Reviews for Fossil Hunter

The average rating for Fossil Hunter based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-11-15 00:00:00 Michael Kovacs (From back cover) In the desolate Iraqi desert, a lone shepherd stumbles across a whale fossil. Initial analysis indicates that it could be a new species'a discovery that could shed light on the evolution debate. Paleontologist Dr. Katie James is asked to lead an expedition to recover the rest of the fossil before her archrival, Nick Murad, can find it first. But while she's there, Katie also uncovers the unexpected'a human fossil so controversial she's forced to collaborate with Nick to analyze the find before it can be destroyed by a fundamentalist faction of the Iraqi government. Their initial results fly in the face of current scientific theory, and it seems the whole world turns against them, including those they thought they could trust most. Then the fossil disappears, sending Nick and Katie on a chase that could cost them their reputations, their careers'even their lives. My Thoughts: Wow. I. Loved. This. Book. It had everything that makes a story great - a gripping plot, characters I cared about, just enough humor and wit, and plenty of I-can't-put-it-down suspense. For me, it was more "Don't interrupt me while I'm reading this or I might bite your head off." lol My favorite excerpt from the book: (Katie is trying to focus on searching the desert surroundings for signs of the "50-million-year-old whale". She's annoyed and distracted by a gun-toting Iraqi guard that she's secretly nicknamed "Blackbeard" who is following her.) Katie climbed down into the gulley and followed its meandering course for several minutes before turning to look back. Hassan and Wayne were gone. Only Blackbeard remained. Rifle cradled in his arms, he followed along the edge of the gulley about a hundred feet behind her. Great, just what she needed - an armed guard to protect her from the desert. If a giant heatstroke happened to wander her way, maybe he'd scare it away with his big gun. For as long as I can remember, I've had a fascination with archeology/paleontology, so Fossil Hunter was right up my alley. The author does an excellent job of showing us what a visit to Iraq would be like, from the miserable fiery hot weather to the political and social side. Needless to say, I don't think I would enjoy a trip to that area very much. But if I did somehow find myself there, I might have an idea of how to survive for a few days out in the hot desert if I happened to be robbed and left to die of heat and starvation by mercenary Iraqi guards. ;-) One of the most interesting aspects of this book was seeing what the Christian paleontologist might face when it comes to religious prejudice in this field. Despite being told not to discuss her religion with anyone unless she wants to risk losing her job, and being accused of sabotaging a dig for a religious cause, Katie has an admirable attitude. Oh, she's nervous and afraid to speak up for herself and her faith at times, as we all would be, but her character is strong and spirited and definitely up for the challenge. She was an inspiration to me. Fossil Hunter has been compared to Indiana Jones because it is chock full of adventure and intrigue. I completely agree and recommend this as an excellent read to both men and women. I didn't realize this before, but John B Olson is one of the co-authors of Oxygen and its sequel, The Fifth Man! These books are much loved and highly recommended by me, as well - I re-read them regularly! Now I definitely have to go get all the rest of this author's books! kindredspiritreviews.blogspot.com

Review # 2 was written on 2009-02-02 00:00:00 Jacqueline Robinson I initially balked at the opportunity to review Fossil Hunter because on the back of the book there's an advertisement proclaiming the book is part of the "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed campaign." Oh no...the dreaded threat of agenda-driven fiction! Thankfully, my concern has proven utterly unfounded. Fossil Hunter is a thoroughly absorbing thrill ride that takes readers from the halls of academia to the deserts of Iraq. Katie James is a renowned paleontologist who suffers from demophobia - a debilitating fear of crowds. That, plus her Christian faith, has caused her academic creditionls to come under fire. Believing her work and her faith can go hand-in-hand, Katie is desperate to prove herself and secure the funding her university needs in order to continue her research. She's sent into Iraq with the task of finding a potential new species of whale which could prove to be a new link in evolutionary theory. She finds herself in a race opposite her arch-rival Dr. Nick Murad. However, when a new fossil is discovered, Katie and Nick are forced to collaborate in order to survive warring factions in the Iraqi government and agenda-driven academics only interested in fossil finds that support popular (and evolutionary) scientific theories. The action is briskly-paced and the characterizations are wonderfully rich and well-drawn. Olson puts his scientific background to good use (he has a background in biochemistry), but he never drowns the novel in incomprehensible lingo - all of the science is presented in such a way as to be fascinating and comprehensible by even the uninitiated reader. The inclusion of the present geo-political realities Katie and Nick face add tension and credibility to the storyline. Fossil Hunter packed with enough action and humor (and just a dash of romance!) to be worthy of a chapter in the adventures of another famous academic adventurer - Indiana Jones. What sets this novel apart is its intelligent, thoughtful, engaging discussion of the intersection of faith and science. Fossil Hunter is a action-packed thrill ride that begs for a sequel - I'd love to see the further adventures of Katie & Nick. Highly recommended.