Book Log 2009 #7: The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry

The latest Cotton Malone thriller sees him dash around Europe and down to Antarctica to solve a puzzle involving Charlemagne and the possible existence of an advanced civilization that may also provide insight into the death of his father, a submariner. His foe is an ambitious Navy admiral whose is paving his path to the White House with the corpses of anyone who may get in his way - Malone included.

I think I liked this book more when I was actually reading it than I do now. The actual pursuit was not particularly involved, though it did feature historical structure-damaging gunplay, which is apparently required in this series. Rather than bring in the supporting characters from previous books, Malone goes on the pursuit with two sisters whose father also died in the sub accident that claimed Malone's dad, and that whole part of the book feels kind of clunky. To top it off, Malone never faces off with the book's real villain, a task that's seconded to Malone's former boss at the State Department and a White House national security deputy, who are likely to be married by the sixth installment of the series (as yet unnanounced, though it'll have a title like The Burgundian Deceit).

So while I don't know if I'd really recommend the book, if you've read others in the series I don't think you'd be particularly disappointed.