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Algorithm
A young boy, Adam, discovers a gold medallion in a lump of coal. He keeps it as a curious good luck piece for the next twenty years, until as a scientist, he discovers it contains a message and is clearly alien. Join Adam and his colleague, Linda, as they embark upon an adventure of revelation, ultimately giving up all they hold dear to discover who we are and who put us here.
- GenresScience Fiction
88 pages, ebook
First published September 29, 2014
7 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Arthur M. Doweyko
21 books28 followersAs a scientist, Arthur has authored 100+ publications, and shares the 2008 Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award for the discovery of Sprycel, a new anti-cancer drug. He writes hard science fiction, fantasy and horror. His debut novel, Algorithm, which is a story about DNA and the purpose of humanity, garnered a 2010 Royal Palm Literary Award (RPLA) and was published by E-Lit Books, NY in October, 2014. His second novel, Angela's Apple, now called As Wings Unfurl, won 1st Place Best Science Fiction Novel at the 2014 RPLA and has been published by Red Adept (July, 2016). He has published a number of award-winning short stories, including several with Honorable Mentions in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future competitions. He is currently working on a novel about the last creature with a human brain. He lives in Florida with his wife Lidia, teaching and wandering the beaches.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 14, 2014
Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review
The story Doweyko’s created is one that is filled with questions that humanity has been wondering about since they first looked at the stars: where did we come from and why are we here? With a combination of reality, fact, and the creativity of science fiction, Doweyko offers up a creative and intriguing answer to these questions.
Told in two parts, Algorithm follows Adam, a boy who discovers a medallion in a piece of coal, who uses his curiosity about the piece and grows up to be a scientist interested in archaeology and living organisms. When mysterious things begin to happen that seem to be connected to the medallion, Adam and colleague Linda are thrown into a world of secrets, wonder, and dangers they are not prepared for. With their scientific curiosity guiding them they embark on a journey for answers, and to escape those who are after the mysterious medallion, and will stop at nothing to achieve it.
While the story is told in two parts, and despite being very different from one another, they are also connected. They are their own stories in a way, but the second part still refer back to the previous events. I liked the way Doweyko concluded the first part, it was suitable and rounded off the story so far very well. With the narrative clearly moving in a different direction for the second part there was a need to conclude what had gone before, something Doweyko has achieved as there is a clear sense of one stage finishing, while another one is just beginning.
The second part is slower in terms of narrative and pace than the first, but it still keeps its mysterious elements, albeit on a different level. It keeps you wondering and guessing as many things are possible and there is always a chance of the unexpected. The main theme of part two is mystery and uncertainty, away from the ongoing action, but not without its own drama. Trying to anticipate what will happen does not always work as just when you think you have worked out where the story is going it changes course. Instead you go along with an uncertainty but slightly intrigued to know where the story will go next.
There is an element of truth that Doweyko uses such as real disasters and a base in real scientific fact which makes certain aspects of this story really interesting as you learn about DNA and the sequence that makes up human kind. This, coupled with the science fiction element, works well as each aspect supports the other and enhances the nature of the story.
The characters are likeable, and most are given a small history into who they are and what their past is. This is kept to a minimum though with Adam being the most detailed, but you also get a sense of who the other characters are as well and Doweyko incorporates this information into the narrative well.
I want to say I enjoyed the first part over the second, but I think being so different it is hard to compare. As a whole I liked the story, and I think the involvement and interest in the first half is different than the curiosity and the intrigue in the second. While the first part offered a bit faster paced and almost nonstop action, the second focused on solving the mystery that was underlying the first part so you cannot really compare them adequately.
Overall the story is interesting and well written and the concept is detailed, with the right balance between reality and science fiction to make it believable as an idea. There is a risk of becoming a bit confused towards the end of the book as it all comes together, but the information and explanations are there to help make sense of what is happening if you pay attention. Algorithm is a story that demonstrates that seemingly innocent and exciting adventures may be anything but, and can also be so much more than you have ever imagined.
This review was also published on my blog http://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/20...
The story Doweyko’s created is one that is filled with questions that humanity has been wondering about since they first looked at the stars: where did we come from and why are we here? With a combination of reality, fact, and the creativity of science fiction, Doweyko offers up a creative and intriguing answer to these questions.
Told in two parts, Algorithm follows Adam, a boy who discovers a medallion in a piece of coal, who uses his curiosity about the piece and grows up to be a scientist interested in archaeology and living organisms. When mysterious things begin to happen that seem to be connected to the medallion, Adam and colleague Linda are thrown into a world of secrets, wonder, and dangers they are not prepared for. With their scientific curiosity guiding them they embark on a journey for answers, and to escape those who are after the mysterious medallion, and will stop at nothing to achieve it.
While the story is told in two parts, and despite being very different from one another, they are also connected. They are their own stories in a way, but the second part still refer back to the previous events. I liked the way Doweyko concluded the first part, it was suitable and rounded off the story so far very well. With the narrative clearly moving in a different direction for the second part there was a need to conclude what had gone before, something Doweyko has achieved as there is a clear sense of one stage finishing, while another one is just beginning.
The second part is slower in terms of narrative and pace than the first, but it still keeps its mysterious elements, albeit on a different level. It keeps you wondering and guessing as many things are possible and there is always a chance of the unexpected. The main theme of part two is mystery and uncertainty, away from the ongoing action, but not without its own drama. Trying to anticipate what will happen does not always work as just when you think you have worked out where the story is going it changes course. Instead you go along with an uncertainty but slightly intrigued to know where the story will go next.
There is an element of truth that Doweyko uses such as real disasters and a base in real scientific fact which makes certain aspects of this story really interesting as you learn about DNA and the sequence that makes up human kind. This, coupled with the science fiction element, works well as each aspect supports the other and enhances the nature of the story.
The characters are likeable, and most are given a small history into who they are and what their past is. This is kept to a minimum though with Adam being the most detailed, but you also get a sense of who the other characters are as well and Doweyko incorporates this information into the narrative well.
I want to say I enjoyed the first part over the second, but I think being so different it is hard to compare. As a whole I liked the story, and I think the involvement and interest in the first half is different than the curiosity and the intrigue in the second. While the first part offered a bit faster paced and almost nonstop action, the second focused on solving the mystery that was underlying the first part so you cannot really compare them adequately.
Overall the story is interesting and well written and the concept is detailed, with the right balance between reality and science fiction to make it believable as an idea. There is a risk of becoming a bit confused towards the end of the book as it all comes together, but the information and explanations are there to help make sense of what is happening if you pay attention. Algorithm is a story that demonstrates that seemingly innocent and exciting adventures may be anything but, and can also be so much more than you have ever imagined.
This review was also published on my blog http://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/20...
January 17, 2015
Sci-Fi written by an actual scientist. Intriguing!
What I loved most about this novel is that Mr. Doweyko took real life past events and wove them into this brilliant science fiction read. It was one of the most "intelligent" books I've ever picked up. I loved the way the author incorporated concrete science into a sci-fi book! I couldn't predict which way this story was going to go, which is unusual for me. So many twists and turns. Kept me up all night reading. Kudos, Mr. Doweyko.
What I loved most about this novel is that Mr. Doweyko took real life past events and wove them into this brilliant science fiction read. It was one of the most "intelligent" books I've ever picked up. I loved the way the author incorporated concrete science into a sci-fi book! I couldn't predict which way this story was going to go, which is unusual for me. So many twists and turns. Kept me up all night reading. Kudos, Mr. Doweyko.
December 16, 2017
A Sci-Fi ‘First Contact Or Is It?’ Thriller
"The expedition must be stopped … in the name of all that is holy … God cannot be known by Man. It is a blasphemy … a sacrilege."
When Adam found a gold coin in a lump of coal as a child, it was a childhood treasure and curiosity. But as an adult and a research scientist, the 'coin' takes on a new significance. Suddenly it seems to be linked with other off artefacts and be at the centre of a string of accidents which have led to many deaths. Someone seems to want the artefacts and not to care how many die in the process.
This is an odd book in that it is almost two separate stories in one volume. The first is a sharp and fast-paced thriller rooted in a strange discovery and with an interesting science and sci-fi background to it. The second is much purer science fiction, although it keeps action elements too and offers a fair few very cool concepts along the way. The revelations are very well thought through and keep the book moving along.
“By moving this field over the object and detecting how much of the field is absorbed by protons aligning with it, we detect those protons. The instrument provides us with an image of the location of different types of protons in the sample."
There are some very strong elements in the writing. This is a book that includes and explains a lot of modern-day science which will appeal to the hard science sci-fi fan and also aims to give a solid basis to the future science it includes.
The characters and their interactions are believable and easy to empathise with. In the first part of the book, the pace is very well maintained and there are loads of intriguing hints, twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. However, the second part loses pace and tends to get a bit lost in exposition and description.The world building in that second part is well presented but slides a bit into over philosophising at times. The end is well played and leaves the reader with a few questions that could be taken into another book one day.
‘They both nodded, and then gave each other a stare.’
The only major downside for me was the patchiness of the writing. There are times when the shift from one character to another was a bit confusing and there was even a shift in tense here and there. Other times when we are told things that might be better played out and vice versa. I did feel a few of the unanswered questions were maybe holes in the plot rather than deliberately left that way too.
Overall a good read for fans of sci-fi who enjoy exploring concepts and like a bit of thriller-style writing too.
"The expedition must be stopped … in the name of all that is holy … God cannot be known by Man. It is a blasphemy … a sacrilege."
When Adam found a gold coin in a lump of coal as a child, it was a childhood treasure and curiosity. But as an adult and a research scientist, the 'coin' takes on a new significance. Suddenly it seems to be linked with other off artefacts and be at the centre of a string of accidents which have led to many deaths. Someone seems to want the artefacts and not to care how many die in the process.
This is an odd book in that it is almost two separate stories in one volume. The first is a sharp and fast-paced thriller rooted in a strange discovery and with an interesting science and sci-fi background to it. The second is much purer science fiction, although it keeps action elements too and offers a fair few very cool concepts along the way. The revelations are very well thought through and keep the book moving along.
“By moving this field over the object and detecting how much of the field is absorbed by protons aligning with it, we detect those protons. The instrument provides us with an image of the location of different types of protons in the sample."
There are some very strong elements in the writing. This is a book that includes and explains a lot of modern-day science which will appeal to the hard science sci-fi fan and also aims to give a solid basis to the future science it includes.
The characters and their interactions are believable and easy to empathise with. In the first part of the book, the pace is very well maintained and there are loads of intriguing hints, twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. However, the second part loses pace and tends to get a bit lost in exposition and description.The world building in that second part is well presented but slides a bit into over philosophising at times. The end is well played and leaves the reader with a few questions that could be taken into another book one day.
‘They both nodded, and then gave each other a stare.’
The only major downside for me was the patchiness of the writing. There are times when the shift from one character to another was a bit confusing and there was even a shift in tense here and there. Other times when we are told things that might be better played out and vice versa. I did feel a few of the unanswered questions were maybe holes in the plot rather than deliberately left that way too.
Overall a good read for fans of sci-fi who enjoy exploring concepts and like a bit of thriller-style writing too.
March 26, 2019
Was startled once I started reading this awesome book. Well-written barely describes it, the adjective simply isn't enough. The prose is fluid and mouth-watering but once you enter, within a few pages you start to see into the incredible mind of the genius who wrote it.
Have to confess, this is just my sort of thing, read the explanation of the origins of the word "Algorithm" and started to salivate, hands rubbing together, so, had high anticipation but as I said, once I'd read a few pages I developed a sense of excitement and wonder. Not only a great, original storyline, oozing a deep understanding by the author of both intellectual and emotional intelligence, but soulfood prose.
Keep reading, the next books are coming, and please Arthur M. Doweyko, keep writing...
Have to confess, this is just my sort of thing, read the explanation of the origins of the word "Algorithm" and started to salivate, hands rubbing together, so, had high anticipation but as I said, once I'd read a few pages I developed a sense of excitement and wonder. Not only a great, original storyline, oozing a deep understanding by the author of both intellectual and emotional intelligence, but soulfood prose.
Keep reading, the next books are coming, and please Arthur M. Doweyko, keep writing...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2018
Boy oh boy, what a wild ride. At times, the book is brilliant, and for long treks this book is simply bizarre and poorly conceived. For sheer chutzpah for making this unwieldy story work, I give some admiration to the author, who forges ahead with such a far-out story and has his main character, Dr. Adam Dove, do almost anything and still come out a hero no matter how lucky he is. I mean, no more fit than the typical lab professor, Adam escapes bad guys and navigates a hostile planet where bystanders have died simply by being there. And he gets the girl, too.
The first half is more like a spy story on the run, something like Indiana Jones or National Treasure, as Adam seeks the meaning of a valuable artifact. Then the second half just careens out of nowhere and Adam's off in space and it becomes a space opera and introduces some muddled New Age philosophical stuff, which made me think a little of the seers in The Cage, the very first Star Trek episode.
Boy oh boy, this is some weird stuff, and by eliminating the first half, and perhaps bringing up the medallion and Adam's lab experiments upon its origin, and then blasting him off into space far quicker, this might be a stellar novel for me. I liked the second half far better than the first half, especially when I didn't have to picture a meek scientist as being a spy hero, nimbler than an Olympic athlete and braver than a trained agent. The visit to the imaginary town near the end of the book was the most brilliant piece, I felt. The mumbo-jumbo religion in the second half could be tightened up a bit, and perhaps more introspect on what is actually happening with the religion, and with no clueless deaths, and folks, we might just have a winner.
I found the writing a bit simple at times, of the type "this happened, then this happened next," and for the first half, I didn't understand why the bad guys were so interested in the artifact, the medallion, nor why Adam and Linda kept returning to the locations where they encountered trouble. It was as if Adam was clueless as to danger, and didn't seek help, thinking he could get out of anything alive and unharmed, and unfortunately, the author enabled this feckless attitude.
But--the second half--with its philosophical discourses and a brand new world (Which could have been built up a bit more--what was the fauna like? The flora? Was there a society and how did it operate and how did people obtain their needs? What was the technology like, presumably lightyears ahead of Earth.) was far more interesting and unique, and Adam didn't have to be a hero to be part of it. Although, at the end of the book the author still threw in some brave stunts for, of course, Adam to carry out without a scratch, although those weren't necessary... maybe one or two, but I like my geek scientists to stay in character.
What a wild ride. I enjoyed parts of it, especially the town of utopia in another galaxy, but it could have been much more.
The first half is more like a spy story on the run, something like Indiana Jones or National Treasure, as Adam seeks the meaning of a valuable artifact. Then the second half just careens out of nowhere and Adam's off in space and it becomes a space opera and introduces some muddled New Age philosophical stuff, which made me think a little of the seers in The Cage, the very first Star Trek episode.
Boy oh boy, this is some weird stuff, and by eliminating the first half, and perhaps bringing up the medallion and Adam's lab experiments upon its origin, and then blasting him off into space far quicker, this might be a stellar novel for me. I liked the second half far better than the first half, especially when I didn't have to picture a meek scientist as being a spy hero, nimbler than an Olympic athlete and braver than a trained agent. The visit to the imaginary town near the end of the book was the most brilliant piece, I felt. The mumbo-jumbo religion in the second half could be tightened up a bit, and perhaps more introspect on what is actually happening with the religion, and with no clueless deaths, and folks, we might just have a winner.
I found the writing a bit simple at times, of the type "this happened, then this happened next," and for the first half, I didn't understand why the bad guys were so interested in the artifact, the medallion, nor why Adam and Linda kept returning to the locations where they encountered trouble. It was as if Adam was clueless as to danger, and didn't seek help, thinking he could get out of anything alive and unharmed, and unfortunately, the author enabled this feckless attitude.
But--the second half--with its philosophical discourses and a brand new world (Which could have been built up a bit more--what was the fauna like? The flora? Was there a society and how did it operate and how did people obtain their needs? What was the technology like, presumably lightyears ahead of Earth.) was far more interesting and unique, and Adam didn't have to be a hero to be part of it. Although, at the end of the book the author still threw in some brave stunts for, of course, Adam to carry out without a scratch, although those weren't necessary... maybe one or two, but I like my geek scientists to stay in character.
What a wild ride. I enjoyed parts of it, especially the town of utopia in another galaxy, but it could have been much more.
April 15, 2018
True rating 3.5.
Algorithm follows the story of Adam Dove. Having found an unusual lump of coal with something gold embedded in it when he was a young kid, the need to find out what it was grew insatiable. He needed to know what it was. Once he found out he thought nothing more of it, until many years later. This is where the story really kicks off. It becomes a bit of a cat and mouse caper, as Adam tries to keep the mysterious object from getting into other peoples hand. There is danger a plenty, and I did enjoy the story overall, but I found that it tend to go on a bit. It could've done with being a tad shorter.
I will say this, it was well written, and the characters, even the secondary ones were engaging enough for me to care about what happened to them as the story progressed. There was a fair amount of dialogue, but it was well executed/
I think that in all, this book was a good read, and I do recommend it...I just found it a bit long winded for my taste.
Algorithm follows the story of Adam Dove. Having found an unusual lump of coal with something gold embedded in it when he was a young kid, the need to find out what it was grew insatiable. He needed to know what it was. Once he found out he thought nothing more of it, until many years later. This is where the story really kicks off. It becomes a bit of a cat and mouse caper, as Adam tries to keep the mysterious object from getting into other peoples hand. There is danger a plenty, and I did enjoy the story overall, but I found that it tend to go on a bit. It could've done with being a tad shorter.
I will say this, it was well written, and the characters, even the secondary ones were engaging enough for me to care about what happened to them as the story progressed. There was a fair amount of dialogue, but it was well executed/
I think that in all, this book was a good read, and I do recommend it...I just found it a bit long winded for my taste.
October 9, 2015
Note: I was gifted a copy of this work for an honest read and review. The following review, as with all reviews, is my personal opinion of the submitted text.
Writing Style – 4.5/5.0 (Excellent)
I liked the flow and style to this piece. The structure is good throughout and the dialogue is very real and true to the characters.
The prologue was nicely built to lay the simplest of backgrounds, however I did feel that the change of pace and the switch of genre as the story moved from Part one to Part two, turned this into a very niche read.
From my point of view, this fulfilled my top two preferred genre choices, but the move to a much more pure form of sci-fi in the second act could have the potential to turn off some readers.
Character Development – 4.0/5.0 (Very Good)
There is a lot in here with respect to the main characters and how they grow throughout the book. Almost from the beginning, the author creates a nice cast and works hard to help the reader interact with them.
There are some very good secondary characters who have specific roles within the work, and this is necessary in what proves to be a very wide-reaching central plot.
As the story moves into its second phase, the character group is a little more restricted and perhaps a little less interesting, but the development also seems to take a backward step.
Although not ideal, the more intricate sub-plot keeps the reader fully engaged.
Descriptive – 3.5/5.0 (Good)
Now, where to begin… this might sound a little strange.
In all, the level of descriptive is superb. Nothing is missed. Everything is there… so why only 3.5/5??
Well, I felt there were a number of sections of the book where the descriptive was just ‘too much’. Adjectives and comparisons are sometimes piled in, one after another, killing the scene building with unnecessary descriptive and dictating too much to the reader.
There were several significant places in the story where this felt like it was a bit of overkill, which made it very difficult to resist doing a bit of sentence-skipping.
In fairness, I understand that the author probably felt a need to make sure he covered all the bases, but there were times when it really was detrimental to the flow and structure of the read as a whole.
Language & Grammar – 4.5/5.0 (Excellent)
Once you settle into this read, you will find a very high standard of language use and (occasional over-descriptive aside) this does make it a very, very good book.
Perhaps a little repetition now and again. Perhaps one or two misplaced commas. Very minor, ignorable issues.
Plot – 3.5/5.0 (Good) – VERY MINOR SPOILERS
As plots go, the two key plots in the two elements of the book are good. I enjoyed each equally, and found the stories and their sub-plots very engaging and readable.
I did falter a little with the premise of the central plot in part one, however.
In essence, the old man is seeking to gather the artefacts together and clearly the medallion has a shaft that it fits perfectly onto, both of which are obviously parts of a greater, more complex structure, with unknown purpose…
So… excuse potential ignorance… but… what happened to the rest of the items? How come Adam retains his medallion when it is obviously an integral part of a larger thing?
Personally, I felt this was a huge, unexplained hole in the second part of the story.
The second part itself was very nicely built, but I admit I was a little confused with why the visitors had to be brought to the world and connected in. What was to be achieved?
Again, the explanations are a little sketchy.
Nevertheless, the positives of the strong characters and the general high quality of the writing do make this into a good read.
General – 4.0/5.0 (Very Good)
The copy sent to me was in PDF format and so I am unable to assess any formatting issues for the kindle. However, it seemed fine on the PDF.
Equally, my copy did not have any cover art, but from the Amazon page, I was very impressed with the quality of it. Perhaps it really didn’t reflect the first part of the story, but it was certainly an asset to the work.
So… a few plot holes. Frustrating but not terminal. A bit of over-writing here and there. Again, frustrating more than anything else.
Beyond this, a reasonably original story with good characters and a lot of good positives.
Would I recommend it? Yes, definitely. But don’t get this expecting alien invasions and bug-eyed monsters. This is a very considered series of tightly integrated sub-plots, and if you take it at face value, it is an excellent read.
Definitely worthy of 4 Stars and a thumbs up.
Writing Style – 4.5/5.0 (Excellent)
I liked the flow and style to this piece. The structure is good throughout and the dialogue is very real and true to the characters.
The prologue was nicely built to lay the simplest of backgrounds, however I did feel that the change of pace and the switch of genre as the story moved from Part one to Part two, turned this into a very niche read.
From my point of view, this fulfilled my top two preferred genre choices, but the move to a much more pure form of sci-fi in the second act could have the potential to turn off some readers.
Character Development – 4.0/5.0 (Very Good)
There is a lot in here with respect to the main characters and how they grow throughout the book. Almost from the beginning, the author creates a nice cast and works hard to help the reader interact with them.
There are some very good secondary characters who have specific roles within the work, and this is necessary in what proves to be a very wide-reaching central plot.
As the story moves into its second phase, the character group is a little more restricted and perhaps a little less interesting, but the development also seems to take a backward step.
Although not ideal, the more intricate sub-plot keeps the reader fully engaged.
Descriptive – 3.5/5.0 (Good)
Now, where to begin… this might sound a little strange.
In all, the level of descriptive is superb. Nothing is missed. Everything is there… so why only 3.5/5??
Well, I felt there were a number of sections of the book where the descriptive was just ‘too much’. Adjectives and comparisons are sometimes piled in, one after another, killing the scene building with unnecessary descriptive and dictating too much to the reader.
There were several significant places in the story where this felt like it was a bit of overkill, which made it very difficult to resist doing a bit of sentence-skipping.
In fairness, I understand that the author probably felt a need to make sure he covered all the bases, but there were times when it really was detrimental to the flow and structure of the read as a whole.
Language & Grammar – 4.5/5.0 (Excellent)
Once you settle into this read, you will find a very high standard of language use and (occasional over-descriptive aside) this does make it a very, very good book.
Perhaps a little repetition now and again. Perhaps one or two misplaced commas. Very minor, ignorable issues.
Plot – 3.5/5.0 (Good) – VERY MINOR SPOILERS
As plots go, the two key plots in the two elements of the book are good. I enjoyed each equally, and found the stories and their sub-plots very engaging and readable.
I did falter a little with the premise of the central plot in part one, however.
In essence, the old man is seeking to gather the artefacts together and clearly the medallion has a shaft that it fits perfectly onto, both of which are obviously parts of a greater, more complex structure, with unknown purpose…
So… excuse potential ignorance… but… what happened to the rest of the items? How come Adam retains his medallion when it is obviously an integral part of a larger thing?
Personally, I felt this was a huge, unexplained hole in the second part of the story.
The second part itself was very nicely built, but I admit I was a little confused with why the visitors had to be brought to the world and connected in. What was to be achieved?
Again, the explanations are a little sketchy.
Nevertheless, the positives of the strong characters and the general high quality of the writing do make this into a good read.
General – 4.0/5.0 (Very Good)
The copy sent to me was in PDF format and so I am unable to assess any formatting issues for the kindle. However, it seemed fine on the PDF.
Equally, my copy did not have any cover art, but from the Amazon page, I was very impressed with the quality of it. Perhaps it really didn’t reflect the first part of the story, but it was certainly an asset to the work.
So… a few plot holes. Frustrating but not terminal. A bit of over-writing here and there. Again, frustrating more than anything else.
Beyond this, a reasonably original story with good characters and a lot of good positives.
Would I recommend it? Yes, definitely. But don’t get this expecting alien invasions and bug-eyed monsters. This is a very considered series of tightly integrated sub-plots, and if you take it at face value, it is an excellent read.
Definitely worthy of 4 Stars and a thumbs up.
December 20, 2017
A Fine Read
I won’t go into any details about the plot since the book description and several reviews present a thorough account. I’ll begin my review by stating that my comments and / or suggestions are just my opinion.
Research / Technical – This area is really excellent, and it’s quite apparent that the author spent a lot of time on research and knows many details about the various technical subjects. Woven into the narrative of the story, the descriptions are not just info dumps common to some other books. However, there’s one area at the end of chapter 16 where Hedda has a .45 automatic and it’s referenced as a revolver (a different type of firearm) at the beginning of chapter 17.
Settings – The story settings are well done, and I especially like the way the author gives inanimate objects characteristics that relate to creatures – this creates a vivid impression. One of the author’s strong suits is the descriptions of locations, people and objects.
Theme(s) – The dominant theme is Humanity’s quest for its origins, and the author handles this well with an original concept.
Plot / Story – The author also does a good job of starting out the book, including the transition between the Prolog and Chapter One. The intensity increases as the story unfolds, but there-in lies an issue for me: because of this build-up, I came to expect an epic adventure in the second part, but for me, the story fell short in that area.
Pacing and Structure – The pacing is exceptional, keeping the reader turning pages. However, I have a problem with the amount of breaks in the text (the triple asterisks). I understand the purpose of these is to separate a change in scene or point-of-view, but this happened wayyyyyy too often for my taste (and it gives the reader a chance to pause and put down the book to do something else). Presenting the story from limited points-of view, or strictly from the protagonist’s point-of-view would benefit this book.
Characters – The characters are memorable and developed pretty well except for the antagonists in the first part (Borman and his henchmen), who seem cliché as the standard Nazis with no motivation other than being deranged.
Dialog – The dialog is sufficient, but needs work, especially in the accent lines for Hedda and Borman. There are also a few instances where the author elicits a good emotional response from a scene, but sabotages the effect by a sudden incongruous line of dialog that doesn’t fit.
Grammar / Punctuation – For the most part, there are very few outright errors, but I noticed a pattern of weak verb usage. Examples: were drawing (drew), was holding (held), was thinking (thought), had become (became), had finally arrived (finally arrived), etc.
My feedback about any slight imperfections shouldn’t dissuade you – all in all, Algorithm is a fine read.
I won’t go into any details about the plot since the book description and several reviews present a thorough account. I’ll begin my review by stating that my comments and / or suggestions are just my opinion.
Research / Technical – This area is really excellent, and it’s quite apparent that the author spent a lot of time on research and knows many details about the various technical subjects. Woven into the narrative of the story, the descriptions are not just info dumps common to some other books. However, there’s one area at the end of chapter 16 where Hedda has a .45 automatic and it’s referenced as a revolver (a different type of firearm) at the beginning of chapter 17.
Settings – The story settings are well done, and I especially like the way the author gives inanimate objects characteristics that relate to creatures – this creates a vivid impression. One of the author’s strong suits is the descriptions of locations, people and objects.
Theme(s) – The dominant theme is Humanity’s quest for its origins, and the author handles this well with an original concept.
Plot / Story – The author also does a good job of starting out the book, including the transition between the Prolog and Chapter One. The intensity increases as the story unfolds, but there-in lies an issue for me: because of this build-up, I came to expect an epic adventure in the second part, but for me, the story fell short in that area.
Pacing and Structure – The pacing is exceptional, keeping the reader turning pages. However, I have a problem with the amount of breaks in the text (the triple asterisks). I understand the purpose of these is to separate a change in scene or point-of-view, but this happened wayyyyyy too often for my taste (and it gives the reader a chance to pause and put down the book to do something else). Presenting the story from limited points-of view, or strictly from the protagonist’s point-of-view would benefit this book.
Characters – The characters are memorable and developed pretty well except for the antagonists in the first part (Borman and his henchmen), who seem cliché as the standard Nazis with no motivation other than being deranged.
Dialog – The dialog is sufficient, but needs work, especially in the accent lines for Hedda and Borman. There are also a few instances where the author elicits a good emotional response from a scene, but sabotages the effect by a sudden incongruous line of dialog that doesn’t fit.
Grammar / Punctuation – For the most part, there are very few outright errors, but I noticed a pattern of weak verb usage. Examples: were drawing (drew), was holding (held), was thinking (thought), had become (became), had finally arrived (finally arrived), etc.
My feedback about any slight imperfections shouldn’t dissuade you – all in all, Algorithm is a fine read.
March 4, 2015
A new Baseball, a young Boy, couldn't possibly cause any problems..get an Aliens attention, nah... or could they??
This review is from: Algorithm (Kindle Edition)
****Spoilers may or not be given ahead..**** A young boy, Adam and his friends are playing baseball in a park, when one boy's new baseball is hit into a window, well what's a boy to do , it's His and NEW. So slipping into a neighbors basement he finds the ball in an old coal chute, then sees something far more interesting, a glint of gold in a lump of coal. That simple find will start him on an odyssey that is truly a venture of a lifetime. He get's his family Doctor to do a fluoroscope and the gold is a disc with a hole in it. He makes it into a lucky pendant, and wears it, years later he is a biochemistry professor. Out of the blue a message from the old Doc brings his curiosity to the medallion again. Asking a buddy in the college to take a look, suddenly the lab explodes the next morning. Seems there is someone or a group determining to keep this medallion a secret, one that they only control. At the same time he meets a beautiful colleague Linda, that is doing DNA research, suddenly they are both investigating the mystery around this artifact that had to have been millions of years old to be in the coal, yet has a message very new age and cutting in their research fields. Hunted and chased they are suddenly faced with an alien ALPHA with a simple but seductive promise.
Come with him and find the answers how the artifact became encased in the coal, the catch is that you'll be gone a couple hundred years. Saying goodbye to those they love the pair agree to go, barely escaping the forces trying to steal the artifact. Once awaken it's not been hundreds of years but Thousands!
ALPHA, Their alien guide seems to be hiding more things then explaining and the mystery is just getting deeper. They begin to question and distrust what is the real story. Finally after eight thousand years they are nearing the planet of the 'Makers', and get the feeling they are being invited to dinner, as in the stew POT , and they are right !!
They manage to slip free, but are found and to top it off accused of murder by the one that they saw commit the crime! These Aliens have a means of meeting the Source of all knowledge, by being stuffed alive into something similar to an Iron Maiden and hooking up the brain waves ! Any Criminals, or defective aliens are reabsorbed, basically dumped into a vat of enzymes that break you down to basically dissolve you completely so they can grow their population in cloning vats ! Not exactly what Adam and Linda signed up for by a long shot !
Suddenly Adam makes a discovery that has the clues to totally solve this nightmarish puzzle, and hopefully find the answers that will allow them to escape with their lives..They are still after them, will they manage to escape? Will both Adam and Linda survive this? Who will die, and who will lose faith in what they have always believed in? Will ALPHA remain a Foe? Will they be able to trust Angel a metal automaton they find that seems like he wants to help? When Alpha and Angel face each other and Linda and Adam find out they know each other, is all hope lost?? There are so many twists and turns, joy and relief vs lies and deceit, you never can guess what is next because while it seems logical it suddenly becomes twisted upside down and dumped out to start over again !
Arthur Doweyko, has a marvelous mind to make characters come to life off the page, the drama and the safe zone flip so often you stayed glued to it so you don't miss something! It's tame on sex, and language so it's open to all ages that want a really good space thriller, so if you have a tween let em read it just stay handy if they have questions. My advice is stay out of coal chutes, and read the fine print before taking a space voyage, because once you are out there you can't just turn around and go home !!
If this comes out with a sequel I can't wait to read it ! It is a complete story and the ending doesn't leave you hanging over a cliff but you do want to know what happens in the future hahah.. Just don't fool around with something that couldn't possibly be millions of years old in a place it can't possibly be...
This review is from: Algorithm (Kindle Edition)
****Spoilers may or not be given ahead..**** A young boy, Adam and his friends are playing baseball in a park, when one boy's new baseball is hit into a window, well what's a boy to do , it's His and NEW. So slipping into a neighbors basement he finds the ball in an old coal chute, then sees something far more interesting, a glint of gold in a lump of coal. That simple find will start him on an odyssey that is truly a venture of a lifetime. He get's his family Doctor to do a fluoroscope and the gold is a disc with a hole in it. He makes it into a lucky pendant, and wears it, years later he is a biochemistry professor. Out of the blue a message from the old Doc brings his curiosity to the medallion again. Asking a buddy in the college to take a look, suddenly the lab explodes the next morning. Seems there is someone or a group determining to keep this medallion a secret, one that they only control. At the same time he meets a beautiful colleague Linda, that is doing DNA research, suddenly they are both investigating the mystery around this artifact that had to have been millions of years old to be in the coal, yet has a message very new age and cutting in their research fields. Hunted and chased they are suddenly faced with an alien ALPHA with a simple but seductive promise.
Come with him and find the answers how the artifact became encased in the coal, the catch is that you'll be gone a couple hundred years. Saying goodbye to those they love the pair agree to go, barely escaping the forces trying to steal the artifact. Once awaken it's not been hundreds of years but Thousands!
ALPHA, Their alien guide seems to be hiding more things then explaining and the mystery is just getting deeper. They begin to question and distrust what is the real story. Finally after eight thousand years they are nearing the planet of the 'Makers', and get the feeling they are being invited to dinner, as in the stew POT , and they are right !!
They manage to slip free, but are found and to top it off accused of murder by the one that they saw commit the crime! These Aliens have a means of meeting the Source of all knowledge, by being stuffed alive into something similar to an Iron Maiden and hooking up the brain waves ! Any Criminals, or defective aliens are reabsorbed, basically dumped into a vat of enzymes that break you down to basically dissolve you completely so they can grow their population in cloning vats ! Not exactly what Adam and Linda signed up for by a long shot !
Suddenly Adam makes a discovery that has the clues to totally solve this nightmarish puzzle, and hopefully find the answers that will allow them to escape with their lives..They are still after them, will they manage to escape? Will both Adam and Linda survive this? Who will die, and who will lose faith in what they have always believed in? Will ALPHA remain a Foe? Will they be able to trust Angel a metal automaton they find that seems like he wants to help? When Alpha and Angel face each other and Linda and Adam find out they know each other, is all hope lost?? There are so many twists and turns, joy and relief vs lies and deceit, you never can guess what is next because while it seems logical it suddenly becomes twisted upside down and dumped out to start over again !
Arthur Doweyko, has a marvelous mind to make characters come to life off the page, the drama and the safe zone flip so often you stayed glued to it so you don't miss something! It's tame on sex, and language so it's open to all ages that want a really good space thriller, so if you have a tween let em read it just stay handy if they have questions. My advice is stay out of coal chutes, and read the fine print before taking a space voyage, because once you are out there you can't just turn around and go home !!
If this comes out with a sequel I can't wait to read it ! It is a complete story and the ending doesn't leave you hanging over a cliff but you do want to know what happens in the future hahah.. Just don't fool around with something that couldn't possibly be millions of years old in a place it can't possibly be...
February 23, 2017
In 1979, the young Adam Dove finds a small, metallic disc engraved with strange symbols embedded in a piece of coal. He shows it to a local doctor who advises him to have his find properly researched, but fearing his precious find will be taken away from him, he instead cleans it and hangs it around his neck as a good luck charm. Algorithm by Arthur M. Doweyko then transports us to a time twenty years later, when that same good luck charm leads Adam, now a lecturer at a Pennsylvania university, on an incredible journey which begins with a desperate chase across the country to discover the origins of his charm, and to keep it out of the hands of an unscrupulous, murderous collector who will stop at nothing to acquire the artefact. He is joined by Linda, an attractive fellow scientist, and together they unearth the nature of Adam’s good luck charm. This is when the story takes us out of this world on an astounding galactic journey to find the home of the makers -the beings from whom the artefact originated - but is everything as it seems? Adam and Linda must face aliens, intrigue and duplicity at every turn in their quest to reach their goal and establish the truth about the origins of Adam’s strange artefact.
Algorithm is a prodigious feat of imagination. Arthur Doweyko has worked from a sound scientific base to create a classic science fiction tale. Peopled with solid, well-rounded characters and paced like a high-octane thriller, there are mysteries and surprises at every turn. The narrative will keep you hooked right up to the astonishing revelations of the final denouement. With this book, Arthur Doweyko has established a firm presence in the genre and is sure to become a well-known name in sci-fi literature. A highly recommended, thought provoking book.
Algorithm is a prodigious feat of imagination. Arthur Doweyko has worked from a sound scientific base to create a classic science fiction tale. Peopled with solid, well-rounded characters and paced like a high-octane thriller, there are mysteries and surprises at every turn. The narrative will keep you hooked right up to the astonishing revelations of the final denouement. With this book, Arthur Doweyko has established a firm presence in the genre and is sure to become a well-known name in sci-fi literature. A highly recommended, thought provoking book.
December 18, 2015
Well written story of intrigue surrounding an ancient artifact that pre-dates human civilization and hints at panspermia theory. The characters are a bit bland because they just run around a lot and don't talk about their motivations, they just seem to react to things and follow a script. There's one Nazi-like bad guy who gives chase. The first half of the book is a bit slow: they narrowly escape capture, an explosion in a science lab, only to find a friend has died, and then he comes back to life, and the bad guys catch them, then they escape, then they are captured again, and it's a bit hard to stick with it until the halfway point.
I'm focusing on some nit-picky details, which is unfair to the author, but these are the reasons it took a bit longer to read than expected. There's intelligence behind the words and a real attempt to please the reader. A lot of time and effort obviously went into this grandiose, eons-spanning story. I enjoy grandiose! Just a bit more depth in the characters would have made it more believable.
This is good no-nonsense sci-fi written from a scientific perspective. There are parts that move along a bit too slowly but the pace keeps the reader's interest because you expect a payoff. I feel that the premise could have been better used/exploited to engage the reader into the mystery of the ancient gold medallion. Introducing an antagonist early on with quite shallow motives to chase the protagonists around might have been better delayed a few chapters to build up the intrigue around the medallion and get the reader more engaged in the characters and their lives, to explore other avenues of possibility.
Instead, it's a rather sequential, direct approach regarding the antag and a secretive benefactor who is eventually revealed. No other parties are in play. We are never told why anyone cares about the medallion. We are never told how the pieces go together--to make some sort of machine? If so, wouldn't it be tiny? And what was its purpose? Even after reaching the end, the little machine that the medallion was part of was never explained. What's the rod for? I wanted to know these things. Curiosity piqued and never satisfied. Missed opportunity. But it's a first work from this author and good as such, especially for an indie.
My only major reservation about the story is due to the physics since relativity is conveniently ignored while the author sticks with a hard sci-fi approach. Can't really have it both ways--realistic propulsion without time dilation doesn't exist without some sort of warp drive or hyperdrive. Granted, most readers may not pay any attention to such details but if you're going for a hard sci-fi crowd, and a ship goes near lightspeed with traditional propulsion, there's time dilation. You can't just ignore that.
The novel really picks up in the last third where the revelation of events are told and it's quite a page turner at that point. I found the ending a bit disappointing but it was basically satisfying.
3.5 stars
I'm focusing on some nit-picky details, which is unfair to the author, but these are the reasons it took a bit longer to read than expected. There's intelligence behind the words and a real attempt to please the reader. A lot of time and effort obviously went into this grandiose, eons-spanning story. I enjoy grandiose! Just a bit more depth in the characters would have made it more believable.
This is good no-nonsense sci-fi written from a scientific perspective. There are parts that move along a bit too slowly but the pace keeps the reader's interest because you expect a payoff. I feel that the premise could have been better used/exploited to engage the reader into the mystery of the ancient gold medallion. Introducing an antagonist early on with quite shallow motives to chase the protagonists around might have been better delayed a few chapters to build up the intrigue around the medallion and get the reader more engaged in the characters and their lives, to explore other avenues of possibility.
Instead, it's a rather sequential, direct approach regarding the antag and a secretive benefactor who is eventually revealed. No other parties are in play. We are never told why anyone cares about the medallion. We are never told how the pieces go together--to make some sort of machine? If so, wouldn't it be tiny? And what was its purpose? Even after reaching the end, the little machine that the medallion was part of was never explained. What's the rod for? I wanted to know these things. Curiosity piqued and never satisfied. Missed opportunity. But it's a first work from this author and good as such, especially for an indie.
My only major reservation about the story is due to the physics since relativity is conveniently ignored while the author sticks with a hard sci-fi approach. Can't really have it both ways--realistic propulsion without time dilation doesn't exist without some sort of warp drive or hyperdrive. Granted, most readers may not pay any attention to such details but if you're going for a hard sci-fi crowd, and a ship goes near lightspeed with traditional propulsion, there's time dilation. You can't just ignore that.
The novel really picks up in the last third where the revelation of events are told and it's quite a page turner at that point. I found the ending a bit disappointing but it was basically satisfying.
3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2016
Touted as a fast-paced, science fiction mystery/thriller, Algorithm is one of those stories that I wished I liked more than I actually did.
The story itself is great - Adam Dove finds an ancient gold medallion in a lump of coal. When he starts investigating, things start happening: his college's laboratory is destroyed, dangerous people with guns start chasing him, a friend ends up dead - or maybe Adam just dreamt that last one up. With the help of his coworker, Linda Garcia, and the crotchety owner of the mining museum, Hedda Morrison, Adam sets out to solve the mystery of his gold medallion - which may very well be the mystery of human origins.
The one person who seems to be able to answer their questions about the medallion poses a significant problem. Is he really who he says he is, and can they believe what he says of his mission, the origin of the medallion and his offer of space travel?
Okay - maybe I figured out where it went wrong for me. Algorithm is a little too hard science for my taste and the narrative was dryer than I preferred. I liked the concept and the storyline, but the execution fell a little short for me. I don't really know how to explain it, except that maybe it could have been paced better. It kind of felt like Doweyko had this great story in his mind, epic, really, but ended up making a sophisticated version of "this happened and then this happened." So many things were happening and so many theories (sciency ones at that) were being thrown around in dialogue that you didn't really get to sit down and wonder at it and feel it. (Or I could just be an emotional female reader. hah)
All in all, it was still an interesting read though it could have been better.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The story itself is great - Adam Dove finds an ancient gold medallion in a lump of coal. When he starts investigating, things start happening: his college's laboratory is destroyed, dangerous people with guns start chasing him, a friend ends up dead - or maybe Adam just dreamt that last one up. With the help of his coworker, Linda Garcia, and the crotchety owner of the mining museum, Hedda Morrison, Adam sets out to solve the mystery of his gold medallion - which may very well be the mystery of human origins.
The one person who seems to be able to answer their questions about the medallion poses a significant problem. Is he really who he says he is, and can they believe what he says of his mission, the origin of the medallion and his offer of space travel?
Okay - maybe I figured out where it went wrong for me. Algorithm is a little too hard science for my taste and the narrative was dryer than I preferred. I liked the concept and the storyline, but the execution fell a little short for me. I don't really know how to explain it, except that maybe it could have been paced better. It kind of felt like Doweyko had this great story in his mind, epic, really, but ended up making a sophisticated version of "this happened and then this happened." So many things were happening and so many theories (sciency ones at that) were being thrown around in dialogue that you didn't really get to sit down and wonder at it and feel it. (Or I could just be an emotional female reader. hah)
All in all, it was still an interesting read though it could have been better.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2016
The more I read lately, the more I realise: I love the Sci-Fi genre, and Algorithm was no exception. Algorithm is the story of Adam Dove, who as a boy, discovers a medallion in a lump of coal. When Adam is a grown man, he sets out to discover exactly what the medallion is, but nothing can prepare him for what in uncovered.
Arthur M. Doweyko has a background in science, and it shows throughout the pages of Algorithm. Readers will feel like you're learning something; playing with the big kids on an adventure of a lifetime, and it continues throughout the story. Readers will find themselves lost in a world of scientific exploration with a fantasy kicker. You'll be hooked. On the edge of your seat. Lost in the story.
Read my full review here: http://www.gcmacquarie.com/reviews/al...
Arthur M. Doweyko has a background in science, and it shows throughout the pages of Algorithm. Readers will feel like you're learning something; playing with the big kids on an adventure of a lifetime, and it continues throughout the story. Readers will find themselves lost in a world of scientific exploration with a fantasy kicker. You'll be hooked. On the edge of your seat. Lost in the story.
Read my full review here: http://www.gcmacquarie.com/reviews/al...
February 9, 2015
Entertaining Science Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
Algorithm is a fast-paced, science fiction mystery/thriller. The novel is an epic tale consisting of two parts: The Medallion and The Makers.
The award-winning story begins with the childhood discovery of a gold medallion in a lump of coal.
Now an adult, Dr. Adam Dove still thinks about the strange discovery. He's surprised when Dr. Linda Garcia, a beautiful molecular biology prodigy from MIT, asks him to join her research team. The action arcs off into shocking settings…and times.
Algorithm is a wonderful rollercoaster. All the reader can do is hold on for the ride.
Algorithm is a fast-paced, science fiction mystery/thriller. The novel is an epic tale consisting of two parts: The Medallion and The Makers.
The award-winning story begins with the childhood discovery of a gold medallion in a lump of coal.
Now an adult, Dr. Adam Dove still thinks about the strange discovery. He's surprised when Dr. Linda Garcia, a beautiful molecular biology prodigy from MIT, asks him to join her research team. The action arcs off into shocking settings…and times.
Algorithm is a wonderful rollercoaster. All the reader can do is hold on for the ride.
January 18, 2016
I read the first part on Wattpad not knowing there was a 2nd part. The first part was intriguing and enjoyable. Once I finished the first part, I was hooked and had to buy the 2nd part on Amazon. The 2nd part tended to drag at points. Like most time travel books, there are some inconsistencies in the plot. I would also state that the writing is choppy in places and is sometimes hard to follow. I like that the mine disaster in the first part was based upon an actual event. Overall, a good, but not great read.
March 30, 2015
I enjoy the fast paced adventure and the intriguing concepts in Mr. Doweyko's story.
He took me from the coal mines of Pennsylvania to the stars without leaving me wondering how.
The scientific concepts are woven well into the fabric of this tale. He provided detailed knowledge where it was needed but did not overload me with minutiae.
The twists and turns kept me wondering what the 'real' story was until the very end.
He took me from the coal mines of Pennsylvania to the stars without leaving me wondering how.
The scientific concepts are woven well into the fabric of this tale. He provided detailed knowledge where it was needed but did not overload me with minutiae.
The twists and turns kept me wondering what the 'real' story was until the very end.
March 29, 2016
Interesting, original plot. Fast-paced. Lots of fun science aspects. Interesting speculations on the origins of humanity. Enjoyable reading.
January 23, 2017
Must have sequel!!!
PLEASE!
PLEASE!
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