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Judd Ryder & Eva Blake #1
La biblioteca de oro
Desde hace varios siglos, reyes, políticos e historiadores has buscado en vano la Biblioteca de Oro de Iván el Terrible, que contenía manuscritos de incalculable valor, encuadernados con incrustaciones de oro y piedras preciosas, y donde se reunía todo el saber de la humanidad. Aún hoy no se ha encontrado.
El agente de la CIA Tucker Andersen es testigo del asesinato en Washington de su mejor amigo. Jonathan Ryder, antes de morir, le habla de una abultada cuenta bancaria relacionada con el terrorismo islámico y de la Biblioteca de Oro. Los primero indicios apuntan a un selecto club de bibliófilos, formado por potentados de todo el mundo, que se habría implicado en actividades criminales. Con la ayuda de Judd Ryder, hijo de su difunto amigo, y Eva Blake, una restauradora que tiene problemas con la Justicia, Tuckes Andersen tratará de descubrir las claves del asesinato de Ryder. Londres, Roma, Estambul o Atenas con así etapas de un emocionante viaje en busca de la verdad y quién sabe si de un trágico destino.
El agente de la CIA Tucker Andersen es testigo del asesinato en Washington de su mejor amigo. Jonathan Ryder, antes de morir, le habla de una abultada cuenta bancaria relacionada con el terrorismo islámico y de la Biblioteca de Oro. Los primero indicios apuntan a un selecto club de bibliófilos, formado por potentados de todo el mundo, que se habría implicado en actividades criminales. Con la ayuda de Judd Ryder, hijo de su difunto amigo, y Eva Blake, una restauradora que tiene problemas con la Justicia, Tuckes Andersen tratará de descubrir las claves del asesinato de Ryder. Londres, Roma, Estambul o Atenas con así etapas de un emocionante viaje en busca de la verdad y quién sabe si de un trágico destino.
614 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2010
86 people are currently reading
1354 people want to read
About the author
Gayle Lynds
74 books235 followersNew York Times bestseller Gayle Lynds is the award-winning author of ten international espionage novels. Library Journal calls her “the reigning queen of espionage fiction.” The London Observer says she’s a “kick-ass thriller writer.” Lee Child calls her “today’s best espionage writer.”
Born in Omaha, NE, and raised in Council Bluffs, IA, Gayle graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism. While there, she often sneaked into classes and readings at the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was blessed by remarkable teachers — among them were John Irving in rhetoric and Kurt Vonnegut in a literature class. For her, the university was a lively petri dish of books, writing, and adventure.
Gayle officially began her writing career as a reporter for The Arizona Republic, where a series of her investigative pieces made such an impact that they led to changes in state legislation. Later she took a job as an editor with rare Top Secret security clearance at a private think tank that did government work. Assorted shadowy figures passed through, and not only ideas but engineers and artists seemed to bounce off the walls. She was inspired. She wanted to write about what she was seeing and experiencing.
Expressing her love of mainstream literature, she wrote short stories that were published in literary journals. Simultaneously, she wrote male pulp novels in the Nick Carter series. Soon the two forms began to jell in her mind. The first novel under her own name, Gayle Lynds, was Masquerade, a New York Times bestseller that Publishers Weekly later listed as one of the top ten spy novels of all time.
Others of her novels have been prize winners. The Last Spymaster won Best Novel from both the American Authors Association and the Military Writers Society of America. The Book of Spies was a finalist for both the Nero and Audie awards. The Coil won Best Contemporary Novel from Affaire de Coeur. Mosaic was RT Thriller of the Year. Mesmerized was a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. With Robert Ludlum, she created the Covert-One series, one of which, The Hades Factor, was a CBS miniseries.
Gayle’s previous husband was Dennis Lynds, an award-winning detective novelist who died in 2005. They had lived several decades in Santa Barbara, CA, where they raised their children. In 2011, a new stage of her life began when she married John C. Sheldon, a long-time resident of Maine. A retired judge, John is a former prosecutor and defense attorney and Visiting Scholar to Harvard Law School. Today they live on fourteen acres of oaks, maples, hemlocks, and white pine outside Portland. A voracious reader, John had never written fiction when they met. Now they have collaborated on three short stories.
Gayle is a member of the Association for Intelligence Operatives and cofounder (with David Morrell) and former copresident of International Thriller Writers, Inc. ITW’s annual celebration is ThrillerFest, held every July in New York City.
Born in Omaha, NE, and raised in Council Bluffs, IA, Gayle graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism. While there, she often sneaked into classes and readings at the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was blessed by remarkable teachers — among them were John Irving in rhetoric and Kurt Vonnegut in a literature class. For her, the university was a lively petri dish of books, writing, and adventure.
Gayle officially began her writing career as a reporter for The Arizona Republic, where a series of her investigative pieces made such an impact that they led to changes in state legislation. Later she took a job as an editor with rare Top Secret security clearance at a private think tank that did government work. Assorted shadowy figures passed through, and not only ideas but engineers and artists seemed to bounce off the walls. She was inspired. She wanted to write about what she was seeing and experiencing.
Expressing her love of mainstream literature, she wrote short stories that were published in literary journals. Simultaneously, she wrote male pulp novels in the Nick Carter series. Soon the two forms began to jell in her mind. The first novel under her own name, Gayle Lynds, was Masquerade, a New York Times bestseller that Publishers Weekly later listed as one of the top ten spy novels of all time.
Others of her novels have been prize winners. The Last Spymaster won Best Novel from both the American Authors Association and the Military Writers Society of America. The Book of Spies was a finalist for both the Nero and Audie awards. The Coil won Best Contemporary Novel from Affaire de Coeur. Mosaic was RT Thriller of the Year. Mesmerized was a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. With Robert Ludlum, she created the Covert-One series, one of which, The Hades Factor, was a CBS miniseries.
Gayle’s previous husband was Dennis Lynds, an award-winning detective novelist who died in 2005. They had lived several decades in Santa Barbara, CA, where they raised their children. In 2011, a new stage of her life began when she married John C. Sheldon, a long-time resident of Maine. A retired judge, John is a former prosecutor and defense attorney and Visiting Scholar to Harvard Law School. Today they live on fourteen acres of oaks, maples, hemlocks, and white pine outside Portland. A voracious reader, John had never written fiction when they met. Now they have collaborated on three short stories.
Gayle is a member of the Association for Intelligence Operatives and cofounder (with David Morrell) and former copresident of International Thriller Writers, Inc. ITW’s annual celebration is ThrillerFest, held every July in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
February 4, 2015
A Darn Good Spy Thriller!
I almost didn’t purchase this book after reading some negative reviews, but decided to give it a shot based on the positive comments. I thoroughly enjoyed The Book of Spies and think the writer is very similar to the style of Steve Berry, another favourite author. It kept me well entertained throughout the entire story with well defined characters, a first-class plot, and riveting action. It’s a winner in my eyes!
I almost didn’t purchase this book after reading some negative reviews, but decided to give it a shot based on the positive comments. I thoroughly enjoyed The Book of Spies and think the writer is very similar to the style of Steve Berry, another favourite author. It kept me well entertained throughout the entire story with well defined characters, a first-class plot, and riveting action. It’s a winner in my eyes!
September 21, 2010
When I first saw that the subject of this novel was about the legendary Library of Gold, I was really excited about the premise. Because this remarkable collection of gold-bound illuminated manuscripts is in the hands of ruthless powerbrokers, there wasn’t much sense of awe at making a remarkable discovery. It was really a struggle for power against this dangerous and controlling group and the CIA, who were tipped off that this treasure trove was linked to terrorist activities. There’s a good deal of shooting and chasing and jetting from one European location to another, which is typical of thrillers like this, but the writing itself wasn’t up to par. I found myself rolling my eyes at the absurdity of some of the writing and felt that the author underestimated the intelligence of the reader. The dialogue was unrealistic and lacked flow (“He died in London,” the director said. “Shot to death.”). I would have expected more from a seasoned novelist like Lynds. Despite being initially captivated by rare book restorer Eva Blake, I was soon disappointed by the lack of sympathy that all of the characters elicited. The best part of the book was the epilogue. Lynds referenced some intriguing historical details about the Library of Gold, and if she’d only incorporated that into the narrative, it would have been a much better novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads program.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads program.
September 27, 2010
When I found I had won this book from goodreads I was really excited. There is nothing I like better than a good spy novel and the short synopsis of the story sounded interesting, especially because I also "cannot live without books." (Read the book and you'll understand the reference.)When it arrived I planned to tear right through it gobbling it in big chunks but as I got a little ways into the story I found myself slowing down to savor some of the great historical information that was so richly scattered thoughout this book. Not only was I enjoying a great action spy novel but I was also getting a bit of a history lesson as well. I found myself quite taken by the two main characters of Judd and Eva as both are well rounded characters with interesting back stories and less than perfect lives. There were also great villains and some of the minor characters were quite endearing as well. I did wish that the character of Tucker could have been a little more fleshed out as he seemed a bit two dimensional to me. However, is it wrong of me to be fond of the hitman known as the Carnivore? Because I found myself really liking him. I would recommend this book to anyone who is up for a fast paced spy novel or anyone who enjoys learning more about world history as they are taken on a dangerous joyride. My only reservation would be that once in a while I felt like the book got bogged down in unneccesary details but not often enough to ruin my enjoyment of the overall story. The Library of Gold is now my new passion!
November 16, 2010
Gayle Lynds' book centers around a legendary library that containins written works dating back to ancient Rome and Greece. The book begins with a sniper shot and the killing of a CIA agent. The agent's son, Judd Ryder, learns that his father claimed to have information about the Library of Gold and joins forces with Eva Blake to find the Library of Gold. Eva is a rare-book expert being sent to prison for the manslaughter of her husband when the story opens. The two join forces in England when The Book of Spies, one of the bejeweled volumes of the Library of Gold, surfaces and the CIA links a terrorist plot with the library and a cabal of powerful men.
This book is hard to put down. The action is constant and moves from one european capital to another. The characters are likeable and you soon find yourself on their side against the keepers of the Library of Gold.
I highly recommend this book for those who like authors James Rollins and Steve Berry. A great read!
This book is hard to put down. The action is constant and moves from one european capital to another. The characters are likeable and you soon find yourself on their side against the keepers of the Library of Gold.
I highly recommend this book for those who like authors James Rollins and Steve Berry. A great read!
January 25, 2012
If there is any merit to the old adage that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, then Gayle Lynds would have us believe the counter to be just as true: man will move heaven and earth to try to prove himself to the woman who scorned him. I know that the inside jacket description and back cover reviews would describe this book as an spy-thriller/action-adventure tale for bibliophiles, but honestly? None of the events or the characters involved would have been put into motion had it not been for one man, chief director of the library, trying to prove himself to a woman who chose someone else.
"A library could be a dangerous place." You'd think that a book with such an opening line would be above-average, but overall, this story runs flat, mostly due to the fact that it is extremely unfocused and inconsistent. According to her Goodreads profile page, this is meant to be the first book of a series; I do not foresee myself continuing on with the rest. There is action, to be sure-- so much so that the story literally spills over a large expanse of territory. The only kind of developments that occur are reserved not for people, but for moving from place to place; there is nothing to promote investment or interest in any of the central characters. In fact, the only character in which I was somewhat interested was the Pashtun-born, American-raised army captain who makes an appearance in the last hundred pages of the book.
The fact that this story is more breadth than depth made it easy to skim over chapters without missing anything significant or detailed, which helped speed up the process of getting through the book. It is a credit to the style of Lynds' writing that I stayed with the story to the end-- you know how it's going to play out, but you still want to see how it gets there.
"A library could be a dangerous place." You'd think that a book with such an opening line would be above-average, but overall, this story runs flat, mostly due to the fact that it is extremely unfocused and inconsistent. According to her Goodreads profile page, this is meant to be the first book of a series; I do not foresee myself continuing on with the rest. There is action, to be sure-- so much so that the story literally spills over a large expanse of territory. The only kind of developments that occur are reserved not for people, but for moving from place to place; there is nothing to promote investment or interest in any of the central characters. In fact, the only character in which I was somewhat interested was the Pashtun-born, American-raised army captain who makes an appearance in the last hundred pages of the book.
The fact that this story is more breadth than depth made it easy to skim over chapters without missing anything significant or detailed, which helped speed up the process of getting through the book. It is a credit to the style of Lynds' writing that I stayed with the story to the end-- you know how it's going to play out, but you still want to see how it gets there.
January 14, 2011
I thought this book was going to be similar to a Dan Brown novel, but it didn't quite hit the mark. The plotline lacks the depth of Dan Brown's stories and the Gayle Lynds writing isn't quite as eloquent. Her character descriptions are abruptly inserted into the text making her writing choppy and disorganized. The beginning of the novel is filled with detailed description that slowly peters out as the conclusion approaches leaving the reader feeling cheated and unsatisfied. Lynds builds suspense and then rushes the climax almost as if to ensure the story concludes under a certain number of pages. She attempts to weave an intricate web of characters' deception and complexity and then her conclusion is flat. She leaves certain plot elements unexplained causing the reader to question their purpose and necessity. I didn't feel like reading this book was a waste of time, but I also won't be recommending it any time soon.
August 21, 2011
I have to say this book about a historical library of gold and one of its legendary volumes--The Book of Spies--left me unimpressed. While it has lots of historical facts and wonderful quotes the characters just didn't come alive. The book starts when a young library archivist (Eva) is found guilty of killing her husband in an automobile accident. After 2 years in prison, the government needs her expertise to track down the existence of a legendary library containing untold rare books from the great minds of history. These are not just any rare books though. They are all bound in jewels and precious metals. Early during Eva's search she is in Paris and sees the husband very much alive. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, she's a library archivist who has managed her time so well she has found the time to get a black belt in karate and blends smoothly into working with a couple of spymasters from the CIA. This one just didn't work at all.
September 17, 2019
Diezgan interesanta spriedzes grāmata, kuru visdrīzāk kāda gada/divu laikā būšu ja ne aizmirsis, tad piemirsis, bet bija interesanti palasīt - sevišķi tāpēc, ka grāmatas pamatā ir sen zudusī Petjkas bibliotēka ar apzeltītajām grāmatām.
October 6, 2025
Dan Brown type stuff as an ancient Book of Spies is found, and an ex-con lady learns her husband is still alive.
Probably 100 pages too long.
Probably 100 pages too long.
July 20, 2011
I had such high hopes for this book but I was really disappointed. The plot seemed right up my street - with a hidden library, secrets and a hunt to find the library and uncover the secrets associated with it. However, the way it was written felt quite amateurish, or perhaps aimed at teens rather than adults. For example, the author doesn't explain some terms but at one point discusses IT and feels the need to expand on this to say it means Information Technology. Given the context and the year it was written this didn't feel necessary - particularly when other terms are not explained.
The book is also overly descriptive. I felt frustrated with the constant mention of a lead character's peacoat and billfold. Part of the plot does involve change of image but the descriptions just felt superfluous. I'm not sure if the descriptions contributed to my next thought, but the book also lacked pace where it should have been full of it. Scenes where there is a lot of action get skipped over; so that entire paragraphs get dedicated to the food they are eating, the wine they are drinking or the clothing they are wearing but hardly any description about the actual action.
I didn't buy into the relationships between some of the characters; with one relationship feeling ever ready to develop, but not really coming to much, and another developing in the blink of an eye. Some of these flaws I thought were maybe the foundations for the denoument but apparently not. The resolution happened in a mere 2 chapters after 73 chapters of characters visiting too many locations for it to be plausible and too many pages that could really have been edited down. After all the effort put into the main body of the book, the finale felt like it verged on lazy and similarly implausible to the rest of the book.
Overall, a book that could have been so much better if the writing had flowed better and the plot engineered to at least feel a bit more plausible instead of jumping about all over the place trying to cram as many locations and plot devices in as possible.
The book is also overly descriptive. I felt frustrated with the constant mention of a lead character's peacoat and billfold. Part of the plot does involve change of image but the descriptions just felt superfluous. I'm not sure if the descriptions contributed to my next thought, but the book also lacked pace where it should have been full of it. Scenes where there is a lot of action get skipped over; so that entire paragraphs get dedicated to the food they are eating, the wine they are drinking or the clothing they are wearing but hardly any description about the actual action.
I didn't buy into the relationships between some of the characters; with one relationship feeling ever ready to develop, but not really coming to much, and another developing in the blink of an eye. Some of these flaws I thought were maybe the foundations for the denoument but apparently not. The resolution happened in a mere 2 chapters after 73 chapters of characters visiting too many locations for it to be plausible and too many pages that could really have been edited down. After all the effort put into the main body of the book, the finale felt like it verged on lazy and similarly implausible to the rest of the book.
Overall, a book that could have been so much better if the writing had flowed better and the plot engineered to at least feel a bit more plausible instead of jumping about all over the place trying to cram as many locations and plot devices in as possible.
April 7, 2011
“The Book of Spies” by Gayle Lynds
As a lover of books about libraries, lost books and the struggle between good and evil, or greed and giving, this was an enjoyable book for me to read. There was action, suspicion and plenty of connected sub plots woven across settings in different countries. There was also the usual hint of romance or at least intrigue. From the soldiers and traitors in Afghanistan, to the CIA with searching for the inside leaks, this was a book packed with adventure and twists and turns. Between the self indulgent and extremely wealthy Library of Gold members drinking their fine wines and testing out their own and the librarians intellectual literary abilities and the men fighting for their lives, the suspicion, mysteries and plot continued to build to the end.
I find that many of the books written about illuminated manuscripts that have been well researched, have given me glimpses of history that I might not have been aware. The theme of control, greed and the struggle for power are all too common in daily life as well as history. We might not be fighting over a book covered in diamonds and gold but still today we fight over control and power in politics, religion and personal freedoms. I particularly like the fact that some of the history regarding the Library of Gold was directly discussed in the epilogue. This added a depth and cumulation to the entire novel. I would recommend this book and give it a 4 stars.
As a lover of books about libraries, lost books and the struggle between good and evil, or greed and giving, this was an enjoyable book for me to read. There was action, suspicion and plenty of connected sub plots woven across settings in different countries. There was also the usual hint of romance or at least intrigue. From the soldiers and traitors in Afghanistan, to the CIA with searching for the inside leaks, this was a book packed with adventure and twists and turns. Between the self indulgent and extremely wealthy Library of Gold members drinking their fine wines and testing out their own and the librarians intellectual literary abilities and the men fighting for their lives, the suspicion, mysteries and plot continued to build to the end.
I find that many of the books written about illuminated manuscripts that have been well researched, have given me glimpses of history that I might not have been aware. The theme of control, greed and the struggle for power are all too common in daily life as well as history. We might not be fighting over a book covered in diamonds and gold but still today we fight over control and power in politics, religion and personal freedoms. I particularly like the fact that some of the history regarding the Library of Gold was directly discussed in the epilogue. This added a depth and cumulation to the entire novel. I would recommend this book and give it a 4 stars.
December 5, 2011
An evil book club? You've got to be kidding. No, Gayle Lynds seriously expects us to follow the inept and murderous doings of a secret society devoted to their impossibly rare book collection. I couldn't put this one down - I had to throw it across the room instead, but I kept coming back for more because I took malicious pleasure in keeping count of the anachronisms and goofs.
Bet you didn't know the Medieval Period came to an end in 1580. What happened to the Renaissance and the Counter-Reformation?
Next, I was surprised to learn that this fabulous collection of ancient books put together by Ivan the Terrible (d.1584) included novels.
Funny, I thought the first novel in Europe was Don Quixote (1604).
And then why is it that each of these books is covered "in a fortune's worth" of jewels? The stones used in medieval bindings were not
Hope-Diamond quality. Often semi-precious, they were full of flaws but added to the overall decorative effect.
Whenever Napoleon is mentioned, he gets an accent aigu. Very fancy, if incorrect.
Ten thousand dollar cell phone encrusted with diamonds, Partagas cigars, Beluga caviar, world-class hotels, leather-bound, embossed volumes, Lear jets: crash, clatter, thud! Excuse me, Gayle? I think you just dropped some clunkers.
This book gets my vote, along with Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian (Dracula-needs-a-librarian) as the silliest piece of historical trash I've ever read.
Bet you didn't know the Medieval Period came to an end in 1580. What happened to the Renaissance and the Counter-Reformation?
Next, I was surprised to learn that this fabulous collection of ancient books put together by Ivan the Terrible (d.1584) included novels.
Funny, I thought the first novel in Europe was Don Quixote (1604).
And then why is it that each of these books is covered "in a fortune's worth" of jewels? The stones used in medieval bindings were not
Hope-Diamond quality. Often semi-precious, they were full of flaws but added to the overall decorative effect.
Whenever Napoleon is mentioned, he gets an accent aigu. Very fancy, if incorrect.
Ten thousand dollar cell phone encrusted with diamonds, Partagas cigars, Beluga caviar, world-class hotels, leather-bound, embossed volumes, Lear jets: crash, clatter, thud! Excuse me, Gayle? I think you just dropped some clunkers.
This book gets my vote, along with Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian (Dracula-needs-a-librarian) as the silliest piece of historical trash I've ever read.
April 13, 2010
The Book of Spies is my favorite book of the year. It opened with a bang and kept me glued to the book until the end.
The CIA discovers there is a connection between the historical Library of Gold and a terrorist bank account. Like Robert Ludlum, Lynds follows the money welded by the cabal of powerful men. She weaves a tale of intrigue with rare book expert Eva Blake and CIA agent Judd Ryder in solving the mystery. The characters were well developed and she deftly and seamlessly crossed genres; spies, historical, and treasure hunting without losing the tantalizing pace of a thriller.
I was tickled pink with the character introduction on page 166. Also I was pleased to see that the Carnivore, one of my favorite Lynds characters made an appearance in this novel Usually I poo-poo the blurbs on the back of a book, but I have to agree Gayle Lynds is one, if not the best of the suspense writers in the world. If you like espionage or historical novels both readers will be satisfied and left wanting for another outing with Eva and Judd.
The CIA discovers there is a connection between the historical Library of Gold and a terrorist bank account. Like Robert Ludlum, Lynds follows the money welded by the cabal of powerful men. She weaves a tale of intrigue with rare book expert Eva Blake and CIA agent Judd Ryder in solving the mystery. The characters were well developed and she deftly and seamlessly crossed genres; spies, historical, and treasure hunting without losing the tantalizing pace of a thriller.
I was tickled pink with the character introduction on page 166. Also I was pleased to see that the Carnivore, one of my favorite Lynds characters made an appearance in this novel Usually I poo-poo the blurbs on the back of a book, but I have to agree Gayle Lynds is one, if not the best of the suspense writers in the world. If you like espionage or historical novels both readers will be satisfied and left wanting for another outing with Eva and Judd.
April 24, 2010
An avid reader, I find myself fussier when it comes to books that fall under the genre of historical fiction and admit that I am certainly harder to please in this arena. In my opinion, the bar is set much higher when bits and pieces of fact are woven into the fabric of the storyline with the largest challenge for the author being believability.
Believability is not an issue for Gayle Lynds or “The Book of Spies”. A masterful blend of bold, fearless characters, desperately searching for the Library of Gold kept me intrigued from the start. A sure sign of Lynds greatness is her ability to create amazingly vivid imagery making it effortless for me to share in the beauty of her modern day version of the Library.
Believability is not an issue for Gayle Lynds or “The Book of Spies”. A masterful blend of bold, fearless characters, desperately searching for the Library of Gold kept me intrigued from the start. A sure sign of Lynds greatness is her ability to create amazingly vivid imagery making it effortless for me to share in the beauty of her modern day version of the Library.
October 13, 2017
A very silly thriller, but so engrossing that I has to finish it. There is no added value apart from passing the time, even though the story revolves around books. That's quite an "achievement." You feel that you must read on, although you keep asking yourself why the whole time, which makes you end up feeling a bit used. The plot is so unbelievable at times that you find yourself chuckling at its silliness. I can't believe I have wasted my time on this thing, but I did. Weird.
March 18, 2011
I chose to read this book because of the description I read on the back cover. O how I wish i had stopped there. Nowhere did it mention that it was actually a blandly written romance novel, with what felt like wikipedia entries scattered throughout describing people places and things. I would NOT recommend wasting your time on this one. It should have been burried along with the library of gold.
June 25, 2016
3 1/2 stars. Extremely detailed book about a lost book from a secret library.
I listened to the recorded book. Interesting premise, good suspense and lots of action.
My only issue with it was every word seemed carefully chosen and if not focused 100% of the time, I would be lost. I had to replay entire chapters to make sure I hadn't missed anything important.
I listened to the recorded book. Interesting premise, good suspense and lots of action.
My only issue with it was every word seemed carefully chosen and if not focused 100% of the time, I would be lost. I had to replay entire chapters to make sure I hadn't missed anything important.
April 26, 2025
Cliche to say “action-packed” but I did enjoy this spy thriller! ( Maybe because I envisioned Henry Cavill playing the role of Judd Ryder, which made the plot so much sexier). There was some chemistry between Eva Blake, our other protagonist and Ryder, but no real saucy scene to entice as I had hoped. They were too busy fighting, running, hiding or delving into the bits and pieces of The Lost Library of Gold, otherwise known as a library Ivan the Terrible had hidden. The Book of Spies is a supposed book, fictional from this library, and a means to all the calamity and action that surrounds it. This key aspect is what drew me into reading the novel in the first place.
I had never heard of an ancient lost library possibly buried under the Kremlin! Where was I in history class or why haven’t I come across this until now? I gravitate to fiction but predominantly historical fiction and researchers, historians and famous leaders of the past, such as Napoleon and Peter the Great, have searched for the Lost Library of Gold. I read and reread the notes on the back of the novel, by Gayle Lynds and can see why she was entranced by this key subject to write a novel based on it. I, too, was entranced. Where are you Josh Gates? Isn’t there an Expedition Unknown episode of you digging under the Kremlin to find it?
The rest is the novel, an easy read, suspenseful entertainment. Go for it!
I had never heard of an ancient lost library possibly buried under the Kremlin! Where was I in history class or why haven’t I come across this until now? I gravitate to fiction but predominantly historical fiction and researchers, historians and famous leaders of the past, such as Napoleon and Peter the Great, have searched for the Lost Library of Gold. I read and reread the notes on the back of the novel, by Gayle Lynds and can see why she was entranced by this key subject to write a novel based on it. I, too, was entranced. Where are you Josh Gates? Isn’t there an Expedition Unknown episode of you digging under the Kremlin to find it?
The rest is the novel, an easy read, suspenseful entertainment. Go for it!
November 9, 2017
it started out well, I thought it sounded like a good read for me, but by 30% my interest waned, just seamed stilted to me and then I just wanted it done but I didn't really want to pick it up again. By the time the sex scene hit i was done and rolling my eyes. Skimmed to the end...
May 17, 2021
2.5 estrellas.
"Una biblioteca puede ser un lugar peligroso".
Nunca tuve muchas expectativas de La Biblioteca de Oro, pero crecieron al tope cuando me topé con una frase inicial tan original. Y cayeron de nuevo al pasar de las cincuenta páginas y darme cuenta de que era un libro de espías más.
El argumento inicial llama mucho la atención, sin embargo, el desarrollo es completamente predecible a excepción de un giro inesperado al principio. Siempre están ocurriendo cosas y las escenas de acción son constantes, el problema es que son muy exageradas, como Judd abriendo la puerta de un taxi fuera de control en la autopista, saltando al asfalto y corriendo hasta alcanzar el asiento delantero y subirse. O Preston identificando a los protagonistas por un rasgo tan vago como la forma de caminar. Sabes cómo va a terminar y la mayoría del tiempo entretiene, pero también aburre mucho.
Los personajes están muy mal llevados, nos describen sus vidas y sus personalidades, lo que me hace pensar que la autora tiene claros a sus personajes, pero no supo plasmarlos en el papel. Pese a todo lo que nos dicen sobre ellos, casi nunca muestran sus personalidades y todas sus características se relacionan con el mundo del espionaje y no se exploran más facetas. La excepción a eso último es Eva, de la cual conocemos más cosas que del resto, pero no reacciona de ningún modo ante la pérdida de seres queridos. Sí, Gayle Lynds narra que se siente mal, el problema es que no lo muestra, sólo lo dice y no podemos ver esa tristeza. Quizás el único en verdad interesante es El Carnívoro, aunque sale poco y su desarrollo es nulo. Las motivaciones de los personajes secundarios, sobre todo los villanos, apenas se explican.
La narrativa es demasiado simple. No suelo ser demasiado exigente en ese sentido, pero es que este libro hace un uso tan plano de las palabras, apenas se usan metáforas o figuras literarias, las descripciones son muy superficiales, excepto por el aspecto físico de los personajes.
En general, creo que es una novela entretenida, mediocre, y aun así entretenida.
"Una biblioteca puede ser un lugar peligroso".
Nunca tuve muchas expectativas de La Biblioteca de Oro, pero crecieron al tope cuando me topé con una frase inicial tan original. Y cayeron de nuevo al pasar de las cincuenta páginas y darme cuenta de que era un libro de espías más.
El argumento inicial llama mucho la atención, sin embargo, el desarrollo es completamente predecible a excepción de un giro inesperado al principio. Siempre están ocurriendo cosas y las escenas de acción son constantes, el problema es que son muy exageradas, como Judd abriendo la puerta de un taxi fuera de control en la autopista, saltando al asfalto y corriendo hasta alcanzar el asiento delantero y subirse. O Preston identificando a los protagonistas por un rasgo tan vago como la forma de caminar. Sabes cómo va a terminar y la mayoría del tiempo entretiene, pero también aburre mucho.
Los personajes están muy mal llevados, nos describen sus vidas y sus personalidades, lo que me hace pensar que la autora tiene claros a sus personajes, pero no supo plasmarlos en el papel. Pese a todo lo que nos dicen sobre ellos, casi nunca muestran sus personalidades y todas sus características se relacionan con el mundo del espionaje y no se exploran más facetas. La excepción a eso último es Eva, de la cual conocemos más cosas que del resto, pero no reacciona de ningún modo ante la pérdida de seres queridos. Sí, Gayle Lynds narra que se siente mal, el problema es que no lo muestra, sólo lo dice y no podemos ver esa tristeza. Quizás el único en verdad interesante es El Carnívoro, aunque sale poco y su desarrollo es nulo. Las motivaciones de los personajes secundarios, sobre todo los villanos, apenas se explican.
La narrativa es demasiado simple. No suelo ser demasiado exigente en ese sentido, pero es que este libro hace un uso tan plano de las palabras, apenas se usan metáforas o figuras literarias, las descripciones son muy superficiales, excepto por el aspecto físico de los personajes.
En general, creo que es una novela entretenida, mediocre, y aun así entretenida.
April 26, 2010
One of those hold-your-interest spy thrillers where everything is quickly known and it is merely a race, a hunt against the clock or away from the killers. Certainly intriguing, at first, with the hidden Library of Gold, the smuggled message, the woman who went to prison for killing her husband sprung to find out more, the son of a murdered billionaire (and former military intelligence officer) out to find out what happened....
Styled after the late, great Robert Ludlum with its mix of civilian thrust into an international operation, high-flying corporate imperialists who let nothing stand in their way, and a subplot involving terrorists, this was okay, but it panders to the American sense of righteousness more than Ludlum did later in his career (after the Cold War ended). The caricatures of tribal people on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border as gun-toting, blood-oath swearing and treacherous; the presence of the U.S. military there as necessary and desired by the people (after all, those nice U.S. soldiers just want to help), and the flag waving by the characters for the CIA and the American Way of Life!
Okay, you're thinking--what did you expect, reading a spy book? Right? That's is what you were thinking, wasn't it?
I don't think it is too much to expect writers to base their stories--even fantastical ones where a book restoration specialist turns into a CIA-level covert operator just like that--in the real world. Lynds picked Afghanistan and then ignored the political, ethical, and moral connivance and failures that brought about the U.S. invasion and disastrous occupation. This same CIA carrying out kidnappings around the world, delivering people to the hands of torturers, and operating Predator drones killing people around the world is presented in the novel as a bastion of good, of noble American values. Bullshit.
The fact is, a fiction book that tells it like it is--while still telling a fantasy--won't get picked up to publish (though it might sell if that happens).
The fact is, fictional stories shape real world perceptions, beliefs, and actions. The stories a society tells itself promote the dominant ways of thinking and being, predicting and promoting the dominant ways of acting in the future. I'd sure like to see some different kinds of stories told. A different kind of future.
Styled after the late, great Robert Ludlum with its mix of civilian thrust into an international operation, high-flying corporate imperialists who let nothing stand in their way, and a subplot involving terrorists, this was okay, but it panders to the American sense of righteousness more than Ludlum did later in his career (after the Cold War ended). The caricatures of tribal people on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border as gun-toting, blood-oath swearing and treacherous; the presence of the U.S. military there as necessary and desired by the people (after all, those nice U.S. soldiers just want to help), and the flag waving by the characters for the CIA and the American Way of Life!
Okay, you're thinking--what did you expect, reading a spy book? Right? That's is what you were thinking, wasn't it?
I don't think it is too much to expect writers to base their stories--even fantastical ones where a book restoration specialist turns into a CIA-level covert operator just like that--in the real world. Lynds picked Afghanistan and then ignored the political, ethical, and moral connivance and failures that brought about the U.S. invasion and disastrous occupation. This same CIA carrying out kidnappings around the world, delivering people to the hands of torturers, and operating Predator drones killing people around the world is presented in the novel as a bastion of good, of noble American values. Bullshit.
The fact is, a fiction book that tells it like it is--while still telling a fantasy--won't get picked up to publish (though it might sell if that happens).
The fact is, fictional stories shape real world perceptions, beliefs, and actions. The stories a society tells itself promote the dominant ways of thinking and being, predicting and promoting the dominant ways of acting in the future. I'd sure like to see some different kinds of stories told. A different kind of future.
May 6, 2010
There is a quote on the back of the cover by James Patterson stating that this book is extremely original but to get you interested in it, he claims it's a cross between The Da Vinci Code and The Bourne Identity.
This just adds to my dislike of James Patterson because it's not original at all, it IS a cross between the two and I fail to see how one could claim any of it's parts as unique.
The story moves at lightning speed, clearly written for the screen in fast pace chases, a beautiful cast(is anyone in the world ugly?), superficial motives and one dimensional characters. Everything moves with an exciting yet predictable pace with minimal heartbreak and no surprises whatsover. At the end of the day the group of evil doers at the center of the plot would have benefited from playing more chess and less trivia; most of them were rather moronic in my opinion.
I can't deny that it was a fast fun read. Great for the beach, I'd request this from the library rather then running out to buy it. I might give another one of her books a whirl to see if I like it, I just love spy books that much.
This just adds to my dislike of James Patterson because it's not original at all, it IS a cross between the two and I fail to see how one could claim any of it's parts as unique.
The story moves at lightning speed, clearly written for the screen in fast pace chases, a beautiful cast(is anyone in the world ugly?), superficial motives and one dimensional characters. Everything moves with an exciting yet predictable pace with minimal heartbreak and no surprises whatsover. At the end of the day the group of evil doers at the center of the plot would have benefited from playing more chess and less trivia; most of them were rather moronic in my opinion.
I can't deny that it was a fast fun read. Great for the beach, I'd request this from the library rather then running out to buy it. I might give another one of her books a whirl to see if I like it, I just love spy books that much.
July 18, 2011
How can you not like a book built around the concept of a gang of criminals whose one common element is a love of books? This far fetched and gripping story is built around a collection of facts and legends concerning the library of gold bound ancient manuscripts last seen under the rule of Ivan the Terrible in Russia in the 16th century. Ivan created a network of catacombs below the Kremlin 12 stories deep. Russian spelunkers, geologists, and book lovers continue to search this maize of tunnels to this day without success in finding the library. Anyway, this story postulates that a gang of rich book lovers finds the library and gains control, moving it to a distant Greek island. Members of the library board employ a book loving security staff who go around killing other book lovers who threaten to discover the location of the library. Does this sound silly, or what? Despite the far fetchedness, this is a good read with lots of action and almost believable characters. Please read the notes at the back about the factual basis for the library going back to Athens and Alexandria in 500 bc. Interesting discussion of Sofia, the Greek princess who is married off to Ivan the 3rd (becoming the grandmother of Evan the Terrible). She moves the library from Constantinople by way of Rome (in a deal worked out the Pope) as a part of her dowry.
June 13, 2010
Everything I love in a mystery...
Imagine a Library of Gold - a library of rare books that has been preserved, guarded and passed down through the ages. Protected by kings, potentates, czars and powerful men who saved it for themselves alone to enjoy.
...and now imagine that one of these books is stolen from the Library! How some of the world's most powerful men react gives us a look at the world of privilege and unlimited wealth. Everyone goes looking for the Book of Spies - leading authorities on the Library of Gold, scholars, government agencies, and the agents of the group of men from whom it was stolen.
The action in the book is very fast, hop scotching around the world (we should only be so lucky to be able to bypass and manipulate airports and security), involving a host of wonderful characters, quirks of the financial world, links to terrorism and much more.
This is a roller coaster ride to every corner of the earth - Gayle Lynds writing draws you into a world that few of us will ever know, offering thrilling locations, terrorist plots, CIA, and snipers all taking place among antiquity - everything I love in a mystery...I will be checking out more from this author.
Imagine a Library of Gold - a library of rare books that has been preserved, guarded and passed down through the ages. Protected by kings, potentates, czars and powerful men who saved it for themselves alone to enjoy.
...and now imagine that one of these books is stolen from the Library! How some of the world's most powerful men react gives us a look at the world of privilege and unlimited wealth. Everyone goes looking for the Book of Spies - leading authorities on the Library of Gold, scholars, government agencies, and the agents of the group of men from whom it was stolen.
The action in the book is very fast, hop scotching around the world (we should only be so lucky to be able to bypass and manipulate airports and security), involving a host of wonderful characters, quirks of the financial world, links to terrorism and much more.
This is a roller coaster ride to every corner of the earth - Gayle Lynds writing draws you into a world that few of us will ever know, offering thrilling locations, terrorist plots, CIA, and snipers all taking place among antiquity - everything I love in a mystery...I will be checking out more from this author.
September 17, 2012
Woe is me! I have just discovered spy-writer Gayle Lynds who has co-written several books in Robert Ludlum’s series of spy thrillers as well as a number of her own best-selling stories. Why “woe is me” then? Because I have just finished THE BOOK OF SPIES (ISBN 978-0312946081, $9.99, St. Martins Paperback) and now have to add Gayle’s previous books to my current list of favorite spy-writers. The book is over 500 pages and contains the author’s afterward about what is real and what is not.
Based on a real, yet mysterious library created more than 600 years ago by the Byzantine emperors, the Library of Gold surfaces in the 21st Century. It is currently “owned and protected” by a Book Club consisting of 10 of the wealthiest people in the world who have plans to acquire mining rights in Afghanistan potentially worth trillions of dollars, even if hundreds of people need to be eliminated. The story takes us from California to Washington, DC, to locales in Europe. Reluctant CIA contract operative, Judd Ryder, and librarian/curator, Eva Blake, match wits with the Book Club members and its hired killers.
A real page-turner. I look forward to reading Gayle Lynds’ previous titles.
Based on a real, yet mysterious library created more than 600 years ago by the Byzantine emperors, the Library of Gold surfaces in the 21st Century. It is currently “owned and protected” by a Book Club consisting of 10 of the wealthiest people in the world who have plans to acquire mining rights in Afghanistan potentially worth trillions of dollars, even if hundreds of people need to be eliminated. The story takes us from California to Washington, DC, to locales in Europe. Reluctant CIA contract operative, Judd Ryder, and librarian/curator, Eva Blake, match wits with the Book Club members and its hired killers.
A real page-turner. I look forward to reading Gayle Lynds’ previous titles.
September 22, 2012
The Library of Gold is a somewhat typical thriller. I sort of don't have any patience for that sort of thing lately, since I'm trying to get through my backlog a bit -- and like I said, this is typical of the genre, with infodumps and long lists of names and short snappy chapters. It was compelling enough that I kept paging through it, but not so much that I didn't skim.
I was really interested by the premise, though, and I definitely didn't skim the historical notes at the end. My sister reckons I can find bookshops by smell -- maybe they should take me to Russia to try and sniff out Ivan the Terrible's library. On the other hand, I'm not exactly welcome in Russia since I'm a walking talking bit of "homosexual propaganda" and have actually signed a petition saying I will not visit St Petersburg. Oh well! Still, the idea of Ivan the Terrible's library is well worth half a dozen thrillers, to my mind. I'll give it three stars just for bringing my attention to such an intriguing bit of history.
I was really interested by the premise, though, and I definitely didn't skim the historical notes at the end. My sister reckons I can find bookshops by smell -- maybe they should take me to Russia to try and sniff out Ivan the Terrible's library. On the other hand, I'm not exactly welcome in Russia since I'm a walking talking bit of "homosexual propaganda" and have actually signed a petition saying I will not visit St Petersburg. Oh well! Still, the idea of Ivan the Terrible's library is well worth half a dozen thrillers, to my mind. I'll give it three stars just for bringing my attention to such an intriguing bit of history.
August 29, 2010
A bit much for me! Good guys and bad guys chasing each other, shooting, stabbing, killing, general mayhem...the spies pop up everywhere, they are always ready to go after someone. Good guys and bad guys are piling up dead everywhere. And of course there is a character not on either side who helps...and a little romance thrown in. Reminded me of Angels & Demons because of how ridiculous it all was. But maybe it really is like that out there in the spy world, who knows?
March 20, 2011
Fun story, poor writing.
January 17, 2023
Couldn’t get into it. I picked this up while in a reading slump and enjoyed it for awhile. In my opinion it was very slow.
I did appreciate how short the chapters were (yes I’m one of those people). It’s much more convenient to bring along when you can pause after two or three pages. 😏
I did appreciate how short the chapters were (yes I’m one of those people). It’s much more convenient to bring along when you can pause after two or three pages. 😏
July 4, 2018
I don’t think I started this book with any preconceived notions, but somehow this wasn’t quite the story I was expecting. Usually I love reading about all the little details about the people, places, and things that make up a book. This book took all those little details I loved and made them boring and monotonous. There’s only so many times I can stand reading the exact name of a particular martial arts strike, kick, or hold before my brain stops registering them and they become the generic “punch”, “kick”, or “hold” as I read. Was it my imagination or did this read a lot like the script for the movie ‘Red’? Though I have to give the movie credit for doing a much better job of portraying women as successful clandestine operatives. I’ve borrowed the next book in the series from the library, but I’ve maybe had all I can stand of Judd and Eva for right now.
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