Reviews

Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston

lostfaerie's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

git_r_read's review

3.0

I think I am getting tired of this series. I found myself daydreaming through more of the story than I should as I listened to it. I admire Special Agent Pendergast, so I finished listening to the book. I seem to be on a zombie phase lately and this added to the listening finish reason. A lot of thrills and spills throughout, but I believe I'm done with this set of authors and this series.

wyrmdog's review

4.0

I find it hard to review books in a long-running series, sometimes. They share themes, characters, and even the authors' eccentricities, resulting in thoughts that come off very samey. I have this issue with the Pike Logan books and the Dresden books as well as the Pendergast series here.

But sometimes things get shaken up and sometimes a book is dreadfully dull or monumentally riveting, depending.

Cemetery dance is better than most of the preceding books, and also one that shakes things up. The biggest surprise isn't even a surprise, really, mentioned as it is in ad copy. But it feels like more than part of the brief interlude that bridges the Diogenes' trilogy with the launch of the one surrounding the mystery of Pendergast's late wife, which I believe the next book kicks off.

I enjoyed this one, though I feel like I am not just saying goodbye to one character permanently, but to another for quite some time.

kipahni's review

3.0

A murder mystery with zombies! yes please! Quick read great for a summer pool side read.

kblank73's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

cwalter01's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

Good read.   Relied a bit too heavily on explaining the mystery at the end of the book

tarynwanderer's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

fuzzkins's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

4.0

pandasbookshelf's review

5.0

I have mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed it immensely but I still (even years and several re-reads) I am still shook that they killed of Bill Smithback. I loved his character and was devastated to read this one. Thank goodness Nora is still around. She is my second favorite character. I enjoyed the interesting plot in this one and found it unique and chilling.

offbalance80's review

3.0

When an author (or authors) has so many great books behind them, a reader can get spoiled. After the breathtaking, enthralling, and completely compelling Diogenes trilogy, and the book or two that immediately followed, it was surprising to read such a by-the-numbers thriller.

I'd also hoped that if Bill Smithback ever had to meet his maker, he'd do it more spectacular fashion. I'd hoped that if D'Agosta and Pendergast were thrown together for another case, it would be as seamless a reunion as in the pages of Reliquary. So many parts of Cemetary Dance felt hasty - the explanations of the ancient religions, the "zombii," and the strange cult in the park - all lacked the wonderful depth that featured in previous books. Cemetary Dance is not a crucial entry in the Pendergast cannon, but it's an amusing enough side-caper.