Blasphemy by Douglas Preston Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Blasphemy
Book Review: Couldn't put it down
Summary: 5 Stars
An engrossing read that pokes pointy sticks at both religionists and scientists. Just when you think you can predict a character, wham. Good fun.Book Review: Deep Subject--Juvenile Treatment
Summary: 2 Stars
Blasphemy reads like a first draft for a lurid comic-book or cartoon. It lacks simple common sense in the details. We are asked to believe the the US government has spent 44 billion dollars to create a state-of-the-art accelerator, and then staffs it with a dozen of the best physicists available, and absolutely no other staff. So the second in charge, a physicist, spends her time cooking dinner for everyone and mucking out the horse stables all the while muttering to herself that she'll be up all night crunching numbers on black holes. The security consists of exactly one person. But most amazingly (and the plot depends upon this) when the accelerator is on, no one is able to make a phone call out or receive one coming in. Presumably there's no power left for phones. Sheeeeeesh. I won't even mention the idiot crowds (zombies come off as brighter than these bozos.)
If you're a very gullible 9 year old, you may be able to get past these sorts of shortcomings and enjoy experiencing the author skim the surface of some of the deepest subjects--which he does acceptably.
Book Review: Disappointed
Summary: 2 Stars
The minute I put this book on hold I couldn't wait to get it home to read. I liked Tyrannosaur Canyon but really loved The Codex. The first part of Blasphemy was intriguing but it got so bogged down and I ended up really bored. I really didn't find myself liking any of the characters and thought that Wyman Ford didn't really do anything of much interest. I'll just have to wait for the next Pendergast novel...Book Review: Disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
I'm a huge fan of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I have purchased all their fiction books, written together and individually, in hardcover. I eagerly look forward to each new release. However, "Blasphemy" was a big disappointment. I gave it two stars. One star because it is the first book that I've read on my new Kindle. I enjoyed the experience. The second star is for Mr. Preston's usual good writing. His descriptions of people and the Southwestern United States were vivid. Otherwise, the plot was predictable, weak, and downright silly. As an evangelical Christian I was particularly annoyed by the way he described evangelicals as a group of village idiots that could be easily incited to mob violence. He has them raiding a government project with, literally, pitchforks and torches, killing and maiming anyone that would "not accept Jesus as their Savior." Totally absurd. If he required fanatical religious fundamentalists for his plot, radical Muslims may have been more believable. But, that would be politically incorrect. Mr. Preston correctly uses a lot of "christian" jargon. However, his knowledge of the faith appears to be from reading about what others have to say, not from any personal exposure. In the "Acknowledgements" at the end of the book he thanks a friend for the use of his "Right Wing" library. It shows. Nevertheless, this won't prevent me from reading his next book. I hope he does better.Book Review: Disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
I have been faithfully reading Preston and Child since Relic and I love their books. I have also enjoyed their solo efforts, so I was looking forward to blasphemy. However, it was very disappointing. His storyline was outrageous. Depicting Christians as evil, ignorant, hateful and murderous was just way over the top. It was insulting and sad at the same time. As I read the book, I kept thinking, this is a very smart man, how does he come up with these outlandish plot ideas? How has he come to hate Christianity so much that he would write a book in which Christians are portrayed in such a negative way?
The ramblings and theories of the "God" in this novel were so far off base. It showed that he really doesn't understand the Bible although he had many quotes from scripture. If he really understood the Bible "God" would not have been saying the things he was saying in the novel.
I would not recommend this book, it is not that interesting and there is a thread of hate and intolerance running throughout the narrative. Such a disappointment. I thought Preston was a better man than to do what he has done in this book.