Daniken, Always an Interesting Read

Twilight of the Gods: The Mayan Calendar and the Return of the Extraterrestrials by Erich van Daniken

Nonfiction

To read Daniken's book, you have to be aware that Daniken not only believes in aliens but propounds that aliens created humans.  I have read many of Daniken's books and have always found him to be fascinating.

Yet, this book wasn't one of my favorites.  I felt the title mostly capitalized on the upcoming Mayan prophecy without really fully explaining it.  I wanted a clear explanation for December 23, 2012 but felt this book didn't do any better of a job than any of the documentaries or articles I've already read.  Could that be because it's all a bunch of bunk?  Probably.  But, fun bunk.

The author does make a very clear and believable argument that Mayan culture was so technologically and culturally advanced that some other ancient alien culture must have been involved.  One thing I really like about Daniken as a researcher is that he actually goes into the field to examine the evidence and doesn't just rely on others' works and hearsay.  This book also provides photographic evidence so the reader can 'see' for him or herself.

It is a really fast, really fun read and a good introduction to Daniken and his theories.