Relic

      I recall watching the movie Relic several years ago but was unaware the film was based on a novel. The film version was memorable for several reasons, however I wouldn't say it was something I would watch more than once. As so often happens, Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is superior to the movie adaptation. There were many elements of this book that hit the right marks for great storytelling, which help to smooth over its faults. This fun imaginative romp is a solid read that delivers to the crime drama/monster aficionado audiences.

      I haven't read too deeply into crime drama genre, but Relic blends the investigative plot structure of those stories with an impressive monster, the Mbwun. I will admit that for me personally, unraveling the mysteries behind the creature was the pull that kept me turning pages. Preston and Childs created a monster that mixed both superstitious origins with scientific explanation. Though I doubt the science side was realistic, I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to engage in the plot. The reveal of the history of the Mbwun wasn't a surprise, as I had seen the movie prior, but I can imagine that those unfamiliar with the story will enjoy the twists and turns throughout. I was also impressed by the empathy that is built for the Mbwun through the book. It is described at several points with a dose of sympathy. I felt this built a more complex creature than the purely evil monsters that often arise in fiction. The audience is able to see the Mbwun as more than just a murderous beast, if only a smidgen, which makes the end reveal of the creatures original form have even more emotional impact.

      The setting plays a big role in why I enjoyed this book so much. A museum is ripe with creepy atmospheres for a creature to lurk around in. It also created a sense of a world with in a world. The academic elitist arena where galas and new discoveries are displayed to achieve affluence and wealth. I felt Relic pokes at this thirst for notoriety and discovery throughout the plot. In a sense, one of the themes for this book is that it's possible to take the quest for knowledge and recognition too far. In fact, the catalyst for the plot is an anthropologist, Whittlesay exploring a lost tribe that is best left forgotten. The dangers of science without conscience has been explored in fiction before (look no further than Mary Shelly's Frankenstein for proof of that) however approaching that theme from the museum mentality is a refreshing twist.

      The pace of the book is wonderful in the first half, but it started to slow after the midpoint. The second half became cluttered with scenes that didn't drive the action forward or I felt were unnecessary. By the latter part of the book I expect us to be driving quicker to the climax and forgoing anything that might slow that momentum. At one point we are treated to a chapter that shows us the results of DNA sequencing (or genre recognition software, something like that) which dragged, when this information could have been condensed into a quick conversation rather than a whole chapter. However, this pacing may be more akin to how crime dramas build not horror.

      Another issue I had with the book was the long character list. I'm not saying a story should have a set limit on the amount of characters involved, but it did get overwhelming to a degree. There were times I forgot who was who or what their occupation was. This may also be on account of my inexperience with crime drama. I tend towards fiction that focuses on a smaller group of characters that I become intimately attached to. This book was more focused to the building mystery and the events as they unfolded. It is also possible that my quick read of this book made it more difficult to get into the characters since they were so numerous.

     I would probably be much more satisfied with the book if the epilogue had been taken out completely. I won't ruin this too much, but let me just say the epilogue seemed so implausible that it left a nasty taste after an otherwise delicious story. I understand the desire to have the horror live on, but Kawakita's drug ending went was over the little hint that most monster stories give that "it isn't really over, dun dun duuuuuunnnn."

     Overall, this is a good read. Fans of crime drama will be pleased with the monster element that makes the story fresh. Monster fans will find a wonderfully different take on a creature story. An entertaining read, just skip the epilogue.