Carpathian: An Event Group Thriller (Event Group Thrillers)
Goleman's subpar eighth Event Group (after 2012's Ripper) focuses on the Jeddah, a little documented, supposedly vanished tribe of warriors responsible for the Hebrew escape from Egypt and victory at Jericho. In fact, the elusive warriors, their bestial Golia allies, and the secret weapon of the Hebrews survive to the present day. In Romania, events march towards unsanctioned revelations about the Golia and their forgotten role in long cherished history that could trigger war. No reader will ever mistake Goleman for Tim Powers, an sci-fiSF and fantasy author who uses secret history well. Not only are his characters unmemorable and his use of communities like the Gypsies and Israelis clichéd at best, but his grasp of basic tetrapod anatomy is flawed. Leaden prose doesn't help a plot that should be break-neck but instead plods from confrontation to confrontation. Agent: Bob Mecoy, Creative Book Services. (July)