Blasphemy
by Douglas Preston
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Book Reviews of Blasphemy
Book Review: This is such a sad book
Summary: 2 Stars
** Minor spoilers ***
I found myself sighing sadly when reading about the violent, crazed, brutal Christians depicted in this book. One could try to imagine what would make Christians take baseball bats and wrenches and beat people's brains out. Submerging a crucifix in urine? Nope. Slaughtering a helpless nun in the name of Islam? Nope. Mocking us in movies and television shows as idiots, murderers, child abusers? Nope. Depicting Christians in a potboiler novel as brutal, crazed morons who would read an e-mail and then take baseball bats and wrenches and beat peoples brains out? Well, no, actually. No Christian is going to protest this book (except mildly through venues such as this) and no Christian is going to take to the streets and burn down bookstores and slaughter innocents. We're safe to ridicule.
I didn't enjoy this book at all. The science wasn't based on good research, the voice of "God" was silly and juvenile, military tactics were laughable, and the contempt that Preston shows for his audience is insulting. He thinks that the vapid pronouncements that he wrote would electrify a nation? I simply couldn't suspend disbelief enough to savor Pretson's always enjoyable characters, plot, and beautiful descriptions of the West.
I'd give this one a miss. If you need a Preston fix, re-read Tyrannosaur Canyon or any of the Pendergast novels he writes with Lincoln Child. He's a great writer, but he really missed with this one.
Book Review: Excellent Story and Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read almost all of Douglas Preston's books (including those with Lincoln Child) and this is probably my favorites. The story is very well thought out and the characters are expertly developed. Even the science is done well, striking a good balance between the actual scientific details and readability, which is always a difficult task.
One of the reasons I enjoy Preston's (and Child's) books so much is that they develop detailed settings which are richly described so that I can clearly visualize them. Blasphemy is no different; the description of the machine and the huge underground complex clearly shows the research that Preston did in seeing a similar complex himself. (This is confirmed in an interview with the editor of Scientific American.) Some readers find this level of detail tedious, but if you expect it after previous novels, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
The most important part of the book for me, though, is the conflict between science and religion...and more importantly, the question of whether science is a religion. The monologue presented in support of this argument is something I personally agree with wholeheartedly and I am thrilled to see these ideas expressed clearly in a work of popular fiction. It bolsters my "faith" in humanity to have this discussion out in the open and generating discussion.
Overall, I heartily recommend this book and I'll likely read it again.
Book Review: Unfair characterization of Christians
Summary: 1 Stars
I believe that I have read almost everything that Douglas Preston has written but this book was offensive to me. I am a conservative Southern Baptist Pastor who tries to be open-minded. Regarding Darwinism, I, like most people I know, Christians and otherwise, have no problem accepting that species adapt and change in response to their surroundings. However, I have yet to hear a credible, much less convincing, argument that addresses the statistical impossibilities, or perhaps I might suggest unlikelihood, inherent in accepting original life by chance. Also, having been around Christians all my life, the characterizations of Christians acting in the manner portrayed by Mr. Preston are not only unfair but insulting. Most of us are less concerned with the end times, or predicting the Apocalypse, than with trying to live according to the way we are called to by Jesus in the here and now, day by day. The foundation of Christianity is Christ's love displayed in His sacrifice on the cross for us. A real Christian may have many faults and may make mistakes just like any other human being. However, an unloving heart that condemns others and takes it upon themselves to act as judge and executioner is simply not reflective of what Jesus taught, or what real Christians try to practice. Mr. Preston should get to know some real Christians and then perhaps he will realize his errors. Pastor Joe Phillips, Red River NM.Book Review: Disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
I'm a huge fan of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I have purchased all their fiction books, written together and individually, in hardcover. I eagerly look forward to each new release. However, "Blasphemy" was a big disappointment. I gave it two stars. One star because it is the first book that I've read on my new Kindle. I enjoyed the experience. The second star is for Mr. Preston's usual good writing. His descriptions of people and the Southwestern United States were vivid. Otherwise, the plot was predictable, weak, and downright silly. As an evangelical Christian I was particularly annoyed by the way he described evangelicals as a group of village idiots that could be easily incited to mob violence. He has them raiding a government project with, literally, pitchforks and torches, killing and maiming anyone that would "not accept Jesus as their Savior." Totally absurd. If he required fanatical religious fundamentalists for his plot, radical Muslims may have been more believable. But, that would be politically incorrect. Mr. Preston correctly uses a lot of "christian" jargon. However, his knowledge of the faith appears to be from reading about what others have to say, not from any personal exposure. In the "Acknowledgements" at the end of the book he thanks a friend for the use of his "Right Wing" library. It shows. Nevertheless, this won't prevent me from reading his next book. I hope he does better.Book Review: Interesting, entertaining, and in some ways different from Preston's usual fare
Summary: 4 Stars
I won't rehash the whole story line, because you can get that from the publishing reviews.
Anyone familiar with Preston's work -- both individually and with Lincoln Childs -- knows it usually revolves around science in subject or setting, or both. This book's no different in that respect, as the driving action revolves around a particle accelerator located on a Navajo reservation in Arizona.
Typically, Preston's books deal with the science/adventure involved in some undertaking or anomalous occurrence, but that's not what we have here, and it's a very interesting departure.
Those who like the "gee whiz" aspects of his previous works will still be satisfied, but there's much more exploration this time into issues of political activism, Luddism and religious fundamentalism, and the cynical manipulations of the religious faithful by wild-eyed zealots and self-centered televangelists.
It's much more entertaining than that probably sounds, believe me. But let me also assure you, I didn't in any way find this book to be an attack on Christianity, as some other reviewers have written.
It's difficult to be much more specific without writing spoilers, but I found this book very entertaining, the story was well-developed, the settings seemed real, the characters well-rounded and believable.
I can recommend it readily. Four stars.