Return To Atlantis, by Andy McDermott, was originally published in 2012. I started the series of Nina Wilde years ago and can't remember how far I got before I let them slip away so I've started over. I truly love this series and can't wait to get through all of them and wait on the next. Nina and her husband, Eddie Chase, are a terrific, if unexpected, power couple. Nina's the brains and Eddie's the brawn. Ex SAS Eddie is a lot like MacGyver, he can make a bomb out of a gum wrapper & fertilizer. Nina gets into situations like a modern day archeologist gone super nova. Trouble follows her everywhere. Return covers a plethora of subjects. We start off with a dictatorship and civil wars in Africa and end with earth energy, Temple of The Gods & a harrowing parachute dive. Eddie's ex-wife, Sophia, is one of those evil characters that doesn't really die, she keeps popping up & causing trouble. I'm off to the next book on my list. This was fun. ( )

Another action packed thrill ride from Mcdermott. ( )

This book, on the face of it, is right up my alley, however it mostly failed to capture my interest. The action comes thick and fast (which I'm used to, and prefer) but in this case it just comes across as overdone. I'm too busy following the frantic action to develop any emotional investment in the main protagonists and literally everyone is trying to kill everyone else. (Speaking of the main protagonists, the constant reference to Eddie as Nina's husband gets tiresome - they're married, ok, we get it.) The constant barrage of conspiracy theories, evil billionaires, double- and triple- crosses and quests for world domination starts to feel a bit ridiculous, and rather like the author is just trying to cram as many tropes as possible into one book.

This is the first Andy McDermott book I've read, and I feel that I suffered for it - there are many references to previous exploits by the protagonists, to the point where I feel like I was supposed to have read the earlier books. Tie-ins to previous books in order to give regular readers the warm-and-fuzzies is a good thing, but it must be tempered with the need to avoid alienating readers who don't have the benefit of having read those earlier books. Scott Mariani does this well; Andy McDermott not so much.

In terms of writing skills, I'd rate Andy McDermott as closer to Matthew Reilly than Dan Brown (and that's not a compliment.) If this type of book is your thing, you'd be better served by seeking out books by Will Adams, Scott Mariani, or Michael Byrnes. ( )

Ridiculously fast paced action, check. Plot that squirms and worms its way along as fast as the action, check. Nina and Eddie blowing up everything they come across, check. Must be another adventure by Andy McDermott.

In my book Andy McDermott and Matthew Reilly are the kings of fast paced action novels. There is no stone left unthrown, no ancient monument left intact, no bad guys die peacefully: brilliant! Of course this style of novel is not for everyone, especially if you currently have a pacemaker or take beta-blockers. Some people like to read literature, so there is no accounting for taste.

I have unfortunately missed the previous installment in the series, Empire of Gold, jumping straight from The Sacred Vault. This didn't affect my enjoyment, but there is reference to past adventures throughout in the plot, so it is best to read the series in order. The cadre of evil billionaires are back again, something the world never seems to run out of for some reason, causing more trouble in their quest to dominate. If you take a close look you will recognise who the individuals are based upon, Gina Rhinehart and the Koch brothers being alluded to as evil: who'd have thunk? ( )

Back in June 2011 I reviewed Andy McDermott's Empire of Gold, the seventh book in his explosive series featuring main characters Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase. I am a huge fan of what a friend and I have christened 'quest books', and this is one of my favourite series from this genre. Incredibly, the first book in this series, The Hunt for Atlantis, was only released back in 2008, so by my reckoning that is averaging at two books a year. From a lesser author, we might expect inconsistent quality, repetitive plots, characters that become boring over time. However, Andy's books suffer from none of these issues. In my opinion, every one of his books is an excellent, thrilling read, and now with the publication of book eight I can only hope there there is still more to come.

In my review of Empire of Gold I recommended that the books be read in order. This is not essential for most of the books, although for maximum reading enjoyment I still stand by that statement. However, Temple of the Gods really should not be read as a standalone, as it is a direct continuation of Empire of Gold. I remember well the frustration I felt on finishing that book and being left with a massive cliffhanger, something that the author had not done in his previous books. I have therefore been waiting impatiently since June to find out what happened next, with Eddie on the run accused of murder, Nina pretty much believing that he was guilty, and enemies closing on from all directions. I am happy to report that it was well worth waiting for.

Temple of Gods is Andy McDermott at his very best, and if like me you are a fan of the series, but are yet to read this book, then I fully expect you to be now salivating at the prospect of diving into the story. It has everything that we have come to love in Widle/Chase story: exotic locations; ancient history; epic, OTT action scenes; crosses, double crosses and triple crosses; and more twists and turns than an Alpine road. It is the culmination of a story that started way back when Nina Wilde discovered Atlantic in the first book, each book that followed adding another few morsels of detail regarding Nina's link to the ancient Atlanteans, and the mysterious purple stone statues that the pair have come across in their various archaeological adventures.

One criticism my 'quest book' loving friend has about this series is that she gets a little fed up with all the bickering that goes on between Nina and Eddie. I too occasionally found myself in previous instalments wanting to shout at them to stop arguing and just get on with things. If you share this view then you may be glad to hear that the shocking events at the end of the last book, and Eddie's subsequent flight from the authorities, seems to have brought the pair together in a way that none of their previous escapades managed. So much so that the pair have very few arguments this time round. Happy days! (well they would be, if it weren't for the fact that just about everyone they come across is trying to kill them).

With all the loose plot threads from the previous books now all neatly tied off I am left with a worrying feeling that this might be the final Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase. I'm hoping that there is a loose end that I have forgotten about, giving Andy McDermott a reason to write at least one more book (and hopefully many more) featuring his endearing pair of characters. ( )