Book Review: Pandora's Temple by Jon Land

An exciting thriller that blends ancient history and the present into one amazing story is what you'll find in Pandora's Temple by Jon Land.

Former Special Forces commando and rogue agent Blaine McCracken answers the call in the aftermath of a deepwater oil rig disaster that claims the life of a former member of his commando unit, Paul Basmajian. Teaming up with his sidekick Johnny Wareagle and the technological and scientific expertise of Captain Seven, it appears they have discovered one of the most mysterious and deadly forces in the Universe is to blame--dark matter, both a limitless source of potential energy and a weapon with unimaginable destructive capabilities.

The men race to keep a powerful energy magnate and the leader of a Japanese dooms-day cult from finding the dark matter and using it for different, but equally dangerous reasons. That race takes them across the world and across time and history to the birth of the ancient legend of Pandora's Temple, built to safeguard the most powerful weapon man would ever know.

Fascinating! Thrilling! Superb! All these words and more describe Land's latest Blaine McCracken novel. From the moment I opened this book on my Kindle, I didn't want to put it down. A masterful storyteller, Land draws on an ancient legend to create a fast-paced, exciting"What if..." novel that twists and turns until its explosive conclusion.

McCracken and his cronies provide tons of intense action coupled with a healthy dose of humor. Captain Seven, a dope smoking science and technology geek, is by far my favorite character. While McCracken and Johnny Wareagle are a bit more on the serious side, Captain Seven is brilliant and funny. He spends much of the book--even while he's working--searching for some great weed. Why this worked for me, I don't know, but it did. Part of his appeal is his child-like anticipation when he thinks they discovered Pandora's Temple. What I feel Land did extremely well with the character of Captain Seven is allow him to share his wealth of knowledge without making it seem like an information dump. The dialogue flowed naturally, providing the reader with the information he needs, but not boring him with so much detail his eyes glazed over.

I have to admit I was surprised by how McCracken is brought back into the fold. It's actually not for this case at all, but for a hostage crisis. Then as things unfold off the Gulf of Mexico, McCracken and his compadres want to find out what happened to the crew of Deepwater Venture, which included a former member of McCracken's commando unit. This personal connection leads them to the likes of something they never expected. And it's intriguing for the reader as well.

I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books by Jon Land. If you enjoy intense novels filled with action, you can't go wrong with Pandora's Temple. 



Paperback: 412 pages
Publisher: Open Road E-riginal (November 20, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1453224653
ISBN-13: 978-1453224656
Also available in electronic formats.

I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

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