For the most part, this isn’t as much of a science fiction book as it is a mystery thriller. It seem like I have read another series that started with an archeologist, but I can’t remember which it was, but they are similar in that the story is a very detailed hunt for ancient artifacts.
In this story, there are six “Tokens” that are part of a cube. Once put together, it will form some kind of bridge to somewhere or somewhen, at least that’s what they think will happen. It starts off with Rexford (Rex) Walker and Marcus Wells in Guatemala searching for one of these Tokens. They did not find it!
And that was the problem. Rex is now a forty-something university professor teaching at a university that he liked and not one where he could be paid more for his services. He was an archeologist as was his Dad before him and Marcus was a former student and now close friend. Rex’s Dad had been missing for a long time, even when Rex was growing up he seldom saw his Dad and then the never did again! His mother had recently passed and provided Rex access to all his Father’s stuff which included a very travel worn journal. Here Rex discovered what had been driving his Father. It told about ancients who had supposedly been on Earth thousands of years before current humans came to being. While Rex’s Father wasn’t sure, he thought that the six Tokens with their case would form some kind of bridge to these ancient beings.
Rex wasn’t really sure that he wanted to get involved in this search for these Tokens that had some how consumed his Father, but he wanted to know what happened to his Father and his Father’s best friend. Both had mysteriously disappeared. So, Rex was going to find these Tokens and solve this puzzle. But, as a university professor, he knew that he couldn’t afford to go trekking all over the world. He needed some kind of backing. As hard as it was, he turned to billionaire Hunter Madison. Mr. Madison had generously funded Rex’s Father’s searches and was willing to do so for Rex if he would accept the help. Rex wasn’t sure he want this kind of help because he knew it would come with strings attached. One of those strings was that Madison was going to go along on his searches.
So, with Madison going and knowing some of the difficulties that would crop up, he was taking a hired gun by the name of Tripp Davis. A strong armed guy that was a former Navy Seal. He trusted only Mr. Madison who was paying him handsomely. They also needed a pilot so Rex had someone in mind only to find out that his pilot’s home was burned to the ground with him in it! Yet, while the small group was discussing how that might have happened, another pilot conveniently shows up and introduces herself as Veronica Jones. She’s just as professional at her job as is the ex-Navy Seal, but no one knows her background. Still, they have to get this search going.
The book also introduces something ominous coming from out near Pluto. No one is sure what these objects are and if they are even headed for Earth. Later on, that’s exactly where they’re headed and Rex feels that his search for the Tokens and the bridge they might build are tied together. Now he just has to live to put this all together, something his Father either did or did not accomplish prior to his disappearance. It’s a good mystery story and only slightly science fiction even though it does talk about aliens. I found the book very interesting and while it came to a good conclusion, there’s a lot more to the story. A second book, “Lost Time” will be available on 2 June 2021 with the third book, “Lost Hope”, available on 6 July 2021. I’m going to read them all.