Although written in 2010 this book has an altmodisch feel to it, especially compared to more modern science fiction.
Book 5 in the Alex Benedict series is not up to the standard of previous entries in my opinion. Set in the same The Jetsons like science fiction universe (imagine a world where everything is modelled on the American way of life, just with more technology, and even less friction, combined with a lot of unexplained anachronisms) as the rest of the series, this book tries to tackle a somewhat bigger topic than the more well-formed entries.
As the first book in the series we are dealing with world changing types of events and discoveries, and it work about as well as using a childs yellow plastic trowel made for digging on the beach to drill a hole in a armored safe or holding back a flood. To me, this universe works better for smaller, more selfcontained mysteries, where the Nero Wulfe-Archie dynamics between the main characters shine. ( )

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This is another in my favorite Jack McDevitt series, the Alex Benedict series. This book starts off faster than some of JM's books. It sucked me right in and then, as usual, I was turning pages as fast as I could. The mystery was interesting but not as riveting as those in the first three books,[b:A Talent For War|352774|A Talent For War (Alex Benedict, #1)|Jack McDevitt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174006924s/352774.jpg|2944265], [b:Polaris|337019|Polaris (Alex Benedict, #2)|Jack McDevitt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173853535s/337019.jpg|2431463] and [b:Seeker|352777|Seeker (Alex Benedict, #3)|Jack McDevitt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174006926s/352777.jpg|342999] but I liked it better than the fourth book, [b:The Devil's Eye|3076046|The Devil's Eye (Alex Benedict, #4)|Jack McDevitt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267757492s/3076046.jpg|3107075]. I like Chase Kolpath. I don't necessarily care for the way that JM throws in random stuff about her love life. I guess in this sort of book I just don't care about any romance element. I did feel like in this one, we didn't get as solid a picture of who Alex was but if you've been following the series, it's not like you don't already know him. I like the way the narrator, Chase, throws in stuff about the world and society they live in as if she is just reminding you of stuff you might have forgotten. It's a great world building technique. I love these mysteries or puzzles if you will, in space. Bring on the next one and keep them coming. ( )

Sometimes characters in a book are suitably stupid and that can really bring that book down. That is my main criticism of this, the fifth book about Alex Benedict and Chase Kolpath. I can accept that the future is a mix of 1950 and the year 10000, because who knows how humanity develop, but I have some trouble with the humans themselves.

Anyway, it is a rather entertaining, though not very complicated (sadly) story. An old seeker of aliens seems to have left a mysterious stone with inscriptions behind and now the chase is on. Where is that stone, what does it signify, is it alien? And off we go!

I am giving this a weak 3 stars.

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This made great travel reading--I need good distractions when I fly and this novel was engrossing and enjoyable. I always enjoy McDevitt's books. ( )