Gideon's Sword

Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

I'm sure this doesn't come as a shock to those who know me, but I'm not the type of person who likes to chat with the person sitting next to me on a plane. I pull out a book and expect the person next to me to understand what that means - not interested in getting to know you nor do I want to see any pictures of your children/cats. Recently I made an exception to that rule. I got on a plane and the guy sitting next to me was reading Gideon's Sword. I've read all of the the Preston & Child books and was intending to read this one as well. So I asked him if it was a good book. He shook his head and said it wasn't very good. I then noticed how far into the book he had read. He was on page 4. This man was obviously an idiot. How can you decide by page 4 whether a book is good or not? Further evidence for the soundness of my small-talk policy.

So I finally got around to reading Gideon's Crew. Page 4 came and went and I resisted the urge to determine how many stars the book was going to receive. Overall it was as good as the coauthors' other books. I enjoyed the departure from the Pendergast books. I understand it's the beginning of another series the will feature Gideon Crew and based on this first book, I'll follow that series as well.

Gideon Crew witnessed his father's murder at the age of twelve. He spent the next twenty years of his life acquiring the skills he would need to avenge his father's death and clear his family's name. Now in his thirties, having taken down those behind the murder and having fulfilled his life-long goal, his unique skills set has brought him to the attention of a covert U.S. agency who present him with a job offer he can't refuse.

Gideon finds himself tasked with intercepting a Chinese national who is scheduled to enter the country that night possessing a technology that will revolutionize the world and will ultimately elevate China's position in it to the indisputable leader going forward. Gideon must find that technology, steal it, and turn it over to his handlers. But when the man is run off the road and killed as he departs the airport, Gideon realizes that his job is going to be much harder than he planned.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆