Review: Adequate Read and Solid Value
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 15, 2012
As a prelude, I must say the 5 star reviews with glowing accolades make me question the legitimacy of the reviews and my own perspective -- as a voracious reader, I am capable of acknowledging talent while indicating my own personal preference and very rarely issue 5 stars unless all the pieces are truly there.BURIAL GROUND is an okay read and good value for the money.  First, the positives.  The plot is interesting and I found myself engaged in the events as they unwound.  The story involves a man's quest to uncover the reasons behind his son's mysterious death in South America and involves a long-lost ancient Incan-like village and society, and heretofore undiscovered nasty creatures.  The story primarily centers on a group of explorers searching the forest to solve the mystery of the son's death.  It was a very interesting setting (not quite Indiana Jones as stated by another reviewer -- the vaguest resemblence at best) and a reasonably laid out plot.  The author colors the setting reasonably well and you find yourself wanting to find out what happens.The negatives:  the story does tend to meander and the characters are somewhat one-dimensional.  I found myself slipping past many passages, thinking "GET TO THE FLIPPING POINT ALREADY!".  A lot of mindless description that unnecessarily slows the pace.  Some may enjoy this, I did not.  The characters -- you have your typical hottie newscaster/documentary gal, the lone quite pilot with a past he wants to forget, the crack military studs, a corrupt U.S. Embassy official, and some mercenary types.  Token love interest that really doesn't come through at all, but I didn't mind that -- the story works well enough without "mad love in the jungle".All in all, it was a worthwhile book, espcially for the price.