Quantum by Dean De Servienti

This novel is full of science, adventure, and intrigue. I found it very entertaining as well as informative.

The adventure begins when a scientist working for an NGO uncovers an ancient artifact. The surrounding rock is millions of years old yet this object is a finely machined metallic cylinder. She enlists a co-scientist and they search out four scientists in other fields, hoping to run a variety of tests to understand what they have found.

Soon the mystery begins. The six scientists disappear and various countries assume the scientists are hiding a bomb or some other deadly device. Mossad and the CIA aim to find the scientists and recover the dangerous object, no matter the cost.

This novel has everything to captivate the reader. There is the mysterious object that may hold the secret to the origin of humans on earth. There are scientists that help readers understand lots of science. There are deadly assassins. There are clever maneuvers by the scientists to evade capture. There is even a little romance.

The characters are well done. The plot is great. I really liked how the intelligence agencies misconstrued what the scientists were trying to do. It gave me pause to think about how an agency like the CIA might assume something and go way off track.

There was a little too much filthy language for my liking and a few odd (nearly) sexual scenes. Other than that, this is an entertaining novel for those who enjoy the Indiana Jones variety. There is a twist at the end so I'll be waiting for the sequel.

This novel represents De Servienti's theory of the origin of life on earth. Readers must remember that this book is fiction.

You can watch the book trailer here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Dean De Servienti has written three highly acclaimed novels published in Italian. Quantum is the first to be translated into English. He began exploring West Africa as a Political Science university student. He has produced several independent travel-adventure documentaries. He followed some NGOs operating in Africa and South and Central America from 1991 to 1995.

Dean De Servienti, 301 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through NetGalley. My comments are an independent and honest review.