This is the “official novel of Naughty Dog’s award-winning videogram franchise.” Having said that – I’ve never seen, much less played, the game. I read this because Golden wrote it.

Nathan Drake, our sometime hero, is a treasure hunter. His old friend, Sully, who taught him everything about the antiquities acquisition business, needs his help. A world-famous archaeologist, has been murdered. Along with the dead man’s beautiful daughter, Jada, they must race around the world to locate ancient ruins and find a mythical treasure before the typically evil powerbroker/businessman and his cold-hearted wife (the daughter’s stepmother) do. Oh, yes…and before the nasty men in black who guard the treasure kill them all.

Yes, of course, this smacks of Indiana Jones. How could anyone write of lost treasure and archaeology and adventure without conjuring up that name? But that doesn’t mean we should turn up our collective noses. This was a fun story. I found fascination in the search for mythical labyrinths including the most famous – the one with the Minotaur guarding it. And it was fun seeing how the Minotaur still existed. And Golden was pretty adroit at teasing us with a mysterious ritual from the past until the climax explained it all.

I think this story teetered on the edge of young adult level reading. It was a good plot and the characters were sufficiently described for this story. And, like I said, a fun story. Sometimes that’s all we need. ~~ Catherine Book

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