The Sign And The Seal

Graham Hancock has built up a considerable following with his fascinating titles uncovering some of the most arcane secrets in history. His greatest obsession, however, led him to give up nine years of his life in order to find the exact location of the Ark of the Covenant. Unsurprisingly, the reader is often reminded of the pulse-pounding adventure of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and it's a measure of Hancock's skill that a non-fiction title like this has all the compulsive readability of a thriller. The concept of a quest is a recurrent theme in human history, and Hancock's conflation of travelogue, compelling narrative, the disclosure of hidden facts (not to mention the imagination-stretching borders of the possible) are the elements that make his work so popular. He marshals his arguments with real skill, and even those who don't believe a word will find it hard to put down. But his most singular achievement is in the drawing together of the various strands that lead to the resolution of the mystery. Here, as in many high adventure writer from Rider Haggard onwards, Hancock really delivers the goods. (Kirkus UK)