Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
London : Harper, 2010.
Description
When young lawyer David Martinez receives an ancient map from his dying grandfather, the mysteries of his past begin to open up before him. The map leads David into the heart of the dangerous Basque mountains, where a genetic curse lies buried and a frightening secret about the Western world's past is hidden. Meanwhile, London journalist Simon Quinn may have found his big break. A wealthy, elderly woman has been murdered in the most horrific fashion, and another homicide soon follows. Both victims came from villages in the Basque region, both were interred at a top-secret Nazi camp, both have been silenced for what they know about the experiments conducted on the Basques, the Jews, and a dwindling mystical tribe of pre-Caucasian locals called Cagots.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
While the travelling kept up a fast pace I didn't get a sense of place from anywhere mentioned. Some vague descriptions just whetted my appetite to read more about the regions. Amy, David and Simon really didn't come to life for me but the story kept me reading.
It's a gruesome story and with not
It did keep my attention and David's mystery was what kept me reading but I think the author was trying too hard to impress.
It's a gruesome story and with not
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enough details left out sometimes and vaguely twitch-making pseudo eugenics science thrown in for good measure.It did keep my attention and David's mystery was what kept me reading but I think the author was trying too hard to impress.
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LibraryThing member cedargrove
The Marks of Cain was a little bit slow to start with, and left you wondering how and where the two strands of the story's plot would join together, because it was obvious that they would, somewhere along the line, and while it was an interesting and imaginitive use of some historical paradoxes and
You know how, in the TV series 24 that Jack and co have a really bad, unrelenting day from start to finish? Well that's pretty much the life of the characters in this story. The enemy/antagonist just keeps on turning up, and they never get a moments peace. You know it's going to happen, and you just keep waiting for it to happen, but when it does it just makes you groan, because, please /no/ one individual has eyes that far and wide - I don't care /who/ he is or what organisations he has in his pocket. That for me was something that took away from the story.
Unfortunately, too, the ending smacked a little of 'deux ex.' Either I /missed/ the clues as to what was going on all through the story, that led to this ending, or it was just an ending that came out of the blue, a plot device that existed only in the author's head/outline, and never in the text, and without reading it again, I couldn't tell you which - and as far as that goes, it was good to read the book once, but a second time might be pushing it.
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facts and things that shouldn't have happened but did, the story suffered from what I'm going to call the 24 syndrome.You know how, in the TV series 24 that Jack and co have a really bad, unrelenting day from start to finish? Well that's pretty much the life of the characters in this story. The enemy/antagonist just keeps on turning up, and they never get a moments peace. You know it's going to happen, and you just keep waiting for it to happen, but when it does it just makes you groan, because, please /no/ one individual has eyes that far and wide - I don't care /who/ he is or what organisations he has in his pocket. That for me was something that took away from the story.
Unfortunately, too, the ending smacked a little of 'deux ex.' Either I /missed/ the clues as to what was going on all through the story, that led to this ending, or it was just an ending that came out of the blue, a plot device that existed only in the author's head/outline, and never in the text, and without reading it again, I couldn't tell you which - and as far as that goes, it was good to read the book once, but a second time might be pushing it.
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LibraryThing member turtlesleap
David Martinez, fired with curiosity about his family and supported with an unexpected inheritance, travels to the Basque Country where he discovers romance, danger and follows an increasingly mysterious trail of clues. At the same time, a journalist, Simon Quinn, is investigating related murders
There's plenty of suspense here, although many of the situations are implausible enough to make the reader say, "Aw, c'mon!" This is not a bad book and is often entertaining. I think my disappointment sprang principally from the fact that I am growing mortally tired of books about "ancient church mysteries."
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that eventually draw him into the same circle of mysterious elements that David is tracking. There's plenty of suspense here, although many of the situations are implausible enough to make the reader say, "Aw, c'mon!" This is not a bad book and is often entertaining. I think my disappointment sprang principally from the fact that I am growing mortally tired of books about "ancient church mysteries."
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LibraryThing member olgalijo
So... Mr. Tom Knox (or whatever his real name is) should stop watching Indiana Jones and Lara Croft movies. You can't put your protagonist on the very verge of death 20 times and pull him out on the veeeeery last milisecond and make the story credible. Actually the story could be interesting if the
Also, use of plural languages is way out of range with this author. So, he has a basque person speaking English to an English speaker. The Basque person (even more, a proud ETA militant) in his rage starts to speak in.... Spanish?!?!?! Come on. This guy has only seen the Basque country from his hotel room. And that is not only true for the language usage, it's also true for the way in which he depicts them: basically as violent radicals or cowards. Nothing farther from reality.
And staying with language, even his use of Spanish is really bad, mixing feminine articles with masculine nouns, for instance. I would also like to know why he used the Spanish words for things that have perfect equivalents in the English language (a "supermercado" is just a grocery store). If it's just to give local flavor he should look for things that are truly local.
And then there are descriptions that just thow you off completely. At one point he describes a stone carving of a dragon with "feminine" claws. Really? Most of the stone used in the Basque country is granite, really hard stone, very difficult to work. It would be impossible to put claws on a carving of a Dragon; "feminine" claws, not even if you were working with sandstone.
OK, I should stop my rant now. not because this guy deserves it, but because this is putting me in a dark mood.
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poor reader didn't lose track so often, because the bad guy is about to kill the good guy (again, and again, and again). Just a thought Mr. Knox: what works in an movie may not work in a book.Also, use of plural languages is way out of range with this author. So, he has a basque person speaking English to an English speaker. The Basque person (even more, a proud ETA militant) in his rage starts to speak in.... Spanish?!?!?! Come on. This guy has only seen the Basque country from his hotel room. And that is not only true for the language usage, it's also true for the way in which he depicts them: basically as violent radicals or cowards. Nothing farther from reality.
And staying with language, even his use of Spanish is really bad, mixing feminine articles with masculine nouns, for instance. I would also like to know why he used the Spanish words for things that have perfect equivalents in the English language (a "supermercado" is just a grocery store). If it's just to give local flavor he should look for things that are truly local.
And then there are descriptions that just thow you off completely. At one point he describes a stone carving of a dragon with "feminine" claws. Really? Most of the stone used in the Basque country is granite, really hard stone, very difficult to work. It would be impossible to put claws on a carving of a Dragon; "feminine" claws, not even if you were working with sandstone.
OK, I should stop my rant now. not because this guy deserves it, but because this is putting me in a dark mood.
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LibraryThing member Kari.Hall
This book entertained me, and had a lot going on. Pretty interesting.
The ending seemed a bit underdeveloped and weak to me. The 'shocking reveal' of the story wasn't all that surprising.
The ending seemed a bit underdeveloped and weak to me. The 'shocking reveal' of the story wasn't all that surprising.
LibraryThing member cathymoore
I was concerned I wouldn't like this, I found Knox's first book very violent, to the point where it ruined the story. While this was still a little graphic I really liked it. The setting and the plot were both original and well written and researched,
LibraryThing member SusanBNM
First book of this author I have read - had some very interesting twists and turns & good locales. Would recommend.
LibraryThing member Deankut
Worth the read....but still, only a solid three. The writing has improved, but the idea or as I call it, the 'ah-ha' factor was a little underwhelming. At many points, the plot was unbelievable and insufferable. Not of the supernatural sorts, but the everyday reality sort. I feel this cheats the
On the flip side, please don't misunderstand my review. Writing is exhaustive work that takes determination and learned skill. Suffice it to say, this is a solid piece of work, markedly better than the last. I solidly enjoyed it and will seek out 'Tom Knox's' next work of fiction: The Lost Godess.
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reader and is lazy of the writer. Not sure if it was deliberate laziness or lack of imagination. On the flip side, please don't misunderstand my review. Writing is exhaustive work that takes determination and learned skill. Suffice it to say, this is a solid piece of work, markedly better than the last. I solidly enjoyed it and will seek out 'Tom Knox's' next work of fiction: The Lost Godess.
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LibraryThing member KarenDuff
while there was plenty of action I found the lead character David really whiny and annoying, I could see why Miguel would want to kill him.
Language
Physical description
462 p.; 20 inches
ISBN
0007342616 / 9780007342617