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    The Wheel of Darkness
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    The Wheel of Darkness
    Unavailable
    The Wheel of Darkness
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Wheel of Darkness

    Written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

    Narrated by Rene Auberjonois

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A luxury ocean liner on its maiden voyage across the North Atlantic, awash in wealth and decadence...

    An ancient Tibetan box, its contents unknown, sealed with a terrifying warning...

    An FBI agent destined to confront what he fears most--himself...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette Audio
    Release dateAug 28, 2007
    ISBN9781594839429
    Unavailable
    The Wheel of Darkness
    Author

    Douglas Preston

    Douglas Preston, a regular contributor to the New Yorker, has worked for the American Museum of Natural History and taught English at Princeton University. With his frequent collaborator, Lincoln Child, he has written many bestselling thrillers including Relic, which became a major motion picture, The Book of the Dead and Cemetery Dance. He is also the author of the bestselling The Codex, Tyrannosaur Canyon and Blasphemy.

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    Reviews for The Wheel of Darkness

    3.5/5

    760 ratings38 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Another great read in the Pendergast series. While some of these books aren't always a 5-star read, they're still incredibly enjoyable and I always find myself looking to grab the next one of the series at Barnes & Noble when it gets released each year. Hats off to Pendergast and all of his investigations.
    • 3/5
      Not bad reading. This is the first time that I have read a Pendergast book. I find the character very interesting. I must read the others sometime.
    • 3/5
      This is the weakest Pendergast novel I've read so far. It didn't captivate me quite as much as the others did. However, the setting, a luxury liner in a dire emergency far out in a storm at sea, was highly entertaining. For that alone, it is deserving of 3 stars. Also, it was interesting getting to see a bit more of Constance. However, I did miss, more than I realized at first, the familiar, friendly faces of D'Agosta, Bill Smithback, Nora Kelly and Margo Green.
    • 3/5
      Not as good as previous novels, to many glossed over concepts and skimmed plot. Agent Prendergast has moved from a modern Holmesian character into the realm of mental superhero and the change is not for the better.
    • 2/5
      predictable
    • 4/5
      This the first Pendergast book that I recall laughing out loud while reading it - not once, but twice!

      This one occasionally had the feel of a Cussler novel in the 'adventure-the world may come to an end-we need a hero' flavor of the writing. Nothing specific, maybe the description of opulence, maybe because an ocean liner was involved. I just expected Dirk Pitt to show up in a tux somewhere along the way.

      Don't skip the epilogue.
    • 3/5
      Barring a few wrong maritime facts, this was a fun adventure which started in a remote Tibetan monastery and ended on a sleek modern ocean liner. Aloysius Pendergast, an FBI agent, and his ward, Constance Green, learn of a item of untold evil and danger stolen from the monastery and track the item to the liner, Britannia, on its first voyage from Southampton to New York. Pendergast uses his amazing well of skills and knowledge to eliminate crew and passengers to a small list of possible suspects and then worked to learn who had the item, known as the Agozyen. One by one, people vanish, commit suicide, and are found brutally murdered. To top everything off, the female captain seems to have lost her mind. Will they find the item and contain the evil released in time to prevent the ship from running up on rocks and sinking?Points in favor of this book: A female captain - Yay!The opening setting of the monastery in the Himalayas.The action scenes on the ocean liner.Points not in favor: This is my first Pendergast book and, not knowing his back history, I found him aloof and off-putting.Many glaring mistakes that an amateur boat handler could have pointed out to the editors.In all, though, it was a thrilling ride.
    • 4/5
      Another winner in the Pendergast series. What will happen next? Only book nine will tell and tomorrow is Sunday so the libary will be closed. Shoot!
    • 3/5
      While The Wheel of Darkness continues the story of Agent Pendergast, it is a stand alone and not connected to the Diogenes arc. It is a very different story than the previous books, where Pendergast faced his nemesis and brother. Compared to those, this book is calmer, slower, and a bit less exciting. The height of suspense of the previous books isn't reached here. I was nearly midway through before I felt the pace and excitement pick up. There are far fewer characters as well, though that's not necessarily a bad thing, since some of the characters in the Diogenes series felt a bit extraneous. It also takes place nearly entirely on a ship, and the lack in change of setting sometimes felt limiting. Pendergast has to deal with some unique difficulties here, though I felt that part of the story could have been explored more than it was. I was glad to see Constance acting more independently, though.All in all, while an interesting read, and exciting for a good portion of the story, the book felt like a hiatus from Pendergast's usual adventures. Although, considering their location at the start of the story, and what they've already been through, perhaps this was what the authors felt Pendergast and Constance deserved.
    • 3/5
      About the same preference-wise as Reliquary ... perhaps a bit better. Not their best work though.
    • 1/5
      Absolutely horribly bad storyline and writing - overwrought, unbelievable, stupid, and full of platitudes. Not worth your time.
    • 4/5
      Again, part of the Pendergast series of stories. Centered around a missing monastery object, an evil brother and the good FBI guy trying to catch him. Mystery, action, suspense, intrigue -- it's got a little bit of everything with some very accomplished and colorful characters. Don't try to analyze too much and just go for the ride.
    • 3/5
      After I've read a book or watched a movie, sometimes, my original impressions give way to change. Wonder and excitement may wane because I'd had a chance to question and dissect motivations and reasonability. I wasn't familiar with Preston/Childs or their world of Pendergast. The story itself doesn't detail where Special Agent's James Bond/Bruce Wayne capabilities originated, so I took for granted he was(?) a S.A. to the F.B.I. His ward (or should I say 'sidekick') doesn't really add much to the situations, other than to gather info or serve as a sounding board so the reader knows where Pendergast is taking us. I appreciate the opportunity to try and figure out how to put the pieces together as a story unfolds; that's what made Nick Charles and Sherlock Holmes so popular. If you like a fast read via a process of elimination that's constantly explained to you, than this may fill your bill. I felt that there were one or two unneccesary victims, but the ones I liked were described with agonizing clarity. Still, the realism of an ocean liner, its entourage and it's destined course, kept me turning pages for the last third of the book. You've really got to be open to the 'dark side' to let this story do its thing. But just in case, the epilouge will set you straight.
    • 4/5
      I just finished reading the eighth book in this series, and I thought rather than reviewing all eight individually, or reviewing the eighth without giving you any background, I would review the series as a whole instead. Aloysius Pendergast is an FBI agent with a decidedly unorthodox approach. The crimes he investigates tend to be not entirely of this world. Not that there are ghosties and ghoulies, but rather strange forces that cannot be entirely explained by logic.These books have that perfect balance of scary where they are definitely creepy, but they aren't going to give you nightmares. I love them! The action is fast paced and these books are total page-turners, guaranteed to keep you up all night reading. Pendergast himself has the potential to be one of the iconic sleuths. His eccentricities and strange methods make the books stand out from the crowd. Lincoln and Child, who each have books published solo, make a dynamic writing team! I abosolutely recommend this series. For the most part, the novels in this series are stand-alone and can be read out of order without too much trouble. However, I think they're better in sequence:1. Relic2. Reliquary3. The Cabinet of Curiosities4. Still Life With Crows5. Brimstone (Diogenes Trilogy Book One)6. Dance of Death (Diogenes Trilogy Book Two)7. The Book of the Dead (Diogenes Trilogy Book Three)8. The Wheel of Darkness9. Cemetary Dance
    • 4/5
      Spooky, smart, mysterious, set on a boat, what could be bad?
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed reading this stand alone tale of Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene more than any Preston - Child book since Relic.It moves fast and has an unexpected twist or two. I love that when it happens!
    • 4/5
      Nothing award-winning, but truly great fun. I love what Preston and Child do with a huge cast of minor characters. This book is a perfect example of what it should be--great vacation reading--fast-paced, interesting, grand in scale, and much, much better than more lauded thrillers like The DaVinci Code.
    • 4/5
      A comic book without pictures, like the rest of this series. This one is not quite up to par with the others, but it is still fun. Looking forward to Cemetery Dance.
    • 4/5
      Interesting addition to the series. Pendergast and his ward Constance journey to a Buddhist monastery to renew themselves after the battle with Diogenes in the last book. While their, the monks enlist their aid in recovering an ancient artifact that has been stolen. The trail leads them to the maiden voyage of a luxury ocean liner, a la Titanic. Overall, it was an interesting story. I particularly liked the exploration of Buddhism and the relationship of Constance, Diogenes, and Pendergast.
    • 2/5
      Not up to the standards of previous work - random supernatural demons become a deus ex machina.
    • 4/5
      The Pendergast series is by far the most intriguing and suspenseful series these days. However, this installment brimmed slightly above the low watermark. The novel at most instances felt like a Lucas Davenport novel(I love this series as well, so no disrespect intended). However, I wanted to read a Pendergast novel. The Wheel of Darkness just does not have the bona-fide feel of the preceding books of the series; which all I have read. Understandably, every book cannot be a winner. However, acquiescing to that fact does not lessen the disappointment.
    • 4/5
      The Wheel of Darkness is another thrilling installment in the Pendergast saga from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Supernatural intrigue, suspense, murder, mayhem, and mystery abound as Pendergast and his ward, Constance Green, attempt to track the theft of an ancient Tibetan relic. From a secretive monastery to a magnificent ocean liner, the pair must find the ambiguous antiquity before it releases it's evil and brings about the world's end. Fans of the Preston and Child novels might miss popular characters like D'Agosta, Smithback and Nora Kelly, all of whom brought familiarity and charm to the previous books. However, Wheel of Darkness still spins with excitement and adventure and its darker tone may actually appeal to some readers even more. Overall, it was not my favorite Pendergast novel but was still a very worthwhile read.
    • 4/5
      I will forever be a fan of the Agent Pendergast Series! Unfortunately, I didn't feel like this one was quite as good as previous titles, but I still really enjoyed it. Hoping there will be another one...
    • 4/5
      The follow up to Dance of Death does not disappoint! There were some great suspenseful moments-the chapter where the nurse met her fate totally blew my mind. The mixture of fantasy and mystery is really different from other books I've read-unexpected in spots but the more I get used to it the more I like it! I really wasn't sure of the outcome until the very end, and it wrapped up in a pretty satisfying way. I was so glad to see that these guys are still writing great stuff, and continuing to surprise with beloved characters like Pendergast.
    • 4/5
      This is the latest in the Pendergast series, and it takes place primarily on a cruise ship, as Pendergast and Constance attempt to retrieve a stolen Tibetan relic.I thought this was a great addition to the Pendergast series. Several people have said that it wasn't the 'same old Pendergast', but that's sort of the point of this one - he's exploring the depths of himself and coming to terms with some of the darker parts of his psyche that we encountered earlier in the series. I thought the structure of this one was a lot more complex than a typical Preston/Child thriller, and it had more to offer than the typical read in this genre. If taken at surface value, I can see where some would be disappointed, so if you're not willing to invest yourself in a book, and to really study what the authors were trying to say, you might be best to pass on this one. It's definitely different from the typical drug store paperback these guys have produced before. While I'm a fan of their usual stuff for the fact that it's usually a quick read, this one really does demand more.
    • 3/5
      Oh my! Well, I have been a totally faithful follower of the Agent Pendergast series from day one and so I rushed out and bought this one the day it started selling at the bookstores. It started out promisingly enough, then I began saying mentally to the authors "what happened? Where's the old Agent Pendergast? Did you guys just need the money for this one?" I have to say I was quite disappointed in this one. Here's a brief synopsis, no spoilers: Pendergast and Constance are in Tibet, off to study at a monastery because after their last adventures, they are tired of the world. While there, Constance is initiated into the ways of the dharma; Pendergast is summoned into the sanctum sanctorum. He discovers that a sacred artifact has of late been stolen, and that it must be recovered or the world may be in serious jeopardy. His search puts him on the maiden voyage of a new ocean liner, and from there, all is havoc, mayhem and murder.We do occasionally get a glimpse of the well-known Pendergast (the one that followers of this series have come to enjoy immensely), but I felt a lot of the time that I was reading a script for a high-seas horror flick. I love these authors, so PLEASE...bring back the real Agent Pendergast. If you want a thrill ride, read it, but if you were hoping for Preston & Child's usual awesome read, this one just didn't do it!
    • 3/5
      This one was not as good as the previous books in the series. I missed D'Agosta and Constance was not quite as interesting a side-kick. Pendergast, too, was disappointing.
    • 4/5
      I've read all the books in the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child Pendergast series up to this one (so far). I've always been impressed by the way in which there is a hint of the supernatuaral in the investigations, yet the solution has always turned out to have a very earthly base. Consequently, I was disappointed to discover that in this book they had finally succumbed to employing supernatural elements to explain away the bizarre happenings. Still a well told story, but disappointing.
    • 4/5
      Pendergast and Constance go to a Tibetan Monastery to rest and recuperate. While there they are told that an artifact has been stolen. They go after the artifact. While they are on board ship the artifact causes evil to be unleashed.
    • 5/5
      An exciting entry in the Pendergast series, benefitting greatly from the prime location in the novel, on an ocean-going super-liner crossing the Atlantic. Throw in a supernatural influence which was more common in the early Pendergast stories and the result is a wild ride. FBI Agent Aloyisius Pendergast and his ward, undergoing a retreat at a remote Tibetan monastery, are asked to retrieve a powerful item that has been stolen by a recent visitor and get it back because its release will trigger the end of the world. The trail leads to the Britannia where things get very complicated, starting with narrowing the search among a couple thousand passengers and crew. Great story. I always enjoy Pendergast stories...the ocean liner setting made me return to reread this after having enjoyed it some years ago shortly after it first came out. Highly recommended.