Wonderful book! Very complex story line, great action and interesting science. This book entertained me but also gave me a lot to think about. ( )

NI

A very entertaining and gripping read, also a very quick read despite its size. ( )

The remains of an extraterrestrial are found in the Negev Desert in Israel by an archeologist, Lucy Morgan, who is abducted. Lucy's mother enlists the help of Ethan Warner to find her. At the same time, two detectives in Washington DC stuble upon mysterious deaths in an abandoned building that, at first glance, all appear to be accidental overdose but show signs of hypothermia.

As the plot thickens, Lucy's abduction and the victims in Washington are all point to a well-known and politically influential minister of New Covenant Church in Washington DC.

What of the remains of the extraterrestrial? What is the connection between the deaths in Washington and Lucy's abduction to it? And what does this famous, successful pastor have to do with it all?

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it is an interesting plot with some good action. On the other hand, the author seems to go on a soapbox with a chip on his choulder against religion (presumably Christianlity foremost). This resentment shows through his writing and deflects from the story itself.

My advice? If you resent Christianity, you might want to read this book and find it entertaining. ( )

Newly released today is Dean Crawford's debut novel Covenant.

Archaeologist Lucy Morgan is on a sanctioned dig in Israel. But it is what she discovers on her own time nearby that is unbelievable.

"The remains bore testimony to an enormously powerful creature, the internment a cavity over eight feet long....Ahmed looked at the bones, confused now by the unfamiliar terminology and the doctor's excitement. 'What's so special about it ?' A ghost of a smile touched Lucy's lips. "It's not human'."

But before Lucy can share her discovery with the world, she is abducted. When her family is unable to get assistance from either the American or Israeli government, they turn to former marine and war correspondent Ethan Warner for help. As Warner and Lucy's mother Rachel search, they find a conspiracy deeper than anyone could have imagined - governments, church, military and many unsavoury individuals - all with their own agendas.

Covenant's first five or six chapters introduce us to all the players - and there are quite a few. I did find I had to refer back to some of the opening chapters in order to keep everyone straight for the first bit. Protagonist Ethan Warner is an interesting character who is still fighting demons from his own past. I was glad to see that Crawford did not make him omnipotent - able to figure out every puzzle right away or fight his way out of every situation. It allowed him to be both believable and likable. But I think my favourite character was actually Lopez, one of the DC cops who stumble onto the collusion. I was glad to see she will be brought back along with Warner in the next book of this planned series.

As for the plot - in some ways it seems a bit far fetched - a take on Area 51. But Crawford had me running to my computer many times to check out the science and historical references he makes in the book. And you know, they're out there and documented. Enough to really get you thinking and wondering. I thought it was an inventive, ambitious storyline. There are many twists and turns on the way to the final page.

For those who love mysteries, history, conspiracies and adventure, Covenant has it all. Recommended for fans of James Rollins and Michael Crichton.

On his blog, Dean Crawford describes himself as "A thriller writer with a good chance (I think) of success." I think so too Dean! ( )