THE CODEX

The premise stretches the imagination, and the ending is clichéd, yet somehow THE CODEX is enjoyable, an ideal novel to take to the beach. Douglas Preston, who often writes with Lincoln Child, obviously wanted to write about the difficulty of surviving in the Honduran rain forest and also wanted to pontificate about why parents need to let children live their own lives. It is the unusual way he intertwines these plots that is not easy to swallow. Scott Sowers gives a fine performance and is particularly adept at creating distinct voices for each of the sons of Maxwell Broadbent. Sowers's superb use of accents, inflections, and changes in tone allows the story to flow smoothly and helps the listener remain immersed in Preston's tale, rather than spending too much time thinking about the absurdity of the plot. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]