A review by asterese
The Amber Room: A Novel of Suspense by Steve Berry
3.0
3.5 stars.
The story started off pretty well, promising a thrilling mystery. The classic formula was there, someone important to the main character dies, and the latter is then sucked into the secrets the former had been hiding, and goes on an adventure with a surprise companion.
My issue here was the characters themselves. Frankly, it was frustrating to see these smart people make stupid decisions, for no justifiable reason. I felt relieved when the story was over, and at the same time, a bit let down by the resolution.
On the plus side, Steve Berry doesn't write a boring story. This may have been his first novel, but you can already see the signs of how he can make a fast-paced thriller that's unputdownable (unless you have a job and need to get up early in the morning). I never heard of the subject matter prior to reading this book, and I studied History in college. This prompted me to do more research. I also love how he describes things briefly, but substantially.
If you're looking to get into Steve Berry novels, don't start with this one. If you're already a fan, and looking for some light reading, consider picking this one up.
The story started off pretty well, promising a thrilling mystery. The classic formula was there, someone important to the main character dies, and the latter is then sucked into the secrets the former had been hiding, and goes on an adventure with a surprise companion.
My issue here was the characters themselves. Frankly, it was frustrating to see these smart people make stupid decisions, for no justifiable reason. I felt relieved when the story was over, and at the same time, a bit let down by the resolution.
On the plus side, Steve Berry doesn't write a boring story. This may have been his first novel, but you can already see the signs of how he can make a fast-paced thriller that's unputdownable (unless you have a job and need to get up early in the morning). I never heard of the subject matter prior to reading this book, and I studied History in college. This prompted me to do more research. I also love how he describes things briefly, but substantially.
If you're looking to get into Steve Berry novels, don't start with this one. If you're already a fan, and looking for some light reading, consider picking this one up.