The Codex

Good adventure story. A little weak on character development. The end gets rushed like he's trying to hurry and finish. Like this author and his co-author, Lincoln Child because they go to places where "normal" people don't get to. They have a real variety of story lines, no two are the same. Got hooked on Relic; and kept ordering the rest of the offerings. Got my husband hooked too.

Artificial characterization of too beautiful people made them unbelievable. The plot was interesting and decently told. However, the descriptions of the persons acting out their roles was Victorian era and did not fit the time table of the story.

Great, quick, fun read. Read it while on vacation and it was a perfect beach read. I read and loved The Monster of Florence, so I thought I would try his fiction. I'll definitely read more of his books.

Having read all of Preston-Child's collaborative efforts (and considering myself a fan), I was/am shocked and saddened at how bad this book is. I've read 'Deep Storm' by Lincoln Child and enjoyed it. I've also read 'Monster of Florence' by Douglas Preston and enjoyed it as well - So their solo efforts can be good and engaging - I just don't know what happened here... How could Preston send this to the publisher? How could an editor approve it? Truly, shockingly bad. I only made it to about page 90 before putting it down. I just couldn't take any more. Instead, I picked up 'The Terror' by Dan Simmons and I am enjoying every word.

Time's too precious to waste on bad books.

The title says it all! Preston writes a better story than the one you read about the Vatican and might have seen as a movie with a famous actor in it. This story would have made a better movie! The book will keep you reading to find out how it ends! You will not be disappointed.

The trek through the jungle stretched credulity, but it is a novel, a story - meant to be full of unexpected twists and turns. This is a larger than life story about larger than life people. It is a fun read, if you don't take it too seriously.

Completely agree with the negative reviews - WAY disappointing... struggling to finish it mostly out of curiosity - save your dough - while a fun premise, this is tedious, rambling and rather dumb... together - he and Childs - are much better.

Though I may be insulting many of Preston's fans, this book was not well written, his characters poorly developed.

An author must be able to write each of his characters with a different "voice," so that the reader isn't confused and have to go back and re read which one is thinking or speaking.

I simply lost count of the number of times I had to 'go back,' and figure out which character was speaking.

The plot, overall, isn't bad; in fact, it had great promise. Preston just did a poor job of following through where I thought there was great promise.

This book isn't my usual genre choice. That doesn't seem like a good reason to give The Codex 4 stars. Instead, I give it 5 stars because the writing and pacing was fantastic.

I expected this to be a little more mysterious than it was. The Codex was based on pure realism, but I tend to prefer my books with a slight bit of sci-fi, like Michael Crichton's books, or at least some real mysteries, such as Dan Brown's books. The Codex offered no shocking statements of society, nor commanded the reader to question what he knows of reality. In this way, it was not what I expected, and it was not one of my favorite books.

Rather, The Codex refers to an ancient Mayan script that classifies all of the medicinal properties of all the plant-life in the the store. It is currently owned by Maxwell Broadbent, who has hidden the Codex deep in the forests of Honduras. Broadbent's three unique sons are after their inheritance money, while at least two other pharmaceutical companies are after the riches the Codex promises, and everyone races to find and claim the Codex as their own key to the good life (and, by proxy, for the good life of the world, who will benefit from the new medicines inspired by the Codex). The trek is dangerous through the the store, and each treasure hunter faces their own challenges, often narrowly escaping brutal deaths.

The book was well written, and a very exciting read. I did not find much of this 400 page adventure boring. It was heavy on action and drama. Tensions were high throughout, and I found myself rooting for certain parties to succeed.

As for action, this book was an A+. Raiders of the Lost Ark meets The Amazing Race, as Entertainment Weekly states on the cover, is a good description of the story.

For a book about a mysterious ancient codex, the the store, lost native tribes, and the Ancient Maya, it lacked a certain mystery and wonder for my tastes, and might have been a missed opportunity. But, as I said, maybe it just wasn't my ideal style. Even still, I enjoyed the story, so I can't complain too much.

Douglas Preston puts new life into the 'Indiana Jones' type jungle genre. Mr. Preston, a good author in his own right, might be better known for his partnerships with Lincoln Child. One of my very favorite books was written by this talented pair. THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES introduced us to Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast and his informal team of talented people. If you haven't read this one (which you should) then you probably remember RELIC, also written by them and made into an entertaining movie.

THE CODEX is based upon an ancient Mayan text that lists flora indigenous to the area that have been used in various medicines for over a thousand years. It is but one prize of many that Matthew Broadbent, a self-made billionaire, arranges to have entombed with him after he dies of unstoppable cancer. And where has Broadbent gone to have himself entombed? His three sons, estranged from their father for not measuring up during their lives, must overcome their anger at the old man and the differences among them, and find the tomb to recover their inheritance. Why would they even think about doing this? Probably because $500 million doesn't come your way too often.

This is an intriguing tale about an overbearing father who expected a lot from his sons but was never satisfied with the results he received. The sons also resent the father who controlled their lives and was never happy with whatever they achieved. The long and dangerous journey to recover the Codex causes everyone to look at life from a different perspective, bringing both physical and emotional journeys to an interesting end.

Douglas Preston has a very consistent templates for his books. There are male protagonists with both angsts and strength. There's the beautiful girl who falls for him, generally already engaged to some other fellow. Said fellow will turn out to be a vile cad to justify the betrayal. And there will be demi-mythical mysteries and treasure.

If you like his other books, you'll like this one. If this is the first one you've read, whether you'll like it depends on how much you enjoy pulp adventures.

Douglas Preston knows how to put the literary pedal to the metal as he's proved in any number of high-octane thrillers and adventure novels. That's certainly the case with The Codex, a race through the Central American jungle to find a half billion dollars worth of treasure, including a Mayan codex said to contain ancient medical secrets that use plants and insects of the jungle.

Plenty of reviewers have outlined the plot, so I won't waste time repeating plot points. Lets just say that Preston puts his game pieces on the board quickly and sets them all in motion. Much of the plot is a hodge-podge of action sequences that could be fitted into other jungle adventure stories. There are man-eating fish, man-eating jaguars, man-eating snakes and hordes of hungry insects that appear almost on cue. There are also spine-tingling chases on land and water and on a rickety suspension bridge across a deep chasm, also appearing on cue. They all are definitely exciting and Preston does have a gift for writing action; but the problem is that most of the action is predictable.

After reading a few of Preston's novels you can usually see him making a plot point that will prove important from quite a distance. It's almost as if he writes the plot point in neon. Not wanting to give anything away, but from the moment one of the three brothers pondered whether his father sewed any wild oats that resulted in other siblings you have a pretty good idea that the idea will get revisited later in the book.

For readers of action/adventure/thriller genre, Preston is a capable writer. His books are normally easy-to-read page turners that are good for a beach read or for an airplane trip or even as a way to spend a rainy weekend. Though I usually prefer a little 'heavier' reading that Preston's novels, I still enjoy coming back to him for a good dose of pure escapism. And that's exactly what I found in The Codex.

I liked the two main characters. Overall the story-telling is similar to Michael Crichton books with a pretty fast pace and some interesting twists. I also think it's fine for YA level since the sex scenes were not too explicit and it wasn't a main part of the story. Some of the dialogue could have been better maybe for a few characters in the story, but I'm not that critical of authors usually on the details. It was really fun to read and I'm going to order some more Preston books since this is the first one I've read.

The Codex, Douglas Preston's first solo novel since the commencement of his highly successful collaborations with Lincoln Child (The Relic, Cabinet of Curiosities, Book of the Dead, etc.), is a rip-roaring adventure story coupled with a cautionary morality tale. Though it contains no real spiritual substance, the book is in some ways a grim portrayal of a rather extreme consequence of ignoring two widely recognized Scripture passages: Proverbs 22:6 ("Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it") and 1 Timothy 6:10 ("The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil").

As the story opens, the three sons of Maxwell Broadbent, a noted art and antiquities collector, arrive at the family estate to find their father's entire collection--worth billions--missing, along with their father himself. They suspect that their father has been kidnapped and his fortune stolen until they discover a video their father has left behind, on which he informs them that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Feeling that his sons have become spoiled and unworthy of his fortune, he has taken everything with him to be buried in an undisclosed location. If the sons want to see any of their inheritance, they will first have to find his tomb.

All three sons have different motivations for undertaking what turns out to be a very dangerous quest. Philip, the oldest, is motivated primarily by greed but also by a sort of artistic justice. He wants the cash, but he also can't abide the thought of priceless paintings and other items rotting away in his father's tomb. Vernon, the youngest, is motivated primarily by a misguided sense of spiritual obligation. He wants the cash so he can give it to the leader of his cult. And Tom, the level-headed protagonist, is motivated by his desire to find his father but also by his growing attraction for the mysterious woman who joins him in his quest. The woman, Sally Colorado, wants to find Broadbent's tomb because of one of the artifacts the old man has taken with him: an ancient Mayan codex containing lost medicinal secrets that could help mankind.

There are other players involved in the search as well. Maxwell Broadbent's old partner hopes to take the wealth for himself. The CEO of a major pharmaceutical company hopes to steal the secrets of the codex and convert them into financial gain. A college professor hopes to sell the codex overseas. And a strange tribe of natives living deep in the Honduran jungle seem to want to find the tomb for reasons known only to themselves.

As the Broadbent sons set out to retrieve their fortune, they encounter all the kinds of obstacles one would hope and expect to find in an Indiana Jones-like adventure story. Maniacal villains, bloodthirsty mosquitoes, a wildcat, snakes, poison darts, and more conspire to keep them from their goal. And it all works; Preston has not sacrificed any of his storytelling ability in this solo venture.

The Codex is a fun book to read. It's got it all--heroes, danger, a hunt for buried treasure, villains, a jungle, betrayal, redemption, and a beautiful heroine (and, unfortunately, an unnecessarily steamy sex scene and a few rather gruesome scenes of violence). Preston manages to make the spoiled and greedy Broadbents mostly likeable in spite of themselves, and the climactic ending is satisfying if a tad predictable. The book's one big flaw is the message it seems to be sending. Rather than learning from his parenting mistakes encouraging his sons to turn away from their desire for earthly wealth, Maxwell Broadbent gives as the apparent moral of the story the Disneyesque notion that if you just follow your heart and believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. But other than a few instances of objectionable content and a wishy-washy moral, The Codex is a great adventure story that fits comfortably into the pattern of the genre.

Being a huge Preston & Child fan. it's obvious to me that novels derived from that union are superior to their individual efforts. The Codex, while being fascinating on many levels lacks the excitement level of other P&C novels.
The plot surrounds the summoning of the three sons of reclusive multimillionaire Maxwell Broadbent to his New Mexico mansion. Broadbent is an obsessive collector of fine art and priceless archeologic artifacts, is considered a glorified grave robber. Upon arrival to the palatial Broadbent estate, the sons Tom, Vernon and Phillip discover the their father's collection, valued at 500 million dollars has apparently been stolen. They learn that the collection, their inheritance, has been spirited away with Broadbent who is dying of cancer, to be interred in tomb somewhere in the world. To claim their inheritance they must find the tomb to prove themselves worthy of its acquisition.
Vernon, Tom and Phillip set off independently of each other to claim the fortune. Vernon, an aimless free spirit sets off with his money hungry spiritual guru. Tom, a dedicated yet poor veterinarian is coaxed by the blonde and beautiful Sally Colorado, an ethnopharmacologist to pursue the collection. Sally, a studier of indigenous medicines, has learned that the collection includes a Mayan codex. The codex written in about 800 A.D. contains thousands of medical prescriptions and preparations derived from plants, animals, insects and minerals native to the rainforest. Such a discovery would be a priceless boon to the pharmaceutical industry. Phillip, an art history professor had the brilliant idea to recruit Marcus Hauser, successful private investigator and former partner of his father. Little did he know that the partnership dissolved prior to Broadbent making his initial lucrative discovery. As a result Hauser secretly abhored Broadbent and was desperate to even the score.
They all embark on a tortuous trek through the disease infested jungles of central Honduras to where they suspect Maxwell Broadbent is entombed. What follows is a harrowing adventure tale with the various parties aided by local minions as they overcome numerous hardships while treking to a remote mythical location.
Although, a cut below the usual Preston & Child quality, The Codex is still a worthwhile read.

Maxwell Broadbent is dying of cancer, but rather than leave his vast accumulated wealth, estimated to be worth over half a billion dollars, to his 3 sons, he takes it with him to an undisclosed location. He leaves a video message, challenging his sons to find him and their inheritance, which comes in the form of paintings, gems, jewellery and sculptures among other valuable artefacts. Max accumulated his wealth by robbing ancient tombs and would like his sons to "earn" their inheritance in a treasure hunt of their own.
Almost immediately, the brothers split up even though they are strongly advised to cooperate with each other. The oldest brother, Philip, visits his father's former partner; a private investigator named Marcus Hauser to request his help and almost immediately discovers that the trail will lead to Honduras.
Vernon is the second oldest of the brothers and is a cult member. When he seeks the cult's leader's advice on what he should do, the lure of a possible $100 million payout is too much for the Teacher and he accompanies Vernon to Honduras too.
The youngest brother and easily the most grounded of the three, Tom decides, to hell with his father and returns to his Utah veterinary practice. It's not until the beautiful anthropologist Sally Colorado arrives to tell him about an important Mayan document in his father's possession that must be recovered that he begins to consider joining in. Soon after, he finds out that the lives of his brothers are in grave danger and so he decides that he too must head for the jungle of Honduras to help them.
The Mayan document turns out to be a codex containing two thousand medical prescriptions and preparations using all sorts of plants and animals found in the surrounding rainforest. These medicines promise all sorts of fabulous, undiscovered cures, possibly even for cancer and would be worth untold millions to any medical company lucky enough to own it. The lure of this codex is responsible for more treasure hunters than just the brothers themselves.
Okay, this kind of story has been done many times over. It's an adventure story where good guys enter an inhospitable environment, like a South American jungle, in search of a fabulous treasure. When good guys and treasure are placed in close proximity there will inevitably be bad guys who won't think twice about killing to lay their hands on the treasure. This is the basis for the excitement produced in the book, although only partly. The other ever-present danger comes from the dangers in the jungle itself.
If you like treasure hunt adventures based on against-the-odds survival this book will prove to be very enjoyable. The characters we meet during the journey range from fascinating to delightful to downright dangerous. The characters are somewhat clichéd, taken straight out of Indiana Jones, but the story is compelling and allow you to sit back, stick the brain in neutral and enjoy the ride.

Tyrannosaur Canyon
It's my goal to read all of Douglas Preston's novels: My favorite so far, "Brimstone," is the standard that I judge the others by.

This novel is a good, old-fashioned adventure tale. It's not what I'd call a suspense novel because it does not build up events till you're biting at your nails wondering when the "monster" will pop out, but it is a good, fast-paced read. I like adventure novels, such as "The Count of Monte Cristo", so I enjoyed it, although it's more of a guy's book.

Main plotline (without giving away any surprises) is that the bigger than life, adventurous father comes up with what he thinks is a "fun" way for his sons to earn their inheritance. Turns out that the game nearly kills all four of them, as the characters are double-crossed by several persons. There is romance and a fun character named "Harry Bugger" that I loved. The three brothers were all well-drawn, believable characters, and I enjoyed how their personalities conflicted.

There is the usual amount of well-researched detail that makes you believe in the exotic characters and that you are actually in the jungle (leaving vague for you to discover) where the action takes place. It's a fun, mindless read for the airplane or beach. However, it was not a "can't put it down" type of read, so I took one star off.