.com The tension ratchets up quickly in this abridged reading of Ken Follett's thriller. Actor Anthony Heald--a movie (The Client, The Silence of the Lambs) and audiobook (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) veteran--uses a breathy, urgent delivery to spin the tale of ecoterrorist cultists and the unlikely heroes who must stop them before they hammer California with a major man-made earthquake. Follett has real contempt for his aging-hippie villains, which Heald gleefully communicates through lines of faux sagacity like, "Money makes you poor" and "Marriage is the greatest infidelity," and by having the head bad guy clear his conscience of a cold-blooded murder by reciting a nursery rhyme. (Running time: four hours, three cassettes) --Lou SchulerFrom Publishers WeeklyAfter 20 years of writing bestselling novels, Follett is enough of a pro to produce a reliable page-turner from a flimsy premise?as he does here. His working out of how a rural, socially radical California commune moves not heaven but earth to stave off the loss of their land to a government dam and the ensuing flood is smartly paced if nearly devoid of inspiration. What distinguishes it is not the communards' weapon, a stolen seismic vibrator generally used by oil companies to sound for liquid gold but also handy for starting earthquakes. Nor is it the mechanical progression of the plot, as the radicals, calling themselves the Hammer of Eden, escalate threats and consequent quakes in order to blackmail the state into halting the dam until the finale finds them about to devastate San Francisco. Nor is it the by-the-book chase of the terrorists by a headstrong female FBI agent who might have walked onstage from any of a dozen other thrillers. What does?other than its efficient telling?raise the novel above mundanity is the depth of characterization of its villains, a Follett forte since his splendid debut in Eye of the Needle. Follett devotes many pages to backstory, creating in Priest, once a smalltime hood and now the commune's leader, in Star, his hippie earth-woman, and in Melanie, a bitter young beauty who throws in with the commune, fully realized outcasts, crazed and desperate idealists whose actions are as believable as they are heinous. All else in the novel, including the perfunctory prose, serve only to push the story quickly through its paces, but Follett's troupe of lost souls makes it dance to a memorable, mournful tune. Agent, Al Zuckerman; major ad/promo; simultaneous Random House audio and large-print edition. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Library JournalRichard Granger, a charismatic fugitive known as Priest, controls a long-established winemaking commune in northern California that loses its government lease because of a dam project. Ignoring other alternatives, his group becomes "The Hammer of Eden" and threatens to cause an earthquake unless the governor halts construction. When the threats are ignored, Priest uses a seismic vibrator to ever-increasing effect. San Francisco-based FBI agent Judy Maddox teams up with a seismic expert who is estranged from one of the terrorists and attracted to Judy; together, they guide the FBI in a frantic effort to prevent an earthquake on the Embarcadero. The promising concept and characterizations are weakened by too many coincidences and the sympathetic portrayal of Priest, an antihero of the first rank. Though Follett's latest thriller is not at the level of his earlier titles (e.g., The Third Twin, LJ 9/15/96), his fans and the planned media blitz will create demand.AV. Louise Saylor, Eastern Washington Univ. Lib., CheneyCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. how do i find a book i forgot The Hammer of Eden
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A nun's struggle with perfection.By "Ali"This is one of my favorite novels, and also one of my favorite movies. It tells the story of Gabrielle Van der Mal, the daughter of a famous Belgian surgeon. Taking place first in the 1920's, she joins a very strict Belgian convent and becomes Sister Luke. The book chronicles her struggles to become the perfect nun and to deal with her inability to become completely obedient, as she should be according to this particular convent. It tells of her travels,disappointments, and of her insecurities with obedience. Just a fascinating look at an old style convent (although i'm sure they still exist.). And a look at a nun who tries to live with its rules and its expectations.Fascinating and beautifully written.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. liked this book very muchBy Jozef CMBoth, my wife and I, liked this book very much. Important to me was that it describes the life of real people. To bad that nobody wants to reprint this book because confusing and excessively restrictive American copyright law. Kathryn Hulme wrote this book in 1956 and died in 1981 without leaving a will. Publishers are not sure who owns the copyrights to this book and are afraid to print it because they can be suit by shark lawyers. Now we have to wait 99 years from the time when the book was published i.e. until 2055 when it will be copyright free and can be reprinted without risk.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Inspiring!By pamela s. stoneThis book had a profound affect on me as a teenager. The sacrifices of family and personal freedom (in that era) that nuns chose to give up for their beliefs was and is beyond my spiritual development. I reread this book every few years and always find something new that speaks to me. The story is based on a real person and her life. Audrey Hepburn played the protagonist in the movie (it was a great movie also). Hulme, herself had a very interesting life, and would proud of the freedoms and the places women have managed to achieve.