Praise for The Revelation Code There is no end to the mischief that husband and wife team Eddie Chase and Nina Wilde can get into; no archaeological mystery is safe; and if X marks the spot you can bet that thats where youll also find Nina and Eddie, no doubt looking a bit battered. . . . This is such a strong series and I can never get enough of it. The Revelation Code is a fine addition to it, combining a great plot and mystery with a new phase in Eddie and Ninas relationship. I cannot wait to see what happens next. Nothing will be the same again.For Winter Nights A fun, frantic read that moves along at a breakneck pace, even through heavy scenes of torture, religious insanity, and political posturing . . . big-time popcorn adventure fun, complete with a dose of history and humor.Beauty in RuinsPraise for the novels of Andy McDermott Raises the bar to please adventure junkies who prefer to mainline their action.Publishers Weekly (starred review), on The Hunt for Atlantis A fun, action-filled James Bond/Indiana Jonesesque story.Geek Speak Magazine, on Return to Atlantis Adventure stories dont get much more epic than this.Daily Mirror (U.K.)About the AuthorAndy McDermott is a former journalist and movie critic who now writes novels full-time following the international success of his debut thriller, The Hunt for Atlantis, which has been sold around the world in more than twenty languages. He is also the author of The Tomb of Hercules, The Secret of Excalibur, The Covenant of Genesis, The Pyramid of Doom, The Sacred Vault, Empire of Gold, Return to Atlantis, The Shadow Protocol, The Valhalla Prophecy, Kingdom of Darkness, and The Revelation Code. He lives in Bournemouth, England, with his wife and son.Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.9781101965290|excerptMcDermott / THE REVELATION CODE1New York CityTwelve Years LaterHas everything Ive done in my life been worth it?Nina Wilde sat facing Dr. Elaine Senzer, but her eyes were lowered, avoiding the psychotherapists gaze. Instead she fixated on small, irrelevant detailsa scuff on the other womans shoe, indentations on the carpet where her chair had been movedas she tried to put her fears into words. Thats the question Ive been asking myself recently, she went on. And the thing thats worrying me is ... is that Im not sure it has.Elaine leaned forward, adjusting her glasses. Im curious why youd say that. Youve already achieved more in your life than most peopleI mean, its fair to say that youre the most famous archaeologist in the world. You found Atlantis, you discovered the lost city of El Dorado, a hidden Egyptian pyramid, and all those other amazing things. Thats something to be proud of, surely?Is it? Nina caught herself leaning back in her seat, as if subconsciously trying to maintain the distance between them. Yeah, I found all those thingsand I got a lot of people killed in the process. Too many people.You didnt kill them personally.Some of them I did. Even without looking directly at Elaine, she could sense the psychotherapists shock at the revelation. They were trying to kill me, it was always in self-defense ... but yeah, Ive killed people. And you know whats really scary? Ive lost count of how many.Elaine hurriedly scribbled a note. I see.Nina gave her a grim smile. Youre not going to have me committed to Bellevue, are you?No, no, the dark-haired woman hastily assured her. I actually think its good that you feel able to tell me about it at this relatively early stage. If you remember, when we started these sessions last month, it was quite a challenge for you to open up about anything at all. The very nature of post-traumatic stress causes sufferers to try to internalize ittheres a great deal of anger, guiltTell me about it, Nina muttered.Im afraid it doesnt work that way, said Elaine, with sympathy. You have to tell me.You want me to tell you about my guilt? Nina snapped. Okayabout four months ago, one of my friends was murdered right in front of me. And it was all my fault! Macy wouldnt have been there if not for me .. . Her voice faded to inaudibility.A long silence was eventually broken by the psychotherapist. Nina ... are you okay?If I was okay, I wouldnt be seeing a shrink, would I? the redhead replied, wiping her eyes. What kind of a stupid question is that?Elaine shrugged off the insult with professional calm. Tell me about Macy. I know youre reluctant, but I really think it would help. Please, she added, seeing her patient clench her fists. In your own time; you dont have to say anything if you dont want to.For a hundred and fifty bucks an hour, Im not going to sit here in silence. I could do that for free at Starbucks, and the coffee would be better. Nina took a deep breath, then a second, before continuing. Macy ... she was an archaeology student when I first met her. She had a case ofa brief smile at the memoryhero worship. Her expression darkened once more. Spending time with me soon cured her of that.But she was your friend, Elaine said.Yes. She could be annoyingGod, she could be annoying!but yeah, she was. She was young, that was all. And she thought life was there to be enjoyed, so she went all out to enjoy it.Whereas you ...?A wry shake of the head, her shoulder-length hair swinging. Im not exactly a party animal. Never have been. But Macy threw herself headfirst into everything. And that ... Her voice broke. That got her killed.How so?She invited herself along on my last job for the International Heritage Agency. I could have said no, sent her home. But I didnt. I dont know why, maybe because ... maybe because I was afraid it might be the last chance I had to spend time with her.Elaine flicked back through her notebook. Your illnessyou thought it was terminal at that point?Nina nodded. She had been under a slow death sentence, poisoned by a toxin from deep within the earth. Yeah. There was a treatment, but I didnt know about it then. She kept the full truth to herself: that the treatment was nothing less than the legendary fountain of immortality sought by Alexander the Great. After the horrors she had been through to find it, shed vowed to keep its location a secret, to prevent the inevitable further bloodshed if others fought to control it. So I let Macy come with us, and ... She choked up.Are you all right? Elaine asked. Do you need a Kleenex or something?Nina rubbed away a tear. No, no. Im okay. Its just, talking about it ...I understand.Its ... Nina sat sharply upright, looking Elaine straight in the eye for the first time. Its not fair! She was so young, she was practically still a kid! And this man, this bastard, killed her like she was nothingjust to get to me. If I hadnt gotten involved, or if Id done what I should have done and told Macy to go home, shed still be alive! I got her killed!She slumped forward, head in her hands, trying to hold in her sobs. Elaine looked on with concern. Nina, Im so, so sorry. But you must know deep down thats not true. You didnt kill your friend. Someone else did.Nina forced out a reply. If it werent for me, shed still be alive. The same goes for Rowan Sharpe, and Jim McCrimmon, and Ismail Assad and Hector Amoros and Chloe Lamb andand so many others I cant even remember all their names! She looked up in despair. This is what I mean, Elaine. Yes, I made all those discoveriesbut this was the cost. Hundreds of people have died because of me.It cant be that many, Elaine said, though with uncertainty.Trust me, I was there. My whole career, everything Ive accomplished, has been surrounded by death and destruction. Even when I was still a kid, my parents diedwere murderedwhile they were hunting for Atlantis. Which is why Ive been asking: Was it all worth it? She looked down at her abdomen, where a small but distinct swelling revealed the presence of her unborn child. Do I want to bring a kid into my world? What right have I got to put a baby at that kind of risk?But youre not working for the IHA anymore, Elaine pointed out.Maybe, but you know what? Nina said with another flare of anger. Last month, a Nazi tried to kill me, right here in New York!The therapists eyes widened. A ... Nazi?Yeah, an actual goddamn Nazi. You see? I cant get away from this shit! I tried to, I just wanted to stay out of trouble and write my book, but it keeps finding me!Your book, said Elaine, relieved at a chance to change the subject. Hows that going? You told me last time that youd been having difficulty maintaining focus ...Nina huffed sarcastically. Oh, its going super fine, better than ever. No, Im now almost completely blocked. My publishers are gonna be thrilled that theyve paid over half a million dollars for three and a quarter chapters. Some people I know in Hollywood want to buy the screen rights. Macys boyfriend, the film star Grant Thorn, had unsurprisingly withdrawn from the idea after the young womans funeral, but his business partner had since made tentative inquiries about reopening negotiations. Right now, though, itd make a really short movie.Why are you blocked?Why? Because every time I start trying to write about what Ive discovered, it makes me think of the people who died in the process. Its ... She sagged, feeling emotionally drained. I cant move forward.In what way?In every way. With my life. All I keep thinking about is whether its all been worth it, and I dont know the answer, and ... and Im stuck. Going nowhere.But you are going somewhere, said Elaine. Youve made progress over just the last monthyou realized you were in denial over Macys death, and the fact that you sought help from a therapist shows that youre able to start moving on.I might be able to start, but that doesnt mean I have started. On that, or anything else. The books stalled, I cant even do something as simple as come up with baby names ...Do you know the sex?Yeah. I had an ultrasound last week, and they could tell what it was. My husband, Eddie, told them not to say anythinghe wants it to be a surprisebut I sneaked back in and asked. Its aElaine held up her hands. No, no. Im like your husband, I like surprises too. I didnt know what either of my kids was going to be until they were born.I guess I prefer to plan everything in advance. Hes more the make-it-up-as-you-go type.So how have things been between you since you learned you were pregnant? Has he been showing any tension, or ...No, no. Nina shook her head. Hes been greathes absolutely thrilled at the prospect of having a kid, and hes been doing everything he can to help me. No, its ... its me. She sighed. Im angry, Im depressed, Im confusedIm a hundred and one negative things, and Im taking all of them out on him.Why?Because there isnt anyone else. Since I left the IHA, its just been me and him. Ive been horrible, and I know it, but ... but I cant help it.A sympathetic nod. Pregnancy hormones can really affect your mood. Its often a lot harder with a first pregnancy, because you dont know what to expect. Its good that hes been so supportive.Maybe, but ... A lengthy pause as she struggled to make a terrible admission. I cant help thinking that hes putting up with it for the baby rather than for me.But do you really believe that, Nina? Deep down, I mean?I dont know. I dont know what I believe about anything right now. She stared back at the marks on the carpet.The therapist made more notes before speaking again. I dont know your husband, but from what youve told me, it certainly seems that he loves you. He wants to help you, but youre reluctant to allow it. Thats understandableyouve been through a traumatic experience, and youve put up barriers to protect yourself from further harm. The problem is that youre not letting anyone through them, even the person who cares about you the most.Nina managed a sarcastic grin. Well, duh. I didnt need a psychiatrist to figure that out. I need one to tell me how to deal with it.I cant tell you to do anything, Nina. I can suggest, and advise, but in the end only you can come up with the answer. Although one thing I would suggest is couples therapy. If you both came in together, we could address some of these issues.Another mocking little smile. Eddie seeing a shrink? I cant imagine that ever happening. He has his own ways of dealing with things ...The helicopter dived toward the Statue of Liberty. Eddie Chase gripped the controls, trying to regain heightLittle advice, Eddie? Remember that thing I showed you called the stick? You might wanna pull it back.Oh. Yeah. Grimacing, Eddie brought the cyclic control joystick toward him. The Bell 206L LongRangers nose came up, and the aircraft unsteadily leveled out. That okay?You didnt crash into Lady Libertys face, so yeah. But we oughta go back out over open water. Im havin some bad flashbacks to when I first met you! Harvey Zampelli took the controls, bringing the red, white, and blue helicopter around across the great expanse of New York Bay. The spires of Manhattan rolled into view as he notified air traffic control of his course.Well, its only my second lesson, said the stocky, balding Yorkshireman once the exchange in his headphones had concluded. And I havent crashed it yet, so Im not doing too bad.Harvey quickly touched the cross hanging from his neck on a chunky gold chain. Jeez, dont say things like that! Its bad luck.Eddie decided not to tell him how many plane crashes hed been involved in. Thanks again for letting me do this, he said instead. Ive been meaning to learn to fly for ages.Hey, no problem, the black-haired pilot replied. I mean, jeez, you saved my life! Thats gotta be worth the price of some avgas. I sure as hell hope so, anyway! Right? Right? He laughed, then added, with a hint of insecurity: Right?Right, Eddie told him with a grin that revealed the gap between his front teeth. But its not a problem for you, is it? Doing this in the middle of the day, I mean.Nah, I had an empty slot, and if there aint any paying customers, I gotta leave her sitting on the pad with the engine running anyway. The LongRangers flight had begun from the heliport at Manhattans southern tip; Harveys aircraft was one of the many offering tourist tours around New York.Isnt that expensive?Not as expensive as having to do a full check every time I shut down and restart the engine. Quicker too. Besides, Im a pilot. Any chance to fly, Im gonna take it! He laughed again, then surveyed the surrounding airspace. Okay, take the controls. Remember what I told youkeep the cyclic tipped forward to maintain airspeed, but dont push it too far or well lose height. We wanna stay between a thousand and fifteen hundred feet. Got it?Eddie checked the altimeter, then closed his hands around the two control sticks. Yeah.Harvey raised his own hands. Okay, all yours.The Englishman gingerly edged the cyclic forward. He had flown as a passenger in numerous helicopters during his military career with the elite Special Air Service, and in many more since, but his only attempts to fly an aircraft himself had been when the pilot was incapacitated or dead. Which, he mused, had happened alarmingly often.Today nobody was trying to kill him. Operating a chopper even in peaceful conditions was still tricky, however. The Bell twitched and squirmed with every shift in the wind, and the fuselage felt as if it were swinging from the rotor hub like a hanging basket. But he held it steady, making slight adjustments to balance the airspeed indicator and altimeter.Youre doing fine, said Harvey. Okay, were gonna follow the land. He indicated the shores of New Jersey and Staten Island. Use the pedals like I showed you before, real easy.Eddie carefully depressed one of the anti-torque pedals, adjusting the power being fed to the tail rotor. The helicopter slowly turned. That okay?Yeah, thats greatwhoa, hold on. A new voice came through Eddies headphones: one of the heliports staff, telling Harvey that he had a phone call. Eddie, I gotta take this. Just keep doing what youre doing.The Englishman gave him an okay as the call came through. Lena, hey hey! said Harvey, his Bronx accent becoming even more rapid-fire. How you doin? Great night last night, huh?Eddie tried not to be distracted by what very quickly became a personal conversation, concentrating on following the shoreline. The huge jetties of the New Jersey container terminal rolled by. He glanced down at them, only to realize with alarm when he looked back at the instruments that the altimeter was falling toward the thousand-foot mark. He moved the cyclic, but the descent continued. Oh bollocks.Babe, I gotta call you back, said Harvey over the headset. I got a slight altitude deficiency situation here. He laughed, then ended the call. All right, man, I got this. He retook the controls, bringing the LongRanger back into a climb. Sorry bout that. Women, huh? Gotta love em, but ... He briefly took one hand off the throttle to mime a duck quacking. Damn, that reminds me, I gotta make another call.There was a cellphone connected to the cabins communication system by a cable; he thumbed through its contacts list. Lana, hey, its Harv, he said after connecting. Eddie was again an unwilling eavesdropper. Yeah, sorry about last night. I had to stay late at the hangar to deal with some FAA paperwork. How bout I make it up to you tonight, huh? Yeah, that place on Leland. Nine oclock? Epic. See you then. Bye, babe.Lena and Lana, eh? said Eddie.Harvey nodded. Yeah. I gotta be so careful not to get their names mixed up! That might cause problems.A sardonic smile. Youre not kidding.You ever been a juggler like that?Eddie shook his head. Not me. One womans always been enough for me. More than enough sometimes.Youve had problems?Well, my first wife wanted to kill me. And I mean she literally tried to murder me.Harvey made a face. Yow!Yeah. Nina ... well, at the moment it sometimes seems like she wants to as well.You want my advice? First hint of bunny-boiling, run, run, run! Lifes too short to be dealing with psychos.Eddie chuckled. Its nothing like that. Its just ... He became more serious. Shes been pretty hard to get through to lately. And when I try, she ...Bites your head off?Actually, yeah. Shes a redhead; Im used to a bit of mardiness, but this is different.Harvey gave him a quizzical glance. Mardiness? I guess thats British slang?Yeah. Use it in conversation with Lanaor Lenaand shell think youre all cultured and refined, just like me.No offense, man, but your accent? Not even slightly Downton Abbey. The pilot grinned, then nodded at the duplicate controls in front of Eddie. Okay, youre on the stick. Take us around the Narrows, then back toward the city.The LongRanger was now cruising parallel to the shoreline of Staten Island, the great span of the VerrazanoNarrows Bridge straddling the mouth of the bay ahead. Eddie pushed the pedal again, and the helicopter swung into a lazy turn across the water. Brooklyn spread out before them, Manhattan coming back into view beyond. Doin good, Harvey assured him before checking his watch and making another call to air traffic control. Okay, gotta start heading back now. My next tour groupll be waiting.Damn, and I was just starting to get the hang of this, Eddie replied. He still felt as if he were trying to balance a carton of eggs on a fingertip, but at least now he could maintain a constant height and speed.Stick with me and youll be an expert in no time. I told you Im a licensed instructor, right?Several times, said Eddie, grinning. How long can I stay in control?Until we get to Governors Island. Ill take over when were in the East River VFR corridor.The what?Something youll have to know about if you wanna be a proper pilot! Visual flight rulesbasically, flying by eye. If youre in a copter, you dont need to tell ATC what youre doing in the Hudson and East River corridors, although its kinda good sense to let em know. Although theyll be making the East River into controlled airspace soon for some UN summit. Pain in the ass.Yeah, I know what its like dealing with the UN, Eddie told him with amusement.He continued flying until the flat pear of Governors Island loomed ahead. I got it from here, said Harvey as he took control once more. He reported to ATC that he was returning to the heliport, then pointed to the right, up the East River. You seen that?Its a bit hard to miss, said Eddie. The object of their attention was a huge Airlander airship, slowly cruising down the length of the waterway. The enormous twin-lobed craft, dwarfing even the largest airliner, was a new addition to New Yorks long list of tourist attractions, having arrived a month earlier to act as a mammoth advertising billboard. With the Airlander presently head-on to them, though, the commercials on its flanks were invisible. It looks like a massive arse from the front.I always thought it looked like boobs myself. Whatever turns you on, man! Harvey snickered. Ill be glad when its goneits a pain in the butt. Even in VFR youre supposed to maintain spacing with other aircraft, but that damn thing moves so slow, youve gotta go wide to keep clear of it. Airships, jeez. He shook his head. What is this, the 1930s?Oh, the humanity, Eddie joked. He sat back to watch the skyscrapers of Manhattans financial district grow larger as the helicopter descended. Thanks for the flight.No trouble, said Harvey, guiding the LongRanger toward the jetty where the helipads were located. Like I said, anytime you want a lesson, Ill tell you when my next free slot is. Hopefully there wont be too manyif Im not carrying passengers, Im not making money!but I owe you.He brought the aircraft in to land at a vacant pad. Ill be in touch, Eddie told him as he removed his headphones. Try to remember which girlfriends which!Harvey smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. A member of the heliports ground crew opened the cabin door, and Eddie hopped down, keeping his head low as he moved away from the chopper. Another guide waited nearby with the next passengers, who were led aboard as soon as he was clear.The first man took him back to the terminal building. He walked through it and emerged on South Street. Heading along the waterfront, he took out his phone and found Ninas number. Okay, brace yourself ..., he muttered as he made the call.Behind him, unnoticed, a man who had been waiting outside the terminal followed at a discreet distance, making a call of his own. what is a good fantasy book The Revelation Code: A Novel (Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase)
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Nina and Eddie Hit another HomerunBy CeltpopI have been a fan of Andy's books since I read the first one. The two leading characters are the most unwitting companions of danger ever. But, when they do get caught up in an adventure the readers better tighten their seat belts and get ready for a roller coaster ride of adventure and suspense.In this story they are cast against a former CIA religious zealot who has plans along with a former nemesis from their one of their previous adventures. Naturally,mthe bad guys want to take over the world and its up to Nina and Eddie to stop the dastardly plot.They do so in grand style. What sets this story apart from,others is Nina is pregnant; but; that doesn't stop her from doing wild and crazy things.It's a good read and well worth the read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Andy McDermott writes in the style of the great adventure novelBy Robert AbelAndy McDermott writes in the style of the great adventure novel, and surprisingly succeeds where so many others fail. I have read the series front to back, and have never been disappointed Now that it is summer, why not settle in and try this series? They are very good, even though there really is no such place as Atlantis( Atlantis is based on Minoan civilization Don't believe me, check it out yourself) although the other places are always exciting, the villians always are good, and Nina and Eddie will always do their best to come out ahead. Give the series a try, you'll like it!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. but normally I just power through them and try to enjoy the storyBy Dee DubI have read all the Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase books, they get a little far fetched at times, but normally I just power through them and try to enjoy the story, this one fell along the same lines. Some interesting plot lines, a fairly consistent villain which as a fanatic could be believable, so this was a reasonable part of the story. One tiresome element of the story was the issue with the pregnancy, it seems way, way overblown and I honestly was tired of this plot line interwoven at each step along the way, in fact it was more or a distraction than "Added Value" for the story. He could have throttled back on this angle a bit and not lost the impact to the story.