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The Phaistos Paragon (Baseborn Archaeology Series)
What if the only way to protect a priceless artifact from destruction was to steal it? Archeologist-thief Lane Bradley has made this his calling: rescuing antiquities from turbulent countries and war zones, then selling them to wealthy collectors with the means to protect them. That hasn't made him a friend of law enforcement. His record of successful heists has put him at the top of relic recovery agent Susara Eaves' target deck. But when Lane seeks to steal the key to unlocking an ancient civilization's legendary vitality and beauty for his cancer-stricken daughter, Susara finds herself compelled into a strange partnership with him. Together, they undertake a journey through heavily guarded museum vaults and ruins of ancient Minoan palaces to unearth a paragon civilization's most precious secret. Only, they aren't the only ones hunting the answer to this archaeological enigma. Their adventure into the dark recesses of ancient worlds grows perilous as Lane's lifelong rival, the bloodthirsty assassin son of a Corsican mafia consigliere, strives to beat them to the prize.
370 pages, Paperback
Published July 21, 2017
214 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Nate Granzow
9 books60 followersAn outdoorsman, award-winning novelist, and editor, Nate Granzow likes the smell of gunpowder, the taste of gin, and the feel of leather-bound books. He won the Clive Cussler Adventure Writer's Competition in 2017 for "The Phaistos Paragon," won a 2019 Best Independent Book Award for "Zimbabwe Hustle," and ranked as a finalist in the 2021 Minnesota Book Awards with "Get Idiota."
Follow Nate Granzow for updates and giveaways at:
www.nategranzow.com
www.facebook.com/NateGranzowAuthor
Follow Nate Granzow for updates and giveaways at:
www.nategranzow.com
www.facebook.com/NateGranzowAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 21, 2019
Hot off the presses from criminally underrated author Nate Granzow comes THE PHAISTOS PARAGON.
Professional relics thief Lane Bradley runs awry of Susara Eaves, a quasi-law enforcement agent responsible for the apprehension of those who steal antiquities. Through his charm and immense powers of persuasion, Bradley manages to convince Eaves to assist him in stealing the Phaistos Disk, which is purported to have healing powers. Bradley's opposite number is Agapito Vincente, the adopted son of a mafioso and a sociopath willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
This is a bit of a step outside of Granzow's usual self-inhabited realm and more into a traditional thriller, and he makes the transition seamlessly. Where most of his protagonists are everyman types (such as in the COGAR series or THE SCORPION'S NEST) or out and out criminal scoundrels (such as in HEKURA), Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones. While he bears some resemblance to HEKURA's Austin Stewart in that he is a criminal, Bradley is military trained and far more ethical. Additionally, Bradley's short stature is the butt of several jokes throughout, to the point where the first person I imagined for the role was Tom Cruise.
But there lies a humanity beneath the humor and the lethality that Lane Bradley brings to the table. He's a failed husband and a guilt-ridden father who is attempting to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. There were certainly moments where, as a reader, I forgot that Bradley was an adventurous thief and I saw him only as a human, which is a testament to Granzow's prose.
The female lead, Susara Eaves, is a competent law enforcement officer, obsessed with hunting her quarry and simultaneously dealing with office drama and her difficulties maintaining her relationship with her boyfriend, Noah. She has a very personal motivation for wanting to see relics thieves like Lane Bradley brought to justice, and that motivation is definitely gasoline on the fiery plot.
If Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones, then Agapito Vincente is the modern-day Belloq. Urbane, sophisticated, and utterly ruthless, more than willing to use people and then toss them to the wayside, as well as kill in cold blood. He is a worthy opponent in this page-a-minute thriller.
The plot is tight, and it's obvious that Granzow, as usual, has done the necessary research into the given topics. The reader will be amazed and left breathless by the plot, and will simultaneously walk away feeling smarter, as if they've spanned the world with Bradley and Eaves and picked up some knowledge along the way.
All in all, THE PHAISTOS PARAGON is a thriller with undertones of Indiana Jones that will keep your fingers busy turning pages. Another Granzow Hit!
Professional relics thief Lane Bradley runs awry of Susara Eaves, a quasi-law enforcement agent responsible for the apprehension of those who steal antiquities. Through his charm and immense powers of persuasion, Bradley manages to convince Eaves to assist him in stealing the Phaistos Disk, which is purported to have healing powers. Bradley's opposite number is Agapito Vincente, the adopted son of a mafioso and a sociopath willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
This is a bit of a step outside of Granzow's usual self-inhabited realm and more into a traditional thriller, and he makes the transition seamlessly. Where most of his protagonists are everyman types (such as in the COGAR series or THE SCORPION'S NEST) or out and out criminal scoundrels (such as in HEKURA), Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones. While he bears some resemblance to HEKURA's Austin Stewart in that he is a criminal, Bradley is military trained and far more ethical. Additionally, Bradley's short stature is the butt of several jokes throughout, to the point where the first person I imagined for the role was Tom Cruise.
But there lies a humanity beneath the humor and the lethality that Lane Bradley brings to the table. He's a failed husband and a guilt-ridden father who is attempting to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. There were certainly moments where, as a reader, I forgot that Bradley was an adventurous thief and I saw him only as a human, which is a testament to Granzow's prose.
The female lead, Susara Eaves, is a competent law enforcement officer, obsessed with hunting her quarry and simultaneously dealing with office drama and her difficulties maintaining her relationship with her boyfriend, Noah. She has a very personal motivation for wanting to see relics thieves like Lane Bradley brought to justice, and that motivation is definitely gasoline on the fiery plot.
If Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones, then Agapito Vincente is the modern-day Belloq. Urbane, sophisticated, and utterly ruthless, more than willing to use people and then toss them to the wayside, as well as kill in cold blood. He is a worthy opponent in this page-a-minute thriller.
The plot is tight, and it's obvious that Granzow, as usual, has done the necessary research into the given topics. The reader will be amazed and left breathless by the plot, and will simultaneously walk away feeling smarter, as if they've spanned the world with Bradley and Eaves and picked up some knowledge along the way.
All in all, THE PHAISTOS PARAGON is a thriller with undertones of Indiana Jones that will keep your fingers busy turning pages. Another Granzow Hit!
August 15, 2017
Buckle your seat belts boys and girls, and please keep you arms inside the car at all times. You are going for a ride, the likes of Indiana Jones has never seen! We have Lane, a likable, Robin Hood of a thief, who steals ancient artifacts for a living. Susara is the investigator from the agency with the unlikely name of NERO who has been trying to catch him for years. Together, they would team up to locate an ancient tablet that hold the key to deciphering The Paistos Disc. The bad guys have the ways and means to get it first. The race is on and you might get dizzy with all the action. If you have read any of the Grant Coger series, you know that Granzow is an excellent story teller and this story is no exception.
November 30, 2017
Well written
Well written. I found it hard to put down. I hope to meet Lane and Susara again very, very soon.
Well written. I found it hard to put down. I hope to meet Lane and Susara again very, very soon.
November 12, 2020
Interesting story pitting an artifact thief against a government agent, which then flips to the two of them trying to save an artifact from another thief. As a beginning story for a series, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to the next installment.
June 8, 2018
Check this out, rivals Clancy in quality, suspense, & wit!
This book came recommended from another awesome indie writer & was totally worth it. Give this guy a try, his stuff is excellent!
This book came recommended from another awesome indie writer & was totally worth it. Give this guy a try, his stuff is excellent!
May 26, 2018
Really liked Susara's character. She carried the story for me and kept me reading. I could easily see her taking the reigns of a new franchise - almost like a Tomb Raider spinoff.
January 7, 2018
This book is well-described as a present-say "Raiders of the Lost Ark." The hero is flawed, but the reader learns to care about him . The book has a little bit of Dan Brown puzzle-solving, along with a little bit of Thomas Crowne Affair, but antiquities thieves rather than art thieves. The story moves very fast with lots of intrigue and adventure. and the plot has many twists and turns. The story from present-day Afghanistan and Iraq remind us how relics and ancient treasures are destroyed by terrorists and religious fanatics. I will share this with my daughter, and also recommend to my colleagues who love adventure fiction.
January 7, 2018
This book is well-described as a present-say "Raiders of the Lost Ark." The hero is flawed, but the reader learns to care about him . The book has a little bit of Dan Brown puzzle-solving, along with a little bit of Thomas Crowne Affair, but antiquities thieves rather than art thieves. The story moves very fast with lots of intrigue and adventure. and the plot has many twists and turns. The story from present-day Afghanistan and Iraq remind us how relics and ancient treasures are destroyed by terrorists and religious fanatics. I will share this with my daughter, and also recommend to my colleagues who love adventure fiction.
May 4, 2018
I liked it
Interesting plot and characters. I have always liked books with an archeological base and a mystery. I really liked Lane's motivation to help Jordan. Recommended.
Interesting plot and characters. I have always liked books with an archeological base and a mystery. I really liked Lane's motivation to help Jordan. Recommended.
December 26, 2017
Very fun adventure
Mix some Indiana Jones with some Clive, a little
James Bond, and you get a perfect Archaeological
mystery, thriller, action adventure. Enjoyed this one
Very much.
Mix some Indiana Jones with some Clive, a little
James Bond, and you get a perfect Archaeological
mystery, thriller, action adventure. Enjoyed this one
Very much.
October 15, 2017
Good plotting
Good voice
Excellent vocabulary!
Good voice
Excellent vocabulary!
October 22, 2017
A great read !!!
December 2, 2017
Great Book
Good guy doing bad things for the right reasons. Action and acceptance of the terms with one's life circumstances. Can't wait till the next!
Good guy doing bad things for the right reasons. Action and acceptance of the terms with one's life circumstances. Can't wait till the next!
December 12, 2017
Most Enjoyable
A pleasing cocktail of good guys, bad guys, and archeological treasures shaken and presented with a garnish of action. Tasty.
A pleasing cocktail of good guys, bad guys, and archeological treasures shaken and presented with a garnish of action. Tasty.
January 29, 2018
Great read
This book is fast paced and exciting. I enjoyed it from the very beginning to the absolute end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
This book is fast paced and exciting. I enjoyed it from the very beginning to the absolute end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
March 7, 2018
Nice read.
Kept me interested and that is all you can ask about a book.
Would definitely read a follow up novel.. following author to see if one is written
Kept me interested and that is all you can ask about a book.
Would definitely read a follow up novel.. following author to see if one is written
October 12, 2018
Phaisto
Action, adventure, with A love. You like tomb raider and romaneing the stone with Indiana Jones mixed together. You will like this.
Action, adventure, with A love. You like tomb raider and romaneing the stone with Indiana Jones mixed together. You will like this.
April 14, 2019
Good tale
Well written story. Good character development and interplay. I enjoy working archeology into a mystery book. I’ll be reading other books by this author.
Well written story. Good character development and interplay. I enjoy working archeology into a mystery book. I’ll be reading other books by this author.
November 6, 2021
(Reposted from my review on another edition)
Hot off the presses from criminally underrated author Nate Granzow comes THE PHAISTOS PARAGON.
Professional relics thief Lane Bradley runs awry of Susara Eaves, a quasi-law enforcement agent responsible for the apprehension of those who steal antiquities. Through his charm and immense powers of persuasion, Bradley manages to convince Eaves to assist him in stealing the Phaistos Disk, which is purported to have healing powers. Bradley's opposite number is Agapito Vincente, the adopted son of a mafioso and a sociopath willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
This is a bit of a step outside of Granzow's usual self-inhabited realm and more into a traditional thriller, and he makes the transition seamlessly. Where most of his protagonists are everyman types (such as in the COGAR series or THE SCORPION'S NEST) or out and out criminal scoundrels (such as in HEKURA), Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones. While he bears some resemblance to HEKURA's Austin Stewart in that he is a criminal, Bradley is military trained and far more ethical. Additionally, Bradley's short stature is the butt of several jokes throughout, to the point where the first person I imagined for the role was Tom Cruise.
But there lies a humanity beneath the humor and the lethality that Lane Bradley brings to the table. He's a failed husband and a guilt-ridden father who is attempting to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. There were certainly moments where, as a reader, I forgot that Bradley was an adventurous thief and I saw him only as a human, which is a testament to Granzow's prose.
The female lead, Susara Eaves, is a competent law enforcement officer, obsessed with hunting her quarry and simultaneously dealing with office drama and her difficulties maintaining her relationship with her boyfriend, Noah. She has a very personal motivation for wanting to see relics thieves like Lane Bradley brought to justice, and that motivation is definitely gasoline on the fiery plot.
If Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones, then Agapito Vincente is the modern-day Belloq. Urbane, sophisticated, and utterly ruthless, more than willing to use people and then toss them to the wayside, as well as kill in cold blood. He is a worthy opponent in this page-a-minute thriller.
The plot is tight, and it's obvious that Granzow, as usual, has done the necessary research into the given topics. The reader will be amazed and left breathless by the plot, and will simultaneously walk away feeling smarter, as if they've spanned the world with Bradley and Eaves and picked up some knowledge along the way.
All in all, THE PHAISTOS PARAGON is a thriller with undertones of Indiana Jones that will keep your fingers busy turning pages. Another Granzow Hit!
Hot off the presses from criminally underrated author Nate Granzow comes THE PHAISTOS PARAGON.
Professional relics thief Lane Bradley runs awry of Susara Eaves, a quasi-law enforcement agent responsible for the apprehension of those who steal antiquities. Through his charm and immense powers of persuasion, Bradley manages to convince Eaves to assist him in stealing the Phaistos Disk, which is purported to have healing powers. Bradley's opposite number is Agapito Vincente, the adopted son of a mafioso and a sociopath willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
This is a bit of a step outside of Granzow's usual self-inhabited realm and more into a traditional thriller, and he makes the transition seamlessly. Where most of his protagonists are everyman types (such as in the COGAR series or THE SCORPION'S NEST) or out and out criminal scoundrels (such as in HEKURA), Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones. While he bears some resemblance to HEKURA's Austin Stewart in that he is a criminal, Bradley is military trained and far more ethical. Additionally, Bradley's short stature is the butt of several jokes throughout, to the point where the first person I imagined for the role was Tom Cruise.
But there lies a humanity beneath the humor and the lethality that Lane Bradley brings to the table. He's a failed husband and a guilt-ridden father who is attempting to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. There were certainly moments where, as a reader, I forgot that Bradley was an adventurous thief and I saw him only as a human, which is a testament to Granzow's prose.
The female lead, Susara Eaves, is a competent law enforcement officer, obsessed with hunting her quarry and simultaneously dealing with office drama and her difficulties maintaining her relationship with her boyfriend, Noah. She has a very personal motivation for wanting to see relics thieves like Lane Bradley brought to justice, and that motivation is definitely gasoline on the fiery plot.
If Lane Bradley is a modern-day Indiana Jones, then Agapito Vincente is the modern-day Belloq. Urbane, sophisticated, and utterly ruthless, more than willing to use people and then toss them to the wayside, as well as kill in cold blood. He is a worthy opponent in this page-a-minute thriller.
The plot is tight, and it's obvious that Granzow, as usual, has done the necessary research into the given topics. The reader will be amazed and left breathless by the plot, and will simultaneously walk away feeling smarter, as if they've spanned the world with Bradley and Eaves and picked up some knowledge along the way.
All in all, THE PHAISTOS PARAGON is a thriller with undertones of Indiana Jones that will keep your fingers busy turning pages. Another Granzow Hit!
August 17, 2023
I liked the idea of the Phaistos Paragon and it had a lot of potential. Lane Bradley is a skilled thief who liberates relics and archeological treasures from museums and Susara Eaves is an agent who has been trying to catch him for years. Through a strange set of circumstances they end up teaming up to recover the Phaistos Disc, a fabled treasure said to heal and restore the body, in order to keep it out of the hands of the villains.
I like the concept but the more I read the sillier things got. Susara and Lane are in her apartment when a gunman suddenly breaks down the door and sprays the place with a sub machine gun. The heroes miraculously run him off, the police arrive and take statements, and then Lane and Susara just go back to what they were doing as if nothing happened? I can suspend disbelief a little but stuff like this is hilarious.
Even so there were some good moments here and I was actually going to give this three stars but then I get a non-ending which really resolves nothing. Frustrating beyond belief and killed any motivation I might have had to continue this series if a second book is ever written.
I like the concept but the more I read the sillier things got. Susara and Lane are in her apartment when a gunman suddenly breaks down the door and sprays the place with a sub machine gun. The heroes miraculously run him off, the police arrive and take statements, and then Lane and Susara just go back to what they were doing as if nothing happened? I can suspend disbelief a little but stuff like this is hilarious.
Even so there were some good moments here and I was actually going to give this three stars but then I get a non-ending which really resolves nothing. Frustrating beyond belief and killed any motivation I might have had to continue this series if a second book is ever written.
January 26, 2018
Lane Bradley is an international entreprenur/thief who is searching for an ancient artifact that may hold the key to healing his sick daughter. Susara Eaves is the government agent tasked with locating and arresting Bradley, but when things go sideways for her the lines quickly become blurred. Toss in a bunch of bad guys looking for the same artifact and you have a high octane, action thriller of a book.
October 28, 2020
Wow! Breakneck action, fierce confrontations, and nimble descriptions make this an exceptionally well written archaeological adventure! From Washington to Germany, Egypt, Greece, and beyond, Susara and Lane compete with each other for treasured artifacts but they must unite against a Corsican mobster to finally unveil the secret of the Phaistos Disc and Minoan stones. No wonder it's won the Grand Master Adventure Writers' Award! Add this one to your reading list!
October 14, 2024
Worth every minute
Knowing the island of Crete after living there two years I picked up this book as a form of reliving the past. Wow! I was plummeted back to a time when Heraklion was home and I could walk to the ruins of Knossos. Regardless it was the fine writing of an excellent thriller that caught my attention throughout.
Knowing the island of Crete after living there two years I picked up this book as a form of reliving the past. Wow! I was plummeted back to a time when Heraklion was home and I could walk to the ruins of Knossos. Regardless it was the fine writing of an excellent thriller that caught my attention throughout.
November 29, 2017
Fun but Overly long
Fun story but a bit long , the constant back and forth of one guy has the prize then the other guy has the prize got long and drawn out for me , as I had to jump like 15 chapters to the last 5 and never lost any of the plot or story line I felt .
Fun story but a bit long , the constant back and forth of one guy has the prize then the other guy has the prize got long and drawn out for me , as I had to jump like 15 chapters to the last 5 and never lost any of the plot or story line I felt .
December 9, 2017
My rating may be a little high (certainly the first half of the book didn’t warrant it), but it gets the extra star because it was a fun read, albeit it a cotton candy story of fluff, sweetness and air.
April 19, 2018
Life healing artifacts and bullets flying
St first the storyline is a bit slow until several pages in. Then, the adventure begins through multiple countries, digs and artifacts. Very good story and waiting in Book 2 to be released
St first the storyline is a bit slow until several pages in. Then, the adventure begins through multiple countries, digs and artifacts. Very good story and waiting in Book 2 to be released
December 12, 2019
Enjoyable read with page turning action!
Good entertaining story with all the ingredients of an action packed suspense-filled thriller...good for a movie! Can’t wait to read the next one!
Good entertaining story with all the ingredients of an action packed suspense-filled thriller...good for a movie! Can’t wait to read the next one!
October 22, 2017
It was okay.
Read
December 10, 2017A slow adventure punctuated with brief calamities.
January 5, 2018
I really liked this book. The only problem I had with it was that sometimes it sounded like the author over used a thesaurus.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews