Twenty years after he was the sole survivor of a fire that killed both his parents, Hollywood stuntman Reb Barnett is summoned to Italy, where he undertakes a quest to solve Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic Circles of Truth, an ancient puzzle leading to the long-lost Medici Dagger, a weapon made of a mysterious alloy that could hold the key to the truth about his parents' deaths. 60,000 first printing.
Adult/High School-Suppose da Vinci, when commissioned to produce a dagger, invented a superior metal alloy-lighter, stronger, and more durable than anything known to man. Suppose further that he determined that his society would probably use it for evil purposes. His decision made, he hid the dagger and left clues for some future society as to its composition. Fast-forward 500 years. A plane carrying da Vinci's priceless "Circle of Truth" notes, purportedly the clues to the dagger's whereabouts, crashes and burns. Shortly afterward, museum curator Rollo Burns's Georgetown home burns to the ground, leaving his young son as the only survivor and witness to the tragedy. Move forward again 20 years. Rollo Burns Jr. (Reb), Hollywood daredevil and stuntman, finds himself immersed in the mystery of the Medici dagger and the notes. The story has the fast-paced appeal of a Clive Cussler novel, complete with lots of action and reality-suspending stunts pulled off by the hero. The historical lessons about Leonardo and his times and the steps necessary to puzzle out his clues are entertaining and informative. Reb's need to unravel the mystery of his parents' deaths and his own lack of connection to others grabs readers' attention.
Carol DeAngelo, Kings Park Library, Burke, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
"Let he who finds the Dagger use it for noble purpose. That was my father's plan. And now it's mine." That stirring cry from Hollywood stunt man Reb Barnett occurs near the midway point of this laughable thriller about the search for a legendary dagger of unbreakable metal forged by Leonardo da Vinci, who hid the weapon and then left clues to its whereabouts in a manuscript called "The Circles of Truth." Twenty years ago, a courier sent by Barnett's museum curator father to retrieve the manuscript disappeared; that same night, Barnett's parents died in a suspicious fire. Now a voice from the past drags Barnett into completing his father's quest to find the dagger before munitions broker Werner Krell and his sadistic assassin, Nolo Tecci, can get their hands on it. The novel reads like a fleshed-out action film screenplay, with multiple locations, plenty of violent action, outrageously corny dialogue and the usual push-button tics that pass for characterization in Hollywood: Reb courts danger; Reb has a hard time expressing his feelings for his friend Archie Ferris and love interest Antonia Genevra Gianelli. West whose memoir, First Person Plural: My Life as a Multiple, was a New York Times bestseller has written what might be the world's first stunt-thriller, a novel where at every moment you expect an off-page director to yell "Cut!" and order the real star in to flesh out the second unit shots that the stunt man just walked through. File this one under high concept, low execution. National advertising; 7-city author tour. (Sept. 11)Forecast: Film rights have been purchased. Tom Cruise will star. Enough said.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
West is the author of the best-selling
First Person Plural: My Life as a Multiple (1999), which documented his struggles with multiple personality disorder. West has now turned his attention to the action-adventure fiction genre. Reb Barnett, an educated, art-loving Hollywood stuntman, is on a quest to find a dagger made by Leonardo da Vinci. Hot on the dagger's trail also are an evil billionaire arms manufacturer and several nefarious government agents. Apparently the dagger is made of an unknown alloy, both stronger and lighter than any metal ever developed. The evil parties would like to get their hands on it to use in building superweapons and achieve ultimate world domination, which Barnett is trying to prevent while also avenging the death of his parents (coincidentally murdered by these same criminals). Unfortunately, the only clue to the whereabouts of this mysterious dagger is the cryptic code left behind by da Vinci, which makes for many plot twists and turns. An intensive marketing effort is planned for this book.
Kathleen HughesCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
