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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
FBI Special Agent Pendergast is taking a break from work to take Constance on a whirlwind Grand Tour, hoping to give her closure and a sense of the world that she's missed. They head to Tibet, where Pendergast intensively trained in martial arts and spiritual studies. At a remote monastery, they learn that a rare and dangerous artifact the monks have been guarding for generations has been mysteriously stolen. As a favor, Pendergast agrees to track and recover the relic. A twisting trail of bloodshed leads Pendergast and Constance to the maiden voyage of the Britannia, the world's largest and most luxurious ocean liner---and to an Atlantic crossing fraught with terror.

Customer Reviews: Read 165 more reviews...

3 out of 5 stars

Wheel of Darkness January 8, 2009
Aloysius Pendergast is truly a likable and brilliant character created by Preston and Child. Some of his ventures to bring about a need for information ussually bring a smile to my face.

Even though he's one of those cliche super characters that can do no wrong (i.e. Dirk Pitt), the writers portray him in a way that avoids making him come off as irritating and obnoxious to the reader.

This book had a good start, but falls apart, much like the luxury cruise. The premise was good, and the plot kept me interested for about 300 pages. However, most of the mysteries are cleared up sooner than you'd expect, making the final 100 pages feel like filler.

4 out of 5 stars

Comic Book Quality January 2, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

THE WHEEL OF DARKNESS is the 7th Pendergast novel following:

RELIC
RELIQUARY
STILL LIFE WITH CROWS
BRIMESTONE
DANCE OF DEATH
THE BOOK OF THE DEAD

Preston and Child have a rare quality in their writing skill - they can draw the reader away from his/her reading chair and transport him/her into the novel. Although parts of this novel reflect their writing craft, the authors fail in the totality of their effort. In the 6 other Pendergast novels, the authors transport the reader to other places for the entirety of the reading experience. WHEELS OF DARKNESS has its moments but not with the regularity of their other works.

I've spent a great deal of my time attempting to understand why WHEELS OF DARKNESS doesn't offer the same quality as their other work. I think I have the answer, in their other works; the authors are able to pull the reader into accepting a highly implausible (or impossible) storyline as being a scientific reality. WHEELS OF DARKNESS has more of a comic book quality. The authors cannot stretch the implausibility as being close to probable. At the end, they offer a feeble attempt to include a scientific dimension - but it is too late.

Two last points: First, the authors contend that these seven novels can stand alone. This is incorrect. They must be read in order and, frankly, I think the publisher should offer a warning label. For example, Pendergast in WHEELS OF DARKNESS will not make sense without first understanding his personality structure. The reader needs to know his past to comprehend his actions. STILL LIFE WITH CROWS offers the best illustration of Pendergast's personality development. Second, although WHEELS OF DARKNESS represents the weakest of the Pendergast novels, it is still better than most of storylines currently available.

5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding! December 30, 2008
I had been eagerly anticipating this book all year, since I read the last book in the Agent Pendergast series, The Book of the Dead. Although this is obviously not a continuation of the Diogenes trilogy, there are some signs that Diogenes's evil legacy is alive and well, especially in the fragile character of Constance Greene. She keeps her secret until the very last page of the book, which leaves a very welcome opportunity for another sequel. This book is different from many in this series, as it does not take place in New York City, so many of the regular characters are missing. But, like Still Life With Crows, it remains very much connected to the overall story of Agent Pendergast and stands very well on its own. There is also a further exploration of the mind-bending meditation practices that Pendergast uses, and it becomes the central theme of this book: when you leave your mind open, what evil is allowed to enter? And once it's there, how can you conquer it?

In the "basics", this book has intriguing characters, some of whom I hope to see in future novels, and a climax that kept me riveted to each page. The setting on board the Britannia is wonderful and gives an eerie sense of how isolated the characters are. The Wheel of Darkness reads quickly (I read it in two days), which is a shame, because it's one story you wish would just go on and on. There are many surprises in store, even for readers experiencing the partnership of Preston and Child for the first time. For long-time fans, like myself, this books was a superb introduction to life after Diogenes. The only thing left to do now is wait impatiently for the next one!

3 out of 5 stars

It's okay. December 11, 2008
I think I've bought my last Agent Pendergast book. They're getting too bizarre and not very interesting.

4 out of 5 stars

One more wonderful journey in to the world of Pendergast December 8, 2008
From the first book in this series (Relic) to this latest edition, the authors' slow and at times tedious revelation of the protagonist Pendergast is an enthusiastic adventure. At some point I was shocked to realize that I cared more about the main characters development and history than I did about the current plot. True to form, Lincoln and Child drive you through the book from beginning to end, leaving you catching your breath as you close the last page and wondering when you can get you're your hands on the next book (summer 2009).

Though I don't feel that The Wheel of Darkness is the best book the authors have written to date, it is an intriguing look into the agent and his ward, Miss Green. The Pendergast series is not for everyone, however. The pots are complex, the main characters eccentric, and they tend to the extraordinary and/or supernatural at times. These are not books to relax into. But they are well written and well worth the time if you have it; just don't plan on putting them down after an hour or two.