THE ATLANTIS CODE

Brokaw steers close to Dan Brown in both plot and character with this story of world-famous Harvard professor, archaeologist, and linguist Thomas Lourds. He’s racing to outsmart evil members of the Catholic Church who are intent on keeping him from deciphering the riddles in ancient relics, in this case relating to Atlantis. Erik Davies’s narration, while smooth, tends towards overdone accents and whispery females, which make it necessary to rewind to catch all the dialogue. There’s plenty of action and historical backstory for those who enjoy the "archaeology puzzle" genre of thrillers, and Davies does his best work with the character of Lourds. But, sadly, his portrayal doesn’t make for an enjoyable listen because the professor is so pompous and conceited that the listener can’t relate to him. D.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2010]