The journey was wonderful, but much more cluttered than it had to be. Although I assume Hancock wanted to gather as much supporting evidence as possible, I became bogged down in the seemingly endless list of examples of many different points he was making. If there are cultures that had advanced understanding of astronomy, I need only read about a couple in depth and maybe have others cited in a list. I don't need to read exhaustively about each and every one, and Hancock repeats this pattern quite a few times. I found myself wanting to skip ahead 100 pages so I could get to the next point to be made.

Still, if condensed, the journey is very pleasant and I found myself challenged toward the end when he discusses how, if our own civilization was going to be wiped out, and we knew about it, we would let future civilizations know when ours was in the grand scheme of history. The possibilities he puts forth are entirely logical and provide the 'link' the reader searches for in the previous 500 pages.

In closing, I feel compelled to mention that, contrary to some reviews I've read here, Hancock does NOT draw iron-clad conclusions or make wild claims as to an upcoming apocalypse. He merely points out how other cultures may have guaged periods of time and the rise and fall of their civilizations and what that knowledge would mean if extended to the present. I would also point out that the 'flaws' others claim exist in Hancock's logic are no different than the ones that have become popularly accepted as facts. When you challenge the status quo, you invite criticism from the establishment and Hancock understands this probably better than anyone.


Incredible, my favorite book of all time   June 27, 1998
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Perhaps once every 500 years a person comes along who opens new doors and challenges the conventional wisdom. And of course, the majority of people and the scientific establishment consider this to heretical. No one piece of evidence that this book provides means a whole lot alone. But the entire work presents a convincing case that something has been seriously overlooked in our evaluation of human history. For those who doubt the validity of this work, please keep in mind that a substantial group of geologists supports the water erosion theory of the sphinx and that at least some of these ideas have held up under the scientific peer review process. Whether you believe or not, I do, and Mr. Hancock presents a convincing case that events in human history are approaching a climax.


Be warned and prepared before December 2012   June 24, 1998
Maybe not all full proof, but certainly enough to start some deeper investigation. Sometimes after a first read too unbelievable, but after some thinking ... you say "Yes of course!".

Just hope our "civilisation" (? if you can call it civilisation ?) is a little further than the one 15000 years ago !


Free thought--at last!   June 16, 1998
This is more than 'just a book'. Indeed, it's fresh air. Enough scientists have hashed and re-hashed the obvious and the incorrent long enough. Handcock, in this book, asks the now important questions, and begins to put together the pieces of a puzzle we must finish. And he does it well. This book is not only well informed of our ancient (and important) past but comprehensive as well. If you are anywhere from curious to obsessed about our (the human race's) incredible past, of all the hundreds of new-age books out there, I'd be hard-pressed to find a better, more educated beginning than this. It's a perfect guide with which to begin a journey into our unknown past.