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The Lucifer Code: gripping, taut and intelligent; a thriller set apart from the rest
Lucifer The Light Age has dawned. Light divides the universe into two: day and night. Good and evil. Life and death. Now its power, harnessed by a new generation of optical computers, attempts to answer mankind’s last great question: What happens to us when we die? But this is perilous knowledge, as Dr. Miles Fleming, a brilliant young neurologist discovers. To find the truth he must challenge the certainties of both science and religion, and embark on a journey that jeopardizes his most basic assumptions and beliefs. On reaching the final terrifying revelation he realizes that there are perhaps some things mankind should never know. For shining a light on the truth can sometimes reveal the darkest
recesses of hell itself.
recesses of hell itself.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
39 people are currently reading
949 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cordy
30 books119 followersMichael Cordy's first novel, The Miracle Strain, about the search for the DNA of Christ, was published in over twenty five languages and forty countries. It reached the top five in the Sunday Times Bestseller List and became a bestseller around the world.
Disney bought the film rights for $1.6 million.
Another five novels followed: Crime Zero, Lucifer, True, The Source and the latest THE COLOUR OF DEATH. All have been published in the UK by Bantam Press and Corgi, and translated into several languages.
Warner Bros optioned the film rights to The Source and Michael recently optioned Crime Zero to the producers of Lord Of The Rings and The Golden Compass, agreeing to write the screenplay.
Due to the ‘high concept’ nature of Michael Cordy’s novels the Press have called him “Britain’s answer to Michael Crichton.” Some of his early books have also been compared to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code - although they were bestsellers many years before that novel was written.
The Miracle Strain was republished as The Messiah Code in many countries and some of the other novels have since been republished with new titles too.
Michael Cordy is British but was born in Ghana and spent much of his childhood in West and East Africa, India and Cyprus. He was educated in England at Kings School Canterbury and the universities of Leicester and Durham.
After ten years in marketing and advertising, his wife, Jenny backed his decision to give up a lucrative career and follow his dream of becoming a writer - so long as he finished his first novel in one year. It took him two. (He claims to have written all the necessary words in the allotted twelve months - just not in the right order)
Disney bought the film rights for $1.6 million.
Another five novels followed: Crime Zero, Lucifer, True, The Source and the latest THE COLOUR OF DEATH. All have been published in the UK by Bantam Press and Corgi, and translated into several languages.
Warner Bros optioned the film rights to The Source and Michael recently optioned Crime Zero to the producers of Lord Of The Rings and The Golden Compass, agreeing to write the screenplay.
Due to the ‘high concept’ nature of Michael Cordy’s novels the Press have called him “Britain’s answer to Michael Crichton.” Some of his early books have also been compared to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code - although they were bestsellers many years before that novel was written.
The Miracle Strain was republished as The Messiah Code in many countries and some of the other novels have since been republished with new titles too.
Michael Cordy is British but was born in Ghana and spent much of his childhood in West and East Africa, India and Cyprus. He was educated in England at Kings School Canterbury and the universities of Leicester and Durham.
After ten years in marketing and advertising, his wife, Jenny backed his decision to give up a lucrative career and follow his dream of becoming a writer - so long as he finished his first novel in one year. It took him two. (He claims to have written all the necessary words in the allotted twelve months - just not in the right order)
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February 13, 2020O carte conspirationista cu intriga clasica: o chestie care va schimba din temelii religia, care pune tototdata in pericol omenirea. Superb construita, afli abia la final de tot in ce consta acel mare secret. Bine, ramai si cu cateva semne de intrebare, caci finalul, spre deosebire de alte carti, nu e atat de limpede. Dar fix asta-i farmecul sau.
Revin pe blog cu o parere detaliata :)
Revin pe blog cu o parere detaliata :)
November 16, 2016
It took me a while to finish this book; with the first half a slog to get through it was only sheer stubbornness (and, I admit, a tiny smidge of curiosity about the final concluding moment) that got me through it. By the time I actually wanted to read it I was half way through, and while the second half was decisively better it was not so good as to make the effort worthwhile.
So what exactly didn't I like about it?
Predictability - Certain elements of this book were highly predictable, such as the "required" and obvious romance, the sheer naivety of certain characters, and more. And when there were twists they were rather more akin to "uh, really?" moments.
Characterisation - The characters in this book lack something. They're not quite fleshed out, they seem wedged into molds that they don't quite fit, and it is clear they are mostly there to serve their purpose. Hero, heroine, romantic interest, villain, etc., etc. I have a bone to pick with Mr Cordy about his villain, because frankly...uh, really? That was probably one of the worst things about this story.
Subtly - AKA, there was none.
The suspense - AKA, for me there was none. Oops? I'm sure there was meant to be some.
The Endling - ahem - I mean, the ending - To be frank the ending was, I suppose, your very typical "it's over, but is it" moment that horror movies have a tendency to do depending on the current trend, year, budget, etc. I honestly feel I'd have been more satisfied without that ending, and I wouldn't have felt beaten over the head by a point that had, I felt, already been made.
And finally, the writing which was, at times, just plain bad. Peaked around the middle, I guess, which seems to be the part Cordy wanted to actually write.
Basically the concept was interesting, but the execution could have done with a little more work.
So what exactly didn't I like about it?
Predictability - Certain elements of this book were highly predictable, such as the "required" and obvious romance, the sheer naivety of certain characters, and more. And when there were twists they were rather more akin to "uh, really?" moments.
Characterisation - The characters in this book lack something. They're not quite fleshed out, they seem wedged into molds that they don't quite fit, and it is clear they are mostly there to serve their purpose. Hero, heroine, romantic interest, villain, etc., etc. I have a bone to pick with Mr Cordy about his villain, because frankly...uh, really? That was probably one of the worst things about this story.
Subtly - AKA, there was none.
The suspense - AKA, for me there was none. Oops? I'm sure there was meant to be some.
The Endling - ahem - I mean, the ending - To be frank the ending was, I suppose, your very typical "it's over, but is it" moment that horror movies have a tendency to do depending on the current trend, year, budget, etc. I honestly feel I'd have been more satisfied without that ending, and I wouldn't have felt beaten over the head by a point that had, I felt, already been made.
And finally, the writing which was, at times, just plain bad. Peaked around the middle, I guess, which seems to be the part Cordy wanted to actually write.
Basically the concept was interesting, but the execution could have done with a little more work.
April 13, 2013
This one worked for me mostly at the Horror level and as such I can recommend it easily. Horror aspects was what I welcomed the most. Probably partially because of my own past and dreams of my deceased mother when I was ~6. In some of these dreams she kept placing various mementos for me to find. In other - my father was trying to resurrect her by the means of various intravenous systems of multi-colored liquids. Sometimes my father succeeded and we had a perfect reunion, accompanied with pleasant dinner and evening with my mom. In my dreams she often got resurrected and in majority of them she was half-rotten but it was not unpleasant to look at her. Rather appealing. When I woke up from these dreams I thought of them as of some interesting means of communication. They weren't nightmares - at least not for the always Horror-thirsty essence of my soul. I saw these dreams as a good-written Horror/Drama, dealing with personal trauma of my childhood. They felt warm and reassuring. And something of this I found here - pressed in the paperback edition of The Lucifer Code.
The core of this book revealed itself to be a real page-turner despite my hatred towards the absolutely dumbifying force of organized religion. Perhaps it was exactly the force that drove me to read on? I have to mention though that this work is far from being religion-heavy and I thank the God (author) for that! Anyway my own views on dealing with the religion aren't that extreme but I really welcomed the ideas provided here.
A nice, entertaining and sometimes REALLY horrifying book. My brand of Horror and Suspense. Appreciated!
The core of this book revealed itself to be a real page-turner despite my hatred towards the absolutely dumbifying force of organized religion. Perhaps it was exactly the force that drove me to read on? I have to mention though that this work is far from being religion-heavy and I thank the God (author) for that! Anyway my own views on dealing with the religion aren't that extreme but I really welcomed the ideas provided here.
A nice, entertaining and sometimes REALLY horrifying book. My brand of Horror and Suspense. Appreciated!
July 19, 2022
amazing story very cool concepts with cool religious commentary and imagery! however it loses points for the ableist cliche of 'evil guy is disfigured and everyone is grossed out by how he looks' there was some cool body horror at the end as his skin is like burning off but that still couldve happened with the same effect without making a whole point throughout the story about his disfigurement
overall very good book tho :)
overall very good book tho :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2022
Needed to read just absolute trash, and this was perfect. Reads a lot like the "Da Vinci Code". Not wild about the ableism with the main villain I have to say. Parts of this were surprisingly gory. Worth two pounds from a second hand bookshop and then put back on the shelf after I finished it.
December 9, 2020
Brought the book for the title......not what I expected, but still good fast book, plenty of action and enjoyed the science/religion life after death theme..... yeah not bad at all xxxx
May 21, 2017
An English Michael Crichton eh? Lucifer was my first Cordy novel and I enjoyed it. There's clever use of emerging technology and how it will effect religion and medical breakthroughs in the future. There are some great action scenes, which keep you turning the pages. There's even mystery and subterfuge. However, and it's quite a large however, the story is just too far-fetched. It has you gripped for the first half, and mostly entertained for the second half, yet the finale is over-the-top and unfortunately lowers the overall feeling of the the book. I'll read more of Cordy's work, and in future I'll be armed with an expectation, rather than the hype on the back.
April 4, 2018
Un buen Thriller , lleno de emociones y suspenso con una pizca de amor, la historia es entretenida y te lleva a diferentes emociones mientras lees cada pagina de el libro , sin embargo para mi el final es un poco flojo.
July 8, 2022
Another interesting read by Michael Cordy. In each one he seems to explore the benefits and potential pitfalls of some new technology - in The Messiah Code it was genome sequencing and in his second novel it was the application of genomic knowledge to pathogen engineering and terrorism. For his third novel, Cordy explores the potential benefits and pitfalls of computer technology (particularly quantum computers), which was way ahead of its time. This was wrapped up in a story about the existence of human souls and organized religion. Cordy straddles a thin line between offending those who are religious and annoying those who are not, and seems to pull it off to retain readers on both sides. The plot moves along quickly but not predictably and I certainly did not see the big revelation coming at the end of Part 2! The ending was slightly ambiguous which I'm sure was by design. My only quibbles were with parts of the dialog and some of the actions by the characters. Oh and he got a bit off on the particle versus wave stuff which didn't make much sense to me but I think was trendy when he wrote it. Apparently the author thinks the distinguishing characteristic of American English is to say "ain't" - which of course in fact nobody who is educated ever does in practice - and a couple of other word usages were not quite accurate (although might be what people think about American speech in Britain or Australia). The characters also did not act with quite as much fear as I would have expected when dealing with a murderous psychopath. But it's fiction and those minor points don't detract from enjoyment of the book. Am looking forward to seeing what technology Cordy explores in his remaining three novels. My only real question about Cordy's books is why haven't they been made into movies? The plots and the issues are much more interesting than those in most other books that have been made into movies recently.
October 28, 2024
Having read some of the earlier reviews I didn’t know what to expect..
As a work of science fiction this is a very good story. You need to suspend some ideals and ideas that you have to get the story in your head but once you do it’s very carefully and critically put together.
Basically is there a soul and if so where does it go, if anywhere, after death.
The evil characters take it on themselves to hasten experiments with dying people and try to track the soul on death… with limited success. They need this information to further the religious fervour of the head of a mammoth virtual church that has surpassed all current religions.. there is a need to prove the existence of of the soul and of heaven…
Big tech is involved: massive intellects and world beating, hidden computer tech but this is being used in the background to promote the search for the soul.
Tied into the project is Amber who is one of conjoined twins that have been separated and still believes that she has some contact with her dead twin. Alongside her is Miles who is developing tech to help amputees to manage their prosthetic limbs by thought.. he is ravaged by guilt on the death of his brother whom he is unable to help. Amber is seen by the bad guys and by Miles as key to understanding what happens after death. This story revolves around how she fits into the relationship between life and death, what she can do to help the world along with Miles and ultimately how she comes to understand her own life and meaning.
Yes, there is discussion on the pros and cons of religion .. not enough to be offensive in my view.
A good book with a slightly weak ending.
As a work of science fiction this is a very good story. You need to suspend some ideals and ideas that you have to get the story in your head but once you do it’s very carefully and critically put together.
Basically is there a soul and if so where does it go, if anywhere, after death.
The evil characters take it on themselves to hasten experiments with dying people and try to track the soul on death… with limited success. They need this information to further the religious fervour of the head of a mammoth virtual church that has surpassed all current religions.. there is a need to prove the existence of of the soul and of heaven…
Big tech is involved: massive intellects and world beating, hidden computer tech but this is being used in the background to promote the search for the soul.
Tied into the project is Amber who is one of conjoined twins that have been separated and still believes that she has some contact with her dead twin. Alongside her is Miles who is developing tech to help amputees to manage their prosthetic limbs by thought.. he is ravaged by guilt on the death of his brother whom he is unable to help. Amber is seen by the bad guys and by Miles as key to understanding what happens after death. This story revolves around how she fits into the relationship between life and death, what she can do to help the world along with Miles and ultimately how she comes to understand her own life and meaning.
Yes, there is discussion on the pros and cons of religion .. not enough to be offensive in my view.
A good book with a slightly weak ending.
September 1, 2022
What a great book. I've started going back to a lot of books I bought years ago but have just not got around to reading for one reason or another. I've had medical issues that have prevented me from being able to concentrate through most of pre and post COVID too.
This book dragged me back to a time many years ago when the Da Vinci Code and Dan Brown was at his peak.
I love science v theology, free will v fate stories. Faith is such a strong thing for people so reading a book like this that is chocful of potentially plausible ways of coming up with answers to some of our greatest questions had me enthralled at times.
Twisting it up with a Dan Brown like megalomaniac, sciencey thriller ideas and characters you want to know more about makes it worthwhile.
Despite it being published when Brown was in his pomp this stands on its own two feet (sorry Jake), doesn't have as much info dumping ruining it's pacing and hasn't aged at all. It could be on the best seller list now. Ideas are what it's built upon. The use of light replacing microchips for computers is an amazing idea for instance. And I love stories with great ideas at it's heart.
Give it a bash. Definitely something different
This book dragged me back to a time many years ago when the Da Vinci Code and Dan Brown was at his peak.
I love science v theology, free will v fate stories. Faith is such a strong thing for people so reading a book like this that is chocful of potentially plausible ways of coming up with answers to some of our greatest questions had me enthralled at times.
Twisting it up with a Dan Brown like megalomaniac, sciencey thriller ideas and characters you want to know more about makes it worthwhile.
Despite it being published when Brown was in his pomp this stands on its own two feet (sorry Jake), doesn't have as much info dumping ruining it's pacing and hasn't aged at all. It could be on the best seller list now. Ideas are what it's built upon. The use of light replacing microchips for computers is an amazing idea for instance. And I love stories with great ideas at it's heart.
Give it a bash. Definitely something different
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2024
I'm not sure what to rate this. There are parts of it that I really enjoyed and parts of it that dragged to the point that I found myself skimming through them. It reminded me a lot of The Da Vinci Code but not as engaging. Part horror, part thriller, part sci-fi...and perhaps some mystery thrown in. It seems to have a broad range to it. It is an interesting concept with how emerging technology will affect the medical field as well as religion. But it felt a little too far-fetched. Although, who knows.... The writing wasn't bad and I rather enjoyed some of the characters; found myself connecting to them. I have another book by Michael Cordy that's been sitting on the shelf for years that I will start now that I'm done with this one. I'm curious to see how I will like that one.
February 22, 2022
I hated this book until the end of part two. Everything after that kept me hanging in suspense, but after part one and most of part two was so sluggish and long, I feel a lack of accomplishment from finishing this. The perspective switched too often to allow me to understand and enjoy each character fully, I even got some mixed up as they swapped back and forth. Alright concept, just poorly paced unfortunately
July 6, 2023
Great read!
This is my second Michael Cordy book. My first (The Miracle Strain) was a page turner which I greatly enjoyed so I decided to read The Lucifer Code. It did not disappoint; The Lucifer Code is more addictive than The Miracle Strain.
I really liked how The Lucifer Code draws you into an alternative reality - one where a new religion (propelled by virtual reality) has grown members at an exponential pace and threatens the existence of more established religions.
This is my second Michael Cordy book. My first (The Miracle Strain) was a page turner which I greatly enjoyed so I decided to read The Lucifer Code. It did not disappoint; The Lucifer Code is more addictive than The Miracle Strain.
I really liked how The Lucifer Code draws you into an alternative reality - one where a new religion (propelled by virtual reality) has grown members at an exponential pace and threatens the existence of more established religions.
May 18, 2019
This book is a unique take on good and evil, and most definitely a unique take on religion and the future of technology.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into but in the end, the for lack of a better word this book was unique and interesting. I wasn't sure I was gonna be able to finish this but I did and ya know, I am glad.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into but in the end, the for lack of a better word this book was unique and interesting. I wasn't sure I was gonna be able to finish this but I did and ya know, I am glad.
October 18, 2018
Me ha gustado pero no tanto como el gen. Original en su realización, la historia siempre mezclando la religión con la ciencia ficción. Es entretenido pero se me ha hecho en algunos momentos más largo. Me esperaba quizás más por lo que he leído de él.
September 14, 2021
Good read
I enjoyed this book . Plenty of action
Bit like Dan Brown and Da Vinc Code good story but writer trying to make one think about Catholic Church and faith but doesn't disturb one's faith so can still enjoy
I enjoyed this book . Plenty of action
Bit like Dan Brown and Da Vinc Code good story but writer trying to make one think about Catholic Church and faith but doesn't disturb one's faith so can still enjoy
August 10, 2022
La ciencia ficción no es precisamente un género que me guste, y, aunque la trama no me haya encantado, le doy 3 estrellas porque es de lectura àgil, lo que es de agradecer cuando no te gusta el género.
December 8, 2025
A book that I expected would be about spies and espionage turned out to be an excellent story about science fiction, quantum mechanics and even a bit about religion. Very engrossing, easy to read and relevant to today's world.
December 30, 2025
When i found this book i tought " oh, another book abt science ppl and manipulation of religion" and i was thinking can't be surprised anymore abt any subject like this . But i was so wrong! i loved this book and the last 170 pages i just couldn't stop reading .
June 16, 2019
This entire book is built in a fascinating concept. That religion has it almost right. Very enjoyable read.
October 1, 2019
Interesting concept around religion and faith. Enjoyable read
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January 30, 2020This was a weird, interesting little book.
July 27, 2020
Nauka, technologia, religia. Wszystkie te trzy elementy idealnie współgrają.
Zwłaszcza w tej książce.
Ma bardzo krótkie rozdziały, co jest dosyć dziwne ale dzięki temu szybciej się czyta.
Zwłaszcza w tej książce.
Ma bardzo krótkie rozdziały, co jest dosyć dziwne ale dzięki temu szybciej się czyta.
September 3, 2020
Loved the story, so much that I got hooked on it and there were times that I just couldn't wait to read more of it.
November 10, 2020
Great read. Couldn’t put it down, great plot and good characters. Will now try more of Michael Corfu’s books.
January 13, 2021
This was a random buy. I thought it would be like the Da Vinci Code but it was not. I love the story but it did not end as anticipated.
April 15, 2021
One of my all time favourite books. Definitely the one I keep coming back to every couple of year. Nail biting, edge of your seat thriller.
July 9, 2021
This book got me into reading, loved it, thank you Michael Cordy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews