4 out of 4 stars
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There is a somewhat obscure idea that warns against judging a book by its cover. Oh, so you have heard that before? Maybe it isn't so obscure. But who really listens? This is another book that I almost passed on because the cover seems to be screaming, "boring!" Thankfully, the title was enough to make me curious. Here is the lesson I learned: Always read the synopsis!
The Resurrection Stones is the second book in the Stone Series by GJ Busiko. Have no fear – this book does not require that you read part one in order to understand what is happening. The author includes enough background information in this story for it to stand on its own quite nicely. Readers will notice that it is a continuation but are not likely to feel as though they are missing anything. However, this book is so good that I cannot help but be curious as to what wonders part one contains.
In a hidden valley is a lake, and in the lake is a black stone pyramid. There is only one way to enter this valley and those who find it usually stumble upon it by mistake. A legend about the valley refers to it as Shambhala, and few people know this valley exists, including the one known to as the Abbott (wait until you find out who he actually is)! Emma, the protagonist of this narrative, died in a helicopter crash. But not to worry! It appears that aliens, also known as Universouls, have scanned her and created a blueprint of her body that was uploaded to the alien consciousness. Emma is brought back as an exact duplicate of who she was at the moment they found her. Phew!
She works with a team known as the UNIT, and Xiang Ho is hunting them because one of the team members is responsible for the demise of his son. The team is also responsible for the discovery and undoing of a group that has controlled most of the organized crime and political corruption around the world. The new leader of this group just so happens to be Xiang Ho. He wants his revenge, and then he plans to spend the rest of his life on a private island hiding from the law. Without any spoilers, I will say that the leading players in this story do all end up at Shambhala, the hidden village in the Himalayan valley, and this ancient place is suddenly not as peaceful as it once was. To protect the future of the human race, the UNIT must protect the secrets they have uncovered at any cost.
The alien angle is excellent, and I am not one who typically likes books with aliens. The Resurrection Stones, however, is written in a way that makes the aliens seem as though they are very distant background characters. I almost wish there was more about them. There are also mysterious black stones that are mentioned periodically and add a sense of wonder. Of course, you have to read the book to find out what they are. The bottom line is that this book is smart! The plot is faultless and so well thought out that it seems as if the author worked on it for years.
I am a nitpicker, and so I did scrutinize this work looking for anything bothersome. Aside from the cover, the title lacked some originality. The Resurrection Stones - does anyone else immediately think of the Deathly Hallows from Harry Potter? There are a couple sections of irrelevant conversation about food and living arrangements. I do not like dialogue simply for the sake of dialogue. Other than that, there are just a few technical errors including the use of a comma when there should be a period or words that should not be capitalized. Since the errors in this work are so microscopic, I gladly rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
If you are like me and try to avoid alien stories, you might want to pass on this one. However, I ended up being glad that I read it, especially since the majority of the focus is not on these otherworldly beings. There is a lot about international politics and organized crime and some violence that younger readers might find boring or confusing, but otherwise, this story is appropriate for all ages.
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The Resurrection Stones
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Thank you for the great review I have added this to my Want to Read shelf xx
