At the end of The Artifact, the author explains that the story he penned is
his "first foray into the thriller genre." I'm happy to testify that
Mr. Calvert did a great job crafting a story full of non-stop action that is
full of thrills. The tension in this tale is on full blast as the characters
are placed into situations that seem impossible to get out of. It is also full
of twists and turns for all three principal characters, two of whom are the
chief point-of-view characters.
Along with being a thriller, it is also a science fiction story, but the
sci-fi is on the lighter side.
I enjoyed this story, and it should appeal to a wide audience. At 340 pages,
it is a fast read, and the action moves the story ahead at a good pace.
A group of four people from the United States are performing archeological
studies at the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan in Mexico. After making an
astonishing discovery of an artifact in an unknown chamber of the pyramid, the
team is attacked by unknown assailants. One of the team, Marcus, watches from a
distance as three of his colleagues, including the group leader, are brutally
murdered. Marcus panics and leaves the site to avoid suffering the same fate.
Now, he has to make his way over 1700 miles to Tijuana, where he intends to
cross the border with the artifact. Unfortunately, in his haste, Marcus has
left his passport, identification, and money behind in his haste to leave, no
doubt a perilous journey.
Meanwhile, the Mexican authorities begin an investigation into the heinous
crime, aided by two American FBI special agents who are seeking Marcus and the
crystalline artifact.
There are many strange circumstances surrounding the object found in the
pyramid, and it seems everyone wants to get their hands on it, and Marcus is in
constant danger.
So, what is it about the artifact that makes it an object of interest to the
Mexican authorities, the FBI, and a dangerous group of covert operators? It
appears some things are better left unfound.
The three principal characters of The Artifact are well-developed and
believable. We get to know them through much of the story with reveals here and
there in the narrative, and through their dialog.
Marcus is a graduate student working on a master's degree at Stanford
University. He is invited to the Pyramid of the Sun by his teacher and degree
supervisor, Dr. Charles Bowen, a prominent and controversial archaeologist.
Marcus has no training in survival under pursuit and has to survive by his wits
and sheer dumb luck throughout this tale. It isn't an easy journey for him, and
because of some choices he makes, it also isn't easy for those who want to save
him.
That would include the Special Agents, Maya Wilson and Thor Dejeune. These
two make an unlikely pair because they are such polar opposites. Both are well
trained and experienced agents. While Maya is driven by emotions, Thor is
driven by logic. Maya is a bit of a mess, and Thor is neat and organized. Their
strengths, however, complement each other as they work to understand the
mystery. Their dialog is often humorous as they pick at each other, but it
isn't difficult to see that they actually respect each other.
The artifact itself is a great MacGuffin that drives the story forward and
keeps it focused where it needs to be. We get a few hints as to the nature of
the object of everyone's desire, but not very many deep secrets, which the
author is holding for the sequel.
I enjoyed everything in this tale of conspiracy and intrigue, but my
favorite plot point was the portrayal of the people of Mexico Marcus
encountered along his journey of peril. Often in film, television, and books,
the people of foreign countries are vilified. The police are all corrupt and
cruel, and the people a character may encounter are villains who are out to do
evil against innocent tourists. That is not the case in this story, and I
applaud the author for his portrayal of the people of Mexico. Yes, there are
evil people in the story, but there are also good people. In one scene, I was
caught out expecting something to happen that never did, and the outcome was
exactly the opposite of what I expected. I found this a refreshing turn of
events and a test of my own intrinsic biases thanks to the influence of
American media.
The theme that stood out to me the most was that of conspiracy and
misinformation surrounding the artifact itself. With so many different entities
trying to get their hands on this, either to expose or conceal whatever
information the crystal may contain, makes for a great setup for the sequel
where, hopefully, all will be revealed. The artifact is surrounded by unknowns
that promise a great payoff by the end of the two-volume epic.
My takeaway from The Artifact illustrates how mysteries and secrets can
drive people to great lengths. Information is knowledge, and it can be both informative
and dangerous at the same time.
Joshua T. Calvert is a well-traveled and intelligent writer. Everything I
have read from him so far has been entertaining. The Artifact is no exception.
The first volume of the story serves to introduce the major players and the
object of their quest. It does so wrapped in a well-written and entertaining
tale that unfolds in the mind's eye smoothly and efficiently. This thriller
includes elements of science fiction, but is not dominated by the genre, so I
think it would be a good story for readers who enjoy a good intrigue. It is
gritty at times, but has a sense of humor, too.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
That’s what defines Calvert’s approach to method writing: pushing himself
beyond his own limits, to experience first-hand what his characters experience,
to make your immersion in his stories as deep as it can be.
For Ganymede Rises, after a slight detour with some smugglers in the deserts
of Uzbekistan and the steppes of Mongolia, he traveled by dogsled and snowshoe
to the Arctic Circle to experience first-hand what it’s like to be utterly
isolated in the coldest place on Earth. For his book The Fossil, he sat with
professional pilots in flight simulators for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737
aircraft to learn what it’s like to fly a passenger jet. His latest adventure:
a parabolic flight with European Space Agency astronauts, to experience
zero-gravity. All so he can describe it to you, in his own words.
You can see Joshua's other books and sign up for his newsletter at
https://www.joshuatcalvert.com/
Well, there it is...
Qapla!
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