Review + Giveaway - 12.21.12 by Killian McRae

TITLE:    12.21.12

AUTHOR:    Killian McRae
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 238 pages
PUBLISHED:   Omnific, 2010
ISBN#:   978-1-936305-53-7
SOURCE:   Received from Author for Review and for Blog Tour



When a statue of the doomed Queen is discovered in an Olmec excavation site in Mexico, Shep rushes to investigate and, hopefully, find the proof that has evaded him for so long. Soon, he finds himself in the middle of the rivalry between the sexy, enigmatic international thief, Victoria Kent, and infamous rumored Russian mobster, Dmitri Kronastia. Both hold pieces to the puzzle that will finally shed light on Cleopatras death, as they vie for Shep's trust and assistance.

As he is drawn further into their world of ancient gods, supernatural powers, and alternative history, little does Shep know that the fate of all humanity may hinge on his ability to discover the truth in between Victoria and Dmitris' fragmented claims and hidden identities. Working to decode the ancient past while attempting to save the future, Shep becomes a common pawn played by forces working to see out a quest older than the pyramids themselves and cloaked by the Mayan prophecy of 12.21.12. 

MY TAKE:    With all of the attention focused on the Mayan calendar and doomsday prophecy, I knew I had to read this book.  I am quite glad I did!

Debut author Killian McRae has managed to weave several ancient legends and actual history into a fantastic modern adventure that keeps the reader riveted until the end.  She makes use of previously unconnected threads such as Biblical teachings, Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, Cleopatra, ancient Mexican/Olmec lore, fantasy, science fiction, geological occurrances, and just plain good storytelling.

The plot moves along at a fast pace as the tale unfolds over one week's time culminating on the prophesized date of 12/21/12.  We travel across oceans and continents with Shep as he tries to solve the mounting mysteries before the world ends as predicted.  The author builds the suspense as she throws new twists and turns at the reader on a continuing basis.   Her obvious dedication to research shines through in the facts and explanations that are offered.  There is also a large dose of humor added which is something I always appreciate, especially if it could be a rather heavy subject.

The characters we meet are well written and fleshed out.  I found myself really caring what happened to Shep, Victoria, Alex and even Dmitri.  A few other surprise appearances are made which keep you on your toes. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good adventure, mystery and a bit of romance.  Be sure to read the interview I had a chance to do earlier with the lovely Killian.  Thank you to Killian and Yara from Once Upon a Twilight for including me on the tour.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, Omnific Publishing

Due to the generosity of Killian and her publisher, we have a copy of 12.21.12 for one lucky reader here at One Book Shy.  To enter:

• Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you think of the Mayan prophecy
• You must be 13 years old or older
• Only citizens of the US and Canada are eligible, no PO Boxes
• You MUST leave your email address in your comment
• Drawing closes 3.21.11
• Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.