Relic (novel)
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- This article is about a fictional novel. For other uses, please see Relic (disambiguation).
Relic is a 1995 novel by Douglas J. Preston and Lincoln Child. It received critical praise, and was a New York Times Bestseller. As a techno-thriller, it commented on the possibilities inherent in genetic manipulation, while also being critical of museums and their role both in society and in the scientific community.
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[edit] Description
Set in and around a fictionalized version of New York City's American Museum of Natural History, NYPD Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta must solve a string of brutal murders that take place inside the museum during the days preceding the opening of "Superstition", a spectacular blockbuster exhibition. Unlike the filmed version, and subsequent books by Lincoln and Child, there is no single "star" of Relic. D'Agosta is a much less important character in the book than he is in the film, while he and all of the following characters more or less share the spotlight.
D'Agosta is aided by a number of people during his investigation including:
- Margo Green, a graduate student,
- Dr. Frock, her advisor,
- William Smithback, Jr., an ambitious journalist who is writing a book about the exhibition for the museum, and
- Dr. Aloysius X. L. Pendergast, a secretive and highly resourceful FBI Special Agent.
Evidence begins to point suspiciously to a doomed expedition undertaken by the museum several years earlier to the Brazilian rainforest in search of the Kothoga tribe. It begins to appear that the cause of the murders is Mbwun, the Kathoga's crazed lizard god— a relic depicting him is to be shown for the first time at the upcoming exhibition.
It also appears that several museum leaders had known about previous murders on the museum's premises, and that they had conspired to keep these murders a secret so as not to damage the reputation of the museum.
[edit] Sequel novel
Relic was followed by the bestselling sequel, Reliquary in 1998.
The seminal Pendergast, who is introduced in Relic, also appears in several of Preston's and Lincoln's following novels, along with Smithback and D' Agosta.
[edit] Film adaptation
A film based on the book was released in 1997, but changed several aspects of the book, omitting numerous characters and changing the setting to the Chicago Museum of Natural History rather than the New York Museum of Natural History (fictional but strongly based on the American Museum of Natural History). The film is directed by Peter Hyams and stars Penelope Ann Miller as Margo Green, Tom Sizemore as Lt. D'agosta, and Linda Hunt as Dr. Ann Cuthbert. Key points of the plot are given away throughout the duration of the film. In the novel, the explanation is given in the last few pages, giving the novel a twist ending. Although the movie does also sport a similar twist during its climax, it is the culmination of various plot points which lessens the impact for which the book is so well-known.
[edit] Changes from the novel
| Name | Character description from the novel | Character description from the film |
| Margo Green | Is brunette, shy, reserved, and somewhat “nerdy” | Is brownish blonde, feisty, and assertive. In addition, she kills the monster |
| Lt. Vincent D’Agosta | Chubby, and approaching early middle age; disdainful of superstitions | Is younger and more athletic. Also extremely superstitious |
| Dr. Frock | Survives by hiding in an office | Gets killed by the monster |
| Dr. Ian Cuthbert | Survives a close encounter with the monster, at the expense of his sanity | Changed to a female character, Dr. Ann Cuthbert, played by actress Linda Hunt. |
| Gregory Kawakita | An intellectual loner, prefers to research on his own. Born in Japan, raised in Britain. Figures out what the monster really is and how it ended up in the museum | Is renamed Greg Lee. Chinese-American. Depicted as obsequious and back-stabbing |
| Agent Pendergast | Smooth-talking, urbane, and extremely clever FBI Agent from New Orleans | Written off, role replaced by that of Vincent D’Agosta |
| The Museum Monster | Named "Mbwun". Description, at best, is a "scaly primate." Characterized by an unusual smell. Was also much stealthier. Received more sympathy in the novel; both Margo and Ian Cuthbert described it as "lonely" and "sad" | Named "Kothoga". Is more massive and somewhat insect-like. There was also very little sympathy towards it. |
