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The Return
Years after a scientist is abducted on live TV, a graduate student tracks down the mysteriously returned, yet reclusive man, ultimately uncovering a global conspiracy.
During a live television broadcast on the night of a lunar eclipse, renowned astrophysicist Andrew Leland is suddenly lifted into the sky by a giant spacecraft and taken away for all to see. Six years later, he turns up, wandering in a South American desert, denying ever having been abducted and disappears from the public eye.
Meanwhile, he inspires legions of cultish devotees, including a young physics graduate student named Shawn Ferris who is obsessed with finding out what really happened to him. When Shawn finally tracks Leland down, he discovers that he's been on the run for years, continuously hunted by a secret organization that has pursued him across multiple continents, determined to force him into revealing what he knows.
Shawn soon joins Leland on the run. Though Leland is at first reluctant to reveal anything, Shawn will soon learn the truth about his abduction, the real reason for his return, and will find himself caught up in a global conspiracy that puts more than just one planet in danger.
Equal parts science-fiction and globe-hopping thriller, The Return will appeal to fans of both, and to anyone who has ever wondered... what's out there?
During a live television broadcast on the night of a lunar eclipse, renowned astrophysicist Andrew Leland is suddenly lifted into the sky by a giant spacecraft and taken away for all to see. Six years later, he turns up, wandering in a South American desert, denying ever having been abducted and disappears from the public eye.
Meanwhile, he inspires legions of cultish devotees, including a young physics graduate student named Shawn Ferris who is obsessed with finding out what really happened to him. When Shawn finally tracks Leland down, he discovers that he's been on the run for years, continuously hunted by a secret organization that has pursued him across multiple continents, determined to force him into revealing what he knows.
Shawn soon joins Leland on the run. Though Leland is at first reluctant to reveal anything, Shawn will soon learn the truth about his abduction, the real reason for his return, and will find himself caught up in a global conspiracy that puts more than just one planet in danger.
Equal parts science-fiction and globe-hopping thriller, The Return will appeal to fans of both, and to anyone who has ever wondered... what's out there?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 14, 2017
13 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Helmreich
2 books15 followersJoseph Helmreich is the author of "The Return" (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, 2017) and co-author of "Warring Parents, Wounded Children, and the Wretched World of Child Custody" (Greenwood Press, 2007). He lives in New York City and works in film distribution.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
March 14, 2017
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/03/14/...
Based on its topics, The Return is what I would describe as hard science fiction—lots of heavy emphasis on technical details, especially surrounding the fields of astronomy and quantum physics. The result is a lot of complex and advanced scientific theory going over my head and plenty more technobabble I’m sure I didn’t quite grasp. So why did I enjoy this book much? Well, for one thing it was thoroughly addicting. Combining an altogether engaging sci-fi premise with the fast-paced intensity of a breathless thriller, Joseph Helmreich’s clever debut is a wild and unexpected journey worth taking.
The day humanity found out that it was not alone in the universe began just like any other, with the exception of a few pockets in the scientific community all abuzz with the anticipation for that night’s lunar eclipse coinciding with the winter solstice. It is an occasion rare enough that a news television station has arranged a live broadcast on site in the Bernasconi Hills of Southern California with expert physicist-turned-celebrity scientist Dr. Andrew Leland to cover the event. This is why, when a mysterious spacecraft suddenly swoops down upon the TV crew after the eclipse, Dr. Leland’s subsequent abduction by aliens was captured entirely on film and televised live on air for all to see. The footage was so clear that not even the fiercest skeptics could deny the evidence of what happened that day. The next six years saw drastic changes in almost all facets of life, ranging from mass panic to renewed dedication to studying the space sciences, people either reembracing or abandoning their faith, lots of discussion and speculation about what might have happened to Leland and where he might be now.
At least the last question was answered one day when the world received another shock—in the middle of the South American desert, a bedraggled wanderer was picked up by authorities and identified as none other than Dr. Andrew Leland. But instead of enlightening everyone with the details of what he saw and experienced in the last six years, Leland claims that he remembers nothing. In fact, he denies having been abducted at all. Soon after, he becomes a recluse, retreating completely from the public eye. For some people though, that simply would not do. Shawn Ferris is a young physics grad student who has been obsessed with the life of Andrew Leland ever since he watched the famous video of the abduction as a young boy. He wants answers and is determined to get them by tracking his hero down. In doing so, however, what Shawn did not expect to find are others hunting Leland too, except their intentions are not so nice.
To my utter astonishment, the publisher description actually contains a lot more detail and potential spoilers for its own story—though I suppose with the sheer number twists and turns in this book, they probably figured revealing a couple of them wouldn’t hurt. If you truly want to be surprised though, I would suggest avoiding the blurb if you haven’t read it already, and also not to seek out anything more about the plot. Trust me, it’ll make finding out what happens so much better…
While in essence The Return is a science fiction novel, its style, format and pacing is more in keeping with a suspense-thriller by employing devices like a third-person omniscient point of view, lots of POV jumps and incidental characters, cliffhangers at the end of chapters, etc. If these are the kinds of stories you like, then this book will work very well for you. It is also in large part a mystery, keeping readers guessing in anticipation at what the big picture is. At first, the story is told in two disparate threads, one following Shawn Ferris in America and the second taking place in Spain, with no hints as to how they are related. But as events gradually unfold in each storyline, the connections start to form. From the very start, I was impressed with Helmreich’s sleek and polished writing style and the clever way he structured the plot. And despite the amount of scientific jargon, reading this never felt like a chore thanks to the writing being very readable and the punchy pace keeping me from putting the book down.
Perhaps the only part I felt dubious about was the ending, which wrapped up much too quickly and felt just a little too convenient, considering the elaborate development that went into the ramp-up to this point. But even though the ending wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been, I wouldn’t say I was disappointed—not when many of the events in the final parts of this book are just as shocking and unexpected as those in the first half, and I confess I was even left feeling gut-punched by several of those surprising twists.
This is a genre I often struggle with, but The Return succeed in drawing me in with its smart and intriguing premise. While it is not completely without its flaws, for a debut effort it is nonetheless impressive, featuring a story that often kept me perched on the edge of my seat. Joseph Helmreich’s writing is also solid and very “cinematic” in its quality—sharply vivid and immediate, delivering maximum thrills and entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it for readers who enjoy a kick of an adrenaline rush with their sci-fi.
Based on its topics, The Return is what I would describe as hard science fiction—lots of heavy emphasis on technical details, especially surrounding the fields of astronomy and quantum physics. The result is a lot of complex and advanced scientific theory going over my head and plenty more technobabble I’m sure I didn’t quite grasp. So why did I enjoy this book much? Well, for one thing it was thoroughly addicting. Combining an altogether engaging sci-fi premise with the fast-paced intensity of a breathless thriller, Joseph Helmreich’s clever debut is a wild and unexpected journey worth taking.
The day humanity found out that it was not alone in the universe began just like any other, with the exception of a few pockets in the scientific community all abuzz with the anticipation for that night’s lunar eclipse coinciding with the winter solstice. It is an occasion rare enough that a news television station has arranged a live broadcast on site in the Bernasconi Hills of Southern California with expert physicist-turned-celebrity scientist Dr. Andrew Leland to cover the event. This is why, when a mysterious spacecraft suddenly swoops down upon the TV crew after the eclipse, Dr. Leland’s subsequent abduction by aliens was captured entirely on film and televised live on air for all to see. The footage was so clear that not even the fiercest skeptics could deny the evidence of what happened that day. The next six years saw drastic changes in almost all facets of life, ranging from mass panic to renewed dedication to studying the space sciences, people either reembracing or abandoning their faith, lots of discussion and speculation about what might have happened to Leland and where he might be now.
At least the last question was answered one day when the world received another shock—in the middle of the South American desert, a bedraggled wanderer was picked up by authorities and identified as none other than Dr. Andrew Leland. But instead of enlightening everyone with the details of what he saw and experienced in the last six years, Leland claims that he remembers nothing. In fact, he denies having been abducted at all. Soon after, he becomes a recluse, retreating completely from the public eye. For some people though, that simply would not do. Shawn Ferris is a young physics grad student who has been obsessed with the life of Andrew Leland ever since he watched the famous video of the abduction as a young boy. He wants answers and is determined to get them by tracking his hero down. In doing so, however, what Shawn did not expect to find are others hunting Leland too, except their intentions are not so nice.
To my utter astonishment, the publisher description actually contains a lot more detail and potential spoilers for its own story—though I suppose with the sheer number twists and turns in this book, they probably figured revealing a couple of them wouldn’t hurt. If you truly want to be surprised though, I would suggest avoiding the blurb if you haven’t read it already, and also not to seek out anything more about the plot. Trust me, it’ll make finding out what happens so much better…
While in essence The Return is a science fiction novel, its style, format and pacing is more in keeping with a suspense-thriller by employing devices like a third-person omniscient point of view, lots of POV jumps and incidental characters, cliffhangers at the end of chapters, etc. If these are the kinds of stories you like, then this book will work very well for you. It is also in large part a mystery, keeping readers guessing in anticipation at what the big picture is. At first, the story is told in two disparate threads, one following Shawn Ferris in America and the second taking place in Spain, with no hints as to how they are related. But as events gradually unfold in each storyline, the connections start to form. From the very start, I was impressed with Helmreich’s sleek and polished writing style and the clever way he structured the plot. And despite the amount of scientific jargon, reading this never felt like a chore thanks to the writing being very readable and the punchy pace keeping me from putting the book down.
Perhaps the only part I felt dubious about was the ending, which wrapped up much too quickly and felt just a little too convenient, considering the elaborate development that went into the ramp-up to this point. But even though the ending wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been, I wouldn’t say I was disappointed—not when many of the events in the final parts of this book are just as shocking and unexpected as those in the first half, and I confess I was even left feeling gut-punched by several of those surprising twists.
This is a genre I often struggle with, but The Return succeed in drawing me in with its smart and intriguing premise. While it is not completely without its flaws, for a debut effort it is nonetheless impressive, featuring a story that often kept me perched on the edge of my seat. Joseph Helmreich’s writing is also solid and very “cinematic” in its quality—sharply vivid and immediate, delivering maximum thrills and entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it for readers who enjoy a kick of an adrenaline rush with their sci-fi.
January 3, 2018
A fantastic premise and an engrossing read. Quite poignant in places.
February 26, 2022
This is a good, not bad, not great, debut science fiction novel by Joseph Helmreich. He's been a script-reader and it shows, as this story seems very cinematic to me and could easily be made into a movie. I picked it up on the strength of the cover(!)--I know, I know, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but how often do we decide to read something based on how we like the cover?-and that it was short, around 250 pages. So many of the SFF books these days are over 300 pages, 400 pages, or more and always feel padded out to me. However, I give it 3 stars mainly because I think the story and the SF concepts in it were not developed enough - so that does really seem unfair as I had wanted to read a short book!... But the end fizzles out badly and for that reason I could actually give the book 2.5 stars. The book did keep me engaged right up to the end when it just plain ran out of steam. Having said all that, I hope the author keeps writing--the book was published in 2017--so maybe he has??
May 31, 2017
If you are a fan of Blake Crouch's Dark Matter, you might want to put Joseph Helmreich's The Return on your radar. Like Dark Matter, The Return is filled with hard, heavy science, but it's completely accessible. You don't have to understand it in order to enjoy the events that are taking place. I appreciate novels that don't fit neatly into a genre box. The Return spans across science fiction, mystery, and thriller so if you are a lot like me and love reading all three genres, this is a book to be excited about.
It's not just the genre-crossing that makes The Return an unexpected read, though. The story itself is unpredictable in a great way.
I'm excited to learn The Return is Helmreich's debut novel. I will be keeping an eye out for what comes next.
3.5 stars
It's not just the genre-crossing that makes The Return an unexpected read, though. The story itself is unpredictable in a great way.
I'm excited to learn The Return is Helmreich's debut novel. I will be keeping an eye out for what comes next.
3.5 stars
May 3, 2017
I was REALLY enjoying this book, and it was like a huge buildup and going and going... and then it just fizzled out for me in the end. I was bummed out.
September 17, 2017
I wanted to like this book. It looked like a quick little read for the beach, and I was looking forward to some nice easy sci-fi. Flipping through the pages, it was obviously not written in a particularly thick style, so I knew it would be a quick read. And really, the premise seemed simple enough that it would be hard to mess up. Or so I thought.
As soon as I started actually reading it, I knew very early on that this book was not going to be great. It was immediately obvious that there was no editor on this book, or that the editor was not competent, just by virtue of how badly my print version was copy-edited. There were strange choices, like italicizing physics theories in a very nonstandard way for no apparent reason. There were commas where there should not be commas, and missing commas where there should be commas. You might think that is a petty complaint, but it, becomes, obvious after awhile and you, really start, to notice it without necessarily even realizing, exactly why what you're reading, is so clunky. And that's just in terms of the copy.
In terms of the story, where the book isn't predictable, it's because it's poorly written. There was a kernel of an almost-good idea, the "abducted scientist who secretly made contact but won't tell anyone about it". Unfortunately, it was lost in a hackneyed-yet-half-baked "conspiracy" plot, mixed with a healthy dose of plain nonsense.
Our main protagonist is a genius. This isn't made clear at first or at all, though part of that is because it becomes obvious very early on that the author doesn't actually understand any of the concepts he's referencing. A major point is a "cyanide capsule in a tooth", introduced in a throwaway line that is nowhere near sufficient to explain it, used later in a way that doesn't make actual sense. The MacGuffin doesn't even make sense as a MacGuffin--apparently the bad guys want to steal a thing they don't understand, know what it does, or know how to profit from it? Don't even get me started on the end-game for it. The "shield" idea is never really explained in a useful way, not even when it is used for major events (How does knowing how it works allow it to be shut down? You'll never know!). The end, at the risk of spoiling, is of the incredibly disappointing "And then he decided to try to travel in time to undo all of this" variety. Let's break that down: Either it's a depressing ending where he fails, or it's one that invalidates the entire story. And none of the characters are particularly worthwhile. The closest to not-garbage is the protagonist, but the book has him make the wrong decision at every juncture.
I could go on, and am tempted to. But at the same time, I don't think I should put more effort into this review than the author put into writing the book. I do not recommend it.
As soon as I started actually reading it, I knew very early on that this book was not going to be great. It was immediately obvious that there was no editor on this book, or that the editor was not competent, just by virtue of how badly my print version was copy-edited. There were strange choices, like italicizing physics theories in a very nonstandard way for no apparent reason. There were commas where there should not be commas, and missing commas where there should be commas. You might think that is a petty complaint, but it, becomes, obvious after awhile and you, really start, to notice it without necessarily even realizing, exactly why what you're reading, is so clunky. And that's just in terms of the copy.
In terms of the story, where the book isn't predictable, it's because it's poorly written. There was a kernel of an almost-good idea, the "abducted scientist who secretly made contact but won't tell anyone about it". Unfortunately, it was lost in a hackneyed-yet-half-baked "conspiracy" plot, mixed with a healthy dose of plain nonsense.
Our main protagonist is a genius. This isn't made clear at first or at all, though part of that is because it becomes obvious very early on that the author doesn't actually understand any of the concepts he's referencing. A major point is a "cyanide capsule in a tooth", introduced in a throwaway line that is nowhere near sufficient to explain it, used later in a way that doesn't make actual sense. The MacGuffin doesn't even make sense as a MacGuffin--apparently the bad guys want to steal a thing they don't understand, know what it does, or know how to profit from it? Don't even get me started on the end-game for it. The "shield" idea is never really explained in a useful way, not even when it is used for major events (How does knowing how it works allow it to be shut down? You'll never know!). The end, at the risk of spoiling, is of the incredibly disappointing "And then he decided to try to travel in time to undo all of this" variety. Let's break that down: Either it's a depressing ending where he fails, or it's one that invalidates the entire story. And none of the characters are particularly worthwhile. The closest to not-garbage is the protagonist, but the book has him make the wrong decision at every juncture.
I could go on, and am tempted to. But at the same time, I don't think I should put more effort into this review than the author put into writing the book. I do not recommend it.
July 12, 2017
3.5 the ending (last 60 pages or so) were very disappointing.
Read
August 8, 2020DNF at pg162. Although the idea is interesting and it had promise, I don't feel myself caring nor wanting to know how it ends. So putting it down.
April 2, 2017
Cool concept.
January 23, 2020
A surreal and exciting sci-fi book. It has the pensive as well as explosive moments of action between the quiet pauses filled with a subtle sense of mystery. I enjoyed the theoretical discussions on quantum physics, space time relativity, which has a large application in context of the story. The ending however was anticlimactic, which disappointed me a little. I felt that the author intended to cut short the story, and the mystery fell short of being extraordinary as it was previously hinted in the narrative. I loved the occasional glimpses of the alien world through the protagonist's vague memory, and it teemed with potential. But, the author kept it in a impressionistic way, rather than giving us a complete picture. In some ways, this book is beautiful, in some it felt like the author ran out of inspiration to continue the story towards a more resolute ending.
July 11, 2017
Interesting premise, started well, but didn't really go anywhere. About halfway, I found it difficult to care about what was happening, and skim-read the last section to pick up the major plot highlights. It became very clear that despite the narrative potential provided by the story's universe, this ultimately was a much narrower existentialist work. Some people may appreciate the brooding and philosophical tone, but it's not for me.
November 28, 2017
I had a heck of a time getting a copy of this book, but I'm sure glad I did. I really enjoyed reading this, the only negative I have is that I wish there was MORE. It's a pretty short book that crams a lot in
July 15, 2017
seemed to me like the plot could have been developed more.. the beginning and end didn't seem to be thought out too well.
April 5, 2017
Such a beautiful, amazing, and thought-provoking story. I loved how it seemed real. How through all of the scientific reasonings the story was made "real" like it could actually happen. I was hooked from the beginning to the end.
November 17, 2017
Intriguing premise and world building.... deftly executed.
February 16, 2017
This was such a great book! Fast paced and I was always at the edge of my seat with what would come next. The Return has rich and developed characters in a journey that spans many locations. The plot really gripped me and made me question our own reality. Definitely recommend this book!
May 24, 2017
The title, cover, and dust jacket description promised what this story couldn't deliver. The general tone was too fatalistic and depressing, inspiring none of the wonder, excitement, or even anxiety usually associated with stories about the revelation of alien life forms and worlds other than ours. This felt like a premise where anything could happen - but very little did. A few clever-ish moments here and there that were unable to off-set what a bummer this book was.
January 25, 2017
A fascinating read. Helmreich begins by creating a believable world where science fiction becomes reality, and then keeps his readers (and protagonist) questioning everything they think they know. This unusual novel kept me engaged from page one, and I highly recommend it.
February 17, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Joseph Helmreich's draws you in with this compelling story. He takes us on an adventure where not everything (or everyone) is as it seems and we are definitely not alone in the universe. I highly recommend!
July 9, 2023
So yeah, that was a book…
I really had high hopes for this book based on the summary, but I was ultimately left feeling bored and unimpressed.
The author is obviously smart as he seems to grasp different theories of quantum mechanics and astrophysics enough to present them in the book, but otherwise, the book is a miss.
It tried to form a complex plot in the vein of Asimov or some other golden age sci-fi author, but failed.
It tried to make me care about the characters, but I never did.
It tried to present a fascinating alien species, but never quite got there because the story got bogged down with inconsequential events.
There was no sense of urgency in the storytelling despite the entire story following a couple characters on the run from a shadowy government agency.
There was soooo much deus ex machina that it caused me to stop suspending my disbelief because random solutions popping out of nowhere is distracting.
And finally, i swear there were several times the a Chekhov’s Gun was presented but never fired.
All-in-all the book was readable, but I would not say it was enjoyable.
I really had high hopes for this book based on the summary, but I was ultimately left feeling bored and unimpressed.
The author is obviously smart as he seems to grasp different theories of quantum mechanics and astrophysics enough to present them in the book, but otherwise, the book is a miss.
It tried to form a complex plot in the vein of Asimov or some other golden age sci-fi author, but failed.
It tried to make me care about the characters, but I never did.
It tried to present a fascinating alien species, but never quite got there because the story got bogged down with inconsequential events.
There was no sense of urgency in the storytelling despite the entire story following a couple characters on the run from a shadowy government agency.
There was soooo much deus ex machina that it caused me to stop suspending my disbelief because random solutions popping out of nowhere is distracting.
And finally, i swear there were several times the a Chekhov’s Gun was presented but never fired.
All-in-all the book was readable, but I would not say it was enjoyable.
February 2, 2021
I am picky when choosing my novels and generally don't read anything written post the 1920s. However, I was utterly charmed by this book. I admired its genuinely fun nature. The plot moved smoothly and was strong in quality while keeping a light hearted tone. The story was well thought out and fresh. It was an easy read, a book where when you put it down you can't wait until you have the opportunity to return (no pun intended!). The dramatic scenes are emotionally engaging. I found myself enraptured and at times my heart broke for the characters' experiences. Helmreich's writing is so visceral and vibrant. I can imagine the scenes playing out in a movie, especially the moments when the plot reaches a crescendo. I saw the details in rich colors, and even had a soundtrack playing in the back of my head. This book is wonderful and recommended for when you are looking to enjoy a good piece of escapist fiction.
July 28, 2018
I have mixed feeling about this book. I was intrigued by its premise, and enjoyed the mystery aspects of the story .Not knowing which factions story to believe and support was another source of enjoyment.
Yet despite all that I found myself hating the characters. I found their motivations and actions far fetched and even nonsensical . I was not pleased with nor could I believe even in the context of the overall story the ending of this book.
Judging from the reviews of this book on Goodreads, readers really hated this book, or embraced it whole heartedly. I found myself disliking the book. I think the author however is worth following. This is his first published novel and it had some good ideas. Despite my dislike of the characters he wrote, he did elicit an emotional response from me. That connection is the sign of an author with potential.
July 17, 2023
This read very much like a thriller, sci-fi, action movie. I honestly didn’t think I’d get attached to any of the characters, because the style of writing is sort omnipresent and detached, but I actually ended up really enjoying Shawn.
I did feel the need to suspend my disbelief during certain points where the outcome didn’t make all that much sense, even in the sci-fi context (). The ending petered out a little— it sort of seemed like he didn’t know where to go with it. But there definitely were some very meaningful and impressive moments throughout.
I did feel the need to suspend my disbelief during certain points where the outcome didn’t make all that much sense, even in the sci-fi context (). The ending petered out a little— it sort of seemed like he didn’t know where to go with it. But there definitely were some very meaningful and impressive moments throughout.
June 13, 2024
This was a hard core science fiction, meaning most of it was just over my head. As someone who’s never studied beyond basic biology, this was a pretty hard read. A lot of the science talk I just had to skip over. The story line started out strong but the plot just seemed to slowly slip until the ending. The ending was not what i expected at all and seemed to really fall flat. I know describing things that don’t exist is hard, but the amount of times that the characters said they couldn’t describe something was pretty frustrating. It almost felt as if the author was trying to describe something that even he couldn’t imagine. I give this 3 stars because it was a quick read, the story was fast past, just not a great storyline or ending.
August 29, 2017
An excellent read. At first I wasn't really getting into it because of its pacing but as I read more and more it got more interesting touching on the cult like aspects of people in the world to how we view things in the scientific community and in outer space and are we alone in the universe.
It's a story about a washed up scientist who is abducted and returns years later claiming to remember nothing but remembers some things to a point. What if we really aren't alone? What if something's we theorize in science is fact and not fiction? What if one day we can prove it? What if there is organizations who treat alien life forms as enemies and not allies?
It's a story about a washed up scientist who is abducted and returns years later claiming to remember nothing but remembers some things to a point. What if we really aren't alone? What if something's we theorize in science is fact and not fiction? What if one day we can prove it? What if there is organizations who treat alien life forms as enemies and not allies?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2017
Extremely disappointed with this one.
The story started to build up. And then there was an ending.
There was no closure. Every one had been left dead, ruined, or in hiding/on the run. I mean, that's fine if you intend on making a sequel, but I doubt that's the case here. Very little of the backstory is revealed. The reader is left feeling like the main protagonist when everyone repeatedly tells him "You may be a genius, but it's too complicated, you wouldn't understand" because so much is kept so vague.
The premise was good. Then the premise changed. It went from saving the world to undoing the story.
The story started to build up. And then there was an ending.
There was no closure. Every one had been left dead, ruined, or in hiding/on the run. I mean, that's fine if you intend on making a sequel, but I doubt that's the case here. Very little of the backstory is revealed. The reader is left feeling like the main protagonist when everyone repeatedly tells him "You may be a genius, but it's too complicated, you wouldn't understand" because so much is kept so vague.
The premise was good. Then the premise changed. It went from saving the world to undoing the story.
July 9, 2017
This was the perfect summer read. A fast paced Sci-fi thriller, which doesn't spend either too much time world building, since 95% of the action takes place on Earth or explaining the science. I liked that it didn't fall into the traditional trope of "scientist falls in love with another scientist and they save the world." Instead, bad things happen to good people and some of the characters act in less than heroic ways, which is to say, I enjoyed that the characters were as multi-dimensional as the physics.
July 27, 2019
I admire the author's reach ... not sure his grasp is as sure a thing.
He uses some pretty standard SF tropes -- the shadowy government agency, the loner scientific genius -- to ask larger questions about loyalty, love, and betrayal, but vacillates one too many times for me as to who the good guys are. Ender's Game handled similar concepts and gave me a lot more to think about when I closed the book.
Here, I would have appreciated a clearer vision of the alien civilization than the one presented, which reads like somebody's hashish / fever dream. And I thought the pivotal incident involving a shooting / ricochet was more than a bit stage-y. Many more believable ways that could have gone down, and Leland's protestations of innocence weren't worthy of a being of his experience.
On the plus side, it's a quick read and a pretty impressive SF debut. 3.5 stars.
He uses some pretty standard SF tropes -- the shadowy government agency, the loner scientific genius -- to ask larger questions about loyalty, love, and betrayal, but vacillates one too many times for me as to who the good guys are. Ender's Game handled similar concepts and gave me a lot more to think about when I closed the book.
Here, I would have appreciated a clearer vision of the alien civilization than the one presented, which reads like somebody's hashish / fever dream. And I thought the pivotal incident involving a shooting / ricochet was more than a bit stage-y. Many more believable ways that could have gone down, and Leland's protestations of innocence weren't worthy of a being of his experience.
On the plus side, it's a quick read and a pretty impressive SF debut. 3.5 stars.
July 4, 2020
It has the usual sci-fi silly science, with terms randomly thrown around, pretty much as everyone does it. The characters are somewhat filled in, and there is suspense. Unfortunately the story ends with a tacked-on corny flourish, and then out like a light switch.
There is a lack of balance between cosmic forces and error-prone little humans which is difficult I imagine to pull off in any tale. I thought it jumped from personal and individual to global to interplanetary, and galactic scope.
There is a lack of balance between cosmic forces and error-prone little humans which is difficult I imagine to pull off in any tale. I thought it jumped from personal and individual to global to interplanetary, and galactic scope.
September 15, 2022
This is "Sci-Fi Realism," on par with "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." It's character-led, which is a real treat, and with twists and turns and a final payoff that really leaves you with the feels! Like a true pro, Helmreich dips into space science and quantum physics just enough for you to keep up, and to make his story seem all the more believable. At the end of the day, this story is a love-quest, a truth-quest, and a sci-fi thriller.
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