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The Ark

Review

The Ark

What do you get when you mix Indiana Jones with MacGyver? You get THE ARK, a non-stop action-adventure with an archaeological twist.

Dilara Kenner, like her father, is an archaeologist. While his specialty was Noah’s Ark, she never put much faith in his belief that it existed, until a family friend tells her something she never expected to hear --- her father, a man who has been missing for several years, found the Ark, and now she must stop a madman from destroying his discovery. Before her friend can tell her more, he dies and she is left to decipher his cryptic message. And she quickly finds out just how far this individual is willing to go to stop her and anyone else who will come between him and the discovery of the Ark.

Dilara’s family friend tells her to find a man named Tyler Locke, an engineer and all-around useful person when it comes to survival. After going on the run, involvement in a suspicious car accident, and a helicopter crash over the Atlantic, Dilara finally meets Tyler. She’s also becoming fully aware of just how much danger she’s really in. She knows she doesn’t have time for lengthy explanations and quickly blurts out her problem to him --- she must find Noah’s Ark, and he’s the man who has to help her. A modern-day jack-of-all-trades, Tyler finds Dilara’s story a bit hard to believe but agrees to assist her after hearing what she’s been through. Even though he’s willing to help her, he’s uncomfortable and confused by what he’s heard and unsure where to start.

Unfortunately, Tyler is all too familiar with the man involved --- a self-appointed prophet and billionaire who has no love for him. Sebastian Ulric once hired Tyler and his engineering firm to build a lab for him. But when Tyler wouldn’t run around a few regulations, he and his company were unceremoniously dropped from the project. Tyler was happy at the time, but now he is suspicious of Ulric’s motives. When a bit of research shines light on Ulric’s association with a radical church, Tyler and Dilara begin to understand the gravity of the situation and exactly what Ulric has planned.

THE ARK is heavy on action. Tyler and Dilara never have time to breathe, and a change of clothes becomes a luxury for them. While the plot may seem a bit light at times, the dialogue a little awkward, and the writing slightly clichéd in places, once you drop all pretenses, it’s really a fun read. Boyd Morrison’s adventure is refreshing, and even though his situations are a bit unbelievable, his characters, especially Tyler, are interesting. Tyler seems to be able to handle any situation he’s put in, and is probably also the luckiest person on the planet. He’s appealing, and you keep turning the pages wanting to know how he’s going to be getting out of the next problem.

The archaeological aspect of the story is light, but what Morrison does include keeps you reading. While the story is mostly about Tyler outwitting Ulric, the backdrop is affecting. If you’re willing to suspend all disbelief, THE ARK is a good, refreshing read. Morrison doesn’t disappoint on the action front and leaves you out of breath and oddly satisfied at the end of it all.

Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski on December 22, 2010

The Ark
by Boyd Morrison

  • Publication Date: May 11, 2010
  • Genres: Fiction, Thriller
  • Hardcover: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Touchstone
  • ISBN-10: 1439181799
  • ISBN-13: 9781439181799