The Codex by Douglas Preston

[katekintailbc]

The Codex
by Douglas Preston
(Audio)
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/6671641

I don't know how they abridge books, but this book was terrible. Maybe it was the way they abridged it or maybe it was the book itself... but either way this was NOT enjoyable. "We hope you have enjoyed this production of The Codex" came the voice at the end of the tape, and I answered out loud that I didn't.

I DID laugh a bunch of times, but that was mostly because of how awful part of the book were.

The plot is SO cliche and predictable. Okay, so I'm someone who frequently guesses a lot of book/tv/movie plots so the fact that I find something predictable doesn't mean it is for most people. However, I defy anyone to NOT see most of these twists coming. Examples:

Son: "OMG, the house wasn't broken into but Dad is gone and so is all his priceless artwork! What could possibly have happened?"
Policeman: "Uh, your dad took all of his priceless artwork and left."
Dad on video tape: "Hello, Sons. I took all my pricesless artwork and left."
Policeman: "See?"
Son: "Wow, I didn't see that coming!"
KateKintail earreading this book: *smacks palm to forehead*

Son: "Hello, Character X. I need to find my dad and I'd like you to help me find him."
Character X: "Where might your dad have gone?"
Son: "He sealed himself in a tomb somewhere with 500 million dollars."
Character X: "500 million dollars? I'm in!"
Son: "Great! And even though you HATE my father with a passion and want the money all for yourself, it won't even occur to me that you might betray me."
Character X: "Oh, well, that's really good to know."
KateKintail earreading this book: *smacks palm to forehead... again*

*sigh* In fact, it gets MUCH worse than this. The sons tell complete STRANGERS about the mysterious fortune their father hid somewhere in the world. The sons go traipsing through the jungle pretty much unprepared and without a plan. They nearly die a ton of different ways, but the ending of the story plays out... pretty much exactly as you hope it will. The characters/narrator repeat the most OBVIOUS things a bunch of times so that the reader understands... when I (as a reader) understood just fine the first time around and wanted to hit my head on the steering wheel repeatedly when a character said "I don't get it" and they had to explain AGAIN. If they repeat themselves so much in the abridgment, I hate to think how the full-length version might go. And perhaps the most obvious thing takes the characters a while to understand... and then it's the stupidest thing that finally gets them to understand it. *sigh*

As far as an exciting story goes, sure there's a ton of drama and action-- people die, there's betrayal (ya THINK?!), there are interesting family dynamics, and there's a lovable baby monkey with the worst name in the entire world-- but the mystery is not at ALL clever. Not even close to clever. Not even close to mysterious. Not even close to good.

I was highly disappointed because I've liked two other books-- but those were ones Douglas Preston co-wrote with others. If this edition is any indication, his solo writing does not come close to measuring up to the ones he's co-written. But since this was an abridgment, I don't feel it fair to judge him entirely on this. Perhaps the long version is as enjoyable as the amazon.com reviewers say. *shrug* As it was, this particular version isn't something I enjoyed. I earread the entire thing, don't get me wrong. But I was more relieved than anything else when it was over. LOL