tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
For the story alone, I may have given this just two stars. But it got me thinking about herd behaviour and I liked the fact that all of the participants failed equally (so call me quirky). Any way as a consequence, I thought the novel deserved 3 stars. Read on:
The world’s most powerful particle accelerator, Isabella, buried deep in an Arizona mountain is the most expensive machine ever built. The purpose of the machine is to explore what happened at the moment of creation, but there is a fear that it may suck the earth into a miniature black hole.
Against a backdrop of rising concern about the money spent, the 12 team of scientists led by Gregory North Hazelius is under increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of the project. In addition there are rising Christian fundamentalist views that the plan is a satanic attempt to disprove the book of Genesis, as well as concerns about the project by the Navajo people (on whose reservation the site is located). There seem to be problems in getting Isabella on line and Wyman Ford is implanted within the team to report back to government about what is really happening.
This novel is marketed as thriller about religion and science. It could also be marketed as an illustration of a triad of hubristic cynicism: government, science and religion all seeking to manipulate public opinion. What makes the novel work, on one level, for me is that none of the players demonstrate superiority and while each fail in different ways the end result demonstrates that nothing substantive has been learned.
I found this an interesting way to spend a few hours on a rainy afternoon: plenty of action, albeit with predictable outcomes.
The world’s most powerful particle accelerator, Isabella, buried deep in an Arizona mountain is the most expensive machine ever built. The purpose of the machine is to explore what happened at the moment of creation, but there is a fear that it may suck the earth into a miniature black hole.
Against a backdrop of rising concern about the money spent, the 12 team of scientists led by Gregory North Hazelius is under increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of the project. In addition there are rising Christian fundamentalist views that the plan is a satanic attempt to disprove the book of Genesis, as well as concerns about the project by the Navajo people (on whose reservation the site is located). There seem to be problems in getting Isabella on line and Wyman Ford is implanted within the team to report back to government about what is really happening.
This novel is marketed as thriller about religion and science. It could also be marketed as an illustration of a triad of hubristic cynicism: government, science and religion all seeking to manipulate public opinion. What makes the novel work, on one level, for me is that none of the players demonstrate superiority and while each fail in different ways the end result demonstrates that nothing substantive has been learned.
I found this an interesting way to spend a few hours on a rainy afternoon: plenty of action, albeit with predictable outcomes.
martyfried's review against another edition
4.0
Scientists investigate the big bang and find God; Christian extremists search for Armageddon and find the antichrist, killing him and many others, including the head scientist who was bringing God to earth. In the middle is Wyman Ford, who doesn't accept the God or the antichrist; he just wants to try to keep too many people from dying.
A page-turner with lots of suspense and a somewhat strange ending. I liked it.
A page-turner with lots of suspense and a somewhat strange ending. I liked it.
shelflife's review against another edition
5.0
Great fun sfi-fi adventure with a little religious fantaticalism to spice it up!
ponderinstuff's review against another edition
4.0
A little predictable in some areas but still a good book.
queentessie's review against another edition
2.0
This book was ok. I admit I did not expect the ending, which is something I respect highly in an author. That in itself gives the book a few extra points in my book but I found it slightly preachy at times. I would have preferred more of a focus on the sci-fi aspect of the story. If not for the preachiness I would have loved this book.
aschurtz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sewcialist_librarian's review against another edition
2.0
Wyman Ford returns. Having left the monastery from Tyrannosaur Canyon, Wyman is now a PI. Wyman makes for an interesting character; but the story is just...ugh, too busy. The central plot is the delay to the successful start of a particle accelerator -- similar to the Hadron Collider.
Plot tangents include:
annoyed Navajo residents,
a greedy lobbyist that the Navajo Nation fired,
a slimy TV evangelist in bed with the lobbyist,
a homicidal fundamentalist preacher,
Wyman's former lover, and, of course,
Washington politics.
The central plot would have been plenty without everything else around it. There's enough happening on the site of the collider with staff to move the entire book forward.
I'm not sure why I torture myself with Douglas Preston novels. Maybe because I keep hoping they will be as good as Lincoln Child's or as good as their collaborative effort in the Pendergast novels.
Plot tangents include:
annoyed Navajo residents,
a greedy lobbyist that the Navajo Nation fired,
a slimy TV evangelist in bed with the lobbyist,
a homicidal fundamentalist preacher,
Wyman's former lover, and, of course,
Washington politics.
The central plot would have been plenty without everything else around it. There's enough happening on the site of the collider with staff to move the entire book forward.
I'm not sure why I torture myself with Douglas Preston novels. Maybe because I keep hoping they will be as good as Lincoln Child's or as good as their collaborative effort in the Pendergast novels.
argentbradamante's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
garfunkleha345's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.25