Journal Entry 1 by morsecode from Buffalo, New York USA on Thursday, February 16, 2006

Book description:
About to depart on his first vacation in years, Edward Wozny, a hotshot young investment banker, is sent to help one of his firm's most important and mysterious clients. His task is to search their library stacks for a precious medieval codex, a treasure kept sealed away for many years and for many reasons. Enlisting the help of passionate medievalist Margaret Napier, Edward is determined to solve the mystery of the codex-to understand its significance to his wealthy clients, and to decipher the seeming parallels between the legend of the codex and an obsessive role-playing computer game that has absorbed him in the dark hours of the night.

The chilling resolution brings together the medieval and the modern aspects of the plot in a twist worthy of earning comparisons to novels by William Gibson and Dan Brown, not to mention those by A. S. Byatt and Umberto Eco. Lev Grossman's Codex is a thriller of the highest order.

I received this copy from my lovely secret cupid, nwpassage.
I noticed that a number of other people also have the book on their wishlists so I'm offering it as a book ring. 

Journal Entry 2 by morsecode from Buffalo, New York USA on Friday, February 17, 2006

Journal Entry 3 by moondawgger from Carlsbad, California USA on Saturday, February 25, 2006

This book was waiting for me in my mailbox when I got home tonight. I was 60 pages into The Egyptologist, but I've set that book aside so I can read, review and send this bookring on to the next person on the list. I've been curious about this book for quite a while. Thanks, morsecode, for including me in your bookring. 

Journal Entry 4 by moondawgger from Carlsbad, California USA on Friday, March 03, 2006

Wow. What a fun book!

I'm a little surprised at how much I liked this book, given the mixed reviews I'd read before stumbling onto morsecode's bookring. And, well, go figure, but this is now one of my favorite books this year.

Who'da thunk!

I've always made a pact between myself and the author of every book I've ever read: I'll suspend disbelief and I'll buy into your characters and all your eyebrow-arching, credibility-stretching twists and turns if you'll knock me out with a good story ... if you'll entertain me ... if you'll keep me coming back for more.

Well, I thought this book was terrifically entertaining --- a good, solid, enjoyable read --- and it certainly kept me coming back for more.

This Lev Grossman guy really knows how to write and he tells an absorbingly-good, intricately-woven story. (How do people come up with these ideas?!)

I was completely caught up in both of the two disparate worlds in this book ... the truly weird but fascinating story of the lord in the 14th century codex and the unfolding gameplay in the MOMUS video game.

I was also intrigued by how the authors of medieval literature sometimes slipped coded messages into their books.

I suspect some people will feel the ending was a little rushed or anticlimactic, although it didn't really bother me because I was having such a great time with the book ... my end of the bargain with the author. (smile)

(And, actually, I personally think that if more people made that little pact with the author they'd enjoy their books more.)

On my rating scale this probably falls somewhere between an 8 and 9, but I'm rounding up instead of down in this case because I really like the way this guy writes. I'll be really interested to see what everyone else thinks about this book.

Thanks, moresecode. I had a great time.

UPDATE: I mailed the book (March 4) to Lpree in Nebraska. 

Journal Entry 5 by Lpree from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Friday, March 10, 2006

This arrived in today's mail. Thanks for the cool bookmark! I've got a few other bookrings ahead of this, but I'll read it as soon as I can. I'm looking forward to reading this! 

Journal Entry 6 by Lpree from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Tuesday, April 11, 2006

I finished this over the weekend. I thought the story was pretty entertaining, kept me interested throughout, if only to find out the whole explanation at the end. Unfortunately, the end was really disappointing. I'm still not sure what really happened. It seemed to be thrown together at the last minute. Oh well...

I'll get this mailed out this week. Thanks for sharing it! 

Journal Entry 7 by shpriz1 from Brooklyn, New York USA on Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Received it safe and sound. Thank you. I look forward to reading it. 

Journal Entry 8 by shpriz1 from Brooklyn, New York USA on Friday, May 05, 2006

I can't say that I really enjoyed this book. I like parts of it. The history of bookmaking that was thrown here and there was amasing. I could have certainly survived without reading chapter upon chapter about playing some computer game (even if it somehow ties to the story itself). The ending made me really angry. I alsmot threw the book out the window. I felt like I was cheated. I was hoping for some explanations, instead, I was left hanging. It is almost like there should be another book, a sequel to this one. At one poing I even thought that whoever printed the book has left several pages out. It was a good ride while I was reading the book, but I would love to get to my "destination", and in this case I am stuck "in traffic" indefinitely.
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The book is on its way to Kislany in Cyprus. 

Journal Entry 9 by Kislany on Friday, May 12, 2006

Thanks a lot, received it today. I'll make it on of my next reads and then journal back here. 

Journal Entry 10 by Kislany on Saturday, May 13, 2006

Oh shoot, I found the book at the May Fair today, bought it along with a bunch of other books, 1 pound each, so I will send this to Magika next week, as soon as I got her address. With my huge TBR pile, there's no reason to keep this book since I now have my own copy to read at leasure.
Thanks morsie for including me in the ring though. 

Journal Entry 11 by Kislany at Mailed to BC member in Mailed to another BC member, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (5/18/2006 UTC) at Mailed to BC member in Mailed to another BC member, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Enjoy :) 

Journal Entry 12 by Magika on Saturday, May 27, 2006

Arrived safe and sound, thanks. I'll start reading it this evening. 

Journal Entry 13 by Magika on Wednesday, June 07, 2006

I really enjoyed this book. Very well written, and although the story moves rather slowly (no breath-taking scenes), I found it extremely hard to put down. I was as absorbed with the book as the main character was with his computer game. ;-)

I can understand that some people feel the ending left a bit to be desired, but it didn't bother me that much. I felt I had got the answers I wanted, and although I'd have liked to know what happened to Edward afterwards, I'm pretty sure he made the right decision for himself. I was only sad the book was finished. :-)

Thanks morsecode, for sharing this thoroughly enjoyable book!

Sending off to sunlightbub ASAP.

Update 09.06.06: Mailed today. 

Journal Entry 14 by sunlightbub from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Friday, June 23, 2006

It's here!!! Thanks Morsie and all..I've 2 rings in front of this one and the Uncon next week, but I should get it out in a month give or take!! 

Journal Entry 15 by sunlightbub from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Saturday, July 22, 2006

Quick update!
SOrry, I've had this too long but I'm off work for 2 weeks, so it's coming on holiday wth me..I'll get it back out asap. 

Journal Entry 16 by sunlightbub from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Monday, August 14, 2006

So sorry it's taken me so long to read this. I have now finished it but I just didn't have the time to sit and read big chunks of it in a go, which I think it warranted.
I enjoyed the begining, got a bit bored in the middle, then it picked up to be let down by, for me, an fulfilling ending..A bit like one of those 'and he woke up and it was all a bad dream' stories which you write in primary school.
The premise was good..I like a good treasure hunt, heck I enjoyed the Da Vinci Code book and movie, but I just felt there was something lacking.. I will look for other books by the author as I'm sure there are good things to come..thanks for sharing MOrsie and to Magika for sending it on to the UK.

Jaffa has pm's turned off so assuming they want to be skipped..Will pm next in line. 

Journal Entry 17 by moraelyn from Rialto, California USA on Thursday, December 07, 2006

I didn't realize that I never journaled this when it came in!! I'm so sorry.

It arrived safely awhile ago. And it a long time to finish it. I just didn't find it very interesting. After 100 pages I almost put it down, but told myself it was going to get better. And again after 200 pages. I really did not think the characters ever became real for me. It was very one-dimensional and hard to care about anything that was going on.

I think the only reason I finished was to see if it finally came together in the end. And I don't think it did. I think I was more confused by the ending than the rest of it! I've never given a book a 1, but I seriously considered it for this book, just for wasting my time. After reading The DaVinci Code, (which was well done IMHO), and The Rule of Four (which is OK), I felt this book was poorly done. In fact it seemed more like The Rule of Four than it should have.

Ah well, thank you Morse for lending this book out. I hope you enjoy it more than I.

I will send this out as soon as I get an address from PaigeTurner. 

Journal Entry 18 by lostbookisland on Thursday, August 16, 2007

This book has washed ashore at the Lost Book Island after not being heard from for many months. This new arrival will be shown to a room and be allowed a bit of rest before being introduced to the many fun things to do here at the island.

All around there are books sipping cool drinks under shady palms while other books participate in a wide variety of beach sports. There is plenty of sand, surf and sun here for all of the lost and wayward books to enjoy.

It is hoped that very soon a new journal entry will come to rescue this book from the island and send it back out into the BookCrossing world so that it may continue on its journey. It is hoped that the new journal entry will tell all the interested parties where this book has been this long time and where it will be traveling to next.