Blasphemy by Douglas Preston Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Blasphemy
Book Review: Blasphemy is a Blasphemy
Summary: 1 Stars
While I have greatly enjoyed the works of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, I will no longer read anything put out by Preston. I was enjoying the book, and even though I am a Christian, I was not put off by the occasional jab, as this is common in most books (writers, like the media, tend to bend LEFT) and just needs to be shrugged off. By the time I got to about page 330, my enjoyment had ceased, and I threw the book in the trash. The book had reached a point where regard for Christian belief was not only laid aside, but misrepresented and trampled on. Mr. Preston, your secular humanistic/atheistic/scientific belief has less basis in fact than Christianity does, and your utter disregard for the Christian readers of your books shows a complete lack of judgment. But then, one would expect such things from a secular humanist. In short, Blasphemy is a Blasphemy, and I encourage all Christians to boycott this and any further "works" from this loon.Book Review: Blew me away!
Summary: 5 Stars
Plenty of others have written what the story is about. So I will be short, and hopefully, sweet. Read the book in a day, which is sad since it's not there to look forward to. But, will read it again and again, as I do all the Preston-Child books. These are the ones I reach for when there's nothing new in hand.
So, okay, obviously it is a page-turner, devoid of any unncessary filler, with characters we get to know and either emphasize with or intensely dislike. But the best part of the book by far is the conversations with "God". And I have to thank Doug, immensely, for putting these in a separate section at the back of the book. I thank him because without knowing about this extra added surprise, I was taking notes. That's how good this is.
Thanks, Doug, and please continue, regardless of all the flak. Opening minds to new ideas is perhaps the most difficult but most important job in the world.
Book Review: Can I have these hours of my life back? Please?
Summary: 2 Stars
Pablum. The synopsis/teaser on the jacket was a much better read than the book. Great premise, lousy execution. Talk about pulp fiction. Character development on par with a soap commercial. There was literally not one moving or compelling thought conveyed in this sophomoric attempt at a "science meets religion" story.Book Review: Caricatures galore
Summary: 3 Stars
I read Blasphemy by sheer coincidence on the heels of another book with an out-of-control machine as a central character, and in comparison, Blasphemy doesn't hold up well. The other book was Blind Lake, by Robert Charles Wilson.
While Douglas Preston has written a page-turner with non-stop action taking place during the latter part of the story, I found the lack of character development disappointing, and as a result considered not finishing the book on several occasions. The technological aspects of the story were well done, but not enough to compensate for the unrealistic religious zealotry of the "villains" in this story, and the scientists ultimately turned out to be unbelievably gullible as well. The Scientology-like twist at the end of the story didn't pull it out of the hole for me, and the real motive behind the Isabella malfunction seemed too obvious long before then.
A number of misspellings and other errors were distracting. For example, in one passage Alan Turing, the scientist who invented modern computing, is referred to as "Turning". (Cringe) Writers who are handling technological subjects in their narratives should be able to get the facts straight.
For sheer break-neck action, the book succeeds, but at the expense of believability. (If you enjoy a challenging read about cutting-edge technology and/or unexplained cosmic anomalies, I recommend checking out any of Robert Charles Wilson's works. His character-driven fiction integrates scientific extrapolation into wonderfully compelling and believable storytelling.)
Book Review: Controversial
Summary: 5 Stars
Controversial and exciting, that's pretty much what this book is all about. I could not put it down, and the revelation builds up and entices you throughout the book. Darn good read.