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The Infinity Program: Book Review
If you like science fiction that explores science, computer programming, and advance alien life, you might want to give The Infinity Program by Richard H. Hardy a try. Overall and in spite of a few flaws, I found this book a fun read. Publication date is April 1, 2014.
Here’s a teaser from Amazon:
“Jon Graeme and Harry Sale are unlikely friends. Harry is a world-class programmer, but his abrasive personality alienates co-workers. In contrast, Jon is a handsome and easy-going technical writer, the low man on the IT totem pole.
Sharing a love of nature, the men set out together, planning to go their separate ways–Jon on a hike and Harry, fly fishing. Three days later, Jon arrives at the rendezvous point, but his friend is nowhere in sight. When Jon finds Harry unconscious on the floor of a cave, Harry claims to have been lying there the entire time. But he is neither cold nor hungry. What Jon doesn’t know is that Harry fell into an underground cavern, where he came into contact with an alien quantum computer.”
My Responses:
Jon Graeme is a likable and naive protagonist. A few times, I wanted to shake him and tell him to wake up and smell the coffee, but his other qualities outweighed his innocent acceptance of everything Harry Sale did and suggested.
I found the plot engaging if at times slow paced. Until close to the end, I wasn’t sure which way things were going to fall. This book reminded me of early science fiction stories.
I’m not a programming techie, so much of the program jargon and intricacies were over my head; however, Hardy did an excellent job of making the details accessible for a layperson. If you love the programming world and like hyper computers and hypercomputation, you might enjoy this book. I know next to nothing about these things, and I was pulled into the story. So, it works for the layperson too.
Issues and Weaknesses:
I have some issues with the book.
1) The relationship between Jon and Harry is interesting. However, Harry’s character wasn’t developed enough; unfortunately, he’s too much of a stereotype for my tastes. Because of Harry’s unpleasant personality, I didn’t understand why Jon developed this unlikely friendship. This is the basis of the story, and I wanted Harry fleshed out.
2) Lettie Olsen, Jon’s love interest, is a heart-thumping beauty, who is so attractive, she makes men nervous. Really? It’s the 21st century. Let’s move beyond the stereotype. Lettie is a male fantasy, not a real woman. As a female reader, I was disappointed. She isn’t developed, has little personality, and is a ball of insecurity mixed with an acquiescent streak. This book deserves a smart, secure, witty woman, who is personable. Any woman, beautiful or otherwise, who has made it in a male-dominated world, is strong and self-confident.
3) Most of Jon and Lettie’s love story is told in flashbacks. We rarely get a scene in real time. He thinks about the dinner they had together or the meeting they had. What this does is distance, Lettie. She is an object. Because she isn’t on stage speaking and acting, we have a watered down version of how the romance bloomed. If their relationship had unfolded for the reader to see and experience, the book would have been stronger and the romance element more satisfying and believable. As it stands, this sub-plot could be removed from the story without changing the book in any substantial way.
4) This complaint should have been taken care of by the publisher. The text needs a substantive/developmental edit. There are unnecessary words, repetition such as Jon’s full name repeated and repeated, meanderings, stereotyped characters, as well as composition and grammar mistakes. With a good edit, this would probably be a novella. If you decide to read it, be prepared. These are deal breakers for many people.
In spite of these flaws, I found The Infinity Program a fun, light read.
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