"An original and frightening thriller"
In 1491, Leonardo da Vinci invents a new alloy. He
shapes it into a blade and places it inside a vise. He
slams a mallet on the tip only to see the hammer split
apart while the dagger remains whole. Knowing how his
benefactors think, Leonardo believes that his creation
would be used as a weapon of destruction. He hides his
findings with the hope that the future will beget a world
filled with peace that can use his alloy for the common
good. Five centuries later internationally recognized da
Vinci expert Rollo Barnett decodes the Renaissance Man's
enigmatic writing about the dagger. However, he and his
wife die in a suspicious-looking fire. Two decades later,
Rollo's son Reb learns that a billionaire arms dealer
murdered his parents. He obsessively needs to complete his
father's work on da Vinci and revenge himself on the killer
though he places himself in danger from his parents' killer. If thriller fans suspend logic for a few hours, they
will enjoy an action packed tale. The story line requires
the reader to accept a lot even from the start. For
instance, da Vinci hides his new discovery for fear of
weapon-use yet shapes it into a dagger. The arms dealer
wants to make outer space smart bombs (don't ask how), but
kills the prime source of locating the alloy. This
consistent inconsistency is bothersome for those fans that
need to believe in an "authentic" feel to the events.
However, Cameron West's debut novel provides entertainment
for those readers who want a simple but wild ride. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted August 29, 2001
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