Review of The Newton Code
Posted: 22 Aug 2021, 22:20
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Newton Code" by Liam Fialkov.]
1 out of 4
The blurb on various websites about The Newton Code, By Liam Fialkov, caught my eye. A big fan of The Da Vinci Code, it appeared to be a perfect companion. A group of dissidents has decoded a secret message in the writings of Sir Isaac Newton regarding the ancient Temple on the Mount and only one man can save the world from certain destruction if this group is allowed to proceed with their plan to follow Newton’s Code. However, the blurb was far more interesting, and better written, than the book.
The Newton Code opens with a world-wide computer glitch that shuts down all computers for thirteen minutes. Everything from traffic signals to power plants is affected. Then, as suddenly as everything went dark, everything comes back on. Despite affecting the entire world, no one has any explanation, or cares. So, as quickly as Fialkov grabbed my attention with the massive computer shutdown, he lost it with the unbelievable global non-reaction.
In chapter two we meet Michael, the protagonist. We meet him, but Fialkov tells us practically nothing about him, and shows us even less. I don’t know who this man is, or have any sense of what he’s about except that he gets a call from an old friend asking him to help prevent a global war.
This friend, Stewart, an investigative journalist, has uncovered what he believes is a plot headed by Charles Bishop, an American ex-war hero to utilize some of Sir Isaac Newton’s theories regarding the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem to send the world into catastrophe. Michael is asked to go online and try to join the group and learn all he can about their intentions. Stewart fears the group wants to create the conditions for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
We learn a bit more about Michael, that he’s married and has a young daughter. However he and Melany, his wife, seemed to have turned more into glorified roommates than husband and wife. And that’s about as deep as Fialkov ever goes with these two, or any other character, ever.
Michael discovers the group, led by the wheelchair-bound, charismatic Bishop, has plans to erect an exact replica of the first Jewish Temple, right next to the Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem. Stewart asks Michael to go under-cover and physically infiltrate the group to find out more.
As the story intensifies, so should the reading experience for the reader. But it never does due to the Fialkov’s lackluster writing. Throughout, he tells and never shows. Every action verb is general and non-specific. Characters are constantly “exiting” or “continuing on their way.” When the story finds Michael sneaking into off-limits areas of the group’s compound, Fialkov describes Michael’s feelings with “Suddenly Michael was struck by an ambiguous sensation that he was not alone in the temple.” This is but one of dozens upon dozens such passages that give the reader nothing about what’s going on inside of Michael, either thoughts or feelings. Worse than that, such general writing forcibly keeps the reader at a distance from the story and the characters. I felt as if I were reading the book through thick layers of gauze. Fialkov never expresses anything other than distant commentary on all action. Even when Michael has a one-night stand with another woman, the whole event is described in one, wispy sentence, “He opened his arms and accepted her into his embrace.”
The climax is woefully weak, utterly unsatisfactory and completely unbelievable. After being promised a thrill ride, I got nothing more than a tricycle tour around a sandbox. This group has sent multitudes of operatives to Jerusalem to blow up the Temple Mount. Michael, by now someone we’ve come to accept as King of the Wimpy and Inept, has minutes to stop them drilling the final portion of a tunnel and placing a ton of explosives under the mount. Despite the army of believers Bishop secretly brought to Jerusalem, only three people, with no security, are manning the drill. Michael asks them politely to stop drilling, saying their leader has changed his mind. I have to admit, I laughed out loud at this point. At least I found some humor in the book. The scene plays out a bit longer, but the rapid descent into apathy couldn’t be stopped, as Fialkov ends his tale with a bunch of non-interesting characters apologizing to each other, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Despite the title, the story has pretty much nothing to do with Isaac Newton beyond his theory of the dimensions of the Ancient Temple. There were no deep secrets to uncover, no nefarious villains, virtually no plot twists. The whole thing felt like a good premise with nothing to back it up or fill in the grand canyon-like gaps.
******
The Newton Code
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
1 out of 4
The blurb on various websites about The Newton Code, By Liam Fialkov, caught my eye. A big fan of The Da Vinci Code, it appeared to be a perfect companion. A group of dissidents has decoded a secret message in the writings of Sir Isaac Newton regarding the ancient Temple on the Mount and only one man can save the world from certain destruction if this group is allowed to proceed with their plan to follow Newton’s Code. However, the blurb was far more interesting, and better written, than the book.
The Newton Code opens with a world-wide computer glitch that shuts down all computers for thirteen minutes. Everything from traffic signals to power plants is affected. Then, as suddenly as everything went dark, everything comes back on. Despite affecting the entire world, no one has any explanation, or cares. So, as quickly as Fialkov grabbed my attention with the massive computer shutdown, he lost it with the unbelievable global non-reaction.
In chapter two we meet Michael, the protagonist. We meet him, but Fialkov tells us practically nothing about him, and shows us even less. I don’t know who this man is, or have any sense of what he’s about except that he gets a call from an old friend asking him to help prevent a global war.
This friend, Stewart, an investigative journalist, has uncovered what he believes is a plot headed by Charles Bishop, an American ex-war hero to utilize some of Sir Isaac Newton’s theories regarding the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem to send the world into catastrophe. Michael is asked to go online and try to join the group and learn all he can about their intentions. Stewart fears the group wants to create the conditions for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
We learn a bit more about Michael, that he’s married and has a young daughter. However he and Melany, his wife, seemed to have turned more into glorified roommates than husband and wife. And that’s about as deep as Fialkov ever goes with these two, or any other character, ever.
Michael discovers the group, led by the wheelchair-bound, charismatic Bishop, has plans to erect an exact replica of the first Jewish Temple, right next to the Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem. Stewart asks Michael to go under-cover and physically infiltrate the group to find out more.
As the story intensifies, so should the reading experience for the reader. But it never does due to the Fialkov’s lackluster writing. Throughout, he tells and never shows. Every action verb is general and non-specific. Characters are constantly “exiting” or “continuing on their way.” When the story finds Michael sneaking into off-limits areas of the group’s compound, Fialkov describes Michael’s feelings with “Suddenly Michael was struck by an ambiguous sensation that he was not alone in the temple.” This is but one of dozens upon dozens such passages that give the reader nothing about what’s going on inside of Michael, either thoughts or feelings. Worse than that, such general writing forcibly keeps the reader at a distance from the story and the characters. I felt as if I were reading the book through thick layers of gauze. Fialkov never expresses anything other than distant commentary on all action. Even when Michael has a one-night stand with another woman, the whole event is described in one, wispy sentence, “He opened his arms and accepted her into his embrace.”
The climax is woefully weak, utterly unsatisfactory and completely unbelievable. After being promised a thrill ride, I got nothing more than a tricycle tour around a sandbox. This group has sent multitudes of operatives to Jerusalem to blow up the Temple Mount. Michael, by now someone we’ve come to accept as King of the Wimpy and Inept, has minutes to stop them drilling the final portion of a tunnel and placing a ton of explosives under the mount. Despite the army of believers Bishop secretly brought to Jerusalem, only three people, with no security, are manning the drill. Michael asks them politely to stop drilling, saying their leader has changed his mind. I have to admit, I laughed out loud at this point. At least I found some humor in the book. The scene plays out a bit longer, but the rapid descent into apathy couldn’t be stopped, as Fialkov ends his tale with a bunch of non-interesting characters apologizing to each other, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Despite the title, the story has pretty much nothing to do with Isaac Newton beyond his theory of the dimensions of the Ancient Temple. There were no deep secrets to uncover, no nefarious villains, virtually no plot twists. The whole thing felt like a good premise with nothing to back it up or fill in the grand canyon-like gaps.
******
The Newton Code
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon