The Vanishing Tribe

Rogue Angel #42

by Alex Archer (pseudonym)

A lost city. A missing tribe. And treasure beyond imagining…

When archaeologist Annja Creed attends an auction in Botswana featuring personal effects of an infamous explorer, she purchases a small and seemingly unremarkable piece of art. It's not until the explorer's son makes a desperate attempt to steal it that Annja uncovers the secret of the painting…or rather, the secret map behind the painting.

The map points to the Lost City of the San tribe, bushmen who had long ago disappeared off the face of the planet and whose city—so legend has it—was once littered with diamonds. But is the map an epic archaeological discovery or a fantastic work of fiction? Compelled to find out, Annja must face not only the perils of the African bush, but a treacherous son determined to take back his father's greatest legacy…...no matter what the cost.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Adventure, Fiction, Audiobook, Action, Mystery

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 2, 2013

About the author

A house name for the Rogue Angel series, published by the Harlequin Publishing's Gold Eagle division.

The first eight novels were written by Victor Milan and Mel Odom. New writers joining the series starting with book nine include Jon Merz and Joseph Nassise.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the forty-second Rogue Angel adventure and was the seventh (including the immediately preceding #41) that was written by Joseph Nassise, who went on to write three more- all under the house pseudonym Alex Archer, of course. Annja Creed is an archaeologist and historian who appears on a syndicated television program called Chasing History's Monsters. She's also the heir to the blade and power of Joan of Arc. This one has major input from one of the two Joan-adjacent guys, Garin, who accompanies Annja for part of the story, but Roux has little influence. Annja is in Africa, attends an auction in Botswana, and purchases a painting owned by a famous old explorer which turns out to be a disguised map leading to a lost civilization. There's a group determined to get the map away from her, elephants are involved (Tantor is a fine elephant name!), and the promise of a lost horde of diamonds. Her camera man is wearing a red shirt, again, but does make it out alive for a change. It's a very Burroughs or Haggard-like adventure, perhaps why it's one of my favorites. In between all of the Lara Croft/Indiana Jones/Sara Pezzini trappings there's some good character development, interesting historical speculation, and a quick read with an interesting story. And another nifty Tim Bradstreet cover, though I'm not sure what's up with Annja's normally well-kempt hair.

[John Hanscom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe even more. There was less archeology and more action, but the action was VERY exciting.

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I liked this one. The story is not that convoluted. But gosh, Annja is like the Bringer of Doom! At least her cameraman didn't die this time. And Garin just helping her for a dinner date? And promising not the keep the Diamond? Seems a bit too tame for him.

[Hilary · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is #42 in a series? I guess that explains why there's no depth to the characters, no character development, why Annja just racks up the plot points (sorry, I mean "deciphers the clues") and why the bad guys just whip out yet another plot twist like conveniently bugging them when they're ziptied and imprisoned to make sure they keep up.

Got about halfway through and just abandoned it because I really didn't care, and I had something else to read.

[Laurla2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

paperback 314 pages.

-3 stars.
multi-author series, this one written by joe nassise.
hard to believe i've read 42 of these books now. goodreads says there's currently 60.

i didn't care for all the elephant killing.

whoever messed with annja's hair on the book cover did a horrible job.

[Amanda Stanzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good quick read. I started reading it while waiting in lines at a comic con. It held my attention. I like the Rogue Angel books.

[Lianne Burwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a departure for Annja. She's off to Africa! Most of the books stay in the US, or they are set in Asia or Europe (and a trip to Australia). I can't remember any of the others being set *in* Africa.

And this one involves the classic tropes of a lost tribe, a hidden city, and a vanished explorer who left behind cryptic clues of where he went, as well as a greedy, estranged son. Mind you, the explorer vanished less than a decade earlier.

And we also get Annja working on her show. Although I do wonder what she had to show for it in the end, since she had to leave her injured camera man behind, and she doesn't film anything herself. And in the end, she isn't very inclined to reveal what she found.

A fun outing with Annja Creed

[Stasia Bruhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annja decides to go to a auction where they are selling the personal effects of Robert Humphrey-A highly respected adventurer.On a whim she buys a small drawing which clearly the explorer's son wants but why?By accident she finds a map to the Lost city of the San tribe.A tribe who had long ago disappeared off the face of the planet.In true Annja style she follows clues while people try to kill her(Don't they always).Loved the story how the elephant was created and Tantor's death was sad.

Some of these books are hit and miss but this is a excellent one in the series..Highly recommend this one if U are a Annja fan:)

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love learning about real history and the possibilities of what could be. Though this is obviously not the first "lost" civilizations she's "found", it's definitely the friendliest.