by Douglas Preston
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Product Description
The world's biggest supercollider, locked in an Arizona mountain, was built to reveal the secrets of the very moment of creation: the Big Bang itself. The Torus is the most expensive machine ever created by humankind, run by the world’s most powerful supercomputer. It is the brainchild of Nobel Laureate William North Hazelius. Will the Torus divulge the mysteries of the creation of the universe? Or will it, as some predict, suck the earth into a mini black hole? Or is the Torus a Satanic attempt, as a powerful televangelist decries, to challenge God Almighty on the very throne of Heaven? Twelve scientists under the leadership of Hazelius are sent to the remote mountain to turn it on, and what they discover must be hidden from the world at all costs. Wyman Ford, ex-monk and CIA operative, is tapped to wrest their secret, a secret that will either destroy the world…or save it. The countdown begins…
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 After CERN, 2008-11-21
How could someone who remember CERN this past summer and
not love this novel is beyond me.
It even helps you understand a lot about what CERN is all all about.
It's a shame we have to wait till next year before CERN is
turning it on again.
This is a GREAT NOVEL!!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
A Fantastic Read, 2008-11-16
This book will definitely give you "food for thought". I thoroughly enjoyed it and could hardly put it down between reading. It's suspenseful, intriguing and downright scary. It's makes you fully realize how fanatical one of the most popular religions in our country (USA) can be. It is truly a fantastic read.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Guilty Pleasure for Amateur Science Nerds, 2008-11-15
Blasphemy is a Douglas Preston novel that tells the tale of a group of scientists working on the Isabella, the newest and most powerful particle accelerator in the world. Along the way they encounter problems from the local Navajo, some Christian fundamentalists, and a machine that provides a great mystery.
With the excitement surrounding the new particle accelerator at CERN, this book caught my eye. It mixes a lot of up-to-date issues in our world. The constant moral and ideological struggle between science and religion. The politics of Washington from powerful lobbyists to shady backroom dealings. It finds a way to blend these cultural clashes that play out in our headlines everyday.
From a story perspective, I thought the first half was gripping. The characters were well developed (although heavily stereotyped) and the buildup toward the climax was great. Unfortunately, the second half of the book does "jump the shark" at times and gets really outlandish. I can give the book some leniency on the science issues as it is a thriller, but some of the personal relationships develop in a way that will have you rolling your eyes.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed it. It's an easy read that will keep you in suspense. The science in it isn't too deep and will surely peak the interest of any amateur physics fan. Most importantly though, it tells an interesting story of our cultural conflicts from the extreme perspectives of our society.
I'd also note that this book does not bash religion. I think it portrays scientists, politicians, and lobbyists in just as negative connotations. The book is about the extremes on each side of the ideological fence. It's about egotistical, greedy people poisoning their respected fields of study. But most of all, it's a fictional story with fictional characters. If every character in every book was toned down as to not offend a particular race, religion, ethnicity, etc; reading novels would be a bore.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 started well..., 2008-10-21
Then went straight downhill. Ended in tedious boredom. Wish I had that 3 hours back.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Interesting, 2008-10-18
I thought the story was an interesting take on science and religion. The reader on the audiobook was good.
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