Echo

I'm a complete sucker for McDevitt's Alex Benedict/Chase Kolpath novels. I really enjoy the sci-fi mystery aspect of them. And while this is far from the best in that series, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable entry for me.

It follows the same formula as the previous entries. An initially mundane artifact leads to a series of questions and intrigue. No new ground here, but well written with a palpable sense of wonder at the size of the universe. The hope that there is something else out there is a common theme in McDevitt's work, and it is at the forefront here.

This isn't necessarily going to convert new readers, but the faithful will find lots to enjoy here.

Jack McDevitt novels definitely follow a certain formula, but I love the formula. Within the first 4-5 pages they set up some mystery that I want to know how it is resolved. This book was no exception. Sure, some things happen in every Alex Benedict book (attempts on his life seem common) but the scenarios/mysteries are always engaging, the characters (now) familiar and fun (I have read all the other Alex Benedict books and prefer them to the Hutch series), and the solution/explanation at the end almost always satisfying.

This was a fun read on the train/plan that I finished in pretty much one sitting. A great, fun, read.

I have subsequently started another Culture novel, the Hydrogen Sonata. Is it interesting and more complex with more ideas and more complex characetrs? Sure. Does it grab my attention at the get-go the way a McDevitt usually does? Nope...