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List Price: $49.95 Our Price: $32.97 You Save: $16.98 Features • Audiobook • Unabridged |
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The Ruins description In 1993, Scott Smith wowed readers with A Simple Plan, his stunning debut thriller about what happens when three men find a wrecked plane and bag stuffed with over 4 million dollars--a book that Stephen King called "Simply the best suspense novel of the year!" Now, thirteen years after writing a novel that turned into a pretty great movie featur ... review details |
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| ♥♥♥♥♥ | Maybe a better movie |
| My biggest issue with this book is that it isn't what I expected.
First of all, you'd think a book titled the Ruins, would have some real basis in Mayan history or archaeology. I never did understand why archaeologists would have been interested in the ruins of a mine and why someone would approve a grant. Secondly, if I were in a foreign country, I would not travel with 3 Greek men who kept changing their names and could not speak English. Add to that the German man with spotty English whose brother is missing and the only clue is a handwritten map. The no-English gimmick was exhausted, especially with the Mayans who didn't seem to even speak Spanish. It might happen somewhere, but supposedly the Americans are educated and intelligent? Thirdly, plot and character development were sorely lacking. The classical form of writing in novel form gives you background and introduces the characters. I never saw the circular plot or any real conclusion. When you never connect to characters in 500 pages, that is an issue. We never did find out if the killer-sentient plant was some sort of Mayan paranormal phenomenon or an alien life form. That part was never explained. You'd have thought the Mayans surrounding the vine-covered hill in vigil would have found some Round-Up somewhere in there. I found myself counting the downed tourists, knowing that when there were none, the book would be over. In essence, who cares? Other authors who would have done a better job in my opinion are Dan Simmons and Bentley Little. I'm sure there are others. I was considering going to see the movie, so I at least saved myself that expense. |
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