Pick Up a Paperback

Every summer I put together a display of our newer mass market paperbacks and watch them stream out the door. They are the perfect format for the summer: light and compact. Check out the paperbacks the next time you’re in the library. There are some gems only available in this format!

I decided to start reading a new paperback series to coincide with the display and I’m glad I did. Unfortunately I think I have yet another author I have to add to my “keep an eye out for” list. The list is getting way too long…

The Hunt for Atlantis by Andy McDermott

In true adventure fashion the main characters are whisked all over the globe: New York City, Brazil, Tibet and 800 feet below sea level. The goal? The lost city of Atlantis. The city that archeologist Nina Wilde is convinced is out there somewhere still waiting to be discovered. Unfortunately there is a secret society determined to make sure the lost city remains lost forever. Enter Eddie Chase, Nina’s ex-SAS bodyguard, assigned to keep Nina safe from harm, a job that sounded easy on paper and is proving to be one of the most difficult assignments he’s ever taken.

The plot is cinematic in feel with fast-paced action and lots of chatty dialogue, yet there is a puzzle to be solved and Nina’s brilliance is a great foil to Eddie’s amazing capacity to blow everything up and come out still breathing. The totally cheesy (and sometimes pretty darn witty) one-liners will be familiar to adventure fans, but this series is also very different. You can tell it was written by a Brit (and not just because of the American jokes). The book has a different feel than American adventure/thrillers, there is more descriptive bloodshed and the body count of named characters is extremely high. For fans of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider – brains and brawn combine for one thrilling ride.