I enjoyed this book!  It blasts out of the starting gate with a gentleman by the name of Ben, journaling the story of Richard Pours.  Richard recently graduated with a master's degree in political science and journalism and was having a difficult time finding a job.  That is, until a dream job offer came by way of registered letter.

This begins a whirlwind of adventure and Richard find himself on an expedition with a group of strangers. These are not ordinary strangers, but Richard soon discovers that they each have a unique ability, just as he does.  Richard is the journalist of this group, but thanks to his photographic memory, he doesn't need to jot down a single note.  The story is told from Richard's perspective, and the narration style is factual and objective - just as you would expect a reporter to be.  There is not a lot of emotional development in this book.  It is the retelling of a fantastic adventure involving this group of unique individuals.    The narration style had me imagining I was listening to Sheldon Cooper, or Forrest Gump, retelling a story.  Very factual without any emphasis on emotion or social nuances. 

That is not to say it wasn't entertaining and amusing.  It was!  There were several times I laughed at Richard and his missteps.  The story itself was completely riveting and exciting.  I think there was a little too much detail early in the book, with the descriptions of the transportation they were using and the details of exactly how they were getting to where they were going.  I wish that part of the book would have been devoted in getting to know the wonderful cast of characters a little bit better. 

However, once this groups comes upon an incredible find, the story is epic!  I didn't know exactly where it was going to lead me, and the ending was super interesting.  Go and read the first paragraph of the book again once you finish it.  Clever Clever Clever!
 

What an interesting mix of mystery and adventure. The amount of research that Ford must have done is mind-boggling. This was a fun roller coaster ride. Compelling enough to make it hard to put down. Enough history and mysticism to really make you wonder. Fun, fun read!