What I’ve read: Reliquary

Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Tor, 1997

MY GRADE: A-

Reliquary is the sequel to Relic, a book I read last summer and thoroughly enjoyed.  I loved the fact that the novel was set in a museum and featured a grad student as one of the protagonists.  And of course the idea of a monster running around the museum appealed to the fantasy enthusiast inside of me  (though it must be pointed out that it proved to be a sci-fi monster rather than a fantasy monster).  Given how much I enjoyed Relic, I knew I’d buy the sequel at some point.

Reliquary reunites most of the characters from the original, including Margo Green (who’s now a curator at the museum), her former mentor Dr. Frock, Lt. D’Agosta, FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast, and journalist Bill Smithback.

When two headless skeletons are discovered off the Manhattan shoreline, it looks as if the Mbwun (the monster from Relic might be on the loose again).  A series of strange murders ensues, but forensic evidence suggests that the Mbwun isn’t to blame.  Eventually the protagonists are forced to delve deep beneath the city into the hidden world of the ‘Mole People’ who inhabit the warren of subterranean tunnels to battle the hidden evil lurking below.

In many ways, Preston and Child did a great job of duplicating the recipe that made Relic so enjoyable.  Once again, there is a fast-paced plot advanced through the liberal use of cliffhangers.  And the sci-fi element is intriguing, if a bit far-fetched.

But at the same time, like many sequels, this one wasn’t quite as good as its predecessor.  The antagonist’s motivation struck me as a bit illogical and he ended up being defeated rather easily (though stopping the plan he’d put in motion proves to be much more difficult).  I also found Bill Smithback’s subplot to be unnecessary.  It felt like he’d been shoehorned in just to keep him in the story.

The only major complaint I have applies to Relic just as much as Reliquary and it involves Special Agent Pendergast.  From his immaculately tailored suits to his proficiency at nearly everything, he’s just too perfect to be believable.  Don’t get me wrong, I like him, it’s just that he’s basically a Marty Stu.  Preston and Child have written a number of further adventures for him, so I’ll be interested to see if he becomes more believable in later books.

Even though I didn’t enjoy this book as much as its predecessor, I still thought it was a fun read and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a fast-paced techno thriller.