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Golem

The Dirty Dozen meets Indiana Jones. - Heartland Reviews

I heard about this book from the POD-dy Mouth blog. Her review convinced me to buy it and I was not disappointed.

The Story: A misfit squad of Rangers is sent to Greenland to capture a Nazi base during WW II. But upon their arrival, they find the place in ruins and everyone dead, save one man, who appears to have gone quite insane (firing his SMG at unseen figures in the snow). The Rangers soon discover that they're not alone, as someone starts to pick them off one-by-one.

Ok, you've figured out the "Dirty Dozen" reference, so where does the "Indiana Jones" part come to play? Well, the Rangers are escorting the daughter of an archaeologist who has been kidnapped by the Nazi's (everyone's favorite bad guys) and is helping them build their secret weapon, the namesake of the book's title.

But the coolest part of this novel, is what sets it apart from the others: cryptography. Contained within the book is the very puzzle that the protagonists are trying to solve. At the beginning of each chapter is a line of runes. A couple of clues are given at the beginning of the novel to help you figure it out. Mystery readers may think that they're special after guessing whodunit, but that's nothing compared to this! Mr. Vilk even gave away $100 to the first person to solve it. You can find out more at his website.

Greg Vilk's writing style makes for an easy read. The dialogue and the action move the story along at such a fast pace that by the end you'll be as exhausted as the characters. The setting is well researched and Mr. Vilk's descriptions of the place make you fel like you're there, shivering in the cold. In fact, it screams for a movie adaptation. It was easy for me to visualize every aspect of the story. But don't wait for the film! Read the book today!

posted by DED at 5:11 PM