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samstillreading's review
Just couldn't get into this one. Great idea and like the format of short, punchy chapters but it's not for me.
mlv97's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
weekday's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
mve94's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Murder and Torture
kcfromaustcrime's review
ABSOLUTE PROOF is a rare thing in these parts - a "did not finish". Try as I might to get into this whopping big thriller, it's just too much of a slog. (For the record I'm not a fan of Dan Brown's books either so there is a distinct possibility that this one was never destined to work for me as it seems to have been compared favourably to them in a number of quarters).
But for this reader, right from the outset there was much that pushed suspension of disbelief too far, and much that just flat out didn't work. The reader is called up on accept that an investigative journalist who has experienced war zone death and terror returns to his daily life willing to accept his wife's infidelity, willing to live with his concerns about his unborn child's parentage, willing to continue to not really trust this woman, until it suddenly becomes something that isn't much talked about again. Mind you, this is same man who is also willing to accept the word of a total stranger that he has proof of the existence of a god. He's willing to pursue that investigation after the violent death of that self-same stranger, he's willing to believe DNA can be retrieved from coagulated blood found in a chalice recovered from the bottom of a well after a couple of thousand years, that the compass points dictated by this god to the aforementioned stranger are pointing to all these artifacts that line up nicely to provide a DNA profile that matches... and and and.
Maybe all of that will work for some readers, perhaps it is better if the central premise actually made a modicum of sense - but it's slower than continental drift on Mars in progressing, there is SO MUCH that's just accepted on face value, and it all descended into farcical fantasy with absolutely no semblemance of logic that I fear the premise has no hope of making sense, the resolution is so uninteresting (and many aspects so utterly predictable) that I have had to abandon half-way through before excessive irritation gets the better of me.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/absolute-proof-peter-james
But for this reader, right from the outset there was much that pushed suspension of disbelief too far, and much that just flat out didn't work. The reader is called up on accept that an investigative journalist who has experienced war zone death and terror returns to his daily life willing to accept his wife's infidelity, willing to live with his concerns about his unborn child's parentage, willing to continue to not really trust this woman, until it suddenly becomes something that isn't much talked about again. Mind you, this is same man who is also willing to accept the word of a total stranger that he has proof of the existence of a god. He's willing to pursue that investigation after the violent death of that self-same stranger, he's willing to believe DNA can be retrieved from coagulated blood found in a chalice recovered from the bottom of a well after a couple of thousand years, that the compass points dictated by this god to the aforementioned stranger are pointing to all these artifacts that line up nicely to provide a DNA profile that matches... and and and.
Maybe all of that will work for some readers, perhaps it is better if the central premise actually made a modicum of sense - but it's slower than continental drift on Mars in progressing, there is SO MUCH that's just accepted on face value, and it all descended into farcical fantasy with absolutely no semblemance of logic that I fear the premise has no hope of making sense, the resolution is so uninteresting (and many aspects so utterly predictable) that I have had to abandon half-way through before excessive irritation gets the better of me.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/absolute-proof-peter-james
nickmasters's review
5.0
On the surface I would feel that attempting this type novel would be pretty risky. At the very least unconventional. But Peter James has pulled off an absolutely brilliant read.
I found myself captivated from the very start. A plot that would probably seem like something I wouldn’t enjoy, if read as a brief synopsis prior to starting the book was delivered with aplomb, engaging me and keeping me enthralled throughout.
The characters, and there were a number of keys characters, were all enjoyable, tangible, and convincing. Even the ones we shouldn’t like were still enjoyable in the context of the book.
Would I recommend this book, definitely! Would I want to see the movie, for sure (although maybe a mini-series would be better). Thanks for a great journey!
Thanks you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a review copy.
I found myself captivated from the very start. A plot that would probably seem like something I wouldn’t enjoy, if read as a brief synopsis prior to starting the book was delivered with aplomb, engaging me and keeping me enthralled throughout.
The characters, and there were a number of keys characters, were all enjoyable, tangible, and convincing. Even the ones we shouldn’t like were still enjoyable in the context of the book.
Would I recommend this book, definitely! Would I want to see the movie, for sure (although maybe a mini-series would be better). Thanks for a great journey!
Thanks you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a review copy.
colorfulleo92's review
4.0
3.7 stars. Absolute proof is a Dan Brown:esce book. In the sence it's an adventure novel trying to figure out the truth about religion before the clock tics to its end. But its was its own story and it was very entertaining. A story to take with a huge grann of salt for sure but fun nevertheless. I like the konspiration of it.
_askthebookbug's review
4.0
Absolute Proof.
.
.
I would like to thank the author for sending this review copy.
.
.
Would you believe if someone says that God will walk on this Earth once again and save the world? Will people of different religion and faith accept this or will it cause ripples of trouble?
.
.
The protagonist is a high profile journalist, Ross Hunter who decides to answer a phone call that changes his life forever. When an old man approaches him and conveys the message from God, little does Ross know what he’s getting into. Will Ross believe in the old man and carry out his instructions as said by God? Or will he listen to his mind and choose the practical way? This book has everything that a reader expects from a thriller and action packed read.
.
.
What starts as a task of curiosity, sets his life in motion when the old man says that Ross is the chosen one who can rescue the world. As I read along, I couldn’t put this book down. The rest of the novel speaks about Ross’s struggles and smartness in every move that he makes. It has the right set of villains and mystery to it that kept me on my toes! .
.
This was my first read by the author and post reading this, I’m sure i’ll pick up many of his works. This book will be getting published on October 4th 2018 and I’m excited that others will get a chance to read this brilliant book.
.
.
I would rate this book 4.5 / 5.
.
.
I would like to thank the author for sending this review copy.
.
.
Would you believe if someone says that God will walk on this Earth once again and save the world? Will people of different religion and faith accept this or will it cause ripples of trouble?
.
.
The protagonist is a high profile journalist, Ross Hunter who decides to answer a phone call that changes his life forever. When an old man approaches him and conveys the message from God, little does Ross know what he’s getting into. Will Ross believe in the old man and carry out his instructions as said by God? Or will he listen to his mind and choose the practical way? This book has everything that a reader expects from a thriller and action packed read.
.
.
What starts as a task of curiosity, sets his life in motion when the old man says that Ross is the chosen one who can rescue the world. As I read along, I couldn’t put this book down. The rest of the novel speaks about Ross’s struggles and smartness in every move that he makes. It has the right set of villains and mystery to it that kept me on my toes! .
.
This was my first read by the author and post reading this, I’m sure i’ll pick up many of his works. This book will be getting published on October 4th 2018 and I’m excited that others will get a chance to read this brilliant book.
.
.
I would rate this book 4.5 / 5.
kliolupa's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
sandevon's review
1.0
I picked this up because the cover blurb by Lee Child promised me the best what if since The Da Vinci Code. Dan Brown's book was dumb but entertaining. Absolute proof however, is not.
This isn't immediately apparent, because Peter James can write. Pacing is perfect, and the short chapters really help with digesting what is a very thick book.
However, things start unraveling fast. First of all, Ross Hunter is a complete asshole. We learn in his very first chapter that he pushed his twin brother away only because...he felt his parents liked his brother better. Furthermore, it's made clear that the brother suffered because of this.
He also is a terrible husband. Sure, his wife cheats on him at the beginning of the book, but he forgives her and agrees to give the relationship another chance. Except he absolutely doesn't. He's cold and distant to his pregnant wife, constantly suspects she's cheating on him without any real reason or follow-up, and spends the entire book using her mistake as an excuse to date another woman, whose main quality seems to be to agree with everything he says. In the end, she conveniently loses the child and "betrays" him so he can leave her and be with the airhead. The betrayal by the way, is trying to find a way out of the situation he put them in, one where he constantly puts both her life and the life of their unborn child in danger.
He does this, we need to understand, because he can't give up the search for God in exchange of money. It's too important, more important than money, more important than his family.
Of course, in the very last scene he throws a tantrum because his story didn't reach the front page, but as luck would have it, he gets a call where's he's offered millions for it! Does he like that? "Is the Pope catholic?" That's an actual quote. It's the final sentence of the book.
Ross Hunter is an horrible human being and I'm very happy he doesn't actually exist.
Then, James takes the unusual step of not leaving the answer to the big question (Is God real?) unanswered. It's all true. God is real. Jesus was a miracle worker, and it was in his DNA so his descendant is a miracle worker too who turns whiskey into beer when he's not drunkenly depressed because mankind sucks. And mankind does suck and we need to repent and we're given absolute proof because it turns dark and we see rainbows upside down and I can't even...
The problem I have here is that it makes the entire plot unnecessary. The final chapter would have happened with or without the horrible Hunter. Apparently the only reason for his search for Christ's descendant was to write about the upcoming rainbow freak show so people would...believe again and thus, would be nicer to each other, I guess? This could have happened in one paragraph where God speaks directly into Hunters mind, ordering him to write his article. Instead, God told a medium, who told an old man, who told Hunter to visit three coordinates, which eventually lead him to Las Vegas to meet the descendant of Jesus, who tells him to write the article. And because Hunter does such a fine job of this, the old man ends up dead, he destroys the tooth of Christ, he loses the Holy Grail, he gets the descendant killed, while abandoning his wife when she's pregnant and about to have a nervous breakdown (no wonder she lost the child) and for all intents and purposes, cheating on her.
There was no point to Ross Hunter and his adventures. The most interesting and important character to the plot was the descendant of Christ (his stories I would have liked to read), and he shows up in all of two short chapters.
Finally, what really irked me is James puts science and religion on opposite sides of the spectrum. Apparently either science is correct, or God exists. This is simply not true. If scientific research would find evidence that a higher being created the universe, then that would be published and scientists would test that theory by trying to prove and/or disprove it. That's how science works. James mentions correctly that science doesn't care about why, only with how, but then inserts an incredibly hamfisted "paradox" into a conversation: "science cannot recreate the Big Bang, and anything that cannot be recreated in a lab isn't science." Of course, a simple Google search shows us that big bang conditions HAVE been created in a lab, but this isn't enough for Hunter. He wants the entire universe recreated, exactly as it happened, at any given point in history. As long as science cannot do this, God may exist.
This is plainly ridiculous, and the only reason to invent a "paradox" like this is to discredit science in general.
I wanted to give this two stars since I did appreciate how well it was written and paced, but according to the GoodReads rating system this means "It was OK", and to me it was not. It started off well, but then descended into a poorly reasoned pamphlet in favor of intelligent design, with an unsympathetic main character and a plot that eventually ended up to not matter at all.
A disappointment.
This isn't immediately apparent, because Peter James can write. Pacing is perfect, and the short chapters really help with digesting what is a very thick book.
However, things start unraveling fast. First of all, Ross Hunter is a complete asshole. We learn in his very first chapter that he pushed his twin brother away only because...he felt his parents liked his brother better. Furthermore, it's made clear that the brother suffered because of this.
He also is a terrible husband. Sure, his wife cheats on him at the beginning of the book, but he forgives her and agrees to give the relationship another chance. Except he absolutely doesn't. He's cold and distant to his pregnant wife, constantly suspects she's cheating on him without any real reason or follow-up, and spends the entire book using her mistake as an excuse to date another woman, whose main quality seems to be to agree with everything he says. In the end, she conveniently loses the child and "betrays" him so he can leave her and be with the airhead. The betrayal by the way, is trying to find a way out of the situation he put them in, one where he constantly puts both her life and the life of their unborn child in danger.
He does this, we need to understand, because he can't give up the search for God in exchange of money. It's too important, more important than money, more important than his family.
Of course, in the very last scene he throws a tantrum because his story didn't reach the front page, but as luck would have it, he gets a call where's he's offered millions for it! Does he like that? "Is the Pope catholic?" That's an actual quote. It's the final sentence of the book.
Ross Hunter is an horrible human being and I'm very happy he doesn't actually exist.
Then, James takes the unusual step of not leaving the answer to the big question (Is God real?) unanswered. It's all true. God is real. Jesus was a miracle worker, and it was in his DNA so his descendant is a miracle worker too who turns whiskey into beer when he's not drunkenly depressed because mankind sucks. And mankind does suck and we need to repent and we're given absolute proof because it turns dark and we see rainbows upside down and I can't even...
The problem I have here is that it makes the entire plot unnecessary. The final chapter would have happened with or without the horrible Hunter. Apparently the only reason for his search for Christ's descendant was to write about the upcoming rainbow freak show so people would...believe again and thus, would be nicer to each other, I guess? This could have happened in one paragraph where God speaks directly into Hunters mind, ordering him to write his article. Instead, God told a medium, who told an old man, who told Hunter to visit three coordinates, which eventually lead him to Las Vegas to meet the descendant of Jesus, who tells him to write the article. And because Hunter does such a fine job of this, the old man ends up dead, he destroys the tooth of Christ, he loses the Holy Grail, he gets the descendant killed, while abandoning his wife when she's pregnant and about to have a nervous breakdown (no wonder she lost the child) and for all intents and purposes, cheating on her.
There was no point to Ross Hunter and his adventures. The most interesting and important character to the plot was the descendant of Christ (his stories I would have liked to read), and he shows up in all of two short chapters.
Finally, what really irked me is James puts science and religion on opposite sides of the spectrum. Apparently either science is correct, or God exists. This is simply not true. If scientific research would find evidence that a higher being created the universe, then that would be published and scientists would test that theory by trying to prove and/or disprove it. That's how science works. James mentions correctly that science doesn't care about why, only with how, but then inserts an incredibly hamfisted "paradox" into a conversation: "science cannot recreate the Big Bang, and anything that cannot be recreated in a lab isn't science." Of course, a simple Google search shows us that big bang conditions HAVE been created in a lab, but this isn't enough for Hunter. He wants the entire universe recreated, exactly as it happened, at any given point in history. As long as science cannot do this, God may exist.
This is plainly ridiculous, and the only reason to invent a "paradox" like this is to discredit science in general.
I wanted to give this two stars since I did appreciate how well it was written and paced, but according to the GoodReads rating system this means "It was OK", and to me it was not. It started off well, but then descended into a poorly reasoned pamphlet in favor of intelligent design, with an unsympathetic main character and a plot that eventually ended up to not matter at all.
A disappointment.