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The Atlantis Stone
Alternate cover/title for this ASIN can be found here
In 1791, two men began planning the layout for the nation's capital city. One is shunned and resigns in disgrace, and the other is all but forgotten. Years later, an original copy of the plans long thought to have been destroyed is found, with hastily marked notations by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
During the second World War, American military scientists discover some fascinating properties of the hydrogen atom and its link to an ancient mystical number. The exact findings are never published, but a national laboratory is built in 1943 to further their research in covert silence. America is told it is a defense project, code-named The Manhattan Project.
An egomaniacal entrepreneur and his company, Vilocorp, will stop at nothing to build the perfect human specimen. His firm's research has been getting closer every day, but they seem to have uncovered a horrific, ancient secret that has been locked away for thousands of years.
Now, it's up to two men to understand the mystery surrounding the events and ancient symbolism before Vilocorp unleashes a hellish fury upon the earth; one that hasn't been seen for ages.
In 1791, two men began planning the layout for the nation's capital city. One is shunned and resigns in disgrace, and the other is all but forgotten. Years later, an original copy of the plans long thought to have been destroyed is found, with hastily marked notations by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
During the second World War, American military scientists discover some fascinating properties of the hydrogen atom and its link to an ancient mystical number. The exact findings are never published, but a national laboratory is built in 1943 to further their research in covert silence. America is told it is a defense project, code-named The Manhattan Project.
An egomaniacal entrepreneur and his company, Vilocorp, will stop at nothing to build the perfect human specimen. His firm's research has been getting closer every day, but they seem to have uncovered a horrific, ancient secret that has been locked away for thousands of years.
Now, it's up to two men to understand the mystery surrounding the events and ancient symbolism before Vilocorp unleashes a hellish fury upon the earth; one that hasn't been seen for ages.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2013
1777 people are currently reading
1893 people want to read
About the author
Nick Thacker
111 books442 followersNick Thacker is a thriller author from Texas who lives in Hawaii. In his free time, he enjoys reading in a hammock on the beach, skiing, drinking whiskey, and hanging out with his beautiful wife, two dogs, and two daughters.
For more information, visit Nick online at www.nickthacker.com
In addition to his fiction work, Nick is the founder and lead of Sonata & Scribe, the only music studio focused on producing “soundtracks” for books and series. Find out more at www.SonataAndScribe.com.
In addition to his fiction work, Nick is the founder and lead of Sonata & Scribe, the only music studio focused on producing “soundtracks” for books and series. Find out more at www.SonataAndScribe.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
July 9, 2016
This is a relatively new author that I found last year through an advertisement touting him as a new James Rollins. As a Rollins fan I was intrigued and decided to give him a try. I was disappointed but I already had this book on my shelf and decided to read it. There was no significant improvement. The author is clearly talented and has a very fertile imagination but he is sloppy with his plots. The last book I read, "The Depths", created impossible situations without explanation or bothering to invent fictional methods to explain away the impossibilities. In this book there are no physical impossibilities but there are serious holes in the plot. The author also creates a moral dilemma that should never occur in a work of fiction. None of the characters in this book is a part of a military or government agency. All of them are private individuals and, therefore, their behavior is governed by the civil and criminal laws of the place where their actions take place. A general principle of criminal law is that when you attach yourself to another person(s) bent on a criminal enterprise you are responsible for the actions of that person(s). The degree of responsibility may vary from place to place but the concept still applies. However, when you actively involve yourself in the criminality then degrees of responsibility no longer matter. In this book the author has the good guys joining forces with the bad guys under somewhat coerced circumstances and then both go about killing people with wild abandonment. And that leads me to another problem, the violence. I understand that this is a thriller and that a certain amount of violence is not only going to occur but is to be expected. In this book, unlike other thrillers that I've read, the violence occurs illogically and frequently in opposition to the best interests of achieving the goals of those committing the violence. It seems that the author enjoys describing these acts. So we have the good guys joining the bad guys and in so doing they lose any right to the label of heroes and the sympathy or support of the reader. In short, I didn't want any of these people to succeed and I was rooting for the end of the book instead of a hero. Then the author almost gives me exactly what I hoped for but instead decides to wrap things up in one of the silliest endings I've ever read. This is all very sad because I do believe this author has talent and imagination but he really needs to spend more time working out his plots and finding some objective readers to critique his work before sending it to a publisher.
May 14, 2024
Electric and unique look at Mythological Atlantis
What could link our American Founding Fathers to the mythological past of Atlantis? Nick Thacker comes up with a thrilling and believable story that will keep you up all night.
Opposing men, obsessed by the mysterious potential of a crystal sliver, gather their teams and begin the approach to find the origin of the stone.
Caught in the drama are Bryce, a special forces ops from Iraq, who unwittingly ends up working for the CEO of an American company claiming to be on the side of the "right".
Cole, a young man who unfortunately wanders into the trap of the evil Vilochek, who has been working with a substitute of the crystal, stolen from the American company.
From mainland America to the Middle East to exotic places such as Thailand, Jordan, Egypt and Easter Island, you'll be racing across the pages to the climactic end. Highly recommended!!!
What could link our American Founding Fathers to the mythological past of Atlantis? Nick Thacker comes up with a thrilling and believable story that will keep you up all night.
Opposing men, obsessed by the mysterious potential of a crystal sliver, gather their teams and begin the approach to find the origin of the stone.
Caught in the drama are Bryce, a special forces ops from Iraq, who unwittingly ends up working for the CEO of an American company claiming to be on the side of the "right".
Cole, a young man who unfortunately wanders into the trap of the evil Vilochek, who has been working with a substitute of the crystal, stolen from the American company.
From mainland America to the Middle East to exotic places such as Thailand, Jordan, Egypt and Easter Island, you'll be racing across the pages to the climactic end. Highly recommended!!!
July 26, 2013
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the story. While I usually don't read adventure stories, I thoroughly enjoyed the cool settings and the fast paced action.
My favorite part of the entire book was trying to piece the mystery of the crystal together. I loved how every new piece to the puzzle fit with the rest perfectly, all while the setting kept changing to a new exotic location and made the mystery more interesting. The whole thing was really well done.
What I wasn't so fond of, though, were the characters. Of them all, I thought that the villains were the best developed, because they were each evil, but in a different way. I don't know why, but I had a really hard time identifying with the main character, Bryce. (Although, I've found this to be true in other books in the same genre, so it might be just me.) Corinne felt very cardboard-like to me, and the tiny bit of romance between her and Cole seemed forced.
I also found the twist at the end unrealistic. I thought there wasn't enough foreshadowing to indicate that a possibility like that could happen.
Overall, I found the story a fun read. The writing did need a little polishing, but the mystery of the crystal was enough to keep me from focusing on the typos. I think that anyone who enjoys Indiana Jones movies and Clive Cussler books will enjoy the mystery and thrills of the Golden Crystal.
I really enjoyed the story. While I usually don't read adventure stories, I thoroughly enjoyed the cool settings and the fast paced action.
My favorite part of the entire book was trying to piece the mystery of the crystal together. I loved how every new piece to the puzzle fit with the rest perfectly, all while the setting kept changing to a new exotic location and made the mystery more interesting. The whole thing was really well done.
What I wasn't so fond of, though, were the characters. Of them all, I thought that the villains were the best developed, because they were each evil, but in a different way. I don't know why, but I had a really hard time identifying with the main character, Bryce. (Although, I've found this to be true in other books in the same genre, so it might be just me.) Corinne felt very cardboard-like to me, and the tiny bit of romance between her and Cole seemed forced.
I also found the twist at the end unrealistic. I thought there wasn't enough foreshadowing to indicate that a possibility like that could happen.
Overall, I found the story a fun read. The writing did need a little polishing, but the mystery of the crystal was enough to keep me from focusing on the typos. I think that anyone who enjoys Indiana Jones movies and Clive Cussler books will enjoy the mystery and thrills of the Golden Crystal.
November 16, 2013
Clearly inspired by Clive Cussler, Nick Thacker shows real promise in the adventure fantasy genre. This exuberant story throws in everything from the Mayan apocalypse, Easter Island, and Ancient Egypt, with an Indiana Jones meets Graham Hancock approach to archeology and Dan Brown style deductions. However, it doesn't have the finesse of Cussler - the characters are simplistic, and there's so much focus on the fast-moving plot that there's no time to give them depth. The historical and scientific bits are glossed over too fast, and you don't really get the sense either of the richness of the world or the cleverness of the characters - it feels like 1960s Batmnan solving the Joker's riddles. And the action scenes are great, up until something important happens: main characters get killed off in two sentences.
That all seems harsh, and perhaps four stars is a little high, but I enjoyed the book. It's not as polished as similar books by more established authors, but it's just as good as their early works, and I think one day Nick Thacker will be up there with them. Keep writing, Nick, and I'll keep reading!
That all seems harsh, and perhaps four stars is a little high, but I enjoyed the book. It's not as polished as similar books by more established authors, but it's just as good as their early works, and I think one day Nick Thacker will be up there with them. Keep writing, Nick, and I'll keep reading!
February 6, 2016
For an indie author, this is okay, but it's kind of a mess. Borrowing heavily from sources like National Treasure, the Dan Brown books, and others, the tale follows a motley (and constantly shifting) group of adventurers and villains as they race to find a source of great power: the crystal of the title.
The book could have benefited from some proofreading (in one section, the protagonist examines the floor, but we realize in the next paragraph that the word should have been "door"), and some editorial control. The phrase "this phenomena" was jarring ("phenomena" is plural, so "this phenomenon" was wanted. In another passage, the author apparently thinks that wooden beams, if old enough, can actually become petrified, in the open air. He is apparently unaware that petrified wood forms underground as the wood is slowly replaced by minerals leached out of the containing water. Plus he refers to "Eve in the original garden" at one point as if that were meant to be a literal thing.
The action is all right, but there are too many interchangeable supporting characters, and I never found myself convinced by any of the characters, major or otherwise.
The book could have benefited from some proofreading (in one section, the protagonist examines the floor, but we realize in the next paragraph that the word should have been "door"), and some editorial control. The phrase "this phenomena" was jarring ("phenomena" is plural, so "this phenomenon" was wanted. In another passage, the author apparently thinks that wooden beams, if old enough, can actually become petrified, in the open air. He is apparently unaware that petrified wood forms underground as the wood is slowly replaced by minerals leached out of the containing water. Plus he refers to "Eve in the original garden" at one point as if that were meant to be a literal thing.
The action is all right, but there are too many interchangeable supporting characters, and I never found myself convinced by any of the characters, major or otherwise.
June 4, 2014
Get ready for a wild ride across the globe. In Nick Thacker's The Golden Crystal, this story is about three forces who want the same thing: to find this rare special crystal with special powers. A race against time in Egypt, when friends becomes foes, rivals split up with some deadly consequences, before this crystal disintegrated into dust. Each one wanted them for something special, when there's a big Atlantean connection towards the end. It's nothing more than revenge all in the end. Every step of the way, there's plenty of surprises and action in this fast-paced action-adventure novel.
December 19, 2016
For me, this was a cross between Dan Brown code/mystery and Clive Cussler adventure. A mysterious substance with healing and enhancement powers is the subject or a triangular struggle, with classic battle of who is best served having this "power". A fast paced adventure, taking the reader to landmarks around the globe.
February 6, 2014
I was not a huge fan of this book. The original concept was pretty interesting, but the execution was a bit confusing. Too many characters on too many "sides" made it hard for me to follow.
I also was not thrilled with the "redesigning" and destruction of actual world famous locations. That took away from the believabilty of the whole story for me.
I also was not thrilled with the "redesigning" and destruction of actual world famous locations. That took away from the believabilty of the whole story for me.
May 20, 2016
Sorry the book didn't do it for me, still I read it to the end, because I never leave books in the middle. In such cases a but habit! The only good thing is that I didn’t have to pay for it, because I got it free from Kindle.
August 10, 2016
In The Golden Crystal Nick Thacker took an interesting premise and slowly turned it into a violent and bloody, but still sleep-inducing, book. As with so many self-published books, this one would benefit from better editing.
August 10, 2021
Two megalomaniacs go after a stone supposedly originally from Atlantis, creating mayhem along the way, as they look for it in all the ancient wonders of the world. The protagonist, of course, is someone with scruples and courage. A nice plot.
July 23, 2015
Just terrible. If you can get past the grammar and editing errors, you get the pleasure of flat characters, ridiculous dialogue, and totally unbelievable plot twists. *....
September 11, 2022
Good premise, but characters need work
I enjoyed the premise of the book; Indiana Jones meets National Treasure. But the lack of character development made it hard to keep track of who was who, who was good or bad, prisoner, chaser, etc. Random characters were introduced by name, but then killed off just as you start to place them into the story web. It was exciting, quick moving, and relatively believable for the sci-fi nature of the book.
I enjoyed the premise of the book; Indiana Jones meets National Treasure. But the lack of character development made it hard to keep track of who was who, who was good or bad, prisoner, chaser, etc. Random characters were introduced by name, but then killed off just as you start to place them into the story web. It was exciting, quick moving, and relatively believable for the sci-fi nature of the book.
September 5, 2017
If you want to read an action packed thriller, that has elements of folklore and legend, this is an ideal pick. Loved the mix of history, legends and action
July 7, 2013
To begin this review, I would like to send huge thanks to Nick Thacker for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book through Story Cartel for an honest review. I hope I will please him with what he is about to read!
The story follows Bryce Reynolds as he is pulled from one end of the Earth to the other in search of the 'Golden Crystal'. He is the pawn in a major power game between Whittenfield Research and Vilocorp, with his small team of men at times working with the enemy to decipher the clues and get to the crystal first. But what he doesn't know is that there are greater forces at work than men trying to find a crystal, and he is going to have to fight to get him, his men and some innocent civilians out of this situation alive.
The first thing I have to make clear is that I absolutely loved this book. It was just fantastic. So much so that even as an extraordinary nit-picker, I cannot honestly find anything I would change about this book. It has great plot, great flow, brilliant characters, and wonderful action scenes, to mention just a few aspects that make it worth a read!
The plot is fantastic, incredibly well written and incredibly imaginative. Thacker takes a creative twist on the Mayan end of the world theory, weaving it with lost cultures, history from around the globe and a brilliant pace of action to keep it moving swiftly to it's climax. At times, you could get lost, but it is then that Thacker delivers a well timed and concise dose of information, history, back story or anything else required, to keep the reader fully involved in the story they are reading. I've rarely seen a book written so well, so congratulations to you Mr Thacker!
Another aspect of this book that deserves special mention is the rag tag band of characters we meet through the book. Bryce is a fantastic lead character, easy to like yet tough as nails. You sympathise with his situation and feel you are part of his team. It's very easy to engage with the characters and invest something in the success of Bryce and his team. Vilocek is another fascinating character, and one that you work very hard to 'suss out', which, as a reader, I find to be an excellent bit of writing as you get more drawn into the story by thinking about the characters and trying to solve their motives.
The final aspect that I feel deserves a special mention is the wonderful flow and pace that this book has. I found it difficult to put the book down once I had started, often falling asleep as I was reading because I just had to find out what had happened and what was going to happen next. It's a very gripping story that is compulsive reading and is very easy to engage with. The action scenes, of which there are many, are all wonderfully written, leaving the reader feeling as shell shocked as the characters with the events that continue to unfold throughout the book.
In conclusion, I can only recommend this book to everyone who enjoys action, well written fiction with a hint of history, science and plenty of twists and turns. I loved the book from start to finish and I'm sure many more will enjoy it just as much! All I have left to say is to ask the author when the next Bryce Reynolds story will be available? I await it with great anticipation as Nick Thacker is most definitely an author to watch out for.
The story follows Bryce Reynolds as he is pulled from one end of the Earth to the other in search of the 'Golden Crystal'. He is the pawn in a major power game between Whittenfield Research and Vilocorp, with his small team of men at times working with the enemy to decipher the clues and get to the crystal first. But what he doesn't know is that there are greater forces at work than men trying to find a crystal, and he is going to have to fight to get him, his men and some innocent civilians out of this situation alive.
The first thing I have to make clear is that I absolutely loved this book. It was just fantastic. So much so that even as an extraordinary nit-picker, I cannot honestly find anything I would change about this book. It has great plot, great flow, brilliant characters, and wonderful action scenes, to mention just a few aspects that make it worth a read!
The plot is fantastic, incredibly well written and incredibly imaginative. Thacker takes a creative twist on the Mayan end of the world theory, weaving it with lost cultures, history from around the globe and a brilliant pace of action to keep it moving swiftly to it's climax. At times, you could get lost, but it is then that Thacker delivers a well timed and concise dose of information, history, back story or anything else required, to keep the reader fully involved in the story they are reading. I've rarely seen a book written so well, so congratulations to you Mr Thacker!
Another aspect of this book that deserves special mention is the rag tag band of characters we meet through the book. Bryce is a fantastic lead character, easy to like yet tough as nails. You sympathise with his situation and feel you are part of his team. It's very easy to engage with the characters and invest something in the success of Bryce and his team. Vilocek is another fascinating character, and one that you work very hard to 'suss out', which, as a reader, I find to be an excellent bit of writing as you get more drawn into the story by thinking about the characters and trying to solve their motives.
The final aspect that I feel deserves a special mention is the wonderful flow and pace that this book has. I found it difficult to put the book down once I had started, often falling asleep as I was reading because I just had to find out what had happened and what was going to happen next. It's a very gripping story that is compulsive reading and is very easy to engage with. The action scenes, of which there are many, are all wonderfully written, leaving the reader feeling as shell shocked as the characters with the events that continue to unfold throughout the book.
In conclusion, I can only recommend this book to everyone who enjoys action, well written fiction with a hint of history, science and plenty of twists and turns. I loved the book from start to finish and I'm sure many more will enjoy it just as much! All I have left to say is to ask the author when the next Bryce Reynolds story will be available? I await it with great anticipation as Nick Thacker is most definitely an author to watch out for.
June 12, 2016
I liked the mystery of the golden crystal leading the good and bad guys all over the world to historic sites from the pyramids to Easter Island, but I have to admit that I couldn't follow some of the plot. The author throws a lot into the story - everything from a mystery surrounding the founding of Washington D.C, to the Manhattan project to secret codes on the walls of hidden passages deep within the Egyptian pyramids. Both the good and bad guys interpret various facts and clues about the crystal (usually in the middle of all of the action) as the bullets are flying around, that sometimes made sense to me and sometimes not. Since I find the idea of understanding the purpose of these ancient sites fascinating in real life, the storyline was very interesting and kept me guessing so I would read more by this author.
July 16, 2017
Where is the editor/proofreader?
This was pretty much the standard thriller about ancient civilizations, mysterious powers, evil corporate types who want to use and abuse this power, and the " good guy" all American soldier who tries to save the day or the world. It might have been a mediocre summer read, but the atrocious editing made reading some parts of this painful. If it had only been one error, it would have been easily forgotten if the book was really good. Unfortunately, it occurred many times throughout. Errors were usually, a sentence that didn't make sense because a word was left out, or sometimes there was an extra word in a sentence that didn't belong - Almost like someone made a correction to a sentence , but didn't delete the complete initial error. Definitely would not recommend this book!
This was pretty much the standard thriller about ancient civilizations, mysterious powers, evil corporate types who want to use and abuse this power, and the " good guy" all American soldier who tries to save the day or the world. It might have been a mediocre summer read, but the atrocious editing made reading some parts of this painful. If it had only been one error, it would have been easily forgotten if the book was really good. Unfortunately, it occurred many times throughout. Errors were usually, a sentence that didn't make sense because a word was left out, or sometimes there was an extra word in a sentence that didn't belong - Almost like someone made a correction to a sentence , but didn't delete the complete initial error. Definitely would not recommend this book!
September 15, 2017
I wanted to like this book, as it started out promisingly enough with an interesting fictionalized historical reference -- one never returned to for the duration. The characters were the only thing thinner than the plot. The last 80% of the book is an endless chase scene filled with regular betrayals, senseless alliances, violence upon bloody violence, and "gee, wouldn't this be great as a movie" anti-climax death scenes where the antagonists keep escaping death at the last minute...until they don't. Only hope over experience compelled me to finish this book. Stale cotton candy.
May 18, 2017
All Nick Thacker's books are roller coasters! Just when you think you're getting a respite, as with the characters, there you go again! Lol! The writing is wonderful, so real, you get immersed in the story and live it. Great protagonists and characters, I like the way Nick gives us in depth on them, even the bad guys, what, why has made them as they are: greedy, hungry for power, corrupt... Lovely read!
January 11, 2016
A great plot filled with historical mysteries, and terrific locations throughout the world. That being said, I struggled to get through this book. There are multiple teams all vying for the same treasure, and it was hard to keep track of which characters are on which team and who the good guys and bad guys were. A lot of promise here, but ultimately went unfulfilled.
January 17, 2019
Considering the reviews on this book I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kind of reminded me a lot of Uncharted meets Disney’s Atlantis The Lost Empire. I loved the historical aspects of the book also as some of it I didn’t even know. Definitely worth a read.
December 18, 2015
This is a book about 'good' vs 'evil'. Is the hero working for the good side or the evil side? Only time will tell.
February 15, 2016
Nonsensical action, flat characters, slow pacing. Not a fan.
December 16, 2016
Meh...
This story jumped around too much for my liking. It never seemed to flow well. Perhaps another book of his would be better.
This story jumped around too much for my liking. It never seemed to flow well. Perhaps another book of his would be better.
July 13, 2017
Yike! What did I sign up for? Was this a sci-fi, action-adventure, mystery, or suspense thriller? Perhaps it was an early attempt at borrowing from one too many plots from men's movie adventures...ah la Indiana Jones. Not that I'm against Indiana Jones, I'm not...but I don't get to see Harrison Ford or that crooked smile of his when he's really being devious or devilishly clever. This guy is no Ford; he is Bryce Reynolds. As a protagonist, Captain Reynolds is an veteran with combat experience, and apparently not a wholly successful one. He still has some buddies he can bring into a mission that after dividing the mercenary money will still have sufficient moola to care for his ailing mother. He is supposed to protect the owner of a research company, Whittenfield Jr., for six months. So far, so good. And we could get that. Things quickly go sideways, however, and the plot becomes deeply convoluted between conspiracies created LONG ago (Atlantis) to centuries ago (founding fathers) to possible alien intrusion, collections of myths, legends, and mathematical theory (the golden ratio). Confused yet? Somehow this is all tied up with the search for a "Golden Crystal," which really isn't golden. After the cipher is solved, the race is on to find the crystal which will save (maybe) mankind or create a more perfect human. You can't have a riotous journey without antagonists and in this novel there is one main baddie--Dr. Tanning Vilocek of Vilocorp and various and asundery villains of assorted evil nationalities. Sometimes Vilocek and Reynolds and his team collaborate for the greater good against the greater bad. So many characters--better keep a headcount to remember which side they are on as they race from Washington D.C., to Petra, Easter Island, and Egypt to the great pyramids (where I had a little problem believing they'd get to go look for a golden crystal). The author seems to have no problem in "offing" some of his supporting characters. I enjoy peeping into anything that may have found the secret to Atlantis--as well as Easter Island and gotta say there were more than abundant theories mixed with fact (oh, fiction, huh...) to hold the interest in each of the locations they managed to plunder. Mercy! You shouldn't get bored with the pace of this book and if you've kept your score card properly will be able to follow most of the players. The main antagonists are fleshed out pretty well, though I had a problem with the protagonist. No spoiler here on the ending, but really, could it end any other way? I downloaded this free offering from BookBub cause I can't resist anything titled "Atlantis," I guess. It's a rollicking, freewheeling, fast-paced adventure--totally implausible--but fun anyway (ignore all the bodies).
April 6, 2018
David Bushnell designed the 1st. US Turtle submarine.
Potomac River. The Turtle II submarine was not used to destroy British ships.
2/1791, north of the Potomac River. President George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, & Thomas Jefferson conversation was the utmost urgency & importance for the up/coming US capital outlay.
Mr. Charles Pierre l’Enfant (architect), Mr. Ellicott surveyor/layout), & Mr. Benjamin Banneker (personal scribe/asst.) have been appointed to oversee the huge project.
Samarra, Iraq. US Army Ranger unit: Captain Bryce Reynolds, Master Sergeant Andreeson, Sergeant Arturo Rodriguez, Corporal Joseph Strahan, & PFC Class Jason O’Neil, were under mortar fire from the Iraqi Republican Guard.
Major Dwight Maynes (Cambridge) had also informed Captain Reynolds he needed some other information of importance.
Corporal Strahan was KIA, but not before he pulled the pin on a grenade & took out several IRG’s.
Sergeant Rodriguez had also been KIA.
White Rock, NM. Cole Reed (27) had been kidnapped by the Russians.
Vladimir Beka (Vilocorp guard unit) took him to see Dr. Tanning Vilocek (James’ father, Vilocorp CEO).
Whittenfield Laboratories Headquarters, Washington, D.C. James Whittenfield, Jr. (Whittenfield Research, environmental org.) made Bryce an offer he could not refuse.
Salt Lake City, UT. Linda Ortiz (nurse/hospice worker) updated Bryce on Diana Reynolds (mother) condition. Same as always, no change.
Dr. Vilocek was discussing Φ, & 2 of the founding fathers of the US with Professor Jensen Andrews (Uncle) & Corinne Banks (Jensen’s niece, (NASA, Physics/Mathematics).
Karn (guard), Beka (guard), & Rogers (guard) were keeping a watchful eye over the group meeting.
Cairo, Egypt. Why did James Jr. want to meet with Dr. Vilocek?
What was Bryce holding in his hand?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. Another very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Turtleshell Press; BookFunnel; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Potomac River. The Turtle II submarine was not used to destroy British ships.
2/1791, north of the Potomac River. President George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, & Thomas Jefferson conversation was the utmost urgency & importance for the up/coming US capital outlay.
Mr. Charles Pierre l’Enfant (architect), Mr. Ellicott surveyor/layout), & Mr. Benjamin Banneker (personal scribe/asst.) have been appointed to oversee the huge project.
Samarra, Iraq. US Army Ranger unit: Captain Bryce Reynolds, Master Sergeant Andreeson, Sergeant Arturo Rodriguez, Corporal Joseph Strahan, & PFC Class Jason O’Neil, were under mortar fire from the Iraqi Republican Guard.
Major Dwight Maynes (Cambridge) had also informed Captain Reynolds he needed some other information of importance.
Corporal Strahan was KIA, but not before he pulled the pin on a grenade & took out several IRG’s.
Sergeant Rodriguez had also been KIA.
White Rock, NM. Cole Reed (27) had been kidnapped by the Russians.
Vladimir Beka (Vilocorp guard unit) took him to see Dr. Tanning Vilocek (James’ father, Vilocorp CEO).
Whittenfield Laboratories Headquarters, Washington, D.C. James Whittenfield, Jr. (Whittenfield Research, environmental org.) made Bryce an offer he could not refuse.
Salt Lake City, UT. Linda Ortiz (nurse/hospice worker) updated Bryce on Diana Reynolds (mother) condition. Same as always, no change.
Dr. Vilocek was discussing Φ, & 2 of the founding fathers of the US with Professor Jensen Andrews (Uncle) & Corinne Banks (Jensen’s niece, (NASA, Physics/Mathematics).
Karn (guard), Beka (guard), & Rogers (guard) were keeping a watchful eye over the group meeting.
Cairo, Egypt. Why did James Jr. want to meet with Dr. Vilocek?
What was Bryce holding in his hand?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. Another very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Turtleshell Press; BookFunnel; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
October 18, 2021
If a writer truly wants to produce a convincing story, dedicated research has to be part of the process. It allows an author to devise an imaginative concept, couple it with real science, real geography, a blend of history and legend, and well-rounded characters, thus creating an aura of authenticity that gives a book credibility and realism.
I have an educated person’s general awareness of the great pyramids of Egypt, the Middle East and its problems, Easter Island with its Moai standing stone heads, and the Atlantis myths. I have not, however, carried out any research into them, so when I read Nick Thacker’s book, The Atlantis Stone (great title), I was utterly fascinated by the way he was able to blend the facts of his own intensive research with the fiction from his fertile imagination. The science and the fiction here are so seamlessly blended that I absolutely had no clue as to what was fact and what was fiction.
That, however, ceased to concern me once I fell into the story and allowed myself to become absorbed in its events. Special Forces Captain Bryce accompanies a party of scientists on a search for an amazing crystal that had apparently come from the lost city of Atlantis. Of course, something so precious inevitably stirs avarice and the lust for power in the hearts of certain individuals, and the novel’s suspense and excitement come from the conflicts and violence that ensue as opposing forces struggle to reach the same intensely sought goal.
The Atlantis Stone offers some echoes of Indiana Jones and the DaVinci Code. That is not a problem for me. My mind would actually have been primed by these earlier stories to enjoy another relic-hunting chase with all its pitfalls and dangers. In many ways, because of this, the atmosphere of excitement was already built-in before I even started to read.
The long search through the underground corridors in the Great Pyramid might have been somewhat slow-going had it not been for the extraordinary detail with which the author is able to describe every twist and turn. Has he researched these from some ancient descriptions of these secret tunnels, or is he just creating them from his own brain? Fascinating question and I simply cannot provide an answer. It may be fiction but it is brilliantly complex and realistic.
The story leads inevitably to a rip-roaring climax on Easter Island with some surprises at the end. Fans of exciting science fiction quests, indeed anyone who loves thrillers of any sort, would definitely enjoy this novel.
I have an educated person’s general awareness of the great pyramids of Egypt, the Middle East and its problems, Easter Island with its Moai standing stone heads, and the Atlantis myths. I have not, however, carried out any research into them, so when I read Nick Thacker’s book, The Atlantis Stone (great title), I was utterly fascinated by the way he was able to blend the facts of his own intensive research with the fiction from his fertile imagination. The science and the fiction here are so seamlessly blended that I absolutely had no clue as to what was fact and what was fiction.
That, however, ceased to concern me once I fell into the story and allowed myself to become absorbed in its events. Special Forces Captain Bryce accompanies a party of scientists on a search for an amazing crystal that had apparently come from the lost city of Atlantis. Of course, something so precious inevitably stirs avarice and the lust for power in the hearts of certain individuals, and the novel’s suspense and excitement come from the conflicts and violence that ensue as opposing forces struggle to reach the same intensely sought goal.
The Atlantis Stone offers some echoes of Indiana Jones and the DaVinci Code. That is not a problem for me. My mind would actually have been primed by these earlier stories to enjoy another relic-hunting chase with all its pitfalls and dangers. In many ways, because of this, the atmosphere of excitement was already built-in before I even started to read.
The long search through the underground corridors in the Great Pyramid might have been somewhat slow-going had it not been for the extraordinary detail with which the author is able to describe every twist and turn. Has he researched these from some ancient descriptions of these secret tunnels, or is he just creating them from his own brain? Fascinating question and I simply cannot provide an answer. It may be fiction but it is brilliantly complex and realistic.
The story leads inevitably to a rip-roaring climax on Easter Island with some surprises at the end. Fans of exciting science fiction quests, indeed anyone who loves thrillers of any sort, would definitely enjoy this novel.
June 15, 2017
I received Golden Crystal as part of a three pack of books free from www.nickthacker.com . I highly recommend checking out his site to get the books, provided in several eBook formats.
Before starting Golden Crystal, the description had me thinking it is something like the movie National Treasure as it starts with the Nation’s Capital and Founding Fathers. There is a bit of that feel to it at the beginning, but overall, it turned more into a book version of the video game series Uncharted on PlayStation. In my mind, I would picture things the way Uncharted 2 illustrated a similar mechanic in the story. Same overall genre that is exactly the kind of story that keeps my attention. I am very grateful to have discovered Nick Thacker.
He does a very good job of describing scenes, characters, and emotions. I really like his motivation to write this book, setting out to write a book his grandfather would enjoy. I was also impressed that I do not think I found a single glaring typo, which can be very annoying in a book. I feel this book had a good editor.
I have seen other reviews that encourage a new reader to the book to continue through the first few chapters, I would have to agree. There was a bit of a slow start, meeting up with the bad guys, gun battles, etc. were not something I had ever read before. I was very excited for the information about the crystal to start, and this book got very interesting once the plot unfolded more. I like how Nick would weave real things that I could google while reading, adds wonderful detail to the story. For example, he refers to a Botach MR Grappling hook, which is real, and awesome.
I highly enjoyed the use of the Golden Ratio in the story. The ratio 1.618:1 referred to as the Divine Proportion or the Golden Ratio, found throughout not only design throughout humankind but also nature. Very cool use of that in an adventure story!
Before starting Golden Crystal, the description had me thinking it is something like the movie National Treasure as it starts with the Nation’s Capital and Founding Fathers. There is a bit of that feel to it at the beginning, but overall, it turned more into a book version of the video game series Uncharted on PlayStation. In my mind, I would picture things the way Uncharted 2 illustrated a similar mechanic in the story. Same overall genre that is exactly the kind of story that keeps my attention. I am very grateful to have discovered Nick Thacker.
He does a very good job of describing scenes, characters, and emotions. I really like his motivation to write this book, setting out to write a book his grandfather would enjoy. I was also impressed that I do not think I found a single glaring typo, which can be very annoying in a book. I feel this book had a good editor.
I have seen other reviews that encourage a new reader to the book to continue through the first few chapters, I would have to agree. There was a bit of a slow start, meeting up with the bad guys, gun battles, etc. were not something I had ever read before. I was very excited for the information about the crystal to start, and this book got very interesting once the plot unfolded more. I like how Nick would weave real things that I could google while reading, adds wonderful detail to the story. For example, he refers to a Botach MR Grappling hook, which is real, and awesome.
I highly enjoyed the use of the Golden Ratio in the story. The ratio 1.618:1 referred to as the Divine Proportion or the Golden Ratio, found throughout not only design throughout humankind but also nature. Very cool use of that in an adventure story!
August 31, 2017
Available Kindle Unlimited, but got this one thru one of my free book sites. Had 2 of the 3 books only so used ku to get the 3 pack Harvey Bennett Thrillers: Books 1-3 (Harvey Bennett Thrillers Box Set) which has Enigma Strain, Amazon Code, Ice Chasm. Then used ku to read Killer Thrillers: 3 Bestselling Novels which has Enigma Strain but also has The Golden Crystal and The Depths in that 3 set. Glimpse a New World short collection has one of his stories also.
Previously released worldwide as The Golden Crystal. Completely revised, rewritten, and updated!
In 1791, two men began planning the layout for the nation’s capitol city. One is shunned and resigns in disgrace, and the other is all but forgotten. Years later, an original copy of the plans–long thought to have been destroyed– is found, with hastily marked notations by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
Combining ancient alien theory and military science fiction into the travel thriller genre...During the second World War, American military scientists discover some fascinating properties of the hydrogen atom and its link to an ancient mystical number. The exact findings are never published, but a national laboratory is built in 1943 to further their research in covert silence. America is told it is a defense project, code-named ‘The Manhattan Project.’
Previously released worldwide as The Golden Crystal. Completely revised, rewritten, and updated!
In 1791, two men began planning the layout for the nation’s capitol city. One is shunned and resigns in disgrace, and the other is all but forgotten. Years later, an original copy of the plans–long thought to have been destroyed– is found, with hastily marked notations by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
Combining ancient alien theory and military science fiction into the travel thriller genre...During the second World War, American military scientists discover some fascinating properties of the hydrogen atom and its link to an ancient mystical number. The exact findings are never published, but a national laboratory is built in 1943 to further their research in covert silence. America is told it is a defense project, code-named ‘The Manhattan Project.’
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