Patrick Pierce’s journal is both a tool—gifted by a wise old sage—and a connection to the past. As is often the case with the archetypal sage, they provide both moral guidance to the hero and physical tokens of protection: The sage Qian, guardian of the tapestry and the journal, provides valuable information to Warner and Vale on their quest to defeat Sloane. Pierce’s account of his time with Kane and Craig gives important context to the adventure, explaining, for example, what is the structure beneath the Bay of Gibraltar, and what is Kane’s plan for the Bell. These answers—supplemented by Qian’s own knowledge—heighten the stakes when Warner and Vale realize the extent of the plot and how long it has been in the works.

The journal also serves as a bridge to the past. Through The Atlantis Gene, Riddle discusses how events in the past influence the present and future. The relationship between Pierce and Helena eerily mirrors that of Vale and Warner: Both men, wounded in battle, fall in love with their caretakers; and both couples are directly involved in the workings of the Immari. A 100-year gap exists between them, but little has changed—the Immari are still studying the Atlantean technology and scheming to destroy them, and Pierce’s journal is evidence of how little things change over time.