“The Atlantis World” by A. G. Riddle – Salvation of the Ancients

A little while ago A. G. Riddle started The Origin Mystery series, captivating the minds, hearts and imaginations of countless science-fiction fans around the world, establishing himself as a modern force in the genre.

In the first two books in the series he took readers through an extravagant adventure involving human genetic manipulation, a race of ancient aliens, a plague to wipe out humankind by forcing its evolution... in short, never a dull moment.

With the third book in the series, The Atlantis World , Riddle finally brings it all to a close as the stakes get raised higher and higher, with the light of salvation dimming ever so quickly.

Before going onwards, I'd just like to say that if you haven't read the other books in the trilogy, then chances are you won't be able to get into this one. The three books tell a continuous story, and it would do you no good to be dropped smack-dab in the middle of it, as you can well imagine.

In any case, the plot picks up where it left off last time for all our characters. To begin with, we have Dr. Kate Warner in Northern Morocco who seems to have managed to cure the global epidemic threatening to wipe out mankind.

However, it seems her efforts failed in curing herself, which is especially bad timing for her to also realize that the Atlantis conspiracy reaches much further than she anticipated.

A new enemy looms on the horizon, dragging with it inevitable doom. When all hope seems lost, Warner receives a coded message... could it be the ally she needs in this darkest hour?

Meanwhile, Mary Caldwell finds her life flipped upside down at the Arecibo observatory. She spent her entire life looking for signs of intelligent life in the stars, and now that it's been found, she finds herself enveloped in a struggle that transcends the human race, one where every step she takes could be her last.

Then we have current events in Antarctica, where Dorian Sloane slaves away for Ares' agenda. Just as he tries to take over, Ares causes a universal cataclysm, and shares his truth with Dorian as to what really threatens humanity.

In the end, with his own personal redemption within reach, Dorian is persuaded to undertake one last mission: assassinate Dr. Kate Warner and David Vale. With the ruthless killer in pursuit. David and Kate must themselves hurry along and race through the ruins of ancient Atlantean ship, a journey that will take them into the long-forgotten past of an ages-old civilization, where the last hope for humanity's survival lives on.

As you can see, the stage is certainly set for a very entertaining finale, with storylines crisscrossing each other and our characters having plenty of surprising interactions. This is where all the questions promise to be answered, all the motivations revealed and mysterious pasts explored to the very end.

We certainly get a whole lot of details and background knowledge about the Atlanteans and what drives them, going on an intergalactic voyage in exploration of their history. That history includes a fair share of epic space battles and amazing alien civilizations, so rest assured that even those segments are never dull.

I do have to admit that the complexity of the plots, their number as well as the quick pacing sometimes make the book a bit difficult to follow, especially considering that we suddenly have to keep track of so many different groups, like the Exiles, the Serpentine Army, the Sentinels and the Atlanteans, just to name a few.

This coupled with somewhat of a lack of character development when compared to the previous books constitute what in my opinion are the book's biggest weaknesses worthy of attention. There is a greater focus on moving the plot along to see everything resolved, and ultimately, while the questions are all answered and the problems resolved, one can't help but feel it was rushed a bit.

However, these flaws aren't nearly enough to take away from the book's qualities, let alone the entire series. Once you adjust your speed to that of the story and get used to it, you'll find yourself swallowing page after page, twist upon twist, always starving to see what surprise will jump out at you next.

It's a fast and furious ride, one you'll most likely finish in a day or two. In the end, while the conclusion to the trilogy does have its faults, it's a worthy one to a trilogy that fans of the genre will remember for a long time to come, one I must recommend to those who read the previous two

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A. G. Riddle Personal site A. G. Riddle is an American author from North Carolina who spent ten years dabbling in the world of internet business before devoting himself to his true passion, fiction writing. The Atlantis Gene is his widely-acclaimed debut novel, having already been translated into over 22 languages and marking the beginning of a bestselling series.