The Rule of Four
by Dustin Thomason, Ian Caldwell
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Book Reviews of The Rule of Four
Book Review: Dull, Drab and Awful
Summary: 1 Stars
Dull, Drab and Awful
This was a good idea for a book that was poorly written. The effect of this unfortunate combination is a boring book not worth the trouble of reading. I wish that I would have done what others reviews did and stopped after 50 pages.
There are insipid chase scenes devoid of suspense; feigned scholarly discussions that are lacking insight or purpose and a pointless central mystery plot with no hint of cleverness. The characters are shallow, dull, uninteresting, boring, lifeless and just plain drab and awful. While in some professions these attributes might be considered an asset; in a modern mystery novel they are in fact a real detriment. None of the principal players are at all interesting. The four main characters are not at all likeable and I couldn't sympathize with any of them on any level. Count yourself as lucky if you have none of these boring manikins for friends.
The historic references to the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" are the only bright spots in this pathetic waste of a book. The reader will have to force himself through a sluggish plot with boring characters and a slow pace to learn a little about this renaissance love story. There is a modern translation of the original book in question. I wish that I would have read the modern English translation of the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" (see: Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: The Strife of Love in a Dream) and never heard of "The Rule of Four".
I have the feeling that "The Rule of Four" is for an early adolescent audience while the serious books are left for the grown-ups.
On the positive side, the cover of the book is a very pretty shade of red.
Pass on this dog.
Book Review: Dull, Drab and Awful
Summary: 1 Stars
Dull, Drab and Awful
This was a good idea for a book that was poorly written. The effect of this unfortunate combination is a boring book not worth the trouble of reading. I wish that I would have done what others reviews did and stopped after 50 pages.
There are insipid chase scenes devoid of suspense; feigned scholarly discussions that are lacking insight or purpose and a pointless central mystery plot with no hint of cleverness. The characters are shallow, dull, uninteresting, boring, lifeless and just plain drab and awful. While in some professions these attributes might be considered an asset; in a modern mystery novel they are in fact a real detriment. None of the principal players are at all interesting. The four main characters are not at all likeable and I couldn't sympathize with any of them on any level. Count yourself as lucky if you have none of these boring manikins for friends.
The historic references to the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" are the only bright spots in this pathetic waste of a book. The reader will have to force himself through a sluggish plot with boring characters and a slow pace to learn a little about this renaissance love story. There is a modern translation of the original book in question. I wish that I would have read the modern English translation of the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" (see: Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: The Strife of Love in a Dream) and never heard of "The Rule of Four".
I have the feeling that "The Rule of Four" is for an early adolescent audience while the serious books are left for the grown-ups.
On the positive side, the cover of the book is a very pretty shade of red.
Pass on this dog.
Book Review: Dull, Drab and Awful
Summary: 1 Stars
Dull, Drab and Awful
This was a good idea for a book that was poorly written. The effect of this unfortunate combination is a boring book not worth the trouble of reading. I wish that I would have done what others reviews did and stopped after 50 pages.
There are insipid chase scenes devoid of suspense; feigned scholarly discussions that are lacking insight or purpose and a pointless central mystery plot with no hint of cleverness. The characters are shallow, dull, uninteresting, boring, lifeless and just plain drab and awful. While in some professions these attributes might be considered an asset; in a modern mystery novel they are in fact a real detriment. None of the principal players are at all interesting. The four main characters are not at all likeable and I couldn't sympathize with any of them on any level. Count yourself as lucky if you have none of these boring manikins for friends.
The historic references to the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" are the only bright spots in this pathetic waste of a book. The reader will have to force himself through a sluggish plot with boring characters and a slow pace to learn a little about this renaissance love story. There is a modern translation of the original book in question. I wish that I would have read the modern English translation of the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" (see: Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: The Strife of Love in a Dream) and never heard of "The Rule of Four".
I have the feeling that "The Rule of Four" is for an early adolescent audience while the serious books are left for the grown-ups.
On the positive side, the cover of the book is a very pretty shade of red.
Pass on this dog.
Book Review: Dull, Drab and Awful
Summary: 1 Stars
Dull, Drab and Awful
This was a good idea for a book that was poorly written. The effect of this unfortunate combination is a boring book not worth the trouble of reading. I wish that I would have done what others reviews did and stopped after 50 pages.
There are insipid chase scenes devoid of suspense; feigned scholarly discussions that are lacking insight or purpose and a pointless central mystery plot with no hint of cleverness. The characters are shallow, dull, uninteresting, boring, lifeless and just plain drab and awful. While in some professions these attributes might be considered an asset; in a modern mystery novel they are in fact a real detriment. None of the principal players are at all interesting. The four main characters are not at all likeable and I couldn't sympathize with any of them on any level. Count yourself as lucky if you have none of these boring manikins for friends.
The historic references to the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" are the only bright spots in this pathetic waste of a book. The reader will have to force himself through a sluggish plot with boring characters and a slow pace to learn a little about this renaissance love story. There is a modern translation of the original book in question. I wish that I would have read the modern English translation of the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" (see: Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: The Strife of Love in a Dream) and never heard of "The Rule of Four".
I have the feeling that "The Rule of Four" is for an early adolescent audience while the serious books are left for the grown-ups.
On the positive side, the cover of the book is a very pretty shade of red.
Pass on this dog.
Book Review: The Rule of Four - Bkanig
Summary: 4 Stars
An Ivy League murder, a mysterious coded manuscript, and the secrets of a Renaissance prince collide memorably in The Rule of Four-- a brilliant work of fiction that weaves together suspense and scholarship, high art and unimaginable treachery. The San Francisco Chronicle stated it was "as much a blazing good yarn as it is an exceptional piece of scholarship." The New York Times called it "ingenious." Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason's fascinating novel focuses on four extraordinary Princeton students (Tom, Paul, Charlie, and Gil) who have got their hands into an unknown a mysterious ancient manuscript, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili; a mysterious text that is written in a variety of languages and said to contain hidden messages and mysteries that have never been solved.
During the attempt of encrypting the decoded message, Tom and his friends find out that the manuscript reveals the location of buried treasure that was once hid by the Romans during the late 15th century. In this fascinating book, the narrators successfully build up the suspense of book through plot twists and character development which ultimately leads to a great unexpected finale which is bound to blow readers away. As the plot develops and the real dangers rise, the innocence of the four roommates' youths are lost forever as unexpected events unfold that threaten them all.
The Rule of Four is a murder mystery, an ancient secrets thriller, a coming-of-age novel, a philosophical tome, and an exploration of the academic life and much more. I would personally recommend this book to everyone who enjoys long novels that unravels itself through time, and to everyone who enjoys an adventure story with multiple plot twists. I am most certain that Tom, Paul, Charlie, and Gil's adventure will take you to another world and will blow your mind away.