O.C. Heaton

Unputdownable. Yes, I know it's not a word, but it definitely applies here, anyway. That's the word I'm going with, to describe "The Human Race" by O.C. Heaton.

The plot is both simple and complicated, full of twists and turns, and absolutely riveting every step of the way. Our protagonist is Uma Jakobsdóttir, a brilliant scientist, who has a secret of epic proportions. She has created a scientific invention that can change the world, and absolutely cripple humanity if it falls into the show more wrong hands. What is this invention? Well, therein lies the mystery. Unfortunately, there are sinister forces at work who get their hands on this invention, and thus starts an absolutely captivating chase, for the sake of the secret, that takes the reader from one end of the planet Earth to the other; from London to Iceland, to the arid Mojave Desert. Also, of note, is the strong environmental message that permeates into the infrastructure of this narrative, giving the reader a multi-layered, multi-faceted novel to enjoy. An absolutely riveting novel, this thriller is sure to keep you at the edge of your seat.

I began reading "The Human Race" late at night, and despite my drooping eyelids, I could not put down this novel, because I kept wondering, "what next?" the entire time. The story pulled me in from the get-go, and soon I found myself completely immersed in the narrative. There are a few tedious moments in the novel (for the reader) where there might be far too much detail, especially of a scientific nature - but I do not mind descriptive passages, and I have a keen interest in all things pertaining to "science", therefore the excessive detail was actually quite enjoyable for me. This book is part one of a planned series, and I am really looking forward to part two and three. Incorporating a little mystery, a little science, lots of thrills, politics, the environment and some really interesting characters into one immensely interesting package, author O.C. Heaton has delivered quite a hit for his debut novel. Make sure to pick up your copy, you will not regret it. show less

Now here is an unusual book. The author, Mr Heaton, has clearly spent many a long day researching all things Icelandic, American airline history and a great deal of quantum physics relating to the plausibility of teleportation. Then he has taken said research and built a novel around it without killing the story at all. Congratulations are in order (raises hat in salute).
I love science fiction when it is done as well as this. This is not speculative fiction but true science fiction as was show more written by the likes of Eric C. Williams and Arthur C. Clarke, where you take reality and insert a small portion of plausible / possible science. Then as a good author should, Mr. Heaton goes on to build a ruddy good thriller that had me constantly glancing at the next page to see if ...
There is rich plot of double-crossers, cheats, liars and greedy desperate businessmen out to make a killing with a science that will change the world. The character flesh out well, they talk well, interact well, and you even get to care about them. Nothing is rushed, Mr. Heaton knows where the story is going, that is all too clear, and we, the readers, get to enjoy the voyage of discovery that is contained in both the theoretical and the true science. I have also become suspicious that the author is an ambassador for Icelandic tourism.
I particularly like the two leading characters, Ethan Rae and Uma Jakóbsdottir, the relationship that never quite reaches the surface and ends as unlikely as is befitting the story. Now we may see, perhaps, a greater use for the technology than had originally been envisioned.

The Human Race ends with the opening of a whole can of worms being thrown up in the air allowing for the story to develop along yet another twisting pathway. I look forward to reading more of tale; hopefully the balance of science fact and fiction will remain the same as it added so much credibility to the whole story.

Congratulations Mr Heaton on a well earned 9/10 (that’s high for me) show less

I don't think that O.C. Heaton ever met a metaphor that he could resist.
"The heat crushed down on him, enveloping him in its grasp like a deep ocean from which there was no escape."
"Ethan heard a scratching sound above and cracked an eyelid, wincing as it scoured the dry cornea like sandpaper."
"He could feel the past shifting, waiting for the tectonic plates he had carefully constructed to crack open, so it could crawl up from the depths of his belly like an unfading force of night terrors, show more slobbering and shuffling into the daylight with gleeful abandon."
The above three examples were all in one paragraph! ...Atom Inc was like a painting splashed with vivid color and detail ;)
But metaphors aside, Heaton really does tell a good story. I received this book as an early read so I didn't realize that it was number three in a series. I really wish that I would have been able to start with the first in the series because many of the characters and details of the plot were new to me and got in the way of following the story. Once I understood who was with who and what was with what I enjoyed the rich detail of the plot. It's clear that Heaton has done much research to make his story realistic.
Each of the short chapters is titled with a location, date and time. The plot focuses on a group of scientists that has developed the LEAP program which allows people to transport themselves to other cities and countries without using fossil fuel, kind of like transporting in Star Trek. Their intentions are good, but of course an evil genius steals their invention and uses it to advance their own agenda.
The story is fast paced and really had me sitting up to take notice of all the action. As I said, I would highly recommend starting with book one of the trilogy to have a fuller experience. show less

Book three of the The Race is On series finds Uma and Ethan racing against the villainous Forsythe and competing technology.
I came across this book as an ARC, having not read the first two, but I was able to jump right in and pickup the story without any trouble. There is plenty of exposition, where necessary, to ensure the reader knows what's going on. The story is fast paced and exciting.
I love the LEAP technology concept and how the author explores its impact on climate, industry, and show more humanity. This is the true idea of science fiction - to posit a technological advance, then grapple with how it would impact the world as we know it. This theoretical technology has both positive and negative impacts, both of which are explored in Atom Inc.
I gave this book four stars, instead of five, because there are multiple places where some editing was needed. I think one final pass from a professional editor would have smoothed out the rough edges of this excellent book.
*** I got this book through the LibraryThing Early Review program, but all opinions are my own. *** show less