Hundreds of years ago, the Incas hid gold and silver worth millions somewhere in the mountain chain called Llanganatis in Ecuador. In “The Lost Inca Gold,” a student named Tom finds himself somehow in the middle of a huge search to find the gold. Tom is one who never believes in himself, even though he is quite brilliant, and he is always uncomfortable coming out of his “box” because he believes he will fail. Tom’s talents lie in the fields of archaeology and computers. He is recruited by another brilliant mind in the field of archaeology who is a professor at Yale, to become a part of this quest to find the lost treasure.

 

While Tom, his new girlfriend Jenny, and Dr. Westhoven start to combine their skills and come up with a computer program that will help them find the gold in one of many possible lakes in the mountains where it is believed to have been dropped, none of the three has any idea what they are really getting into or whom they are really dealing with. As the group starts to plan and combine technology and artificial intelligence with their own talents and beliefs, things seem to get even harder and more confusing. Not knowing the truth about the other partners or what is going to happen, they just concentrate on one thing at a time and attempt to figure out where the gold could possibly be before the actual expedition to these remote mountains happens.

“The Lost Inca Gold” is an intricate, exciting, and different look at a legend and search that has been talked about throughout history. Mr. Wood has created a very well-woven plot that will keep the reader riveted to the pages as they clamor to see what will happen next. It is part technology, part adventure, and a whole lot of mystery wrapped into one. The characters are all very well-developed. Some, like the mysterious Omar and Tarek, are ones that the reader will never be quite sure of as they wait to find out what they are up to. Others, like Tom and Jenny, are very relatable and believable. Readers cannot help but like them and root for them.

 

There are two things that really stand out in the story besides the excellent plot. One is the descriptive writing…from the University of Maine campus in Orono, to the small Vermont town Jenny is from, to the dangerous and mysterious Llanganatis mountains, each location is perfectly presented and anyone reading about them in the book will feel as if they are right there.

 

The second thing I enjoyed was that the scientific information, including the programs and tools that were being used, were presented in a very understandable manner, which made it perfect for someone like me who would have absolutely no clue what was happening if it became too technical.

The Lost Inca Gold: AI Meets Space Archaeology by William R. Wood, Jr. is definitely one of the best books I have read in a while and I highly recommend it to everyone, regardless of what genre you are partial to. It will keep you on the edge of your seat as you turn the pages. What more could a reader want? 5 Stars!!

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