Most Popular Books by Dustin Thomason

From the co-author of the two-million copy mega-bestseller The Rule of Four comes a riveting thriller with a brilliant premise based on the 2012 apocalypse phenomenon—perfect for readers of Steve Berry, Preston and Child, and Dan Brown. For decades, December 21, 2012, has been a touchstone for doomsayers worldwide. It is the date, they claim, when the ancient Maya calendar predicts the world will end. In Los Angeles, two weeks before, all is calm. Dr. Gabriel Stanton takes his usual morning bike ride, drops off the dog with his ex-wife, and heads to the lab where he studies incurable prion diseases for the CDC. His first phone call is from a hospital resident who has an urgent case she thinks he needs to see. Meanwhile, Chel Manu, a Guatemalan American researcher at the Getty Museum, is interrupted by a desperate, unwelcome visitor from the black market antiquities trade who thrusts a duffel bag into her hands. By the end of the day, Stanton, the foremost expert on some of the rarest infections in the world, is grappling with a patient whose every symptom confounds and terrifies him. And Chel, the brightest young star in the field of Maya studies, has possession of an illegal artifact that has miraculously survived the centuries intact: a priceless codex from a lost city of her ancestors. This extraordinary record, written in secret by a royal scribe, seems to hold the answer to her life’s work and to one of history’s great riddles: why the Maya kingdoms vanished overnight. Suddenly it seems that our own civilization might suffer this same fate. With only days remaining until December 21, 2012, Stanton and Chel must join forces before time runs out. Advance praise for 12.21 “Dustin Thomason, M.D., will invariably be compared to Michael Crichton, M.D., and 12.21 will be favorably compared to The Andromeda Strain. Both authors have written first-rate medical thrillers, the kind of fact-based fiction that is very scary but also very entertaining. Thomason knows his stuff, and it shows on every page. I truly could not put this book down.”—Nelson DeMille “The most exciting novel of its kind since the days of Michael Crichton, 12.21 takes us from the frontiers of modern neuroscience to the riddles of ancient Maya texts, with nothing less than the future of our civilization at stake.”—Vince Flynn “A fast-moving tale . . . Thomason displays an impressive depth of knowledge of both science and the ancient Mayan way of life. Along the way, he skillfully ramps up the action, one notch at a time. A winning book.”—Kirkus Reviews “Fascinating, terrifying for its potential realism. I loved how tightly everything fit together. I had to keep reading.”—Taylor Stevens, New York Times bestselling author of The Informationist “Fast, suspenseful . . . Michael Crichton fans will find a lot to like.”—Publishers Weekly

“One part The Da Vinci Code, one part The Name of the Rose and one part A Separate Peace . . . a smart, swift, multitextured tale that both entertains and informs.”—San Francisco Chronicle NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Princeton. Good Friday, 1999. On the eve of graduation, two friends are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. Famous for its hypnotic power over those who study it, the five-hundred-year-old Hypnerotomachia may finally reveal its secrets—to Tom Sullivan, whose father was obsessed with the book, and Paul Harris, whose future depends on it. As the deadline looms, research has stalled—until a vital clue is unearthed: a long-lost diary that may prove to be the key to deciphering the ancient text. But when a longtime student of the book is murdered just hours later, a chilling cycle of deaths and revelations begins—one that will force Tom and Paul into a fiery drama, spun from a book whose power and meaning have long been misunderstood. “Profoundly erudite . . . the ultimate puzzle-book.”—The New York Times Book Review

Hace 500 años un hombre fue asesinado por proteger el secreto de un misterioso manuscrito codificado que guardaba los secretos de un autor desconocido... Princeton, Viernes Santo de 1999. A punto de graduarse, dos estudiantes de la prestigiosa universidad, se encuentran a un paso de resolver los misterios de la «Hypnerotomachia Poliphili», un libro escrito por un noble renacentista que ha tenido fascinados e intrigados a los académicos desde el momento de su publicación en 1499. Para uno de ellos, Tom Sullivan, su investigación constituye un vínculo con su pasado -su padre ya había investigado el libro antes de morir- y un obstáculo en su relación sentimental. El otro, Paul Harris, lo ha convertido en su obsesión, su razón para vivir. Cuando parece que la investigación se encalla de nuevo, aparece un diario que se creía perdido y que contiene una prueba definitiva. Horas más tarde, otro estudiante implicado en las pesquisas aparece asesinado y Paul y Tom se enfrentan con el hecho de que no son los únicos que andan detrás de tan inquietante misterio. Reseñas: «Piensen en una fusión entre Dan Brown, Donna Tart y Umberto Eco. El enigma del cuatro contiene asesinatos, historias de amor, peligro y descubrimientos, y al final los protagonistas no sólo corren para resolver el misterio, sino para salvar sus vidas.» Publishers Weekly «Si ScottFitzgerald, Umberto Eco y Dan Brown se hubieran juntado para escribir una novela, el resultado sería El enigma del cuatro. Un logro extraordinario e inteligente: hay que leerlo.» Nelson DeMille

Depuis 1499, des savants tentent de décoder un chef-d''œuvre de la Renaissance, Le Songe de Poliphile. Ecrit en cinq langues, orné de gravures érotiques et violentes, ce texte a résisté à tous les assauts, brisé des destins, des amitiés et des vies. Pourtant, deux étudiants de Princeton osent s''y mesurer et, au fil de messages cachés, découvrent l''histoire d''un prince du Quattrocento et l''existence d''une crypte secrète qui recèle des trésors inouïs. Ils croyaient échapper à la malédiction de cette énigme. Mais pour la défendre, certains sont prêts à mourir et à tuer.

12-21is the first solo novel from Dustin Thomason; the co-author of 4 million- copy-bestsellerThe Rule of Four. An ancient prophecy foretells that the world would end on 21 December 2012 . . . Deep in the jungles of Central America, an indigenous man discovers a unique and priceless treasure - a beautifully painted codex that has survived for centuries within the ruins of an undiscovered ancient Maya city. Knowing that this rare artifact could be worth millions, the looter smuggles it into the US - but unbeknownst to him, he has brought something far more dangerous across the border . . . In the first week of December 2012, the codex finds its way into the hands of the Antiquities Curator of the Getty Museum, Chel Manu, the world authority on ancient Mayan inscriptions. She is torn between her duty to alert the authorities and this once in a lifetime chance to translate the codex herself. Meanwhile - in an LA hospital, an unidentified man is dying of Fatal Insomnia, a rare and highly infectious neurological disease. The patient speaks only in a garbled Mayan dialect - and Chel Manu is called in to interpret his dying words . . . just as countless others in the city begin to show signs of infection. Within days the world seems to be unravelling, hurtling towards the prophesied apocalypse . . . and deciphering the codex is the only hope for humanity . . .

Un codex vieux de plus de 1 000 ans Une épidémie qui tient la planète en éveil Deux mystères à résoudre... AVANT LA FIN DU MONDE 11 décembre 2012. Le docteur Gabriel Stanton, éminent chercheur au Centre de contrôle des maladies infectieuses, contemple d’un air incrédule les graffi tis annonçant la fi n du monde qu’une bande d’illuminés a disséminés sur les murs de Los Angeles. Ce jour-là, pourtant, ses certitudes les plus profondes seront ébranlées. Un nouveau patient, s’exprimant dans une langue inconnue, présente des symptômes qui le terrifi ent : insomnie prolongée, sueurs, crises d’épilepsie, hallucinations, pupilles minuscules... C’est une maladie à prions, le pire – la contamination – est à craindre. Au même moment, Chel Manu, spécialiste de la civilisation maya, se voit confi er par un trafi quant d’antiquités un codex inestimable, vieux de mille ans. Déchiffrer un tel manuscrit serait le couronnement de sa carrière. Mais l’intérêt historique s’efface devant l’urgence : ce vestige du passé se révèle indispensable pour enrayer les épidémies du présent. Car il recèle la clé du mystère de l’anéantissement des royaumes mayas. Et, peut-être, de la menace qui pèse désormais sur l’humanité tout entière.

21 Dicembre 2012 Un''antica profezia Un''epidemia che dilaga. Una corsa per salvare il mondo.

Een student raakt bezeten van een waardevol, cryptisch en tot nu toe onontcijferbaar Italiaans boek uit de 15e eeuw.

Vier Studenten aus Princeton werden in den Bann eines Buches aus der Renaissance gezogen, das ein lebensgefährliches Geheimnis birgt. Stecken dahinter auch die Morde auf dem Campus?

Noch ahnt niemand, dass sich in Los Angeles eine verheerende Epidemie anbahnt, als am 11.12.2012 im Getty Museum ein uralter Kodex der Mayas auftaucht und in einem Krankenhaus ein aus Guatemala stammender junger Indio an einer seltenen Prionenerkrankung stirbt.

Roman policier

Een mysterieuze Mayatekst verbergt een geheim, terwijl een slaapziekte zich tot een dodelijke epidemie ontwikkelt. Wanneer antropologe Chel Manu een oude Mayacodex in handen krijgt waarvan het bestaan onbekend was, kan zij haar geluk niet op. Maar korte tijd later sterft de man van wie zij de tekst kreeg een gruwelijke dood. Niet ver daarvandaan krijgt viroloog Gabriel Stanton een patiënt te zien met verschijnselen van Fatale familiale insomnie. Deze zeer zeldzame slaapziekte is genetisch bepaald, maar vreemd genoeg lijkt deze man de ziekte plotseling te hebben opgedaan. De ziekte ontwikkelt zich ook veel sneller dan zou moeten en binnen enkele dagen sterft de man. Wanneer kort achter elkaar meerdere patiënten met dezelfde verschijnselen worden opgenomen, blijkt dat het om een dodelijk virus gaat. Een virus waartegen geen genezing mogelijk is. Stanton krijgt de leiding over een team dat een geneesmiddel moet ontwikkelen voordat eerst Los Angeles, maar daarna wellicht het hele land en de rest van de wereld, ten onder zal gaan aan deze epidemie. Intussen vordert Chel langzaam met de vertaling van de Maya tekst en komt ze erachter wat zich in het verleden heeft afgespeeld. Ligt hierin de sleutel die Stanton nodig heeft voor het afwenden van het einde van de wereld?

Hace cinco siglos, los inquisidores espanoles quemaron mas de 5.000 libros sagrados mayas. Hasta ahora se creia que solo cuatro codices se habian salvado, pero Chel Manu, conservadora de antiguedades del Getty Museum de Los Angeles, acaba de descubrir un quinto manuscrito, el unico que narra el terrible final de aquella civilizacion. Mientras tanto, un hombre ha sido ingresado en el Hospital Presbiteriano con sintomas de insomnio fatal. Gabriel Stanton, una de las principales autoridades del mundo en la investigacion de enfermedades relacionadas con los priones, se enfrenta a un escenario sorprendente: las victimas de ese extrano mal se multiplican y la cura podria esconderse en el codice que Chel Manu intenta descifrar. 21-12 es una carrera contrarreloj que absorbera al lector con su ritmo implacable y los secretos que alberga. Tal vez la respuesta al fin del mundo se esconda en el interior de sus paginas.

Two Princeton University seniors are struggling to solve the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a cryptic text that has baffled scholars for 500 years. When a long-lost clue surfaces, they have a chance to decipher the final secret. But when a fellow scholar of the text is murdered for knowing too much, Tom and Paul make a frightening realization - they know even more.

aTwo Princeton University seniors are struggling to solve the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a cryptic text that has baffled scholars for 500 years. When a long-lost clue surfaces, they have a chance to decipher the final secret. But when a fellow scholar of the text is murdered for knowing too much, Tom and Paul make a frightening realization - they know even more.

På Princeton i New Jersey arbejder Paul Harris intenst på sit speciale om et gådefuldt skrift fra 1497: "Hypnerotomachia". I takt med gådernes løsning sker der voldsomme og dramatiske ting omkring ham

Een student raakt bezeten van een waardevol, cryptisch en tot nu toe onontcijferbaar Italiaans boek uit de vijftiende eeuw.

Tom Sullivan og Paul Harris er studenter ved Princeton-universitetet og jobber med å bli ferdig med studiene. Samtidig er de farlig nær å løse mysteriene i Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, en mye omtalt bok fra 1499. De to vennene jobber seg gjennom kodene og gåtene som skjuler seg i boken og ser plutselig teksten i et helt annet lys. Boken inneholder en historie om tro, kjærlighet og vitenskap, men er samtidig en matematisk labyrint. Bokens gåter har ødelagt familier og vennskap, og minst en person er blitt drept for å ha visst for mye. Tom og Paul vet enda mer og innser at dette kan være farlig. Boken tar oss med tilbake til Roma på 1400-tallet og videre frem til livet ved de fineste universitetene i USA, fra et 500 år gammelt mord til oppvekstproblemer.

Two weeks before the end of the world predicted by the ancient, Maya calendar, Dr. Gabriel Stanton receives a call from a hospital resident alerting him to the presence of a patient whose every symptom confounds and terrifies him. Meanwhile, Chel Manu, a Guatemalan American researcher at the Getty Museum, finds herself in possession of an illegal ancient artifact: a priceless codex from a lost city of her ancestors. This record seems to hold the answer to why the Maya kingdoms vanished overnight. Suddenly it seems that our own civilization might suffer this same fate. Stanton and Manu join forces to find answers before time runs out.

Two weeks before the end of the world predicted by the ancient, Maya calendar, Dr. Gabriel Stanton receives a call from a hospital resident alerting him to the presence of a patient whose every symptom confounds and terrifies him. Meanwhile, Chel Manu, a Guatemalan American researcher at the Getty Museum, finds herself in possession of an illegal ancient artifact: a priceless codex from a lost city of her ancestors. This record seems to hold the answer to why the Maya kingdoms vanished overnight. Suddenly it seems that our own civilization might suffer this same fate. Stanton and Manu join forces to find answers before time runs out.

Nas profundezas da floresta centro-americana, um caçador de tesouros descobre um códice precioso, preservado durante séculos nas ruínas de uma cidade maia oculta na vegetação intrincada e exuberante. Sabedor do valor monetário daquele achado, o homem leva-o consigo para os Estados Unidos a fim de o esconder em lugar seguro. Na primeira semana de Dezembro de 2012, o documento é entregue a Chel Manu, curadora de antiguidades no Getty Museum e uma autoridade mundial em paleografia e inscrições maias. Entretanto, num hospital em Los Angeles, um sul-americano não identificado está a morrer de uma doença neurológica rara mas altamente contagiosa. O doente, no seu delírio, exprime-se num dialeto desconhecido, e Stanton, o médico que o assiste, contacta Chel Manu para ela traduzir as palavras do moribundo. Porém a epidemia alastra incontrolavelmente e tudo indica que a célebre profecia apocalíptica baseada no calendário maia poderá vir a cumprir-se. Stanton e Chel juntam esforços, mas resta-lhes muito pouco tempo para decifrar os segredos do códice e tentar impedir o profetizado apocalipse...