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Team Psi #1
The Alpha Enigma
A thrilling new science fiction mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of the Donovan novels
Dr. Timothy Ryan, head of the military psychiatric unit at Grantham Barracks, is meeting a new patient, a woman known as Prisoner Alpha. As she is being transferred, they are attacked by assassins, barely escaping with their lives. One shooter vanishes, leaving behind a dead companion unlike anyone Ryan has ever seen.
But even more baffling is the puzzle of Alpha herself. She speaks in a strange tongue, and doodles in bars, dots, and little pictures like nothing Ryan has ever seen. Is she some sort of savant, or the most cunning spy he's ever met?
Meanwhile, in Egypt, archaeologist Reid Farmer uncovers an 18th-Dynasty tomb that shouldn't exist, filled with Mayan epigraphy, mathematics, and materials that didn't exist 3,000 years ago. As a result of this discovery, Reid and forensic anthropologist Kilgore France--along with the sarcophagus they have found--are snatched away to a hidden lab to solve the enigma of a man lost in time.
As dark forces gather, Alpha makes an impossible escape from Grantham. Ryan quickly becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance, but with a team of unique allies, sets out to prove his innocence. Together, they must find Alpha and save Ryan before it is too late.
Dr. Timothy Ryan, head of the military psychiatric unit at Grantham Barracks, is meeting a new patient, a woman known as Prisoner Alpha. As she is being transferred, they are attacked by assassins, barely escaping with their lives. One shooter vanishes, leaving behind a dead companion unlike anyone Ryan has ever seen.
But even more baffling is the puzzle of Alpha herself. She speaks in a strange tongue, and doodles in bars, dots, and little pictures like nothing Ryan has ever seen. Is she some sort of savant, or the most cunning spy he's ever met?
Meanwhile, in Egypt, archaeologist Reid Farmer uncovers an 18th-Dynasty tomb that shouldn't exist, filled with Mayan epigraphy, mathematics, and materials that didn't exist 3,000 years ago. As a result of this discovery, Reid and forensic anthropologist Kilgore France--along with the sarcophagus they have found--are snatched away to a hidden lab to solve the enigma of a man lost in time.
As dark forces gather, Alpha makes an impossible escape from Grantham. Ryan quickly becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance, but with a team of unique allies, sets out to prove his innocence. Together, they must find Alpha and save Ryan before it is too late.
452 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2020
73 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
W. Michael Gear
181 books730 followersW. Michael Gear was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on the twentieth of May, 1955. A fourth generation Colorado native, his family had been involved in hard-rock mining, cattle ranching, and journalism. After his father's death in 1959, Michael's mother received her Master's degree in journalism and began teaching. In 1962 she married Joseph J. Cook, who taught tool and die making, and the family lived in Lakewood, Colorado, until 1968. At that time they moved to Fort Collins so that Joe could pursue his Ph.D.. During those years the family lived in the foothills above Horsetooth Reservoir.
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/wmicha...
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/wmicha...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 5, 2021
While the premise was incredibly intriguing, I couldn't finish this book because of the mass amount of male-gaze descriptions. I was cringing at every chapter which was probably about every three pages because of the chapter size. I found maybe one character slightly redeemable but the rest were very unlikable and inconsistent in their character history and development.
Not to mention that mental illness portrayal was handled very poorly and misunderstood on so many levels. Because this story, for maybe the first 150 pages, is set in a military psychiatric facility, one character HOPING that a patient had nymphomania because of how she looked, was my limit. Amongst other things including a character having intense PTSD and behaving in a way that doesn't make sense due to the type of trauma that she endured...
Incredibly disappointed.
Not to mention that mental illness portrayal was handled very poorly and misunderstood on so many levels. Because this story, for maybe the first 150 pages, is set in a military psychiatric facility, one character HOPING that a patient had nymphomania because of how she looked, was my limit. Amongst other things including a character having intense PTSD and behaving in a way that doesn't make sense due to the type of trauma that she endured...
Incredibly disappointed.
May 14, 2021
The science was undoubtedly fascinating and the characters intriguing, but I could not move past the female objectification and hyper-sexed hetero men. I tore through the first third of the book and when the male gaze BS didn't abate I skimmed to glean more about the science components. I simply didn't see a need for it from a character development standpoint- why couldn't the (brainy & brave) female characters exist without constant male salivation on their body attributes?
November 24, 2020
The Alpha Enigma
by W. Michael Gear
This book came into the world as a controversy. I am sorry to say Michael Gear was unfairly censored by a politically reactive criticism. First and foremost, I think the nit picking in this book is ridiculous. Michael Gear is an amazing author who uses the divine art of storytelling to draw in the reader. His character descriptions have a reason, and every character like every human has a history. If in fact that history is not always easy, or politically correct there is a reason to every decision the reader needs to suspend belief and they will find that his reasoning is impeccable.
Alpha Enigma is a scientific thriller, reminiscent of Michael Gear’s prior books like Dark Inheritance and Raising Abel… A science fiction nature of the story is based in scientific theory. The ideas of particle entanglement, canonical quantum gravity, Bose-Einstein condensate, and general relativity all have basis in true science. These theories are exceptionally elaborate and expansive allowing Michael Gear to have a mythical reason for the events in this story. He twists and twines not only these scientific principles but psychology, Greek history, Egyptian history, Mayan mathematics, and biology. His story is amazing. I fell in love with all the characters even with their apparent flaws and foibles. Chief Raven, perhaps the strongest character, shows not only humanism, but also feminine divinity. Her PTSD and kleptomania not only define her and as a psychiatric patient but is the key mystery of her character. She is the most capable Seal I have ever read about, the first female Seal, the feminist should be elated. Falcon, may be the most dynamic character, his psychological diagnosis makes him the most fragile, yet his brilliance is apparent. Skipper is a remarkable psychologist, psychiatrist. I love how he is able to see his patients as people, he is amazing willing to sacrifice everything for his patients. I have only started with these three remarkable characters because I hope to read more and see more of them in particular.
This story is only the beginning, I know the controversy has made Michael pause on the next book. Yet I hope in time that his fans love, and our support give him the strength to continue the story, and damn the criticism.
by W. Michael Gear
This book came into the world as a controversy. I am sorry to say Michael Gear was unfairly censored by a politically reactive criticism. First and foremost, I think the nit picking in this book is ridiculous. Michael Gear is an amazing author who uses the divine art of storytelling to draw in the reader. His character descriptions have a reason, and every character like every human has a history. If in fact that history is not always easy, or politically correct there is a reason to every decision the reader needs to suspend belief and they will find that his reasoning is impeccable.
Alpha Enigma is a scientific thriller, reminiscent of Michael Gear’s prior books like Dark Inheritance and Raising Abel… A science fiction nature of the story is based in scientific theory. The ideas of particle entanglement, canonical quantum gravity, Bose-Einstein condensate, and general relativity all have basis in true science. These theories are exceptionally elaborate and expansive allowing Michael Gear to have a mythical reason for the events in this story. He twists and twines not only these scientific principles but psychology, Greek history, Egyptian history, Mayan mathematics, and biology. His story is amazing. I fell in love with all the characters even with their apparent flaws and foibles. Chief Raven, perhaps the strongest character, shows not only humanism, but also feminine divinity. Her PTSD and kleptomania not only define her and as a psychiatric patient but is the key mystery of her character. She is the most capable Seal I have ever read about, the first female Seal, the feminist should be elated. Falcon, may be the most dynamic character, his psychological diagnosis makes him the most fragile, yet his brilliance is apparent. Skipper is a remarkable psychologist, psychiatrist. I love how he is able to see his patients as people, he is amazing willing to sacrifice everything for his patients. I have only started with these three remarkable characters because I hope to read more and see more of them in particular.
This story is only the beginning, I know the controversy has made Michael pause on the next book. Yet I hope in time that his fans love, and our support give him the strength to continue the story, and damn the criticism.
October 18, 2021
Gear has an interesting premise using quantum entanglement to create parallel universes & time travel which is told through a group of military psychiatric patients barely managed by their shrink. As several others put it, they were a group of misfits, but high caliber ones, the best in their lines of work. I guess it's not surprising that he jumped the shark at times, but I expect better from him. Still the caricatures rested on a solid foundation, so it was fun, just a bit more like an action comic book than anything else of Gear's that I've read.
I see several reviewers objected to the displayed male chauvinism. IMO, that's part of the armed services & was true to life, somewhat understated if anything. The boys were typical of the breed, somewhat over-sexed & cocky as hell. The girls gave as good as they got, though. Golf tees & penises. Shudder! Maybe it's more of a guy book.
Well narrated & a fun break from the nonfiction I've been reading, but not one of Gear's best.
I see several reviewers objected to the displayed male chauvinism. IMO, that's part of the armed services & was true to life, somewhat understated if anything. The boys were typical of the breed, somewhat over-sexed & cocky as hell. The girls gave as good as they got, though. Golf tees & penises. Shudder! Maybe it's more of a guy book.
Well narrated & a fun break from the nonfiction I've been reading, but not one of Gear's best.
February 10, 2021
Intricate and fast paced thrill ride that crosses timelines and dimensions. From ancient Egypt to the present, from one dimension to another, Gear presents a fascinating take on time travel combined with a future science beyond quantum physics.
Characters abound in this first of at least two novels that will enthrall readers, stretch the imagination and go where even Star Trek has not yet gone. Archeology and science fiction, real science and make believe all come together in a strange harmony in Gear's latest work, Alpha Enigma. A cast of misfits, if you will. A collection of exceptional individuals, all broken in some way, who manage to excite the imagination. As with almost everything written by Michael Gear and his wife, Kathleen, women are comic book beautiful, strong, accomplished and not to be messed with.
The characters are colorful and engaging and easy to like. At first, as in all Gear books, he seems a little over the top, as if he is purposefully challenging the woke culture with his objectification of women. It is only once the story unfolds that you often see the opposite is true. Yet for those who might cringe at the derogatory ways males all seem to view the strong women when they first encounter them—as potential sex partners—I encourage you to keep reading. My opinion after reading dozens of stories by both Michael and his wife, is that they view this male characteristic through the lens of human evolution: it's in our DNA.
There is no doubt the man can write. His story telling is first rate and his use of science, history and technology often compliment his stories in interesting and mind-bending ways. Alpha Enigma is his latest journey into both the past and the future. Starting with an archeological dig that quickly goes sideways, readers are presented with the first mystery: a three thousand year old tomb is also filled with classical Latin writings and Mayan symbols.
The second mystery he presents is of a mysterious woman who is currently being held in a military psychiatric hospital. Nothing is really known about this person but it quickly becomes clear that she seems exceptionally brilliant scientifically and culturally lost at the same time. Rather than risk giving any more away I will stop with these two mysteries and leave it to you to fill in the missing pieces.
The story is wonderful science fiction. Certainly quantum physics is now mainstream, but it wasn’t always that way. When it first started being written about in fiction, decades ago, it was what Gear is proposing now, the evolution of our understanding of the way the universe works. As usual I have no idea in Alpha Enigma what is real and what is imagined—the theories and science behind them are above my education and pay grade. Fortunately for us Gear makes it fun, and maybe a little scary, to imagine the possibilities.
Characters abound in this first of at least two novels that will enthrall readers, stretch the imagination and go where even Star Trek has not yet gone. Archeology and science fiction, real science and make believe all come together in a strange harmony in Gear's latest work, Alpha Enigma. A cast of misfits, if you will. A collection of exceptional individuals, all broken in some way, who manage to excite the imagination. As with almost everything written by Michael Gear and his wife, Kathleen, women are comic book beautiful, strong, accomplished and not to be messed with.
The characters are colorful and engaging and easy to like. At first, as in all Gear books, he seems a little over the top, as if he is purposefully challenging the woke culture with his objectification of women. It is only once the story unfolds that you often see the opposite is true. Yet for those who might cringe at the derogatory ways males all seem to view the strong women when they first encounter them—as potential sex partners—I encourage you to keep reading. My opinion after reading dozens of stories by both Michael and his wife, is that they view this male characteristic through the lens of human evolution: it's in our DNA.
There is no doubt the man can write. His story telling is first rate and his use of science, history and technology often compliment his stories in interesting and mind-bending ways. Alpha Enigma is his latest journey into both the past and the future. Starting with an archeological dig that quickly goes sideways, readers are presented with the first mystery: a three thousand year old tomb is also filled with classical Latin writings and Mayan symbols.
The second mystery he presents is of a mysterious woman who is currently being held in a military psychiatric hospital. Nothing is really known about this person but it quickly becomes clear that she seems exceptionally brilliant scientifically and culturally lost at the same time. Rather than risk giving any more away I will stop with these two mysteries and leave it to you to fill in the missing pieces.
The story is wonderful science fiction. Certainly quantum physics is now mainstream, but it wasn’t always that way. When it first started being written about in fiction, decades ago, it was what Gear is proposing now, the evolution of our understanding of the way the universe works. As usual I have no idea in Alpha Enigma what is real and what is imagined—the theories and science behind them are above my education and pay grade. Fortunately for us Gear makes it fun, and maybe a little scary, to imagine the possibilities.
September 20, 2021
I liked the premise of the story. I liked the story. But it just wasn't that greatly worked out. And... I got really annoyed with all the male's getting distracted by boobs...
July 28, 2023
Ich hab die letzten 100 Seiten nur quer gelesen.
Die Gruppe von Menschen war recht gut und interessant aber man konnte keine Verbindung aufbauen.
Die Art des Erzählen ist sehr komisch. Eigentlich wusste ich nie, wer jetzt die ich-Perspektive sein sollte, die Sichtweisen haben sich auch während der Kapitel geändert.
Die Vertonung hat da auch nicht sehr geholfen. Es gab 2 Sprecher, aber die Aufteilung war interessant.
Das Thema mit den Zeitreisenden, die in Ägypten gestrandet sind aber teilweise wieder in unsere Zeit kamen und den Particle Dingsda zu bauen, war gut.
Hatte mir aber grundsätzlich was anderes vorgestellt. Mehr Archäologie weniger Militärisch - my fault.
Die Gruppe von Menschen war recht gut und interessant aber man konnte keine Verbindung aufbauen.
Die Art des Erzählen ist sehr komisch. Eigentlich wusste ich nie, wer jetzt die ich-Perspektive sein sollte, die Sichtweisen haben sich auch während der Kapitel geändert.
Die Vertonung hat da auch nicht sehr geholfen. Es gab 2 Sprecher, aber die Aufteilung war interessant.
Das Thema mit den Zeitreisenden, die in Ägypten gestrandet sind aber teilweise wieder in unsere Zeit kamen und den Particle Dingsda zu bauen, war gut.
Hatte mir aber grundsätzlich was anderes vorgestellt. Mehr Archäologie weniger Militärisch - my fault.
August 18, 2025
I was a little confused at the start of this book. I don’t read a lot of science fiction books, so I’m not sure if it’s because of that, or if we are supposed to be confused at first. It took a twist though when a handful of genius psych patients escaped from the barracks to help figure out the truth behind how Prisoner Alpha got out of the building. This turn the book took was fun and it was very entertaining to watch these psych patients work together to solve the mystery.
The author left this comment in a ‘Note to the Reader’; “The Science in The Alpha Enigma is real. The Everett Many Worlds theory is accepted by many physicists as an explanation for the origin of our universe”, which is a little scary to think about if it’s true.
The author left this comment in a ‘Note to the Reader’; “The Science in The Alpha Enigma is real. The Everett Many Worlds theory is accepted by many physicists as an explanation for the origin of our universe”, which is a little scary to think about if it’s true.
March 30, 2021
Tried this after reading the Donovan series, which was way better. This was an okay read.
April 26, 2025
DNF'd at 30%
Please tell me less about your cast of blandly sexy women, racial stereotypes, and military propaganda.
Please tell me less about your cast of blandly sexy women, racial stereotypes, and military propaganda.
July 28, 2021
Who would think a group of psychiatric patients would be the ones to try to save the world? W. Michael Gear!
This was a fun read!
This was a fun read!
April 10, 2022
Three Stars for Misogyny
I've read WMG's collaborative works w/Kathleen O'Neill Gear and really enjoyed them.
I was pretty shocked at how many of the male characters in this book were written as complete sexists. It got tedious, and kind of gross, after the first few chapters. Every woman was described with pin-up statistics, and every man looked at them as objects.
The storyline was engaging, if outlandish. The characters were interesting. If you're into something time-travel but don't want to deal with outdated sexist thinking, try Neal Stephenson's 'The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.' instead.
I've read WMG's collaborative works w/Kathleen O'Neill Gear and really enjoyed them.
I was pretty shocked at how many of the male characters in this book were written as complete sexists. It got tedious, and kind of gross, after the first few chapters. Every woman was described with pin-up statistics, and every man looked at them as objects.
The storyline was engaging, if outlandish. The characters were interesting. If you're into something time-travel but don't want to deal with outdated sexist thinking, try Neal Stephenson's 'The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.' instead.
June 15, 2021
The tired trope of the gang of misfits who kick ass and take names gets freshened up in this very addictive adventure thriller. How? The biggest badasses - gunning, fighting and fists up - are the women, and the men are the sensitive, fragile and easily broken ones. OK, OK ... just roll with it, and you'll have a lot of fun with this one.
The misfits are committed to the insane asylum for various reasons, but mostly because they're so smart and able that "the enemy" would love to get their hands on them.
The plot: A mysterious prisoner almost gets assassinated by gunmen who appear and disappear, seemingly out of nowhere. The prisoner seems not to speak English, but learns just about everything at a rapid rate. And then she starts building a machine from spare electronics that her keepers can't figure out.
A converging plot line involves a newly excavated tomb in Egypt that has disturbingly modern symbols on it. Added to that is a set of defense mechanisms that no ancient Egyptian could have ever created.
It's a nice blend of thriller and scifi. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because it just got a bit frantic after awhile, and the author killed off likeable people that he really didn't have to.
The misfits are committed to the insane asylum for various reasons, but mostly because they're so smart and able that "the enemy" would love to get their hands on them.
The plot: A mysterious prisoner almost gets assassinated by gunmen who appear and disappear, seemingly out of nowhere. The prisoner seems not to speak English, but learns just about everything at a rapid rate. And then she starts building a machine from spare electronics that her keepers can't figure out.
A converging plot line involves a newly excavated tomb in Egypt that has disturbingly modern symbols on it. Added to that is a set of defense mechanisms that no ancient Egyptian could have ever created.
It's a nice blend of thriller and scifi. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because it just got a bit frantic after awhile, and the author killed off likeable people that he really didn't have to.
January 26, 2022
Cinematic characters, each with their “own super power,” use those skills to break out of a mental hospital and save the world from their teleporting, time traveling roommate—who is apparently evil as well? That’s as far as I’ve gotten. Seems pretty standard American TV and movie fare. Yawn.....
So i started poking around on goodreads for any indication that things improve. No interesting plot developments, but i have seen mention of some icky pulp fiction-era characterization of women, and thanks to the goodreader who reports the book ending is a setup for book two, I’ll stop the book for now and perhaps resume reading when the sequel comes out. DNF On Hold
Somewhere between 2-3 stars so far.
So i started poking around on goodreads for any indication that things improve. No interesting plot developments, but i have seen mention of some icky pulp fiction-era characterization of women, and thanks to the goodreader who reports the book ending is a setup for book two, I’ll stop the book for now and perhaps resume reading when the sequel comes out. DNF On Hold
Somewhere between 2-3 stars so far.
December 3, 2020
Entertaining, well written thriller. The notion of using parallel universes and time travel as a basis is good, but the heroes reminded me of nothing so much as the A-Team, with smart phones. I'm always suspicious of characters whose last names include Raven, Falcon and Savage. It's a bit Boy's Own.
And then there's this (sadly) unforgettable line: "Falcon was pale, shaking like a vibrator in a Thai sex shop." If it was the opening sentence it'd make a good entry for the Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest.
And then there's this (sadly) unforgettable line: "Falcon was pale, shaking like a vibrator in a Thai sex shop." If it was the opening sentence it'd make a good entry for the Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest.
February 3, 2021
Between the science and the numerous characters, I had trouble keeping up. The military shit too. I’ll read the next but he should stick to Donovan. I would have sworn Gear isn’t sexist but I’ve changed my mind. The “male gaze” shit was everywhere and made me roll my eyes. The men in this book were SO easily distracted by breasts. 🙄
May 30, 2022
I am a fan of the Donovan series, so I gave Psi Ops a chance. And from the beginning I experienced a different flow in the book. This was merely caused by the fact that The Alpha Enigma takes place on known earth, and Donovan is fueled by its strange environment with horror like interactions. Still I was triggered by the quest involved and the puzzle the MCs had to solve. Plotline and content were interesting for sure. The Psi crew was rather stereotypical, and felt overdone. The superwoman, the superhacker, the superstrategist, the superpilot, and the superrational doctor that holds them together: it was too much superhero for me. Against that the stereotypical Hollywood villain corporate firm with the evil Head of Security. Maybe I am not too much of a DC/Marvel fan. The first lab raid was interesting, but after that you knew that the second lab raid would succeed, whatever the evil corporate would throw at them.
There were some real nice things though, like the "this is the one that ordered to torture me" and the very human reaction afterwards. I was hoping for more rough edges (like the torturing, the threats Domina was making/implying, the catatonic metal patients), and more human and "realistic" pieces of emotion. Just wind down guys, super people become so much interested when their emotions come into play. Getting Grasier neutralized by the President, could have played out much stronger to unveil the masterplan. Anyway; 3.5 stars, rounded down. I will pick up part II though, because I do want to know the end of it.
There were some real nice things though, like the "this is the one that ordered to torture me" and the very human reaction afterwards. I was hoping for more rough edges (like the torturing, the threats Domina was making/implying, the catatonic metal patients), and more human and "realistic" pieces of emotion. Just wind down guys, super people become so much interested when their emotions come into play. Getting Grasier neutralized by the President, could have played out much stronger to unveil the masterplan. Anyway; 3.5 stars, rounded down. I will pick up part II though, because I do want to know the end of it.
Read
February 17, 2023In Egypt an impossible tomb is uncovered.
Head archaeologist and stunningly beautiful, brilliant, and sexy forensic anthropologist are kidnapped! Back at the psychiatric unit, the mysterious Alpha is brought in for safety. She is ravishing with her rich blue eyes, provocative smile and enigmatic way. She speaks an unknown language and is oddly genius. The other member of this nut house, uh, military psychiatric ward, notice the strange beauty. This include the most provocative knockout the military has ever seen….along with her allure is the power of her mind…several doctorates under her belt…deadly hand to hand training…
Blah blah blah. If you stopped reading this plethora of man child wet dreams ages ago, do not worry, so did I. Some things become so blatant that one cannot look past but instead we get caught up every time, like the tangle of cables at the back of my 1998 desktop computer. It starts off with the discovery of a Roman/Mayan/Egyptian tomb and high tech sarcophagus, then wanders into the mind bending addition of quantum entangling timelines of oh heck, I don’t understand but it was fun. But, then again, rearing it’s ugly head, the male gaze returns aplomb.
Too many characters to keep track of, oh, you know it. But what you would REALLY need to know is that the women are kick ass, unparalleled beauties, with enormous…uh, skills. And the dudes, well, they are sensitive.
What's not to love?
Head archaeologist and stunningly beautiful, brilliant, and sexy forensic anthropologist are kidnapped! Back at the psychiatric unit, the mysterious Alpha is brought in for safety. She is ravishing with her rich blue eyes, provocative smile and enigmatic way. She speaks an unknown language and is oddly genius. The other member of this nut house, uh, military psychiatric ward, notice the strange beauty. This include the most provocative knockout the military has ever seen….along with her allure is the power of her mind…several doctorates under her belt…deadly hand to hand training…
Blah blah blah. If you stopped reading this plethora of man child wet dreams ages ago, do not worry, so did I. Some things become so blatant that one cannot look past but instead we get caught up every time, like the tangle of cables at the back of my 1998 desktop computer. It starts off with the discovery of a Roman/Mayan/Egyptian tomb and high tech sarcophagus, then wanders into the mind bending addition of quantum entangling timelines of oh heck, I don’t understand but it was fun. But, then again, rearing it’s ugly head, the male gaze returns aplomb.
Too many characters to keep track of, oh, you know it. But what you would REALLY need to know is that the women are kick ass, unparalleled beauties, with enormous…uh, skills. And the dudes, well, they are sensitive.
What's not to love?
December 8, 2020
Wow! This is a fantastic read with a twisty unexpected plot, very unusual characters and a kick-but thrill ride. A woman appears in the middle of a top-secret lab unable to speak any discernible language and is arrested and locked up in a military hospital for mental patients. The ward in the hospital is filled with brilliant damaged military patients looked after by a military psychologist affectionately known as "Skipper". Each patient has his or her own
area of expertise and area of mental dysfunction. When the mysterious woman disappears into thin air in her cell along with the doohickey she was building; it is up to these ragtag brilliants to find out how she escaped and why.
The ensuing mayhem is a thrill ride of epic proportions.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I have read several books by this author and he never disappoints. I anxiously await more in this series.
area of expertise and area of mental dysfunction. When the mysterious woman disappears into thin air in her cell along with the doohickey she was building; it is up to these ragtag brilliants to find out how she escaped and why.
The ensuing mayhem is a thrill ride of epic proportions.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I have read several books by this author and he never disappoints. I anxiously await more in this series.
January 4, 2022
The Alpha Enigma. Book one PSI team.
A very good hard science fiction book. It contains parallel worlds, time travel, archaeology, a bit of military science fiction, corporate greed and mental illness.
Two items that are highlighted in the novel. One item is why intelligent people or close to geniuses may emotionally breakdown and need to be put away in spite of their brilliance but can still be useful.
The other item has to do with time travel between parallel universes and branched off timelines using particle quantum entanglement and the second law of thermodynamics.
This is what hard science fiction is all about and even though the story centers around archaeology. There is not a trace of fantasy.
if one does not understand physics, and archaeology it is not recommend for one to read the book. If you are this book will be a pleasure to read.
A very good hard science fiction book. It contains parallel worlds, time travel, archaeology, a bit of military science fiction, corporate greed and mental illness.
Two items that are highlighted in the novel. One item is why intelligent people or close to geniuses may emotionally breakdown and need to be put away in spite of their brilliance but can still be useful.
The other item has to do with time travel between parallel universes and branched off timelines using particle quantum entanglement and the second law of thermodynamics.
This is what hard science fiction is all about and even though the story centers around archaeology. There is not a trace of fantasy.
if one does not understand physics, and archaeology it is not recommend for one to read the book. If you are this book will be a pleasure to read.
September 14, 2022
A Tom Clancy-style thriller with a sci-fi macguffin. Our team of maverick military misfits -- the hacker, the pilot, the scientist, the analyst, the butt-kicking SEAL, and the kindly Doctor who guides them -- shoot, punch, and outwit corrupt military and government officials working with an Evil Corporation to Take Over The World. They're all fighting for control of a mysterious woman who appears out of nowhere and is somehow connected to an Egyptian burial sight that contains impossibly modern references. The sci-fi elements add a bit of fun, but if you read this sort of novel then you've seen all this before, and better.
November 20, 2022
As I have Covid I am unable to get to a library. I have delved into my husbands stash and I expected to be a boy's own, with plenty of action, tough men, guns, etc but I was surprised. There is all of that here but the main characters are all women and all of the action, guns etc is managed by them. I thought all the characters were interesting and as it is fiction I did not worry too much about the mental issues each of them have. I did not read this for an education but to enjoy and so I did. The book races along with touches of science and humour and I shall look out for more of these.
December 1, 2020
A very interesting premise of quantum physics allowing travel between parallel universes. The characters were interesting, especially Falcon and lots of good action. The physics explanations got a big heavy in the last third of the book, and the ending was somewhat disappointing since it was basically a set up for book two. Definitely worth reading if you like trying to imagine where modern science could take the world.
January 18, 2021
I'm not usually surprised anymore by supposed plot twists and the story arcs that come out. I guess that comes with reading a lot. This book was pretty good in that regard as I was surprised several time. I like the character development and the book builds you up...and then I found out there was another book. I've never read this author before so I'm up for reading the next one since he left a cliff-hanger ending.
February 24, 2022
A lot of ambivalence exists for me on this book. The concepts for the plot are engaging, exciting, and move in a hard to put down fashion. But the characters are very close to stereotypical, and although the characters are flawed to make them appear more human, I don't think it quite does the job. So, do I want to continue with the series? I don't know... I'm thinking about it, but there are lots of other good books to read too.
November 19, 2022
Did not finish - made it about 1/4 of the way through - the science is interesting and super cool, but the way Gear writes women is unbearable: all are super hot/sexy (as described by men) and are really nothing more than objects. Also *spoilers* but women are allowed to be strong WITHOUT being sexually assaulted - but for Raven, she had to have her character revolve around this and how she is a much stronger/sexier women because of being assaulted. Really disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2020
Once again Michael’s character development gets us engaged and taken along in this sci-fi mystery. The thoughtful, absorbing, and detailed characterization is what drives his stories. Whether you end up hating the character or routing for them, you become invested in them. You look forward to seeing what happens to them in the next book
January 10, 2021
I am not a fan of parallel universe stories. They seem to lend themselves to solutions based on the absurd physics of the other universe (or ours) and are unsatisfying.
This book, OTOH, did not go there. While it was obvious the good guys were going to win, how they got there was an entertaining and interesting journey. Looking forward to book 2.
This book, OTOH, did not go there. While it was obvious the good guys were going to win, how they got there was an entertaining and interesting journey. Looking forward to book 2.
May 4, 2021
This is an excellent novel. It lost one star for a handful of gratuitous misogynistic comments about the appearance of two of the main characters spread through the book. Actually, now that I'm writing this, I'm going to drop my review another star, as remembering those puerile comments ticks me off -- plus, it needlessly sullied an otherwise fine work.
May 6, 2022
This is sadly going to be a DNF for me. I absolutely loved Raising Abel and Dark Inheritance but this book seemed like it was written by a different author. The females being described by their sex-appeal and called bitch or skirt got really tedious. Plus the last names…Savage, Falcon, Raven? I’m just really disappointed.
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