The Pandora Room (Ben Walker #2) - Christopher Golden

4.5

 

Book source ~ NetGalley

 

Ben Walker, employee of The National Science Foundation (lol, not really - he actually secretly works for DARPA) and survivor of the Mount Ararat incident (among others that are secret) is called in when weird shit is found at an archaeological dig in Northern Iraq. Because that’s what DARPA (The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) does – investigates natural and unnatural phenomena in case it could be dangerous and used against the US and obtain it if at all possible. In Mosul he meets up with Kim Seong who works as an advisor and observer for the United Nations. She and Walker had survived the horror of Ararat and if they’re both at this dig, then the weird shitometer is likely about to bury the needle. Will Lady Luck shine on them again?

 

I thought my heebie jeebies had all been heebie jeebied out when I finished Ararat. Wrong! Sweet Mother of Pearl! Walker and Kim step into yet again. Archaeologist Sophie Durand has been at her dig, The Beneath Project, for months when a small room is discovered off a worship chamber inside the underground city. And off of that hidden room is another hidden room. One that should never have been found by anyone. Ever. Because man, oh man. It’s bad. Ever hear of Pandora’s Box? Yeah, that box. Only, it’s actually a jar. I mean, if it really is Pandora’s Box/Jar. Because, is it? Oh! But guess what? There’s more! When the dig is attacked by jihadists, Ben, Kim, and dig workers have to deal with bullets topside and the jar in the city underneath. You’ll have to decide which option is the worst. Because EEEEEEEEE!

 

Keep hands and feet inside the car at all times and stay strapped in until the very end because this is one wild ride! Near non-stop action, heart palpitating danger, mysterious happenings, horrifying deaths, and danger to the extreme had me gritting my teeth and leaning anxiously forward in my seat on more than one occasion. Great setting, wonderful characters (I worried so much as to who would survive), history, action, danger, and horror. It doesn’t get much better than this folks.

Source: http://imavoraciousreader.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-pandora-room.html