Dan Taylor
By DAN TAYLOR, Wordsmith and Elucidator
The Einstein Enigma by Jose Rodrigues dos Santos
Jose Rodrigues dos Santos has written quite the novel here. True, if you have kept up with me through my reviews, you know of the “Dan Brown” genre that I will complain of from time to time. This is storytelling based on historical figures of importance who have either a.) discovered the secret of the universe or b.) are the founder/inspiration of a covert cabal threatening to undermine the very fabric of our existence. Maybe both from time to time. Usually there is much historical detail layered in to paint a foolproof and undeniable portrait. This novel takes it to the extreme. I thought it would be a simple end of civilization story, but no. The heroes are trying to find Einstein’s equation that proves the existence of God. Please note the disclaimer at the start of the book that the scientific data used throughout the book is true and defended by both mathematicians and scientists. I guess I need to be careful with this review or the cast of Big Bang Theory will come here to beat me up. The theology and the science are both interesting, but it makes this a trial to work through. If you understand what you are getting into, you might enjoy this book. If you are looking for a thriller with some “lite” background material, you might take a machete to the book.
The First Assassin by John G. Miller
This story was promoted to me as Day of the Jackal meets the Civil War. The story tells of a plot to assassinate President Lincoln shortly after he was first elected. The plot builds slowly but surely. It is a fun “what if” type story. The characters do include real personalities as well as created ones. This is fun and actually believable in a “this could have happened” way. The dialogue may seem a little stiff but it is better than having historical figures speak with current lingo. The story, as I have said, starts slow but is laying a firm foundation. As each page turns, the pace picks up. It is difficult to maintain suspense when we know the Lincoln was not killed in 1861. That is the challenge for the novelist who tries this. I found it fun, but I did have to stay with it at the beginning.
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