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Sam Reilly #6
The Nostradamus Equation
In 1562, Michel de Nostradamus led a small party on an expedition deep into the hostile Desert of Barbary, now known as the Sahara. Without any knowledge of what they might find, the small party had entered the vast desert in search of a miracle.
In the present day, Dr. Zara Delacroix enlists the help of Sam Reilly to hunt for answers about a book she believes was buried in the Sahara centuries earlier to protect humanity from some great catastrophe.
This ancient manuscript was named The Book of Nostradamus. . .
In the present day, Dr. Zara Delacroix enlists the help of Sam Reilly to hunt for answers about a book she believes was buried in the Sahara centuries earlier to protect humanity from some great catastrophe.
This ancient manuscript was named The Book of Nostradamus. . .
431 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2017
1760 people are currently reading
1224 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Cartwright
73 books251 followersChristopher Cartwright writes spellbinding mysteries and suspense novels. Often with a backdrop of ocean adventure. Born in 1983, he has a background as a paramedic, and is an avid sailor and SCUBA diver.
He holds degrees in paramedics, nursing and emergency management.
Chris currently lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.
He holds degrees in paramedics, nursing and emergency management.
Chris currently lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
September 6, 2018
NostradamusThe Nostradamus Equation
Sam Reilly, Book 6
By: Christopher Cartwright
Narrated by: David Gilmore
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I love books looking for artifacts but this one is about Nostradamus, prophecy, and of course the usual action, adventure, suspense, and near death multiple times. Never dull in Sam Reilly's life! These books are like chips, you really can't read just one! They are addictive! I am hooked.
The narrator is awesome at keeping the emotions running fast and hard. That is how the book runs. He also is great at all the voices that is like family to me now. Great job!
Sam Reilly, Book 6
By: Christopher Cartwright
Narrated by: David Gilmore
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I love books looking for artifacts but this one is about Nostradamus, prophecy, and of course the usual action, adventure, suspense, and near death multiple times. Never dull in Sam Reilly's life! These books are like chips, you really can't read just one! They are addictive! I am hooked.
The narrator is awesome at keeping the emotions running fast and hard. That is how the book runs. He also is great at all the voices that is like family to me now. Great job!
June 6, 2017
Read out of line.
I wish that I had read the first novels before this. Otherwise a very good read. I tend to like a much longer book. Books of this size fly by like nothing to an avid reader. Over all though a really enjoyable read. I liked the characters and will in all probability read all the rest
I wish that I had read the first novels before this. Otherwise a very good read. I tend to like a much longer book. Books of this size fly by like nothing to an avid reader. Over all though a really enjoyable read. I liked the characters and will in all probability read all the rest
May 5, 2017
Well written. Have read all the books in the series. Feel they would make
great movies. Enjoy the adventures Sam Reilly has himself involved in.
great movies. Enjoy the adventures Sam Reilly has himself involved in.
October 10, 2017
This novel held my attention all the way to the end. There was no downtime, no stops that were not compatible with the rest of the story. It was well tuned and ready to roll. There is a great deal of energy in the characters and their interaction with each other. I found a lot to like among them all. The story is packed with excitement every which way and keeps changing with diversions that caused me to feel the urgency in each encounter. Just when you think the characters have some breathing room, they are plunged off in another direction that culminates in the coming together at the end. I like the fast moving adventure that is the Nostradamus Equation. While I suppose it touches on science fiction, I don't mind feeling as if it is all plausible and true. I could see many indications toward the troubles our world is facing today. I like to believe there are still heroes out there who are as great as the characters in this novel.
January 11, 2018
I enjoyed the story immensely although it got boring at times with the repetitions of the same facts and there were many times I found the female lead supercilious which made me want to slap her soundly but overall the story line holds your attention from beginning to end. There was however, one thing that consistently irritated me and that was the use of "shined" as the past tense of shine. Whilst I know that shined is an acceptable alternative to the word shone the word "shined" was used in places where it would have been more appropriate and made more sense to have used the word 'shone'. I look forward to reading further stories from this author and just hope that I don't once again have to battle with the words "shined and shone".
Want to read
July 3, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/3/2019)! 🎁
October 9, 2017
Enjoyable Chase for Crucial Information to Save the World
Much like "The Da Vinci Code", this novel focuses on a race to uncover ancient critical knowledge in time to save the future of the human race. Christopher Cartwright uses multiple protagonists to search for answers, and I think this makes the story much more interesting. This was a very enjoyable read. This book did start out a little slow, but eventually it transformed into a gut-clenching, constant action adventure.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Much like "The Da Vinci Code", this novel focuses on a race to uncover ancient critical knowledge in time to save the future of the human race. Christopher Cartwright uses multiple protagonists to search for answers, and I think this makes the story much more interesting. This was a very enjoyable read. This book did start out a little slow, but eventually it transformed into a gut-clenching, constant action adventure.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
September 6, 2017
I really love the action of these books and am fascinated as to where the story will go.
October 24, 2018
4 stars
This book starts out slowly, but picks up pretty quickly after the first chapter or so.
Dr. Zara Delacroix is an archeologist who is looking for the lost book of Nostradamus in the Sahara Desert. She is also known as the Queen of the Sahara by her many followers, mostly indigenous peoples of the desert. Her father, also an archeologist, died looking for the book. At first she thinks that the whole search for the book and its prognostications are baloney, but then after some eerie and uncanny occurrences comes to believe it.
Also in the desert are Sam Reilley and Tom Bower, his partner. They are funded by DARPA and are also looking for something. When Zara makes a dangerous and exciting escape from mercenaries who attacked her camp, she runs into trouble. Captured and left for dead, in comes Sam and Tom to save her life – twice. She storms off into the desert.
They face a harrowing and dangerous trek across the desert to escape their pursuers. They get in and out of scrapes with apparent ease. (It is actually a little humorous in places.) Sam and Tom find what they were looking for quite by mistake while evading the mob of mercenaries on their tail. Along the way, Zara tells Sam about the mysterious Book of Nostradamus, but she doesn’t tell him everything she knows. She leaves out a major fact.
Meanwhile the crew of the ship that is supposed to meet Sam and Tom are worried. Elise, Genevieve and a small team make a foray into a local small village and are met there by adoring villagers. The spokesman for the village explains why. On the way to look for Sam and Tom, they see a survivor at the attack site where Zara had her dig. He tells another amazing story. They take him back to the ship. When Zara, Sam and Tom return to the ship, they are soon off on another adventure.
Zara is more than a little imperious and rude. She is right and everyone else is suspect. I didn’t care for her at all. She is undoubtedly a pessimist and pretty taken with herself. This book is almost a non-stop adventure ride. It is filled with action and wild thrills. It doesn’t matter that some of the situations in which our heroes find themselves are more than a little improbable. That’s not why I read these kinds of novels. I read them for a break from reality and a little fun.
This is my first Christopher Cartwright novel, and I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of his books. I enjoyed the novel – the reader just has to suspend belief while one is enjoying it…
This book starts out slowly, but picks up pretty quickly after the first chapter or so.
Dr. Zara Delacroix is an archeologist who is looking for the lost book of Nostradamus in the Sahara Desert. She is also known as the Queen of the Sahara by her many followers, mostly indigenous peoples of the desert. Her father, also an archeologist, died looking for the book. At first she thinks that the whole search for the book and its prognostications are baloney, but then after some eerie and uncanny occurrences comes to believe it.
Also in the desert are Sam Reilley and Tom Bower, his partner. They are funded by DARPA and are also looking for something. When Zara makes a dangerous and exciting escape from mercenaries who attacked her camp, she runs into trouble. Captured and left for dead, in comes Sam and Tom to save her life – twice. She storms off into the desert.
They face a harrowing and dangerous trek across the desert to escape their pursuers. They get in and out of scrapes with apparent ease. (It is actually a little humorous in places.) Sam and Tom find what they were looking for quite by mistake while evading the mob of mercenaries on their tail. Along the way, Zara tells Sam about the mysterious Book of Nostradamus, but she doesn’t tell him everything she knows. She leaves out a major fact.
Meanwhile the crew of the ship that is supposed to meet Sam and Tom are worried. Elise, Genevieve and a small team make a foray into a local small village and are met there by adoring villagers. The spokesman for the village explains why. On the way to look for Sam and Tom, they see a survivor at the attack site where Zara had her dig. He tells another amazing story. They take him back to the ship. When Zara, Sam and Tom return to the ship, they are soon off on another adventure.
Zara is more than a little imperious and rude. She is right and everyone else is suspect. I didn’t care for her at all. She is undoubtedly a pessimist and pretty taken with herself. This book is almost a non-stop adventure ride. It is filled with action and wild thrills. It doesn’t matter that some of the situations in which our heroes find themselves are more than a little improbable. That’s not why I read these kinds of novels. I read them for a break from reality and a little fun.
This is my first Christopher Cartwright novel, and I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of his books. I enjoyed the novel – the reader just has to suspend belief while one is enjoying it…
October 22, 2017
I got this free from bookbub. It’s my first Sam Reilly book, and it was great.
A treasure hunter / adventure story in a similar mold to Clive Cussler.
The book starts with Nostradamus making an epic journey across the Sahara to hide a book and pass on a prophecy.
Fast forward to present day and Dr Zara Delacroix - the modern day descendant of one of Nostradamus’ companions who is destined to fulfil the prophecy. Or is she? After finding the book she barely escapes into the vast Sahara to try to save humanity. Meeting Sam Reilly along the way the tale takes many twists and turns before the climax. But can they save the world?
Spoiler alert - there’s at least 1 more book in the series 😜.
I really enjoyed this and will definitely be checking out more of this series.
A treasure hunter / adventure story in a similar mold to Clive Cussler.
The book starts with Nostradamus making an epic journey across the Sahara to hide a book and pass on a prophecy.
Fast forward to present day and Dr Zara Delacroix - the modern day descendant of one of Nostradamus’ companions who is destined to fulfil the prophecy. Or is she? After finding the book she barely escapes into the vast Sahara to try to save humanity. Meeting Sam Reilly along the way the tale takes many twists and turns before the climax. But can they save the world?
Spoiler alert - there’s at least 1 more book in the series 😜.
I really enjoyed this and will definitely be checking out more of this series.
November 3, 2018
Complicated and a bit repetitive, but interesting. Not bad.
October 14, 2019
Two stars because of all the repetitious, long-winded, dull explanations. They could have/should have been shortened or in some cases eliminated. This book needed a strict editor.
November 6, 2019
I really, really liked this book, and would have rated it much higher, if not for a few editing problems.
I have read all the series so far, so I am on board with Sam Reilly being the luckiest man in the world and he is constantly saved from certain doom in the most remarkable strokes of luck.
What I was not happy with was the flow of the plot. There were several instances where the characters were saying things that made no sense, and I had to go back a few pages to make sure I didn't miss anything, to work out why they jumped to a new thought without any warning.
This happened fairly early on in the story (so no spoilers).
Chapter Nine. Zara had just read Nostradamus's letter. She exits the tent and looks around
"there wasn't a single cloud anywhere. Massive thunderstorm tonight, hey? Some prediction Nostradamus!"
The only problem being in everything she had just read, no mention was made of thunderstorms. I did a word search and the first time the word "thunderstorm" was used in the book, was just then.
I checked to see if there was a new version of the story out on kindle, but no. It just didn't make sense. So was there a sub story there that was edited out? No idea, but things like that happened a few times, which made a story about Nostradamus trying to change the future, much trickier to understand...
I have read all the series so far, so I am on board with Sam Reilly being the luckiest man in the world and he is constantly saved from certain doom in the most remarkable strokes of luck.
What I was not happy with was the flow of the plot. There were several instances where the characters were saying things that made no sense, and I had to go back a few pages to make sure I didn't miss anything, to work out why they jumped to a new thought without any warning.
This happened fairly early on in the story (so no spoilers).
Chapter Nine. Zara had just read Nostradamus's letter. She exits the tent and looks around
"there wasn't a single cloud anywhere. Massive thunderstorm tonight, hey? Some prediction Nostradamus!"
The only problem being in everything she had just read, no mention was made of thunderstorms. I did a word search and the first time the word "thunderstorm" was used in the book, was just then.
I checked to see if there was a new version of the story out on kindle, but no. It just didn't make sense. So was there a sub story there that was edited out? No idea, but things like that happened a few times, which made a story about Nostradamus trying to change the future, much trickier to understand...
August 4, 2018
Not a bad story line which kept me captivated....HOWEVER, the book could use some major editing. It read like an unedited second draft in which the flow was interrupted by spelling and grammatical errors. However, the really disturbing part was the jump of character lines, like when the author described a person saying a line and then running off, only to follow the next paragraph with the female character talking to him again.... before he runs off. Another example is where the author found a very cool descriptive sentence of an event and decided to use the line twice within a page. Apparently forgetting that it was used. These are things that an editor would easily catch but hampered the flow when reading.
Regarding the characters; the female characters were a bit overplayed, but that tends to be the case when trying to add female action characters in most books.
Overall, entertaining.
Regarding the characters; the female characters were a bit overplayed, but that tends to be the case when trying to add female action characters in most books.
Overall, entertaining.
November 1, 2017
I really liked the story and will probably read others in the series. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is the editing. Random commas that interrupt the story flow. Periods breaking sentences in half where there should be commas instead. The occasional wrong word altogether, and "it's" for "its" all the time. It wasn't enough to make me stop reading, but it broke my concentration. But, like I said, it's a good story and it made me want to read more from this author.
July 24, 2018
Storyline is great...but the editing was worthless...
The editing is horrible. At least twice, the characters had the same conversations with each other in entirely different chapters! It was almost verbatim! I thought perhaps my tablet had slipped back a few chapters accidentally. It hadnt. The author simply wrote the same scene into another chapter and the editors didn't catch the error! This was most annoying to me. 😕
The editing is horrible. At least twice, the characters had the same conversations with each other in entirely different chapters! It was almost verbatim! I thought perhaps my tablet had slipped back a few chapters accidentally. It hadnt. The author simply wrote the same scene into another chapter and the editors didn't catch the error! This was most annoying to me. 😕
October 25, 2017
A good yarn
An easy read with a good turn of pace to keep things interesting. In keeping with other Sam reily stories and further expanding on the master builders theme
An easy read with a good turn of pace to keep things interesting. In keeping with other Sam reily stories and further expanding on the master builders theme
November 24, 2019
Interesting adventure tale.
August 14, 2018
Nostradamus hides his prophecy book “Century” in Sahara which contains the remaining 58 quatrains of Century VII. The book also prophecies about the end of human race and it may continue through the effort of one girl who will be a decadent of Nostradamus companion.
That girl is Dr.Zara Delacroix, but she did not believe in Nostradamus writings. Later when she finds the hidden book she start to believe in his prophecies. To stop her progress a group of rebels try to kill and take the book. Zara escapes from them and meets Sam Reilly. Now the story shifts to 4th gear. On one side Zara been chased by the thugs of General Ngige and another she has doubts about Sam and his appearance in the middle of the desert. To fill up their water bottle, they happen to use the fossil water from foggara (ancient under water tunnel dug up by Garamantes) but they cannot come up from the well as the thugs were above looking for them. They stay in the under water tunnel for days and they attempt to find another route for escape, this part of the story was very thrilling as Sam, Tom and Zara try their level best to come out of the tunnel.
Same time Sam’s team understands that he had been gone missing and they begin to search for him. Did Sam, Tom Bower and Zara escape from the tunnel? What was the prophecy of Nostradamus and what is Nostradamus equation? Did General Ngige become the Dictator of all of Africa? What mineral was General Ngige was mining below Lake Tumba? all these are answered in the last few pages of the novel. The climax is cliff hanger.
The novel is fast paced a page turner, I have already read The Last Airship of Christopher Cartwright and I have also reviewed that a couple of months back. I find a slight resemblance of Clive Cussler adventure in Christopher Cartwright novels. I like to thank the author Christopher for giving a thrilling adventure story.
http://www.chromaring.com/2018/08/the...
That girl is Dr.Zara Delacroix, but she did not believe in Nostradamus writings. Later when she finds the hidden book she start to believe in his prophecies. To stop her progress a group of rebels try to kill and take the book. Zara escapes from them and meets Sam Reilly. Now the story shifts to 4th gear. On one side Zara been chased by the thugs of General Ngige and another she has doubts about Sam and his appearance in the middle of the desert. To fill up their water bottle, they happen to use the fossil water from foggara (ancient under water tunnel dug up by Garamantes) but they cannot come up from the well as the thugs were above looking for them. They stay in the under water tunnel for days and they attempt to find another route for escape, this part of the story was very thrilling as Sam, Tom and Zara try their level best to come out of the tunnel.
Same time Sam’s team understands that he had been gone missing and they begin to search for him. Did Sam, Tom Bower and Zara escape from the tunnel? What was the prophecy of Nostradamus and what is Nostradamus equation? Did General Ngige become the Dictator of all of Africa? What mineral was General Ngige was mining below Lake Tumba? all these are answered in the last few pages of the novel. The climax is cliff hanger.
The novel is fast paced a page turner, I have already read The Last Airship of Christopher Cartwright and I have also reviewed that a couple of months back. I find a slight resemblance of Clive Cussler adventure in Christopher Cartwright novels. I like to thank the author Christopher for giving a thrilling adventure story.
http://www.chromaring.com/2018/08/the...
August 17, 2023
I love this series. I think they could use a a lot of editing, less details about ships, weaponry, cars, etc. and more emphasis on the intense scenes. Many times throughout the series, I find myself feeling nervous, claustrophobic, in suspense, and flipping pages to get to the next scenes, which I enjoy a lot. Those bits that draw on about specific details, brand names, or mechanics take me out of the action sometimes.
I do also question if there are enough edits to paraphrase information about locations found online. I love that in this series, I find myself googling places I’ve never heard of, and I often find the travel to be the most immersive element. However, when I do a search online to look up a place and get a visual while reading, I often come across a very very similarly written article to the books.
Two other issues: there is an overarching plot that is the most interesting bit, but in the later books, some of the original details don’t seem to add up anymore. I may not be far enough to see it come together, so take that with a grain of salt. And, the descriptions of female characters can be a little jarring. Every woman seems to be fit, with lithe muscles and perfect teeth and a Lara Croft personality. Even more bookish, older, or one-off female characters are subject to this brush over. I enjoy the individuality of each one’s backstories, but I think some variety in appearance, or at least better initial descriptions than their…physical attributes…would be appreciated, too!
All of that being said, I’ve almost caught up to the currently published book and I have no intention of stopping the series. I loved the Uncharted games, and this reminds me heavily of that style. Action, adventure, thrilling discoveries, and an overarching plot which is generally well thought out.
I do also question if there are enough edits to paraphrase information about locations found online. I love that in this series, I find myself googling places I’ve never heard of, and I often find the travel to be the most immersive element. However, when I do a search online to look up a place and get a visual while reading, I often come across a very very similarly written article to the books.
Two other issues: there is an overarching plot that is the most interesting bit, but in the later books, some of the original details don’t seem to add up anymore. I may not be far enough to see it come together, so take that with a grain of salt. And, the descriptions of female characters can be a little jarring. Every woman seems to be fit, with lithe muscles and perfect teeth and a Lara Croft personality. Even more bookish, older, or one-off female characters are subject to this brush over. I enjoy the individuality of each one’s backstories, but I think some variety in appearance, or at least better initial descriptions than their…physical attributes…would be appreciated, too!
All of that being said, I’ve almost caught up to the currently published book and I have no intention of stopping the series. I loved the Uncharted games, and this reminds me heavily of that style. Action, adventure, thrilling discoveries, and an overarching plot which is generally well thought out.
June 24, 2018
There’s so much wrong with this... sentences make no sense because they’re only half a sentence and a period has been used instead of a comma. “Their” is used instead of “they’re”; it’s and its are interchangeable; at one point half a sentence is in italics for no reason at all; the strong, independent woman constantly needs help from the men; another strong, independent woman refers to her as ‘the girl’ and she says nothing; both male and female leads refer to objects as ‘stupid’ (‘the stupid book’, ‘this stupid pendant’ - really? How old are you both, 15?); they lecture at each other constantly; he’s described as being humble and kind when all I read was arrogance and being up his own arse; everyone knows about the book her family have spent generations looking for and what it says; it all ends up being mystical rather than just action/adventure.
Despite the horrors (and this, apparently, is the sixth book, which makes me wonder just how bad the first five are), I carried on reading. I’m not sure why. Maybe to see how bad it could get. However, I knew nothing at all about Nostradamus so it at least made me google him and expand my knowledge, so that’s got to be worth it, hasn’t it? Hasn’t it?
Safe to say, I’ll be deleting this from my kindle and it’s highly unlikely I’ll read any others in this series!
Despite the horrors (and this, apparently, is the sixth book, which makes me wonder just how bad the first five are), I carried on reading. I’m not sure why. Maybe to see how bad it could get. However, I knew nothing at all about Nostradamus so it at least made me google him and expand my knowledge, so that’s got to be worth it, hasn’t it? Hasn’t it?
Safe to say, I’ll be deleting this from my kindle and it’s highly unlikely I’ll read any others in this series!
September 22, 2021
An unexpectedly good read. The mysteries behind the Nostradamus prophecies are woven into this Sam Reilly thriller. Nostradamus has predicted the end of humankind, but he sees one time thread that may change it all. Zara, a young and exotic archeologist, has discovered a book buried in the Sahara by Nostradamus 400 years ago. In it are letters from Nostradamus addressed to he and the missing 52 quatrains from the VII Century. Someone else desperately wants the book to keep her from figuring out the meaning of the missing quatrains and opening up the time thread that will change the destiny of humankind.
Meanwhile, a rebellion is raging in the DRC in Africa. A rebellion that could lead to a world war. The US is supporting the resistance but their covert agent has gone missing along with several million dollars worth of blood diamonds. Sam Reilly and Tom Bower are sent in to find the diamonds, since the agent is believed to have been captured and killed. But is he really dead? And how does this event link with the finding of the book?
Zara, Sam, and Tom are being hunted by the dictator of the DRC and his mercenaries. Hiding in a subterranean well beneath the Sahara desert, they search for a way out that will get them safely away and let them search for the equation that will unlock the quatrains. Will they make it?????
Meanwhile, a rebellion is raging in the DRC in Africa. A rebellion that could lead to a world war. The US is supporting the resistance but their covert agent has gone missing along with several million dollars worth of blood diamonds. Sam Reilly and Tom Bower are sent in to find the diamonds, since the agent is believed to have been captured and killed. But is he really dead? And how does this event link with the finding of the book?
Zara, Sam, and Tom are being hunted by the dictator of the DRC and his mercenaries. Hiding in a subterranean well beneath the Sahara desert, they search for a way out that will get them safely away and let them search for the equation that will unlock the quatrains. Will they make it?????
June 4, 2020
Brief synopsis from the book cover
In 1562, Michel de Nostradamus led a small party on an expedition deep into the hostile Desert of Barbary, now known as the Sahara. Without any knowledge of what they might find, the small party had entered the vast desert in search of a miracle.
In the present day, Dr. Zara Delacroix enlists the help of Sam Reilly to hunt for answers about a book she believes was buried in the Sahara centuries earlier to protect humanity from some great catastrophe.
This ancient manuscript was named The Book of Nostradamus.
My rating:
Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
Action and Adventure
Review:
This is a great action and adventure story. The plot is fast paced, there is an interesting historical mystery to solve, it’s a race against time and the stakes are high. The main characters are brave and their actions are full of energy without being unrealistic.
The book is part of the Sam Reilly series but can be read as a standalone
Overall this is a captivating and enjoyable read with nice characters. The book has an interesting plot with the right mixture of mystery and suspense.
In 1562, Michel de Nostradamus led a small party on an expedition deep into the hostile Desert of Barbary, now known as the Sahara. Without any knowledge of what they might find, the small party had entered the vast desert in search of a miracle.
In the present day, Dr. Zara Delacroix enlists the help of Sam Reilly to hunt for answers about a book she believes was buried in the Sahara centuries earlier to protect humanity from some great catastrophe.
This ancient manuscript was named The Book of Nostradamus.
My rating:
Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
Action and Adventure
Review:
This is a great action and adventure story. The plot is fast paced, there is an interesting historical mystery to solve, it’s a race against time and the stakes are high. The main characters are brave and their actions are full of energy without being unrealistic.
The book is part of the Sam Reilly series but can be read as a standalone
Overall this is a captivating and enjoyable read with nice characters. The book has an interesting plot with the right mixture of mystery and suspense.
April 4, 2023
Once again, Cartwright opens his novel with a chapter from the past. This time it is Nostradamus and a group of followers and slaves penetrating deep into the Sahara Desert to hide his last book of prophecies. Those prophecies tie into the Ancient Builders theory first introduced in the second book in the series. Nostrodamus was apparently connected to the builders in some way and received his images of the future through this connection. The question is—can the future be changed? Nostrodamus is gambling that it can and has tried to establish clues to help Sam Reilly and his companions avert the destruction of all human life.
The best part of this novel occurs in the middle where Sam, Tom, and the mandatory beautiful woman scientist who appears in every book with a different name, attempt to evade a hostile army in the Sahara Desert. They end up in a deep well with amazing architectural elements that may have influenced Rome. And they solve a series of problems to use this ancient architecture as their road to freedom.
There are also some tie ins to the Roman Catholic Church and a whole lot of action revolving around a coming revolution in Africa. While not Cartwright’s best novel, this one was still a lot of fun.
The best part of this novel occurs in the middle where Sam, Tom, and the mandatory beautiful woman scientist who appears in every book with a different name, attempt to evade a hostile army in the Sahara Desert. They end up in a deep well with amazing architectural elements that may have influenced Rome. And they solve a series of problems to use this ancient architecture as their road to freedom.
There are also some tie ins to the Roman Catholic Church and a whole lot of action revolving around a coming revolution in Africa. While not Cartwright’s best novel, this one was still a lot of fun.
November 29, 2023
I listened to the audio version of this book. For some reason there is no audio version listed on Goodreads.
Interesting and boring at times. Parts of the story are repeated for some reason. Sam would be told something and later ask a question like he never was told. I don't know how much of Nostradamus' life story is true, as told here, but it is pretty interesting. I found it fascinating that a lithium mine played such a large part and wonder if some of the story was changed after it was initially published to fit the current administration's obsession with electric vehicles. I find it frustrating that no one ever questions what will need to be done with all of these large lithium batteries when they wear out or the vehicles are involved in accidents, etc. Just like the proliferation of plastics that fill our landfills, nobody seems to take into consideration what will happen to things when they are no longer useful for their intended purpose or what is done to the environment as they are manufactured. We are idiots.
Interesting and boring at times. Parts of the story are repeated for some reason. Sam would be told something and later ask a question like he never was told. I don't know how much of Nostradamus' life story is true, as told here, but it is pretty interesting. I found it fascinating that a lithium mine played such a large part and wonder if some of the story was changed after it was initially published to fit the current administration's obsession with electric vehicles. I find it frustrating that no one ever questions what will need to be done with all of these large lithium batteries when they wear out or the vehicles are involved in accidents, etc. Just like the proliferation of plastics that fill our landfills, nobody seems to take into consideration what will happen to things when they are no longer useful for their intended purpose or what is done to the environment as they are manufactured. We are idiots.
August 30, 2021
This was a most confusing novel. Somehow the future is portrayed as a living, breathing element that tries to prevent time changing events to it's predestined conclusion. There are various people who have glimpses or visions of the future, but the main character, Zara, seems to have the least amount of knowledge even though she is supposedly the expert.
The only thing that kept me reading was the adrenaline packed action. Each chapter pushes into the next with no down time. Even this seemed unrealistic. Sam Reilly is too perfect. It felt like a James Bond style movie.
Oftentimes the writing was like reading Wikipedia. When authors create scenarios that are so far fetched, they have to spend an inordinate amount of time just trying to explain it to the reader. This ultimately distracts from the story.
The only thing that kept me reading was the adrenaline packed action. Each chapter pushes into the next with no down time. Even this seemed unrealistic. Sam Reilly is too perfect. It felt like a James Bond style movie.
Oftentimes the writing was like reading Wikipedia. When authors create scenarios that are so far fetched, they have to spend an inordinate amount of time just trying to explain it to the reader. This ultimately distracts from the story.
December 28, 2024
Review of this book.
Another fantastic book! I forgot about food and sleep. I had to finish it to see how it ended. Full of twists and turns. I have read most of Nostradamus's writings. Really confusing. Interpretation is a guess at best. So ambiguous, it could be interpreted many different ways. The whole book centered around how different people were relating to what they read in his book. This is what made the book so interesting. The author had to have done a lot of research into the book. The drama and suspense were over the top! The book added in deceit and intrigue and the possible end of humanity to really spice it up. A must read for anyone who is following the Sam Reilly series.
Another fantastic book! I forgot about food and sleep. I had to finish it to see how it ended. Full of twists and turns. I have read most of Nostradamus's writings. Really confusing. Interpretation is a guess at best. So ambiguous, it could be interpreted many different ways. The whole book centered around how different people were relating to what they read in his book. This is what made the book so interesting. The author had to have done a lot of research into the book. The drama and suspense were over the top! The book added in deceit and intrigue and the possible end of humanity to really spice it up. A must read for anyone who is following the Sam Reilly series.
November 3, 2020
Solve the riddle and save humanity
Zara lived all her life in the Sahara desert searching first with her father then on her own, once she finds the Nostradamus book she embarks on the greatest adventure of her lifetime. Sam Reilly adventurer and his friend Tom are searching for diamonds when they are thrown in rescuing Zara and the Nostradamus book. So many people want her dead and the book destroyed. An exciting race to save mankind, finding the answers isn't easy, so many twists turns and people standing in the way of a solution. I enjoyed this book first time I have been introduced to Sam Reilly a very likeable character and quite an adventurer
Zara lived all her life in the Sahara desert searching first with her father then on her own, once she finds the Nostradamus book she embarks on the greatest adventure of her lifetime. Sam Reilly adventurer and his friend Tom are searching for diamonds when they are thrown in rescuing Zara and the Nostradamus book. So many people want her dead and the book destroyed. An exciting race to save mankind, finding the answers isn't easy, so many twists turns and people standing in the way of a solution. I enjoyed this book first time I have been introduced to Sam Reilly a very likeable character and quite an adventurer
June 23, 2021
I have read two previous books by Cartwright and I really liked both of those books. I very much like the character of Sam Reilly and his friend Tom, and so I thought I might like this book. Although there are parts of the book that were good, there was much of it that was so muddled and contradictory that it was hard to keep reading at times. While I thought the Nostradamus issue might be interesting, it turned out to be rather of a mess. I feel like as a reader that I was yanked around in so many different directions I didn't know what to think. It all involved Nostradamus and his supposed knowledge of the future. It's just not my cup of tea.
September 14, 2019
Average , Just Barely
This was one long 'chase scene' of a novel. Characters, dialogues, and very importantly, the settings were quite unfulfilling. I considered a 2-star rating, but raised it to 3 only because when the ending was imminent, the author threw in that a team member was a missing daughter of the worst Russian mafia leader. And left it hang just like that. The extra star is for the author's boldness in writing this horrible cliffhanger and thinking it would make readers clamor for the next title. I pass.
This was one long 'chase scene' of a novel. Characters, dialogues, and very importantly, the settings were quite unfulfilling. I considered a 2-star rating, but raised it to 3 only because when the ending was imminent, the author threw in that a team member was a missing daughter of the worst Russian mafia leader. And left it hang just like that. The extra star is for the author's boldness in writing this horrible cliffhanger and thinking it would make readers clamor for the next title. I pass.
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