The Columbus Affair & The Admiral's Mark

Since Steve Berry's newest book is about to come out, I figured it was time to read his 2012 novel The Columbus Affair (#295).  Of course, in order to do that, I had to bite the bullet and read the short story prequel The Admiral's Mark on my husband's Kindle.

Since so little is actually known about Christopher Columbus (if indeed, that was even his real name), this was obviously fruitful territory for Steve Berry.  He blends an interesting and plausible theory that Columbus was a Jew seeking a safe haven for his Jewish brethren in a mythical Asian land, with a mission to keep a mysterious treasure entrusted to his care on their behalf safe in the New World.

There are many myths swirling around Columbus and an unfound treasure trove.  Some think it's a lost gold mine, others think the treasure is far more significant.  A modern day search is on when a zealous Austrian Jew determines to find it, no matter the cost.  Only Tom Sagan, a disgraced and discredited Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, stands between Zachariah Simon and his goal.  Tom wouldn't be interested in helping Simon, except for the fact that Simon is holding Tom's estranged daughter hostage.

Berry's usual protagonist, Cotton Malone, only appears in The Admiral's Mark, set a number of years before The Columbus Affair takes place.  The Magellan Billet still plays a role here, but the focus of this story is Tom Sagan.  The danger to his daughter Alle forces him into painful and difficult decisions as secrets are uncovered in Florida, Jamaica and Austria with personal and international implications.  The plot moves along briskly, and Berry has created some interesting characters in this one, especially the Jamaican Bene Rowe and Rabbi Berlinger.

Since The Admiral's Mark was available only as an e-book, I did read that first, but it was just a reminder to me of how much I don't enjoy reading electronically.  I was surprised at how heavy it was.  It took some effort to hold it comfortably for very long.  My husband claims I will eventually be dragged however unwillingly into the e-book world, but I'll continue to put off that day as long as humanly possible!