# Preston and Child Rock My Horror World! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055 "2004-02-08T00:48:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/1 "2004-02-08T00:48:44Z")
Give 'em a read, dear friends. Start with **The Relic** and go from there. I won’t give away anything here, but their “good-guy” characters are people you _want_ to know and will feel warm and comfortable with. What makes their work such a great read is that they take the trouble to research and work that research into their work. (So to speak!) Get back to me on who/what Agent Pendergast is! Q ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/2 "2004-02-08T01:43:16Z")
I read _The Relic_ years and years ago. Wasn’t bad, but didn’t impress me enough to keep an eye out for anything else they’ve written. What else have they done, and would you say they’ve tended to improve or to repeat themselves? ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/3 "2004-02-08T02:25:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I read _The Relic_ years and years ago. Wasn’t bad, but didn’t impress me enough to keep an eye out for anything else they’ve written. What else have they done, and would you say they’ve tended to improve or to repeat themselves? Take a look at _Still Life With Crows_ or _Cabinet of Curiosities_. I think you will be pleasantly surprised! Q ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/4 "2004-11-26T17:29:14Z")
Well, now I’m intrigued. I started **Cabinet of Curiosities** last night and am hooked. Interesting characters, good pacing, and an intriguing mystery. No cliches, and similes are few and well-chosen. (Horror writers are **way** too fond of similes for my taste.) So there’s a question about “who/what Pendergast is”? Cool! ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/5 "2004-11-26T19:12:12Z")
Loved these guys from the Relic on. Riptide (the one about the Money Pit) is one I can read over and over again. And Pendergast? Awesome character. I wasn’t aware of a question about “what” he is, though. Enlighten me? Spoilers, most likely. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/6 "2004-11-26T19:16:03Z")
Hey, **Quasi** , I was thinking of starting this very thread. The only reason to read **The Relic** , though, is to get aquainted with Agent Pendergast, who shouldn’t be missed. I think it’s their worst book. **The Ice Limit** , **Thunderhead** , **Cabinet of Curiosities** , **The Codex** and **Riptide** are much, _much_ more fun. I pop 'em like jellybeans. ---
**Author:** ![lachesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@lachesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lachesis)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/7 "2004-11-26T19:58:43Z")
ooo, thanks for the thread! i picked up The Cabinet of Curiosities, loved it to, uh, death and have been meaning to pick up more in the series ever since. this finally gave me some additional titles to be searching for (plus the extra push to actually add it to my “books to find” list). ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/8 "2004-11-27T00:41:38Z")
they are tops. i buy their books as soon as they hit the shelf. they have an interesting message board on their web site. people seem to be ab. fas. by the pendergast group. i also like their solo books. i would add james rollins and matt reilly to the lists of must reads. great action thrillers. ---
**Author:** ![Frankenbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c0e974/32.png) [@Frankenbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankenbear)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/9 "2004-11-27T02:30:18Z")
I’ve read a few of their books; **Cabinet of Curiosities** , **Riptide** , **The Ice Limit** , and **Brimstone**. I enjoyed all of them. Pendergast is one of the best characters. I want to read The Relic but my local library doesn’t have it so it will have to wait until I can order it. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/10 "2005-06-21T22:18:35Z")
… **who** or **what** is Pendergast? I’d be interested in reading your opinions, and if this thread has appeared before , please forgive. I have been away for a while… Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/11 "2005-07-01T22:48:17Z")
Is there really much mystery about Pendergast? I don’t think he’s got crazy origins like Enoch Root in Cryptonomicon. I thought Pendergast came from an abusive (or neglectful, at least) wealthy family, and turned his attentions inward. Having done so, he joined the FBI to put his talents to good use. Is there more to it? ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/12 "2005-07-02T00:09:09Z")
Well, he seems to have pretty much carte blanche from the FBI (he’s said a few times that he gets to pick his cases; though not everyone seems to have gotten the memo (as in _Still Life…_)) but I can’t recall anything that would imply anything unusual about him. He’s remarkably skilled but even so he seems more realistic than most action/adventure heros. (Oh, and a delayed agree with \*_Rocking Chair_ on James Rollins, though I sometimes think his work isn’t as well researched as he would like you to believe.) ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/13 "2005-07-02T00:44:21Z")
If you like Pendergast – and really, how could you not – you might like [**Mystery** , by Peter Straub](http://www.powells.com/biblio?partner_id=27627&cgi=product&isbn=0451168690). Lamont von Heilitz is every bit as cool. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/14 "2005-07-02T00:49:17Z")
I’m reading _Dance of Death_ right now, and it has quite a bit about Pendergast’s family and background in it. I’m quite enjoying it, the only other one I’ve read is _Still Life With Crows_. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/15 "2005-07-02T23:28:32Z")
yep, you do learn a bit more about the pendergast family in dance of death. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preston-and-child-rock-my-horror-world/228055/16 "2005-07-02T23:34:53Z")
I’m currently reading “Brimstone”. My uncle suggested I start the “Pendergast” novels and loaned me “Cabinet…” and “Still Life…”. I’m hooked now. After I get done with the books after “Brimstone” I’m going to go back to the first novels Pendergast was in. He quickly became one of my favorite literary characters. But it’s not only him. The other characters are interesting as well.