoing one. Character development was pretty limited, and I didn't really care for most of the characters. One stand-out was the woman from the NSA.
Although the idea of the story was interesting, the writing was rather bland. Lots of time wasted on not very creative descriptions. I found myself often frustrated with the slow pace of the unraveling of the story. In the end, there was actually little that you actually learn.
I hadn't realized that this is only the first book in a six-book series. The ending made that clear, though. I am curious about all the many loose ends in this book, but don't want to slog through more of this author's writing.
Doherty's military background is evident in the detail of that aspect of the characters and their actions, but his lack of depth of knowledge of history and language made some of the storyline ring hollow for me. Even one aspect a military person should have known was off: the main character listened to and deciphered a Morse code message, but then claimed he had no way of replying since he "didn't have a Morse Code key." He had to have know at least some Morse code to understand the incoming message; he would have been able to send an outgoing one. Character development was pretty limited, and I didn't really care for most of the characters. One stand-out was the woman from the NSA.
Although the idea of the story was interesting, the writing was rather bland. Lots of time wasted on not very creative descriptions. I found myself often frustrated with the slow pace of the unraveling of the story. In the end, there was actually little that you actually learn.
I hadn't realized that this is only the first book in a six-book series. The ending made that clear, though. I am curious about all the many loose ends in this book, but don't want to slog through more of this author's writing.
April 16, 2012
I picked up the first 2 books in this series because I enjoyed the early books in the "Area 51" series by the same author (Bob Mayer = Robert Doherty = Greg Donegan and at least one more) and I have always found the Atlantis and Bermuda Triangle mysteries compelling. That was enough to draw me in.
The series opens in the Bermuda Triangle and quickly spreads around the globe to other sites marked with similar mysterious disappearances. Bob's style is to introduce 2-4 sets of characters then follow them in parallel - often in different times of Earth's history, going back to the mythical time of Atlantis. Each story has a good pace, and he occasionally shows glimpses of how the stories are going to intersect.
I do wish the editors would be more diligent about proofing. An occasional typo is one thing, but there are a couple of errors that really interrupt the flow of reading because you have to stop and figure out what the author intended to say.
I'm still debating between 3-4 stars. If I could give 3.5, that's what I'd rate it.
The series opens in the Bermuda Triangle and quickly spreads around the globe to other sites marked with similar mysterious disappearances. Bob's style is to introduce 2-4 sets of characters then follow them in parallel - often in different times of Earth's history, going back to the mythical time of Atlantis. Each story has a good pace, and he occasionally shows glimpses of how the stories are going to intersect.
I do wish the editors would be more diligent about proofing. An occasional typo is one thing, but there are a couple of errors that really interrupt the flow of reading because you have to stop and figure out what the author intended to say.
I'm still debating between 3-4 stars. If I could give 3.5, that's what I'd rate it.
February 24, 2012
Just finished Atlantis - Yep, a really great read all the way through. Just a short stretch in beginning that didn't grab me and that was military in the jungle, but that isn't the focus, just some background. It picked up quickly after that and I was captivated through the book I'd recommend it for anyone who loves science fiction, adventure and a really good read.
July 31, 2017
Very good science fiction
Well written and I very much enjoyed it. Will buy the second in the series. I like when military, natural phenomena, history, and science fiction come together and this book accomplished that in spades.
Well written and I very much enjoyed it. Will buy the second in the series. I like when military, natural phenomena, history, and science fiction come together and this book accomplished that in spades.
April 28, 2013
This book pulled a lot of different legends and myths together to form a pretty intellectual adventure. I was pleasantly surprised and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
March 22, 2024
Is there an alien connection with the lost city of Atlantis? How does the ancient city in Cambodia of Angkor Kel fit in? This exciting novel penned by the author of many names(Bob Mayer aka Greg Donegan here!) is the start of a new series and attempts to answer these questions, among many more about the world's mysteries.
What if the mystery force that destroyed Atlantis 10,000 years ago, comes back to threaten our present day world? A war beyond time. An enemy beyond space. A thriller beyond your wildest dreams. Three areas on the Earth’s surface defy explanation: the Bermuda Triangle, the Devil’s Sea of Japan, and a small region of Cambodia. Inside these realms, planes have disappeared, ships have vanished, and, in Cambodia, an entire civilization has been lost leaving behind Angkor Wat.
In 1945, Training Flight 19 disappears in the Bermuda Triangle. In 1963, the USS Scorpion, a nuclear submarine, is lost under unusual circumstances, part of a secret government investigation into mysterious gates.
Near the end of the Vietnam War, Green Beret Eric Dane led a team of operatives deep into Cambodia and encountered a strange fog near the legendary city of Angkor Kol Ker. His entire team disappears, attacked by strange creatures out of the fog. Only Dane survives to return. Now a plane goes down. In the same area Dane lost his team. He’s called back. To find out who is the darkness behind these gates to our planet. What does this Shadow force want? It is a threat that will take on the world’s greatest military forces and defeat them. A power that will overwhelm our science and technology. A merciless enemy that will lead Dane—and the whole planet—into the final desperate battle for survival.
And there you have the blurb of this military science fiction thriller – although it reads far too much like a synopsis to me… It took me a while to get into this story, which has a really old fashioned feel – omniscient viewpoint isn’t my favourite narrative as I feel that the characterisation tends to suffer. In addition at the start, we kept dotting around all over the place as Donegan’s initial techno info-dump seemed to stretch on at times.
However, once I finally got to the meat of the story, I found it an enjoyable concept and an intriguing take on both the Bermuda Triangle and Chernobyl. Dane was the stand-out character and I felt that if Mayer had pared back some of the other bods that occasionally popped up, the storyline would have been tauter. There were a number of scenes that I felt silted up the narrative flow, rather than driving the plot forward. Having said that, the Military adventure worked very well and the passages in the crashed aircraft as the tension rose were also effective. Once the story finally picked up pace, I began to see why Mayer is a popular author as he certainly cranked up the tension and produced a satisfying conclusion to this particular story arc, while leading onto the next book in this series.
Thus the plot of Atlantis, written by best-selling author Bob Mayer (writing under one of his many pen names), unfolds in a series of actions spanning decades, culminating with a taut, action-packed climax that will keep the reader glued to the pages.
Yet, while the plot pulls from many different legends and is jammed packed with action, it's not a frivolous book. Mayer's characters are well-drawn—especially Dane and his relationship with his rescue dog, Chelsey. The plot is well thought out and, despite its basis in legend, believable. Mayer, a West Point graduate and retired Green Beret himself, is especially adept at writing action scenes. The story of Dane's first trip into Cambodia is particularly realistic.
Atlantis is the first book in Mayer's popular Atlantis series. (By my count, the prolific Mayer has something like nine series, a bunch of stand-alone novels, and even more nonfiction books.) I'm looking forward to reading more of Mayer's craft.
What if the mystery force that destroyed Atlantis 10,000 years ago, comes back to threaten our present day world? A war beyond time. An enemy beyond space. A thriller beyond your wildest dreams. Three areas on the Earth’s surface defy explanation: the Bermuda Triangle, the Devil’s Sea of Japan, and a small region of Cambodia. Inside these realms, planes have disappeared, ships have vanished, and, in Cambodia, an entire civilization has been lost leaving behind Angkor Wat.
In 1945, Training Flight 19 disappears in the Bermuda Triangle. In 1963, the USS Scorpion, a nuclear submarine, is lost under unusual circumstances, part of a secret government investigation into mysterious gates.
Near the end of the Vietnam War, Green Beret Eric Dane led a team of operatives deep into Cambodia and encountered a strange fog near the legendary city of Angkor Kol Ker. His entire team disappears, attacked by strange creatures out of the fog. Only Dane survives to return. Now a plane goes down. In the same area Dane lost his team. He’s called back. To find out who is the darkness behind these gates to our planet. What does this Shadow force want? It is a threat that will take on the world’s greatest military forces and defeat them. A power that will overwhelm our science and technology. A merciless enemy that will lead Dane—and the whole planet—into the final desperate battle for survival.
And there you have the blurb of this military science fiction thriller – although it reads far too much like a synopsis to me… It took me a while to get into this story, which has a really old fashioned feel – omniscient viewpoint isn’t my favourite narrative as I feel that the characterisation tends to suffer. In addition at the start, we kept dotting around all over the place as Donegan’s initial techno info-dump seemed to stretch on at times.
However, once I finally got to the meat of the story, I found it an enjoyable concept and an intriguing take on both the Bermuda Triangle and Chernobyl. Dane was the stand-out character and I felt that if Mayer had pared back some of the other bods that occasionally popped up, the storyline would have been tauter. There were a number of scenes that I felt silted up the narrative flow, rather than driving the plot forward. Having said that, the Military adventure worked very well and the passages in the crashed aircraft as the tension rose were also effective. Once the story finally picked up pace, I began to see why Mayer is a popular author as he certainly cranked up the tension and produced a satisfying conclusion to this particular story arc, while leading onto the next book in this series.
Thus the plot of Atlantis, written by best-selling author Bob Mayer (writing under one of his many pen names), unfolds in a series of actions spanning decades, culminating with a taut, action-packed climax that will keep the reader glued to the pages.
Yet, while the plot pulls from many different legends and is jammed packed with action, it's not a frivolous book. Mayer's characters are well-drawn—especially Dane and his relationship with his rescue dog, Chelsey. The plot is well thought out and, despite its basis in legend, believable. Mayer, a West Point graduate and retired Green Beret himself, is especially adept at writing action scenes. The story of Dane's first trip into Cambodia is particularly realistic.
Atlantis is the first book in Mayer's popular Atlantis series. (By my count, the prolific Mayer has something like nine series, a bunch of stand-alone novels, and even more nonfiction books.) I'm looking forward to reading more of Mayer's craft.
September 18, 2017
I use a modified version of the Baen criteria in judging my science fiction - the novel needs to have a good writing style, the technological advances need to be believable to your average Joe accountant (that would be me), and the enemy / alien names should be easy to pronounce. The author hits it on some of this criteria.
This book has a great plot outline, and I ended up staying up really late to finish this one as, being a science fiction junkie, I kept hoping it would get better: unfortunately, it didn't. It had peaks and valleys to it, and the ending appeared a bit rushed and a little far-fetched as far as the imagination goes. I really couldn't bridge the gap from a technology standpoint as there really wasn't a plausible explanation out there for Joe Accountant to understand or even rationalize. I am disappointed, as the story outline appeared to be something I could really get into and purchase sequels - in this case, I won't.
This book has a great plot outline, and I ended up staying up really late to finish this one as, being a science fiction junkie, I kept hoping it would get better: unfortunately, it didn't. It had peaks and valleys to it, and the ending appeared a bit rushed and a little far-fetched as far as the imagination goes. I really couldn't bridge the gap from a technology standpoint as there really wasn't a plausible explanation out there for Joe Accountant to understand or even rationalize. I am disappointed, as the story outline appeared to be something I could really get into and purchase sequels - in this case, I won't.
April 17, 2019
Those that cannot write, review those that can. Like Snoopy, I get to; "It was a dark and stormy night" then can't think of anything else to write some random stranger might want to read. Atlantis needed more editing for content as well as intent but should we rail against the author for their errors? NO, we should not but look at the story as a whole, and this "Whole" was pretty stinking good. It would not be on the same shelf as David Drake but neither would it be a paper weight on the shelf. I grew up reading about the Triangle and all the wild ideas people had about it. Thankfully this tale didn't get too far into the science or the religious aspects which would have slowed it down to a crawl. Instead the people were interesting and believable although I didn't connect with them on a personal level, perhaps the following books will engender them to me more. A fun read and I'll be getting the rest of the series soon.
June 27, 2019
Sadly I begun reading this book with prejudice, I wanted to read a fiction surrounded by the mystery of the bermuda triangle. I was hoping to read something that an impossible mental thriller, I think my preconception wrecked the story for me so I have myself to blame.
As for the story in of itself, I read the whole thing and I was able to follow it. I think it was a good story but it didn't captivate me dye to my own bias. In the blurb I was told the story had many similarities to the tv show lost, I could not disagree more.
I found there to be few typos and I like how Bob was very clear on who was saying what. He was very concise and left little room for confusion, I might read the second one. My judgement on this book might well be blurred by current desire for writing that have much more depth.
As for the story in of itself, I read the whole thing and I was able to follow it. I think it was a good story but it didn't captivate me dye to my own bias. In the blurb I was told the story had many similarities to the tv show lost, I could not disagree more.
I found there to be few typos and I like how Bob was very clear on who was saying what. He was very concise and left little room for confusion, I might read the second one. My judgement on this book might well be blurred by current desire for writing that have much more depth.
October 15, 2021
Timeline confusion. I first read this book when it was originally published around 1999. I just finished rereading it. My confusion comes from the character of Dane. He was a soldier in 1968. Later in the book he references 9-11, when his dog Chelsea was a puppy. He also states that 40+ years have elapsed since the story began. That would make him at least 60 years old, yet his actions point to a man much younger. What the heck? He calls the character of Paul Michele "old man" at 64, but he himself can't be much younger. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if Dane was at least 20 years old in 1968, and 40 years have since passed, he must be at least 60 himself. Or was Dane trapped in a Bermuda Triangle time warp as was his old commander Flaherty?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2023
LIGHT SPOILERS.
The story itself is engaging but the characters are a little thin and stereotypical. The lack of attention to detail and easily avoidable factual errors such as the firing rate of an M60 machine gun and the width of a TYPHOON class Russian submarine tend to take me out of the story.
There's also a discrepancy with the main character Dane's age. Time between the two missions is clearly stated as 40 years, but character is described as being just over 50 after the second mission. This would make him a preteen on a combat mission in Cambodia.
Hopefully Mr. Mayer isn't as error prone in the next book. I'll soldier on...
The story itself is engaging but the characters are a little thin and stereotypical. The lack of attention to detail and easily avoidable factual errors such as the firing rate of an M60 machine gun and the width of a TYPHOON class Russian submarine tend to take me out of the story.
There's also a discrepancy with the main character Dane's age. Time between the two missions is clearly stated as 40 years, but character is described as being just over 50 after the second mission. This would make him a preteen on a combat mission in Cambodia.
Hopefully Mr. Mayer isn't as error prone in the next book. I'll soldier on...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2017
Good story, poorly edited. Could use more character development. Got a bit bored of the word "viscera".
I don't know if you would call this an original story, but it took some unoriginal elements and smooshed them together to make something a bit different to what I've read before. If you've read any of the Chase & Wilde books, you'd find this similar. Not terribly pleased that it's a series - I don't really like having to commit to multiple books these days. But I wouldn't mind seeing how things pan out.
I don't know if you would call this an original story, but it took some unoriginal elements and smooshed them together to make something a bit different to what I've read before. If you've read any of the Chase & Wilde books, you'd find this similar. Not terribly pleased that it's a series - I don't really like having to commit to multiple books these days. But I wouldn't mind seeing how things pan out.
November 16, 2019
These are fun if you like this sort of thing - syfy "proof" of ancient legends being based on fact. My problem with this book is that Mayer was so careful with many of the descriptions of weapons and tech that he uses in the book, but he let a professor translate an ancient and obscure language very mildly similar to sanskrit with amazing clarity and ease! And very quickly! Yeah, right! Oh well, I guess if you can swallow a giant six headed snake, then I guess you can swallow instantaneous translation of an heretofore unknown language.
Have fun!
Have fun!
March 5, 2018
No much about Atlantis - this is more about the Bermuda Triangle. A plane crashes in Cambodia, and a secret CIA team is sent on rescue mission, but mysterious monsters and shadows appear. Long passages about technical aspects of planes, satellites, time travel and different dimensions. Weak story line and flat characters; for teen age boys only. No ending; author wants you to read the next book(s) for resolution.
July 4, 2021
A fantastic story on fragments of Atlantis
I love the twist and turns of all the characters. Finding out who is behind the panic of the end of the planet. Pieces of hidden structures that could only have been created in the time of Atlantis. A lost city vanished as the legend of Atlantis vanished long ago. The evil side versus the good side. Kept me wanting more! Thank you!
I love the twist and turns of all the characters. Finding out who is behind the panic of the end of the planet. Pieces of hidden structures that could only have been created in the time of Atlantis. A lost city vanished as the legend of Atlantis vanished long ago. The evil side versus the good side. Kept me wanting more! Thank you!
September 21, 2023
I expected a book called Atlantis to take place... Well, not entirely within a Cambodian jungle. It was a weird mix of the Shining and Predator, and I don't feel like I understood what the threats were, really.
Also there were some editing issues here, including the MHV becoming a HMV at various points.
Also there were some editing issues here, including the MHV becoming a HMV at various points.
July 20, 2018
Oh, yeah!
Right up my alley, blending archeological facts, including a character from The Nightstalker series - a great twist on the legend of Atlantis! Can't wait to read more in this series!
Right up my alley, blending archeological facts, including a character from The Nightstalker series - a great twist on the legend of Atlantis! Can't wait to read more in this series!
September 25, 2020
Enjoyable read mix of different genres
Enjoyable mix of special forces action, clandestine CIA machinations all wrapped up in a science fiction yarn. A rattling good mix of different genres well developed and delivered.
Enjoyable mix of special forces action, clandestine CIA machinations all wrapped up in a science fiction yarn. A rattling good mix of different genres well developed and delivered.
January 5, 2022
A different Atlantis
Bob Mayer definitely explores a slightly different theory on Atlantis. A very scary one. Although this is a novel, I found myself exploring the is of what if.
Bob Mayer definitely explores a slightly different theory on Atlantis. A very scary one. Although this is a novel, I found myself exploring the is of what if.
April 5, 2022
Interesting concept
I am not a fan of books that end as a beginning go a sequel because it's so manipulative. That said I did get pulled into the story and would like know what happens next...
I am not a fan of books that end as a beginning go a sequel because it's so manipulative. That said I did get pulled into the story and would like know what happens next...
October 25, 2023
Interesting storyline
Interesting storyline, but the amount of typos was rather irritating. Aren't books edited anymore? I haven't decided if I'll give the next book in the series a try.
Interesting storyline, but the amount of typos was rather irritating. Aren't books edited anymore? I haven't decided if I'll give the next book in the series a try.
January 26, 2025
I read this series when I was a teenager. I didn’t think it was special at the time, but it has stuck with me in a very weird way. I’m excited to go back through it and see just why it tickles my brain so.
August 25, 2025
what a story!
So i really had no idea what to expect with
this book. When
i started reading i was so confused.
Not sure exactly when
it started to make sense to me but when
it did - it was fast moving and highly
engaging. If you like an action packed novel - this is it.
Enjoy!
So i really had no idea what to expect with
this book. When
i started reading i was so confused.
Not sure exactly when
it started to make sense to me but when
it did - it was fast moving and highly
engaging. If you like an action packed novel - this is it.
Enjoy!
February 4, 2018
Great Story Telling
I enjoyed this alternative view to what I've read in the Time Patrol. Enjoyed the fact that there is still a link, look forward to the next one.
I enjoyed this alternative view to what I've read in the Time Patrol. Enjoyed the fact that there is still a link, look forward to the next one.
April 23, 2018
SFO to IAD. Implausible but good airplane fodder
February 25, 2019
Good Book
I really enjoyed reading this Good Book and will continue to read the Atlantis Series, as time goes on for me.
I really enjoyed reading this Good Book and will continue to read the Atlantis Series, as time goes on for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews