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The Human Race
- GenresThriller
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About the author
O.C. Heaton
7 books70 followersI write what I love to read - globetrotting, big issue thrillers that are super well researched inside complex plots full of twists and turns.
The result of the above is The Race Is On Series, an idea I had on a trip to Iceland. The first in the series is called LEAP, which tells the tale of a device which has the power to halt global warming. The ensuing race to control the power of this machine continues in:
- Green Ray, Book 2,
- ATOM INC, Book 3, and
- Godwin's Revenge, Book 4, which launches 31st March 2025.
I have also written a prequel to The Race Is On series called MAD which you can download for FREE off my website.
I live in Leeds, UK with the love of my life and our two daughters. It rains a lot in Leeds but that works out well for me - loads of time for research and of course writing!
The result of the above is The Race Is On Series, an idea I had on a trip to Iceland. The first in the series is called LEAP, which tells the tale of a device which has the power to halt global warming. The ensuing race to control the power of this machine continues in:
- Green Ray, Book 2,
- ATOM INC, Book 3, and
- Godwin's Revenge, Book 4, which launches 31st March 2025.
I have also written a prequel to The Race Is On series called MAD which you can download for FREE off my website.
I live in Leeds, UK with the love of my life and our two daughters. It rains a lot in Leeds but that works out well for me - loads of time for research and of course writing!
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 4, 2026
Damn I wish I hated this more! There were so many grammatical errors. It was extremely annoying. But the story was ok. So now I think I need the next one.
Read
April 10, 2012Independently published by O.C. Heaton; no star rating given for indies.
SUMMARY: (SciFi thriller) Ethan Rae, a reclusive young British tech billionaire, serves as a judge at a tech competition in Iceland where he meets Uma Jakobsdottir, daughter of a famed scientific genius. She proves that before he died, her father invented a practical teleportation device. A committed environmentalist, Uma wants to gift this technology to the world without profit, and she needs Ethan's help to do it. They work in secret to prepare for a global roll-out but people associated with them start dying under suspicious circumstances. Before long, their lives are in danger as a ruthless industrialist seeks to silence them and steal the technology for his own purposes.
ScienceThrillers REVIEW: While a central premise of The Human Race is an unrealistic SciFi technology--teleportation--British author O.C. Heaton weaves plenty of real science and more into this thriller which is largely set in the fascinating country of Iceland. Despite the conflict between Uma's idealism and Ethan's pragmatism, the two forge a bond and a team to manage the release of the ultimate disruptive technology in a way they intend to benefit humanity. But as the bodies begin to pile up, Uma questions whether her father was right: mankind just isn't ready for this yet.
STRENGTHS: The Human Race includes intelligent insights into diverse fields, including the airline industry, Icelandic geology, and more. Icelandic world view, local history and locations permeate the plot. There's a great car chase scene across the Icelandic "outback", with both ice and steaming water involved, and later another action scene set in a steaming Icelandic hot spring. O.C. Heaton raises a fascinating philosophical question early in the book which I'm still pondering: in his teleportation system, a person's body is not physically transported across the miles. Rather, it is reconstructed molecule by molecule at its destination. Given this, what happens to a person's soul? And he leaves open the question, what if the "original" body were kept intact? Who is the "real" person? I also loved the legal complications of traveling from one country to another via teleport: your customs & immigration "papers" won't be in order.
WEAKNESSES: Out-of-sequence chronology of early chapters may be confusing. The villain is introduced before the reader understands his role in the story, so for a while it's not clear where this plot thread is going. The ending is more than just a set up for a sequel, it's a cliffhanger, which may put off some readers.
Key words: quantum computing; teleportation; computer security; geothermal energy; Blue Lagoon
FCC disclaimer: A free e-copy of this book was given to me for review. As always, I made no guarantee that I would read the book or post a positive review.
SUMMARY: (SciFi thriller) Ethan Rae, a reclusive young British tech billionaire, serves as a judge at a tech competition in Iceland where he meets Uma Jakobsdottir, daughter of a famed scientific genius. She proves that before he died, her father invented a practical teleportation device. A committed environmentalist, Uma wants to gift this technology to the world without profit, and she needs Ethan's help to do it. They work in secret to prepare for a global roll-out but people associated with them start dying under suspicious circumstances. Before long, their lives are in danger as a ruthless industrialist seeks to silence them and steal the technology for his own purposes.
ScienceThrillers REVIEW: While a central premise of The Human Race is an unrealistic SciFi technology--teleportation--British author O.C. Heaton weaves plenty of real science and more into this thriller which is largely set in the fascinating country of Iceland. Despite the conflict between Uma's idealism and Ethan's pragmatism, the two forge a bond and a team to manage the release of the ultimate disruptive technology in a way they intend to benefit humanity. But as the bodies begin to pile up, Uma questions whether her father was right: mankind just isn't ready for this yet.
STRENGTHS: The Human Race includes intelligent insights into diverse fields, including the airline industry, Icelandic geology, and more. Icelandic world view, local history and locations permeate the plot. There's a great car chase scene across the Icelandic "outback", with both ice and steaming water involved, and later another action scene set in a steaming Icelandic hot spring. O.C. Heaton raises a fascinating philosophical question early in the book which I'm still pondering: in his teleportation system, a person's body is not physically transported across the miles. Rather, it is reconstructed molecule by molecule at its destination. Given this, what happens to a person's soul? And he leaves open the question, what if the "original" body were kept intact? Who is the "real" person? I also loved the legal complications of traveling from one country to another via teleport: your customs & immigration "papers" won't be in order.
WEAKNESSES: Out-of-sequence chronology of early chapters may be confusing. The villain is introduced before the reader understands his role in the story, so for a while it's not clear where this plot thread is going. The ending is more than just a set up for a sequel, it's a cliffhanger, which may put off some readers.
Key words: quantum computing; teleportation; computer security; geothermal energy; Blue Lagoon
FCC disclaimer: A free e-copy of this book was given to me for review. As always, I made no guarantee that I would read the book or post a positive review.
June 22, 2011
Reviews of The Human Race on Amazon, including reviews from Amazon top 50 reviewers
5 stars
“A Page-Turning Delight!”
By N. Bhowmick (UK)
Well, I didn't think I was a fast reader... until I read this! Action from page one, one's initial natural instinct to doubt the credibility of the science is soon suspended as the story unfolds at an alarming pace and drags the reader along with it. Not only is the plot deliciously gripping, but the writing is rich and engaging. I've never been to Iceland but now I feel I have..and I want to go again! This is really an astonishing debut novel, the calibre of which leaves me in no doubt that we will be hearing and seeing much more of O.C. Heaton in the future. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel. If you haven't read The Human Race yet, you're missing a treat!!
5 stars
“A gripping unputdownable read!”
By Louise A. Handley (UK)
O.C. Heaton's first novel is a non-stop thriller, being both timely and gripping to the point where I couldn't put it down. With its complex twists and turns, the intelligent plot pitches hero and heroine against what seems like the rest of the world. The science part, albeit slightly far fetched, is highly believable due to the impressive writing skill displayed by the author. As someone who has never been to Iceland, the detailed description of the country is fascinating and has evidently been well researched. However, I didn't like the ending - but only because I want to know what happens next! I guess I will have to wait patiently for the second instalment...
4 stars
“GETTING FROM A TO C”
By DAVID BRYSON (Amazon Top 50 reviewer, UK)
If you are looking for a well-plotted and well-written thriller to while away the hours of a long flight, this offering might suit you very well. It is a very promising debut novel, and it is to be the first of a `thrillogy', which must mean that we can look forward to two sequels. However the really intriguing thing about the book is that the action centres on the invention of instantaneous transportation, something that will of course make long flights a thing of the past.
This author likes detail. That is fine by me because so do I, but there is just a risk that you might find the heroine's earnest speechifying a little lengthy in the first half of the story. She explains the gee-whizz `science' of the new technology with great particularity, and she points out the enormous downside consequences that flow from it if we stop to think about it even for a moment or two. The rest of the first half introduces the two chief male actors to us, and I found the characterisation quite convincing all the way through, including some important new entrants later on. I was not so keen on the reach-me-down device of having identical twins to help out the plot near the end, because this is just a bit too facile and predictable. However the narrative line is extremely clear throughout, except of course where the author wants to keep us guessing for a while, which in general he does very well.
The story starts vividly, and a major bonus for me was setting much of the action in Iceland, because I have actually been there, although only to Rejkjavik and Keflavik (plus a hair-raising flight past the then new volcano Surtsey) and not to the interior. The pace slackens for a while, but when the action really starts half way along it hardly lets up until the end. This writer knows what he is doing, and I enjoyed the ride he was taking me on. How many more years of long flights I have in me I have no idea, but given a following wind I know where to look for an interesting and agreeable travelling companion on my way to two future destinations.
3 stars
“An intriguing story with interesting characters”
By Julia Flyte (Amazon Top 50 reviewer, UK)
The Human Race story is about a teleporter developed in Iceland, which has the ability to transport an individual from one country to another. Scientist Uma Jakobsdóttir, the daughter of a famous geothermal engineer, is the product champion. She approaches Ethan Rae, a billionaire venture capitalist from England, to help bring it to market. (I had a wry chuckle at the Ethan plus Uma teaming - was the author a Gattaca fan perhaps?). At the same time, the owner of an airline in America gets wind of the invention and tries to steal it, perceiving correctly that this invention could severely impact on the airline industry. There is also a strong environmental message running through the story.
Don't be put off by the cover: The Human Race has the bones of a very good thriller. Its got an intriguing and original storyline with some great characters. The first half of the book is particularly good - Joseph Finder fans should enjoy. Unfortunately it's over-written and gets bogged down with too much detail. It gets hard to follow the main story because there are so many strings and sub-plots and ultimately I think it would have benefited from a more ruthless edit. It's not a bad book by any stretch, but it had the potential to be even better.
Be warned that this is the first in a planned series and it ends very abruptly: just stopping in the middle of the story, blatantly setting the reader up for the next installment.
This review is based on a copy provided for reviewing purposes, but the opinions above are genuine and based on having read the book.
3 stars (7/10)
“Thermals required”
By tallpete33 (Amazon Top 50 reviewer, UK)
I definitely found this book to be one of three parts i.e. a good start, a dull middle and a better if slightly incredible finish.
It centres on Ethan Rae, a Richard Branson type (though without the beard and personality) successful English businessman/philanthropist who was propostioned at a convention by Uma Jakobsdóttir, Icelandic scientist and environmentalist. Tricked into "testing" her matter transporter that sent him from Iceland to Manhattan in seconds, his life was never to be the same again. He immediately realised the unlimited commercial potential of such a device but greener than grass Uma wanted to give it away to be put to use for the greater good and prevent (further) climate change. An unlikely alliance was formed with the hardheaded entrepreneur and the Icelandic idealist.
Of course, despite every precaution being taken, word of the transporter (somehow) got out and enter Samuel Reynolds III, bad boy of the Reynolds Air dynasty. Reynolds was desperate to make a name for himself just like his grandpa who had worked with the Wright Bothers at Kittyhawk before setting up the family business. Once the largest company in the US it was now facing bankruptcy following 9/11, union battles and competition from cheap airlines. With such an invention and massive riches up for grabs, the stakes were high and Ethan and Uma soon found themselves the targets of some very unwanted attention.
After a good start, this book foundered for me in the middle. The author is obviously a fervent believer in and opponent of climate change, but it was pretty much rammed down our throats us at every opportunity, ditto how great Iceland is and how clever they are in exploiting the geothermal springs for hot water. This is definitely a book of it's time but it was as if parts of it were co-written by Al Gore and the Icelandic tourist bureau. As most of the book was set on the island, this did get a bit tiresome and the transporter could definitely have been put to more use and taken them back to NY or just about anywhere else for a much needed change of scenery.
Heaton has a pretty long and wordy style that can take the excitement out of a given scene at times but I did appreciate the time and place header at the start of each chapter - other authors please take note. Uma was a pretty logical and humourless individual that was difficult to warm to, the same with Ethan who was a pretty colourless man despite his wealth and success. We only got to know of his murky past in the final chapters which was a pity as it put some flesh on the bones of his personality too late on for us to really empathise with him. The best "character" was the tequila drinking skirt-chasing Reynolds who was mostly absent after the first few chapters but enjoyed a fitting end.
This is part one of a "thrillogy". I'm in two minds about part two and three as I'm not sure how much more time I could spend with the Ice Maiden Miss Jakobsdóttir but never say never.
5 stars
By S. D. Munday
The Human Race is a fantastic thriller. At first I could not get away from drawing comparisons to Dan Brown and 'that' style of writing - a plot heavily laden with interesting scientific facts and intriguing geography and fast moving through different landscapes and subplots. As I delved further into the book I was actually annoyed at myself for my initial pigeon-holing of Heaton's writing with the likes of The Da Vinci Code. Obviously, Dan Brown is successful for a reason, but The Human Race, in my opinion, is more intellectually challenging and also carries a clear moral message regarding climate change and our obligation to this frail planet.
The characters in The Human Race are completely believable, and not being a scientist I was soon convinced that teleporting could be a viable means of international travel. Apparently it probably isn't possible though. Never mind.
In reading The Human Race, Heaton has convinced me of two things. The first is that I really should try and get to Iceland for a holiday sometime soon as he describes it so wonderfully. The second is that he has drawn me into his world now and I need to know what happens next in this thrillogy.
5 stars
“Terrific Debut”
By Shane O'Neill (New York City)
What a terrific debut novel from Mr. O.C. Heaton! He's written an edge of your seat thriller, but with very well thought-out science and research. I always enjoy a book more when I can learn something whilst being entertained, and Mr. Heaton has certainly accomplished that. From quantum physics to geothermal power in Iceland, Mr. Heaton adds a dose of facts to the story whilst keeping the excitement coming. As a New Yorker, I can also confirm that he gets his facts about the City right. In addition, his characters are very realistic, like real people finding themselves in extraordinary circumstances -- not cardboard superheroes. And talk about a cliffhanger ending! I can hardly wait for the sequel. Hurry up and write, Mr. Heaton.
5 stars
“Now that's what I call a Page Turner!”
By Mark Bootherstone (Paris)
Truly gripping. First question I had on finishing it was when will the second part be published?!
I read The Human Race by O C Heaton whilst on holiday and finished it in two days! You feel like you are in the thick of it as Heaton takes you on a whirlwind trip between London, New York and Iceland as the suspense and adrenalin mounts. A very engaging set of characters help to draw you into this book, and the new technology that is at the heart of the plot is described in such a way that you believe it could be plausible. I particularly liked the way the author also explored the social implications of the new technology, which made me think further what the world would be like if Uma and Ethan's secret really did exist.
Can't wait to read the next installment in this trilogy.
5 stars
“Next on The Best Seller List”
By Justine Bond
An outstanding first novel from O.C.Heaton that catapults him into the Best Seller league. This is a gripping tale with all the essential ingredients of a great holiday read. In Ethan we have a serious focused businessman who unwittingly finds his usual practical, cool approach to making money and investment in new ventures is blown away by his involvement with a serious academic lady who comes with a research pedigree and a monumental scientific development. It is essentially a thriller, with Ethan taking on the role of a reluctant James Bond, but this is not a tongue in cheek tale - this is a tale with serious scientific undertones addressing many real issues facing society today and which raises questions about startling but immensely plausible developments. The attention to detail in terms of the research is meticulous and the descriptive narrative sensitive and comprehensive in a way that makes it stand out from the run of the mill thriller. A fast moving, can't put down read with some incredibly nailbiting and very exciting cliff hanging moments and superb twist in the tale this is crying out to be made into a movie. I can't wait for the next installment-please don't keep us waiting too long!
5 stars
“I should have waited for the holidays...”
By L. E. Aguado (UK)
This book got me in trouble. I couldn't put it down. Fast paced story and non-stop action. Clever too. The breadth of research is impressive and very well argued. It made me wonder multiple times what if...
Keep them coming, I am ready for the next one!
5 stars
“Wow!”
By L. C. Mazza (UK)
Where do I start.. I can`t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed reading The Human Race.. A real page turner from the very first page. It`s everything you would want from a thriller and more, it`s exciting, action packed and funny, It takes you to different parts of the world. It does make you believe that the `secret` could actually happen. I really began to like 2 of the main characters Uma and Ethan and cared about what happened to them, and as for Reynolds..I won`t give it away.. but I laughed my head off when I found out what happened to him.. couldn`t have happened to a nicer man!! I just hope O C Heaton is cracking on with the 2nd book of the thrillogy as I have been left hungry for more.
5 stars
“Thrilling Debut”
By James Petty (UK)
Recommended by a friend, I recently read this author's debut thriller on holiday, and can report that I'm now officially in the O.C. Heaton fan club, and consequently more open minded about reading first time author's work. (Holidays previously being too precious to risk valuable time reading anything other than established, best-seller-writing stalwarts of the literary world.)
"The Human Race" has pretty much everything I expect from a thriller: a good story, told from the multiple points of view of interesting characters, at great pace. Each chapter and scene reveals something new to the plot. The strong narrative thrust, using active verbs rather than the passive voice, helps get the reader inside the heads of the three main protagonists, adds depth and builds dramatic tension. The "big secret" is convincingly revealed, and credibly explained, so that you fully believe (or want to believe) that the technology necessary is current, and not science fiction. The depth of research is impressive, not just behind the locations etc, but particularly behind the new technology and it's environmental and ethical consequences.
Congratulations, then, to O.C.Heaton on a fine debut, for opening my mind to first-timers, and for inventing the fantastic new word "Thrillogy" which is now firmly implanted in my vocabulary! I look forward to the next instalment.
5 stars
“Race to read this one!”
By E. Hines (UK)
From the moment you pick up this fantastic debut thriller from O . C . Heaton, you will be launched on a deathly, thrilling, breathtaking journey across so many landscapes that Heaton brings to life for us, in such a brilliantly infectious way.
He creates characters that take over from page one and you really live every minute of this pacy book right there with them. It really is impossible to put down. This book has everything that a true thriller should have and more and I'm sure part two will not disappoint.....I can't wait to see where we will be transported with Ethan and Uma.
5 stars
“What a Race”
By L. H. Bowers (UK)
The Human Race is part science fiction, part adventure thriller, and a wholly enjoyable read.
Once upon a time, a man named Michael Crichton told us that we could recreate the world of dinosaurs from DNA extracted from amber. The success of Jurassic Park tells us that we believed it, too, or wanted to believe it. O. C. Heaton through his heroine, Uma Jakobsdóttir, tells us that we now have access to another holy grail of science fiction. I won't tell you what it is, as it might spoil the surprise, but he then proceeds, in a very readable fashion, to make it sound much more like currently available science than fiction. And after that, the action just does not stop.
None of the main characters is one you might admire or wish to be like. They are all motivated by greed, some more altruistically so than others, but all are nonetheless driven by self-interest: the businessman desperate to keep his family's empire alive; the entrepreneur who seems unable not to make money; the scientist driven by her green agenda. However, they all get your attention if not your admiration.
I know that it is a cliché, but this is an exciting, fast-paced read. The Human Race is a book that is very easy to forget to put down. Bring on `Part Two'. I very much look forward to seeing what O. C. Heaton has in store for Ethan and Uma - and for us.
5 stars
“A Page-Turning Delight!”
By N. Bhowmick (UK)
Well, I didn't think I was a fast reader... until I read this! Action from page one, one's initial natural instinct to doubt the credibility of the science is soon suspended as the story unfolds at an alarming pace and drags the reader along with it. Not only is the plot deliciously gripping, but the writing is rich and engaging. I've never been to Iceland but now I feel I have..and I want to go again! This is really an astonishing debut novel, the calibre of which leaves me in no doubt that we will be hearing and seeing much more of O.C. Heaton in the future. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel. If you haven't read The Human Race yet, you're missing a treat!!
5 stars
“A gripping unputdownable read!”
By Louise A. Handley (UK)
O.C. Heaton's first novel is a non-stop thriller, being both timely and gripping to the point where I couldn't put it down. With its complex twists and turns, the intelligent plot pitches hero and heroine against what seems like the rest of the world. The science part, albeit slightly far fetched, is highly believable due to the impressive writing skill displayed by the author. As someone who has never been to Iceland, the detailed description of the country is fascinating and has evidently been well researched. However, I didn't like the ending - but only because I want to know what happens next! I guess I will have to wait patiently for the second instalment...
4 stars
“GETTING FROM A TO C”
By DAVID BRYSON (Amazon Top 50 reviewer, UK)
If you are looking for a well-plotted and well-written thriller to while away the hours of a long flight, this offering might suit you very well. It is a very promising debut novel, and it is to be the first of a `thrillogy', which must mean that we can look forward to two sequels. However the really intriguing thing about the book is that the action centres on the invention of instantaneous transportation, something that will of course make long flights a thing of the past.
This author likes detail. That is fine by me because so do I, but there is just a risk that you might find the heroine's earnest speechifying a little lengthy in the first half of the story. She explains the gee-whizz `science' of the new technology with great particularity, and she points out the enormous downside consequences that flow from it if we stop to think about it even for a moment or two. The rest of the first half introduces the two chief male actors to us, and I found the characterisation quite convincing all the way through, including some important new entrants later on. I was not so keen on the reach-me-down device of having identical twins to help out the plot near the end, because this is just a bit too facile and predictable. However the narrative line is extremely clear throughout, except of course where the author wants to keep us guessing for a while, which in general he does very well.
The story starts vividly, and a major bonus for me was setting much of the action in Iceland, because I have actually been there, although only to Rejkjavik and Keflavik (plus a hair-raising flight past the then new volcano Surtsey) and not to the interior. The pace slackens for a while, but when the action really starts half way along it hardly lets up until the end. This writer knows what he is doing, and I enjoyed the ride he was taking me on. How many more years of long flights I have in me I have no idea, but given a following wind I know where to look for an interesting and agreeable travelling companion on my way to two future destinations.
3 stars
“An intriguing story with interesting characters”
By Julia Flyte (Amazon Top 50 reviewer, UK)
The Human Race story is about a teleporter developed in Iceland, which has the ability to transport an individual from one country to another. Scientist Uma Jakobsdóttir, the daughter of a famous geothermal engineer, is the product champion. She approaches Ethan Rae, a billionaire venture capitalist from England, to help bring it to market. (I had a wry chuckle at the Ethan plus Uma teaming - was the author a Gattaca fan perhaps?). At the same time, the owner of an airline in America gets wind of the invention and tries to steal it, perceiving correctly that this invention could severely impact on the airline industry. There is also a strong environmental message running through the story.
Don't be put off by the cover: The Human Race has the bones of a very good thriller. Its got an intriguing and original storyline with some great characters. The first half of the book is particularly good - Joseph Finder fans should enjoy. Unfortunately it's over-written and gets bogged down with too much detail. It gets hard to follow the main story because there are so many strings and sub-plots and ultimately I think it would have benefited from a more ruthless edit. It's not a bad book by any stretch, but it had the potential to be even better.
Be warned that this is the first in a planned series and it ends very abruptly: just stopping in the middle of the story, blatantly setting the reader up for the next installment.
This review is based on a copy provided for reviewing purposes, but the opinions above are genuine and based on having read the book.
3 stars (7/10)
“Thermals required”
By tallpete33 (Amazon Top 50 reviewer, UK)
I definitely found this book to be one of three parts i.e. a good start, a dull middle and a better if slightly incredible finish.
It centres on Ethan Rae, a Richard Branson type (though without the beard and personality) successful English businessman/philanthropist who was propostioned at a convention by Uma Jakobsdóttir, Icelandic scientist and environmentalist. Tricked into "testing" her matter transporter that sent him from Iceland to Manhattan in seconds, his life was never to be the same again. He immediately realised the unlimited commercial potential of such a device but greener than grass Uma wanted to give it away to be put to use for the greater good and prevent (further) climate change. An unlikely alliance was formed with the hardheaded entrepreneur and the Icelandic idealist.
Of course, despite every precaution being taken, word of the transporter (somehow) got out and enter Samuel Reynolds III, bad boy of the Reynolds Air dynasty. Reynolds was desperate to make a name for himself just like his grandpa who had worked with the Wright Bothers at Kittyhawk before setting up the family business. Once the largest company in the US it was now facing bankruptcy following 9/11, union battles and competition from cheap airlines. With such an invention and massive riches up for grabs, the stakes were high and Ethan and Uma soon found themselves the targets of some very unwanted attention.
After a good start, this book foundered for me in the middle. The author is obviously a fervent believer in and opponent of climate change, but it was pretty much rammed down our throats us at every opportunity, ditto how great Iceland is and how clever they are in exploiting the geothermal springs for hot water. This is definitely a book of it's time but it was as if parts of it were co-written by Al Gore and the Icelandic tourist bureau. As most of the book was set on the island, this did get a bit tiresome and the transporter could definitely have been put to more use and taken them back to NY or just about anywhere else for a much needed change of scenery.
Heaton has a pretty long and wordy style that can take the excitement out of a given scene at times but I did appreciate the time and place header at the start of each chapter - other authors please take note. Uma was a pretty logical and humourless individual that was difficult to warm to, the same with Ethan who was a pretty colourless man despite his wealth and success. We only got to know of his murky past in the final chapters which was a pity as it put some flesh on the bones of his personality too late on for us to really empathise with him. The best "character" was the tequila drinking skirt-chasing Reynolds who was mostly absent after the first few chapters but enjoyed a fitting end.
This is part one of a "thrillogy". I'm in two minds about part two and three as I'm not sure how much more time I could spend with the Ice Maiden Miss Jakobsdóttir but never say never.
5 stars
By S. D. Munday
The Human Race is a fantastic thriller. At first I could not get away from drawing comparisons to Dan Brown and 'that' style of writing - a plot heavily laden with interesting scientific facts and intriguing geography and fast moving through different landscapes and subplots. As I delved further into the book I was actually annoyed at myself for my initial pigeon-holing of Heaton's writing with the likes of The Da Vinci Code. Obviously, Dan Brown is successful for a reason, but The Human Race, in my opinion, is more intellectually challenging and also carries a clear moral message regarding climate change and our obligation to this frail planet.
The characters in The Human Race are completely believable, and not being a scientist I was soon convinced that teleporting could be a viable means of international travel. Apparently it probably isn't possible though. Never mind.
In reading The Human Race, Heaton has convinced me of two things. The first is that I really should try and get to Iceland for a holiday sometime soon as he describes it so wonderfully. The second is that he has drawn me into his world now and I need to know what happens next in this thrillogy.
5 stars
“Terrific Debut”
By Shane O'Neill (New York City)
What a terrific debut novel from Mr. O.C. Heaton! He's written an edge of your seat thriller, but with very well thought-out science and research. I always enjoy a book more when I can learn something whilst being entertained, and Mr. Heaton has certainly accomplished that. From quantum physics to geothermal power in Iceland, Mr. Heaton adds a dose of facts to the story whilst keeping the excitement coming. As a New Yorker, I can also confirm that he gets his facts about the City right. In addition, his characters are very realistic, like real people finding themselves in extraordinary circumstances -- not cardboard superheroes. And talk about a cliffhanger ending! I can hardly wait for the sequel. Hurry up and write, Mr. Heaton.
5 stars
“Now that's what I call a Page Turner!”
By Mark Bootherstone (Paris)
Truly gripping. First question I had on finishing it was when will the second part be published?!
I read The Human Race by O C Heaton whilst on holiday and finished it in two days! You feel like you are in the thick of it as Heaton takes you on a whirlwind trip between London, New York and Iceland as the suspense and adrenalin mounts. A very engaging set of characters help to draw you into this book, and the new technology that is at the heart of the plot is described in such a way that you believe it could be plausible. I particularly liked the way the author also explored the social implications of the new technology, which made me think further what the world would be like if Uma and Ethan's secret really did exist.
Can't wait to read the next installment in this trilogy.
5 stars
“Next on The Best Seller List”
By Justine Bond
An outstanding first novel from O.C.Heaton that catapults him into the Best Seller league. This is a gripping tale with all the essential ingredients of a great holiday read. In Ethan we have a serious focused businessman who unwittingly finds his usual practical, cool approach to making money and investment in new ventures is blown away by his involvement with a serious academic lady who comes with a research pedigree and a monumental scientific development. It is essentially a thriller, with Ethan taking on the role of a reluctant James Bond, but this is not a tongue in cheek tale - this is a tale with serious scientific undertones addressing many real issues facing society today and which raises questions about startling but immensely plausible developments. The attention to detail in terms of the research is meticulous and the descriptive narrative sensitive and comprehensive in a way that makes it stand out from the run of the mill thriller. A fast moving, can't put down read with some incredibly nailbiting and very exciting cliff hanging moments and superb twist in the tale this is crying out to be made into a movie. I can't wait for the next installment-please don't keep us waiting too long!
5 stars
“I should have waited for the holidays...”
By L. E. Aguado (UK)
This book got me in trouble. I couldn't put it down. Fast paced story and non-stop action. Clever too. The breadth of research is impressive and very well argued. It made me wonder multiple times what if...
Keep them coming, I am ready for the next one!
5 stars
“Wow!”
By L. C. Mazza (UK)
Where do I start.. I can`t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed reading The Human Race.. A real page turner from the very first page. It`s everything you would want from a thriller and more, it`s exciting, action packed and funny, It takes you to different parts of the world. It does make you believe that the `secret` could actually happen. I really began to like 2 of the main characters Uma and Ethan and cared about what happened to them, and as for Reynolds..I won`t give it away.. but I laughed my head off when I found out what happened to him.. couldn`t have happened to a nicer man!! I just hope O C Heaton is cracking on with the 2nd book of the thrillogy as I have been left hungry for more.
5 stars
“Thrilling Debut”
By James Petty (UK)
Recommended by a friend, I recently read this author's debut thriller on holiday, and can report that I'm now officially in the O.C. Heaton fan club, and consequently more open minded about reading first time author's work. (Holidays previously being too precious to risk valuable time reading anything other than established, best-seller-writing stalwarts of the literary world.)
"The Human Race" has pretty much everything I expect from a thriller: a good story, told from the multiple points of view of interesting characters, at great pace. Each chapter and scene reveals something new to the plot. The strong narrative thrust, using active verbs rather than the passive voice, helps get the reader inside the heads of the three main protagonists, adds depth and builds dramatic tension. The "big secret" is convincingly revealed, and credibly explained, so that you fully believe (or want to believe) that the technology necessary is current, and not science fiction. The depth of research is impressive, not just behind the locations etc, but particularly behind the new technology and it's environmental and ethical consequences.
Congratulations, then, to O.C.Heaton on a fine debut, for opening my mind to first-timers, and for inventing the fantastic new word "Thrillogy" which is now firmly implanted in my vocabulary! I look forward to the next instalment.
5 stars
“Race to read this one!”
By E. Hines (UK)
From the moment you pick up this fantastic debut thriller from O . C . Heaton, you will be launched on a deathly, thrilling, breathtaking journey across so many landscapes that Heaton brings to life for us, in such a brilliantly infectious way.
He creates characters that take over from page one and you really live every minute of this pacy book right there with them. It really is impossible to put down. This book has everything that a true thriller should have and more and I'm sure part two will not disappoint.....I can't wait to see where we will be transported with Ethan and Uma.
5 stars
“What a Race”
By L. H. Bowers (UK)
The Human Race is part science fiction, part adventure thriller, and a wholly enjoyable read.
Once upon a time, a man named Michael Crichton told us that we could recreate the world of dinosaurs from DNA extracted from amber. The success of Jurassic Park tells us that we believed it, too, or wanted to believe it. O. C. Heaton through his heroine, Uma Jakobsdóttir, tells us that we now have access to another holy grail of science fiction. I won't tell you what it is, as it might spoil the surprise, but he then proceeds, in a very readable fashion, to make it sound much more like currently available science than fiction. And after that, the action just does not stop.
None of the main characters is one you might admire or wish to be like. They are all motivated by greed, some more altruistically so than others, but all are nonetheless driven by self-interest: the businessman desperate to keep his family's empire alive; the entrepreneur who seems unable not to make money; the scientist driven by her green agenda. However, they all get your attention if not your admiration.
I know that it is a cliché, but this is an exciting, fast-paced read. The Human Race is a book that is very easy to forget to put down. Bring on `Part Two'. I very much look forward to seeing what O. C. Heaton has in store for Ethan and Uma - and for us.
July 12, 2011
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 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.
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 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.
June 17, 2016
The year is 2003. Jakob Arnarsson, an Icelandic scientist, spent years developing a form of teleportation technology. It’s an invention that would render all methods of transportation obsolete, effectively ending man-made pollution. Although a devoted conservationist, he never released his findings during his lifetime. His daughter Uma, the sole guardian of this technology, is equally devoted to the green cause. Determined to find a way to market the invention on a global scale, she approaches conscientious billionaire and philanthropist Ethan Rae for help with her scheme. Three thousand miles away, Samuel Reynolds III, the American CEO of an airline teetering on the verge of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, catches wind of their plans, and takes steps to steal the technology from them.
This is a book with an amazing premise. What if teleportation became an everyday occurrence? How would it affect our everyday lives? Heaton covers absolutely every single angle that can be thought of: how it would affect basic transportation, what it would cost to set up this technology, how you would market this service, and the potential attitudes from corporations who have everything to lose - or gain - from this invention. The first book in a new trilogy, The Human Race is an excellent adventure story that will appeal to any fan of science fiction.
This is a book with an amazing premise. What if teleportation became an everyday occurrence? How would it affect our everyday lives? Heaton covers absolutely every single angle that can be thought of: how it would affect basic transportation, what it would cost to set up this technology, how you would market this service, and the potential attitudes from corporations who have everything to lose - or gain - from this invention. The first book in a new trilogy, The Human Race is an excellent adventure story that will appeal to any fan of science fiction.
June 22, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed The Human Race. Once I started reading, I simply could not put it down! O.C. Heaton's ability to juggle just the right amount of "science" and "thriller" is delivered beautifully through the discovery of a new technology that will change the world as we know it in the 21st Century.
The Human Race had me constantly on edge, always wondering what was going to happen next and contemplating whether and when this "invention" would eventually find it's way into the wrong hands. The rapid movement of the characters from city to city and country to country creates a pace for the novel which also complements this tension.
The ending is incredible - just what you wish for from a thriller that leaves you feeling satisfied yet unable to wait for the next installment.
The Human Race had me constantly on edge, always wondering what was going to happen next and contemplating whether and when this "invention" would eventually find it's way into the wrong hands. The rapid movement of the characters from city to city and country to country creates a pace for the novel which also complements this tension.
The ending is incredible - just what you wish for from a thriller that leaves you feeling satisfied yet unable to wait for the next installment.
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