Splinter Effect, Andrew Ludington
Splinter Effect, Andrew Ludington
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Splinter Effect
A Novel

Author: Andrew Ludington

Series: Splinter Effect Book #1

Narrator: Roger Wayne

Unabridged: 9 hr 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/18/2025


Synopsis

In Splinter Effect, an action-packed debut by Andrew Ludington, time traveling archaeologist Rabbit Ward maneuvers through the past to recover a long-lost, precious menorah hidden in ancient Rome.

Smithsonian archaeologist Rabbit Ward travels through time on sponsored expeditions to the past to secure precious artifacts moments before they are lost to history. Although exceptional at his job, Rabbit is not without faults. In a spectacular failure twenty years ago, he lost both the menorah of the second temple and his hot-headed mentee, Aaron. So, when new evidence reveals the menorah’s reappearance in 6th century Constantinople, Rabbit seizes the chance for redemption.

But from the moment he arrives in the past, things start to go wrong. Rabbit quickly finds out that his prime competition, an unlicensed and annoyingly appealing “stringer” named Helen, is also in Constantinople hunting the menorah. And that’s only the beginning. The oppressed Jewish population of the city is primed for revolution, Constantinople’s leading gang seems to have it out for Rabbit personally, and someone local is interested enough in the menorah to kill for it.

As the past closes in on him and his previous failures compound, will Rabbit be able to recover the menorah before it's once again lost in time? With new and old dangers alike hiding behind every corner, time might just be up for Rabbit’s redemption—and possibly his life.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

About Andrew Ludington

Andrew Ludington writes transportive adventure stories intended to make you forget your commute. He graduated from Kenyon College with a BA in English Literature and lives in Evanston, IL where he moonlights as a technologist for Northwestern University. Splinter Effect is his first novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Billie's Not So Secret Diary on February 18, 2025

Splinter Effect by Andrew Ludington Science Fiction Historical NetGalley eARC Pub Date: Mar 18, 2025 St. Martin's Press Ages: 16+ Rabbit Ward is an archaeologist who travels through time for the Smithsonian to retrieve lost treasures the moment they disappear from history, funded by the government and priv......more

Goodreads review by Louise on March 05, 2025

(4.5 stars) I love a good time travel story and I love reading about ancient civilizations and archaeology (I even thought about majoring in that, back in the day). Add in a significant amount of Jewish interest, and you have a trifecta. So Splinter Effect was a perfect book for me “Robbit” Ward is a......more

Goodreads review by Erin on February 06, 2025

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date: Mar. 18, 2025 Rabbit Ward is a Smithsonian chrono-archaeologist, traveling through time in order to unearth precious treasures from days......more

Goodreads review by Adrian on December 26, 2024

Indiana Jones meets Back To The Future? Kind of. Sounds great alright although this one didn’t quite hit the mark. A story of people travelling back in time to find precious lost artefacts, hide them so they can be found in the future and jump back to present day within a certain time. Time travel i......more

Goodreads review by Bam cooks the books on March 13, 2025

*3-3.5 stars for a debut time-travel thriller that takes us to the ancient world. Robert 'Rabbit' Ward is 'an extremely accomplished chrono-archaeologist headquartered with the Smithsonian Institution. Specializing in the ancient Hellenic and classical Mediterranean, he has participated in over eigh......more


Quotes

"Ludington debuts with a rip-roaring thriller.... Rabbit’s quick wit and fast fists make him a winning protagonist... [and] Ludington demonstrates a knack for fleet action sequences. Readers will be eager for the sequel." —Publishers Weekly

"Readers who love adventure, time travel, sf, and history will find a new favorite series here." —Booklist

"A smart, inventive, wildly original adventure featuring a chrono-archeologist who is tasked with going back in time to save a famed menorah from ancient Rome, Splinter Effect combines time travel, archeology, history, and a dash of romance to great effect. Fans of Indiana Jones will flock to this rollicking story. A superb debut!" —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of A Very Bad Thing

"Imaginative, fast-paced, and clever, Andrew Ludington’s Splinter Effect is a first-rate time-traveling thriller. Rabbit Ward, a present-day archaeologist with a well-honed and intuitive grasp of the past, must navigate the fraught political landscape of sixth century Constantinople, using all his wits, some humor, and a bit of luck to retrieve a long-lost artifact. Already perfect for history buffs and time travel enthusiasts, a splash of romance adds to the intriguing start of this promising new series." —Susanna Calkins, author of the award-winning Lucy Campion historical mysteries and the Speakeasy Mysteries

Splinter Effect has all the fun of Indiana Jones and the rapid-fire thriller pacing of James Rollins... Read this now!” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Cave 13 and Kagen the Damned

“A smart, action-packed thriller with a clever time-travel twist. Exactly the literary vacation I needed." —Kelley Armstrong, New York Times bestselling author