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The Jericho Deception
A heart-stopping thriller into the nexus between spirituality, neuropsychology, and international politics.
What if you controlled the power to see God?
Yale neuroscientist Dr. Ethan Lightman is on the verge of a ground-breaking discovery. A discovery that will solve a mystery that has haunted him since childhood. A discovery that will alter humanity’s relationship with religion forever.
Ethan’s invention, the Logos machine, has the power to produce religious ecstasy, but it may also cause madness.
When a colleague is brutally murdered, Ethan and Rachel Riley, a brilliant and beautiful graduate student, are thrust into a web of treachery that takes them deep into the Egyptian desert and to Project Jericho: a top-secret CIA program run by a mysterious doctor. As Ethan learns how his research has been perverted, he and Rachel race to unlock the Logos machine’s secrets before Project Jericho launches a modern Holy War. Along the way, he must confront a suppressed secret from his past that defines his very being.
What if you controlled the power to see God?
Yale neuroscientist Dr. Ethan Lightman is on the verge of a ground-breaking discovery. A discovery that will solve a mystery that has haunted him since childhood. A discovery that will alter humanity’s relationship with religion forever.
Ethan’s invention, the Logos machine, has the power to produce religious ecstasy, but it may also cause madness.
When a colleague is brutally murdered, Ethan and Rachel Riley, a brilliant and beautiful graduate student, are thrust into a web of treachery that takes them deep into the Egyptian desert and to Project Jericho: a top-secret CIA program run by a mysterious doctor. As Ethan learns how his research has been perverted, he and Rachel race to unlock the Logos machine’s secrets before Project Jericho launches a modern Holy War. Along the way, he must confront a suppressed secret from his past that defines his very being.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
20 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Small
13 books62 followersA graduate of Yale, Harvard, and Oxford Universities, Jeffrey Small has studied Yoga in India, practiced meditation in Bhutan, and journeyed throughout the Holy Land. His critically acclaimed debut novel THE BREATH OF GOD won the 2012 Nautilus Book Award Gold Medal for best fiction and was hailed as "visionary fiction" by Library Journal and "a thought-provoking masterpiece" by RT Book Reviews. His second novel, THE JERICHO DECEPTION, is being described as "a ripping good novel" by bestselling author Douglas Preston and "a thrilling roller coaster ride into the beauty and darkness of the human mind" by Gayle Lynds. He is also a popular contributor to the Huffington Post, and an acclaimed speaker on religion and spirituality in the 21st century.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 28, 2013
I read quite a few "thriller" novels, including all of the sub-genres that might come under that heading and many times find myself just sort of plodding along, waiting for them to be over so I can move on to the next book on my TBR list. I still enjoy them, don't get me wrong, but they don't leave me going "Wow" at the end either. This one was quite enjoyable and even flirts with a "5" rating from me.
It's a "scientific" thriller, along the lines of something you might read from James Rollins or Michael Crichton. The author has quite an impressive resume including multiple advanced degrees and it shows in his writing: smart, tight, and sometimes a few too many facts. For example when a character is bleeding, the POV character doesn't just observe the blood or the pain, etc but spends a sentence or two on some of the medical details of how the human body responds to that pain and starts the clotting process, and even how the victim deals with it psychologically. It can be interesting but it can also disturb the flow of that moment of suspense. But he does keep those descriptions pretty short, thankfully. Not like a 2 page Clancyesque narrative on a particular fighter aircraft weapon system.
I thought the characters were well crafted and very personable. I certainly cared what happened to them and the larger cast had some very well done "gray" characters; not everybody was a black or white good guy or bad guy.
The plot was also nicely paced and served to keep me turning the pages. There are some interesting themes here as well, including the age old science vs. religion theme. I was very happy that the author let the characters be themselves; i.e. they have their opinions and they are consistent...and the author leaves his opinions out entirely. In case a cover blurb leads you to believe that this is "religious" fiction, I would disagree. Yes, there are religious issues that come up, including religious extremists, terrorism, and how to counter such, but I thought it was all handled very well. The novel is certainly not "preachy".
Overall, I'm happy to have found another "thriller" author that I can count on for an enjoyable, and even thought-provoking read.
It's a "scientific" thriller, along the lines of something you might read from James Rollins or Michael Crichton. The author has quite an impressive resume including multiple advanced degrees and it shows in his writing: smart, tight, and sometimes a few too many facts. For example when a character is bleeding, the POV character doesn't just observe the blood or the pain, etc but spends a sentence or two on some of the medical details of how the human body responds to that pain and starts the clotting process, and even how the victim deals with it psychologically. It can be interesting but it can also disturb the flow of that moment of suspense. But he does keep those descriptions pretty short, thankfully. Not like a 2 page Clancyesque narrative on a particular fighter aircraft weapon system.
I thought the characters were well crafted and very personable. I certainly cared what happened to them and the larger cast had some very well done "gray" characters; not everybody was a black or white good guy or bad guy.
The plot was also nicely paced and served to keep me turning the pages. There are some interesting themes here as well, including the age old science vs. religion theme. I was very happy that the author let the characters be themselves; i.e. they have their opinions and they are consistent...and the author leaves his opinions out entirely. In case a cover blurb leads you to believe that this is "religious" fiction, I would disagree. Yes, there are religious issues that come up, including religious extremists, terrorism, and how to counter such, but I thought it was all handled very well. The novel is certainly not "preachy".
Overall, I'm happy to have found another "thriller" author that I can count on for an enjoyable, and even thought-provoking read.
May 7, 2013
I strongly recommend The Jericho Deception to anyone who is interested in reading contemporary fiction that challenges your thinking about theology and science. Full disclosure, Jeff is also a close friend so with that potential bias out of the way, I can freely state that if you enjoy the combination of science and action that provides the basic conflict in the late Michael Crichton's books or the combination of action packed plots and the exploration of religion and spirituality that Dan Brown employs in his books, then you are in for a real treat. Jeff nimbly balances the creative demands of his plot and character development with his passion for exploring the impact of scientific research upon our traditional preconceived notions about God and theology. These are difficult topics to write about and frankly, I would probably fall asleep midway through the first chapter if these topics were covered in a collection of theological essays. Fortunately, Jeff has used his considerable storytelling talent to create a very realistic contemporary world that is full of intrigue and political conflicts to serve as the backdrop for exploring the inevitable disputes that arise between cutting edge scientific inquiry and the timeless assumptions that provide the foundation of western religious traditions. It is a difficult balancing act that few writers would undertake but Jeff excels in this genre. He not only has the creative chops to pull it off, he also holds a Master's Degree in Religion from Oxford University so he has the rigorous theological training as well. Be prepared for hours of enjoyable reading followed by hours reflecting upon the implications that are posed in this story.
May 4, 2013
Ethan Lightman, a research scientist at Yale is working on a project...a machine called ' Logos ' with his mentor, Elijah Schiff,that he hopes will resolve a mystery that has haunted him his entire life. He hopes to unlock secrets of the human brain. There may be hidden images existing there...that might connect Man to God, but time and money are running out. Some people are able to see images that no one else can see. Are these people crazy or are their functions or insights of the human brain that are almost mystical or Godlike??
Meanwhile in Dubai, a Jordanian physician and his daughter are caught up in what appears to be the aftermath of a terrorist bombing at a shopping mall. Although innocent of the bombing, Mousa bin Ibrahim Al-Monammad is picked up by authorities and he is separated from his daughter, Amira. Eventually he is taken to a secret location in the desert in Egypt.
Ethan , meanwhile, has made the acquaintance of a graduate student, Rachel Riley. Both are shocked by the apparent murder of Elijah and the realization that something darker and more sinister is connecting Ethan's research to a secret project of the CIA. There is also the mysterious financier, Alan Wolfe, whose funding has enabled the 'Logos' project to go forward. Strange and secretive things are unfolding and it may put Ethan and Rachel in danger as they attempt to unlock the doors to some really frightening undertakings.
Jeffrey Small has written a fascinating book that may start a little slowly but once the different segments of the plot are revealed, will not let you put the book down until you unravel the secrets of ' The Jericho Deception ' !!
Meanwhile in Dubai, a Jordanian physician and his daughter are caught up in what appears to be the aftermath of a terrorist bombing at a shopping mall. Although innocent of the bombing, Mousa bin Ibrahim Al-Monammad is picked up by authorities and he is separated from his daughter, Amira. Eventually he is taken to a secret location in the desert in Egypt.
Ethan , meanwhile, has made the acquaintance of a graduate student, Rachel Riley. Both are shocked by the apparent murder of Elijah and the realization that something darker and more sinister is connecting Ethan's research to a secret project of the CIA. There is also the mysterious financier, Alan Wolfe, whose funding has enabled the 'Logos' project to go forward. Strange and secretive things are unfolding and it may put Ethan and Rachel in danger as they attempt to unlock the doors to some really frightening undertakings.
Jeffrey Small has written a fascinating book that may start a little slowly but once the different segments of the plot are revealed, will not let you put the book down until you unravel the secrets of ' The Jericho Deception ' !!
July 20, 2013
Jeffrey Small’s THE JERICHO DECEPTION mixes science, politics, and religion in a Dan Brown-style psychological thriller that is as philosophically challenging as it is formulaic. Yale scientist Dr. Ethan Lightman has developed a machine he calls “the Logos” that has the potential to stimulate spiritual ecstasy in the human mind. Ethan’s theory is that our perception of God has been “created by electrical impulses firing in the temporal lobes of the brain” (as happens during epileptic seizures). The Logos machine stimulates the left temporal lobe in much the same way a seizure does, allowing the subject to experience a connection to God (or to “the ultimate and absolute reality,” which transcends any one version of religion). The problem is, Ethan and his mentor Dr. Elijah Schiff, are running out of funding for their project. And when a mysterious organization steps forward with big bucks for their research, Ethan and Elijah begin to wonder if something suspicious is going on. What is the connection between the money and the CIA? And what does all of this have to do with Middle-Eastern terrorists and a diabolical plan to rid the world of extremists?
There are actually three separate storylines in Small’s novel, which don’t come together until the halfway point. Ethan and Elijah are working on their Logos machine in New Haven, but at the same time a man named Mousa bin Ibrahim Al-Mohammad is arrested in Dubai as a suspected terrorist and tortured for information. And in Langley, Virginia, CIA operative Casey Richards is working on a top-secret project called “Jericho,” which is mysteriously connected to the organization providing money to Ethan and Elijah. At the heart of all three stories is an exploration of the meaning of faith and the ultimate reality of God. Ethan has little belief in God or religion, even though he is fascinated with the human propensity for mystical belief – his Logos machine just might prove that God is more creation than creator. But Elijah has a more profound belief in a God that encompasses all of reality, a God that can’t be claimed by any one religion. Mousa’s faith in Islam is ultimately contrasted with the American fixation on Christianity – is it possible for true believers to embrace a faith that transcends both?
I was fascinated by the scientific aspects of Ethan and Elijah’s experiments, and there is a philosophical level to THE JERICHO DECEPTION that I found compelling and believable. I was equally interested in Mousa’s story – he is a doctor living in Amman, Jordan who witnesses a terrorist bombing in Dubai and is suspected of collusion with the bomber. Mousa’s own faith and his determination to get back to his wife and children are powerful motivators, and as the three parts of Small’s story come together his role becomes central.
Unfortunately, the CIA aspect of this novel, which is clichéd, predictable, and disappointing, makes a compelling story seem formulaic. Conspiracy fans might like this more than I did – I found it all derivative and lacking in depth. Without reading a page you can guess what the CIA is like here – a bunch of unscrupulous lunatics fixated on Manchurian Candidate-style secret projects in hidden bunkers in the middle of nowhere. The expected characters are all there, from the deranged doctor to the steroid-addicted ex-special ops security officer. It undermined what was otherwise an intelligent and clever read.
Fans of Dan Brown will undoubtedly like THE JERICHO DECEPTION. Small is a solid writer with a good sense of plot development. The novel’s 400 pages are a quick read. I wasn’t totally enthusiastic about the too-sweet almost-romance between Ethan and one of his students, but that’s a minor quibble. This isn’t a bad novel. In the end, Small suggests (through one of his minor characters) that God isn’t a being to whom you can pray for help or sustenance, but rather the infinite nature of the universe. Prayer, he writes, “is not about asking God to do something but about listening to God.” Few thrillers reach that level of philosophy. For that alone, THE JERICHO DECEPTION is worth a read.
There are actually three separate storylines in Small’s novel, which don’t come together until the halfway point. Ethan and Elijah are working on their Logos machine in New Haven, but at the same time a man named Mousa bin Ibrahim Al-Mohammad is arrested in Dubai as a suspected terrorist and tortured for information. And in Langley, Virginia, CIA operative Casey Richards is working on a top-secret project called “Jericho,” which is mysteriously connected to the organization providing money to Ethan and Elijah. At the heart of all three stories is an exploration of the meaning of faith and the ultimate reality of God. Ethan has little belief in God or religion, even though he is fascinated with the human propensity for mystical belief – his Logos machine just might prove that God is more creation than creator. But Elijah has a more profound belief in a God that encompasses all of reality, a God that can’t be claimed by any one religion. Mousa’s faith in Islam is ultimately contrasted with the American fixation on Christianity – is it possible for true believers to embrace a faith that transcends both?
I was fascinated by the scientific aspects of Ethan and Elijah’s experiments, and there is a philosophical level to THE JERICHO DECEPTION that I found compelling and believable. I was equally interested in Mousa’s story – he is a doctor living in Amman, Jordan who witnesses a terrorist bombing in Dubai and is suspected of collusion with the bomber. Mousa’s own faith and his determination to get back to his wife and children are powerful motivators, and as the three parts of Small’s story come together his role becomes central.
Unfortunately, the CIA aspect of this novel, which is clichéd, predictable, and disappointing, makes a compelling story seem formulaic. Conspiracy fans might like this more than I did – I found it all derivative and lacking in depth. Without reading a page you can guess what the CIA is like here – a bunch of unscrupulous lunatics fixated on Manchurian Candidate-style secret projects in hidden bunkers in the middle of nowhere. The expected characters are all there, from the deranged doctor to the steroid-addicted ex-special ops security officer. It undermined what was otherwise an intelligent and clever read.
Fans of Dan Brown will undoubtedly like THE JERICHO DECEPTION. Small is a solid writer with a good sense of plot development. The novel’s 400 pages are a quick read. I wasn’t totally enthusiastic about the too-sweet almost-romance between Ethan and one of his students, but that’s a minor quibble. This isn’t a bad novel. In the end, Small suggests (through one of his minor characters) that God isn’t a being to whom you can pray for help or sustenance, but rather the infinite nature of the universe. Prayer, he writes, “is not about asking God to do something but about listening to God.” Few thrillers reach that level of philosophy. For that alone, THE JERICHO DECEPTION is worth a read.
February 8, 2014
After loving The Breath of God by Jeffrey Small, I had high expectations for The Jericho Deception. Somehow, though, it did not engage me as much as I had hoped. The premise that the God experience could be evoked through a machine that sends electrical impulses to the brain and that the CIA could appropriate the technology for its own sinister means was intriguing, but the two main characters, Ethan and Rachel, weren't sufficiently developed enough for me to care deeply about them. Anyway, it seemed obvious early on that they were going to get in and out of the soup (the secret CIA project) and end up in a romantic relationship so, as a thriller, it didn't seem all that suspenseful, though the plot points to getting there were interesting enough to keep me reading. There were some very strong scenes, such as the attack of Rachel by the behemoth Axe and Rachel and Ethan's encounter with Axe at the Karnak Temple. What I most like in Small's books is how he shows through the lives of the characters the similarity and interconnectedness of the mystical experiences within the world's religions, regardless of the apparent contradictions in ideologies. As an aside, Salon (Jan. 4, 2014)has an article,"This is your brain on religion: uncovering the science of belief" that I found interesting and may be of interest to other readers of this book.
April 1, 2013
Jeffrey Small's novel is the type of thriller that has a terrific premise and keeps me turning the pages until the end.
What if there is a machine that can make one see visions of God. Whatever God the person subscribes to.
Dr. Ethan Lightman is on the verge of his biggest discovery, one that has haunted him since an epileptic event in childhood. His life work, the Logos machine, should be able to produce a religious ecstasy.
Then his mentor is murdered, his work perverted, and Ethan finds himself with his beautiful research assistant, Rachel Riley, in the middle East caught in a conspiracy that could engulf the region in a Holy War even worse than already happening.
He races to unlock the secret plaguing his machine, not to help those illegally trying to use it, but to stop their insane plans.
I wasn't familiar with Jeffrey Small's writing before this one, but was quite impressed. He knows how to plot a tale to keep me interested in what's going on. I definitely want to read more.
What if there is a machine that can make one see visions of God. Whatever God the person subscribes to.
Dr. Ethan Lightman is on the verge of his biggest discovery, one that has haunted him since an epileptic event in childhood. His life work, the Logos machine, should be able to produce a religious ecstasy.
Then his mentor is murdered, his work perverted, and Ethan finds himself with his beautiful research assistant, Rachel Riley, in the middle East caught in a conspiracy that could engulf the region in a Holy War even worse than already happening.
He races to unlock the secret plaguing his machine, not to help those illegally trying to use it, but to stop their insane plans.
I wasn't familiar with Jeffrey Small's writing before this one, but was quite impressed. He knows how to plot a tale to keep me interested in what's going on. I definitely want to read more.
February 24, 2013
This was a captivating thriller that was both interesting and thought provoking. The interwoven stories of science, religion, politics and just plain old human nature makes you look at the world around you and think could this really happen. The characters were very human and most of them very likable, there always have to be a few bad guys in a thriller. The author has written a story that will have people thinking and talking. So glad I got this book from Goodreads First Reads giveaway, it was a great book to read before it hits the stores. Will definetly recommend this book to all my friends.
June 12, 2018
Imagine a device that can produce the quintessential religious experience or drive you mad. Take two scientists at Yale, one a little awkward around women, wrapped up in getting funding to finish their work, a graduate assistant who works with monkeys, a CIA conspiracy and involve them in murder and treachery. What you get is a thriller about changing the religious fabric of the world in order to bring world peace. There are questions about whether these induced mystical experiences are really religious experiences or simply what our mind wants us to believe. The book moves between continents and between different points of view while moving us to what could be a cataclysmic conclusion
September 7, 2014
I loved the author’s first book and, if anything, I loved this one more. Medical science has suggested there is a “God spot” in our brain that compels humans to seek out religion. The author has cleverly taken this concept and turned it into a medical, religious, CIA, international thriller. The main characters were believable and sympathetic, the villain larger than life. I was riveted to my Kindle until I came to the end of the story. I look forward to more by this author.
July 8, 2013
Another awesome thriller with intellectual rigor baked in throughout. I enjoyed The Breath of God a little more than this one but it contains the same level of international and spiritual intrigue. Definitely worth the time to read it.
September 22, 2019
The back of my copy of this book asks, “What if you controlled the power to see God?” That idea, that tantalizing premise, is why I chose this book. That question was never answered, or even addressed, though, because this book has little to do with any religious miracles or experiences, really, and is much more of a standard hero/heroine running away from the bad guys type thriller.
And it’s a LONG thriller. The dramatic tension is barely maintained – as I neared the end – I picked the book up three nights in a row thinking that I would finally get to the dramatic climax and finish it – only to set it down again with heavy lids and pages still to go.
At the very end of the book, there is a passage that echoes what I thought this book could have been about. A nun who is a test subject for “Logos” (the program/machine that simulates a religious experience) writes a letter to one of the creators of the machine. “I have spent a lifetime of contemplation searching for a connection to the Father. I tasted brief experiences of the Divine during times of quiet prayer or solitary walks through our gardens, but your Logos opened my mind in a way I’d never imagined possible.”…”I’m joyous that I can now see the infinite nature of God, a nature that encompasses all that I am and was, an infinite nature that I participate in”.
Instead of glimpses of the Divine, the reader gets, “She reacted on instinct. Without knowing what or who she saw, she dropped the tweezers and slammed the bathroom door closed. A howl of pain pierced through the wood panels. Four male fingers twitched inside the doorframe at the level of her nose. They blazed an angry red. The door shook violently.”
I wish “The Jericho Deception” was more awe-inspiring, was more eye opening to the reader. I wish that instead of conspiracies, lumbering villains, heroes and heroines that connect to one another far too fast – that the reader was left with a sense of wonder, a sense of an amazing experience just beyond our grasp.
And it’s a LONG thriller. The dramatic tension is barely maintained – as I neared the end – I picked the book up three nights in a row thinking that I would finally get to the dramatic climax and finish it – only to set it down again with heavy lids and pages still to go.
At the very end of the book, there is a passage that echoes what I thought this book could have been about. A nun who is a test subject for “Logos” (the program/machine that simulates a religious experience) writes a letter to one of the creators of the machine. “I have spent a lifetime of contemplation searching for a connection to the Father. I tasted brief experiences of the Divine during times of quiet prayer or solitary walks through our gardens, but your Logos opened my mind in a way I’d never imagined possible.”…”I’m joyous that I can now see the infinite nature of God, a nature that encompasses all that I am and was, an infinite nature that I participate in”.
Instead of glimpses of the Divine, the reader gets, “She reacted on instinct. Without knowing what or who she saw, she dropped the tweezers and slammed the bathroom door closed. A howl of pain pierced through the wood panels. Four male fingers twitched inside the doorframe at the level of her nose. They blazed an angry red. The door shook violently.”
I wish “The Jericho Deception” was more awe-inspiring, was more eye opening to the reader. I wish that instead of conspiracies, lumbering villains, heroes and heroines that connect to one another far too fast – that the reader was left with a sense of wonder, a sense of an amazing experience just beyond our grasp.
April 18, 2020
The kind of science exploration thriller Crichton might have written
Interesting exploration of use of mind tech in finding insight to spiritual experiences, and how those findings might be used or misused in finding common ground in ridding world of destructive religious extremism. AND it’s also a thriller in the mold of Frederick Forsyth. So, you get Crichton and forsyth in one!
Interesting exploration of use of mind tech in finding insight to spiritual experiences, and how those findings might be used or misused in finding common ground in ridding world of destructive religious extremism. AND it’s also a thriller in the mold of Frederick Forsyth. So, you get Crichton and forsyth in one!
October 21, 2017
Gripping right from start.
A relevant story to our time that was very hard to put down. It is very well written. I highly recommend it!
A relevant story to our time that was very hard to put down. It is very well written. I highly recommend it!
January 3, 2018
a very good thriller
did-not-finish-or-start
March 6, 2021DNS 3/6/2021
May 20, 2014
The beginning of this review is very rant-y and slams the author pretty hard, but read all the way through because I DID finish the book for a few reasons-- Jeffrey Small, if you're reading this, I DO eventually have some nice things to say :)
I was surprised to read that this author has attended Yale, Harvard and Oxford because, in my opinion, he is a horrible writer:
1) The variety in vocabulary choice was incredibly poor. Voices were described as "baritone" on more than 3 occasions, and not in reference to the same character. Next time try mixing in "masculine" or "bass" or "gruff" or really anything else on the same page in the thesaurus. Another instance occurred between pages 303 and the end where the author wrote the same sentence "But his targets were not among them" word for word on the same 2 page spread... albeit the first instance was part of a slightly more complex sentence. An author may do this sometimes for a specific effect on the reader, but this was not such a use of the convention. We also have grasped the idea of "one-ness with the universe" after the first 4 instances.
2) Character development was incredibly forced. We have irrelevant facts shoved down our throats right from the beginning-- we are never shown, just told. Additionally, the character Axe (a total steroid junkie) is too far-fetched for this otherwise "believable" hint-of-sci-fi novel. We get that he loves flexing his everything-muscles and feeling the blood pulse, we just don't care. The "super protector" inside of Ethan also seems out-of-place and kind of misogynistic because based on everything we know about Rachel's interactions with Ethan-- she kind of is more of the aggressive one of the pair. I was kind of sad how lame she ended up by the end of the book when she started out as such an independent character.
3) My final complaint about this book is that the author, perhaps because of his Ivory League upbringing, seems to feel the need to show off how smart he is with all of his medical knowledge. I noticed at first that he wove in a few drug names to his chapters, but by the end of the book, it was taxing. I know that phenytoin is an anti-epileptic, but only because I am marrying a very passionate pharmacist. Your general audience doesn't give a crap. It's not that important to your story. Anti-epileptics may be important to the story line, but listing drug names isn't-- like the time when the author explained that lorazepam is the generic for ativan-- there was NO NEED to know this. He referenced ativan once before, but never before or after, mentions lorazepam. If you wanted to prove how smart you were, maybe you should have hired an editor.
So, now that I've got that over with-- the story was actually pretty interesting. The idea of a machine that can trigger a "holy encounter" is pretty cool and WOULD have a lot of controversy and possibility for misuse like the author imagines. THIS IS WHY I KEPT READING. The story line was unique, and he may have tapped into my love for short, common Arabic phrases with his Middle Eastern characters. The governmental involvement and implementation of the technology-- including the details about the plan that the CIA had to use the technology was very creative. Conspiracy theory like --WOAH!
I actually wanted to know a lot more about Mousa (a devout Muslim doctor from Jordan)-- as he seemed to be the most complex character that I cared about. He was genuine, intelligent and funny. Unfortunately the main characters just seemed like angsty, one-minded cry-babies.
If you're looking for an easy read with a creative story line, I read this in 3 good sits. If you're looking for a well-written novel, I'd take my business elsewhere.
I was surprised to read that this author has attended Yale, Harvard and Oxford because, in my opinion, he is a horrible writer:
1) The variety in vocabulary choice was incredibly poor. Voices were described as "baritone" on more than 3 occasions, and not in reference to the same character. Next time try mixing in "masculine" or "bass" or "gruff" or really anything else on the same page in the thesaurus. Another instance occurred between pages 303 and the end where the author wrote the same sentence "But his targets were not among them" word for word on the same 2 page spread... albeit the first instance was part of a slightly more complex sentence. An author may do this sometimes for a specific effect on the reader, but this was not such a use of the convention. We also have grasped the idea of "one-ness with the universe" after the first 4 instances.
2) Character development was incredibly forced. We have irrelevant facts shoved down our throats right from the beginning-- we are never shown, just told. Additionally, the character Axe (a total steroid junkie) is too far-fetched for this otherwise "believable" hint-of-sci-fi novel. We get that he loves flexing his everything-muscles and feeling the blood pulse, we just don't care. The "super protector" inside of Ethan also seems out-of-place and kind of misogynistic because based on everything we know about Rachel's interactions with Ethan-- she kind of is more of the aggressive one of the pair. I was kind of sad how lame she ended up by the end of the book when she started out as such an independent character.
3) My final complaint about this book is that the author, perhaps because of his Ivory League upbringing, seems to feel the need to show off how smart he is with all of his medical knowledge. I noticed at first that he wove in a few drug names to his chapters, but by the end of the book, it was taxing. I know that phenytoin is an anti-epileptic, but only because I am marrying a very passionate pharmacist. Your general audience doesn't give a crap. It's not that important to your story. Anti-epileptics may be important to the story line, but listing drug names isn't-- like the time when the author explained that lorazepam is the generic for ativan-- there was NO NEED to know this. He referenced ativan once before, but never before or after, mentions lorazepam. If you wanted to prove how smart you were, maybe you should have hired an editor.
So, now that I've got that over with-- the story was actually pretty interesting. The idea of a machine that can trigger a "holy encounter" is pretty cool and WOULD have a lot of controversy and possibility for misuse like the author imagines. THIS IS WHY I KEPT READING. The story line was unique, and he may have tapped into my love for short, common Arabic phrases with his Middle Eastern characters. The governmental involvement and implementation of the technology-- including the details about the plan that the CIA had to use the technology was very creative. Conspiracy theory like --WOAH!
I actually wanted to know a lot more about Mousa (a devout Muslim doctor from Jordan)-- as he seemed to be the most complex character that I cared about. He was genuine, intelligent and funny. Unfortunately the main characters just seemed like angsty, one-minded cry-babies.
If you're looking for an easy read with a creative story line, I read this in 3 good sits. If you're looking for a well-written novel, I'd take my business elsewhere.
July 23, 2013
A suspenseful and captivating thriller. Dr. Ethan Lightman, a Yale neuroscientist, is working on a big project, a machine that allows people to experience religious ecstasy. When Ethan's mentor and friend is murdered, things begin to spiral out of control. Ethan and Rachel Riley are thrown into a top secret program developed by the CIA. This project centers around Ethan's machine, the Logos, but it is used in a distorted way, to brainwash people. Can Ethan stop this program before it throws the world into a modern Holy War?
This book was action-packed, suspenseful, and hard to put down. It took science, spirituality, and politics, and created a whirlwind of action and adventure. The book was definitely thought provoking. The author created such a unique and well researched plot. I enjoyed the many different POV the reader got to experience throughout the book. I really enjoyed this book and would be interested in reading more from this author!
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This book was action-packed, suspenseful, and hard to put down. It took science, spirituality, and politics, and created a whirlwind of action and adventure. The book was definitely thought provoking. The author created such a unique and well researched plot. I enjoyed the many different POV the reader got to experience throughout the book. I really enjoyed this book and would be interested in reading more from this author!
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
December 24, 2014
This is such a good book. Intelligent subject matter coupled with believable, likeable characters and a story-line that will have you stymied all the way through to the end.
Yale neuroscientist Dr. Ethan Lightman has made a ‘God Machine’ that uses electrical stimuli to create spiritual ecstasy in human test subjects. When Lightman’s colleague and friend is murdered it is discovered that the Logos (God Machine) is being replicated by a top secret CIA program to establish a world-wide belief system in Christianity. Lightman, with the help of a graduate student and an imprisoned Muslim doctor, is thrust into a web of treachery as he attempts to stop the foes before they create a Holy War.
This book is based on current scientific research exploring brain vs religious beliefs. This book is not just a work of fiction, it is an awakening; a Neuro scientific understanding of mystical awareness centered around the research of Professors Andrew Newberg, M.D.; and Michael Persinger, M.D.
Yale neuroscientist Dr. Ethan Lightman has made a ‘God Machine’ that uses electrical stimuli to create spiritual ecstasy in human test subjects. When Lightman’s colleague and friend is murdered it is discovered that the Logos (God Machine) is being replicated by a top secret CIA program to establish a world-wide belief system in Christianity. Lightman, with the help of a graduate student and an imprisoned Muslim doctor, is thrust into a web of treachery as he attempts to stop the foes before they create a Holy War.
This book is based on current scientific research exploring brain vs religious beliefs. This book is not just a work of fiction, it is an awakening; a Neuro scientific understanding of mystical awareness centered around the research of Professors Andrew Newberg, M.D.; and Michael Persinger, M.D.
October 4, 2015
It took a while for the pace to pick up, but I enjoyed the book overall. The highlights for me were the exchanges on science and religions, especially ones from the Sister Terri and Elijah. On the downside, the thriller/mystery aspect was weak with the plot progressing along expected direction, and the only mystery was, who's going to make it? The characters could be less stereotypical,. Where the book didn't go but I wished it had, was having characters that most can feel more connected to; and most people have a more mixed experience and feeling on this topic, along with familial, social, and cultural influences. All in all, I'll check out Jeffrey Small's first book.
November 25, 2015
This book does a great job of packing a ton of action into the story. However, it also packs a ton of somewhat extraneous information as well. I'm very happy the author knows a bunch of stuff about human anatomy, the brain, electronics, Egyptian history, but I don't need a mini lecture every time the story touches on an area the author feels especially well versed in. I was afraid the book was going to be a bit of a religious rant - and it was, only not in the way you might expect. It is not for or against any particular religion but more for a higher power kind of thing. Would have been happier if the answer to the God question was left up to the reader instead of getting yet another lecture.
July 1, 2013
Jeffrey Small takes an intriguing idea, that stimulation of a certain area of the brain produces mystical sensations, and provides a thrilling read. From an Ivy League research lab to a CIA black op in the Middle East; from a sad, boring, research professor to Indiana Jones; this fast-paced story raises thought-provoking questions regarding the basis of religious thought, morality limits in fighting terrorism, and fundamentally how one handles and manages research on brain control.
I received a free copy of The Jericho Deception through Goodreads First-reads.
I received a free copy of The Jericho Deception through Goodreads First-reads.
May 15, 2013
The book describes what would happen if someone invented a machine that invoked a mystical experience in a person and how such a machine could be misused.
As with Small's first book, The Breath of God: A Novel of Suspense, this book discusses the interrelations of the world's religions. Small seems to have hit his stride with this book. While the first book seemed forced at points, this book seemed much more realistic.
As with Small's first book, The Breath of God: A Novel of Suspense, this book discusses the interrelations of the world's religions. Small seems to have hit his stride with this book. While the first book seemed forced at points, this book seemed much more realistic.
March 9, 2013
I enjoyed this book a lot. Maybe because it has a Connecticut connection and I'm from Connecticut, or maybe because it deprived me of sleep and a few missed meals from its insistence to keep reading, or maybe because the characters were memorable, the story had many twists and turns, and situations that were highly plausible. Whatever the reason(s), I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I want to read more of this author.
October 4, 2013
I enjoyed the novel. As a $2.99 Kindle book, it would have been great. At $10, not so much.
Overall, it had the flavor of Crichton and perhaps Lee Child. A pretty good potboiler with a good protagonist this time. The CIA characters were overworked and less believable....perhaps a case of "writing what you don't know".
Still, if you have a snowy weekend with little to do, it's a good book to sit down with for an evening or two next to the fireplace.
Too pricey though.
Overall, it had the flavor of Crichton and perhaps Lee Child. A pretty good potboiler with a good protagonist this time. The CIA characters were overworked and less believable....perhaps a case of "writing what you don't know".
Still, if you have a snowy weekend with little to do, it's a good book to sit down with for an evening or two next to the fireplace.
Too pricey though.
February 25, 2014
Hard to follow plot. First you are in Dubai then you are in the US. I've read plenty of other books that switch back and forth - but something about this one makes it more difficult to follow. Everything finally comes together - but it was too late for me.
I heard the author speak at Southern Voices, an author's conference at the Hoover Library. I liked that he got the idea from an article in Wired Magazine about a man who had invented "The God Helmut".
I heard the author speak at Southern Voices, an author's conference at the Hoover Library. I liked that he got the idea from an article in Wired Magazine about a man who had invented "The God Helmut".
July 28, 2016
A fascinating story which reveals "God" as the infinite
Having begun studying meditation in many of its forms during the past year, this novel illustrates the same search for becoming one with the universe that is fundamental to these practices. Small's story resonated completely with my personal belief in a "God" who is the essence of all that we are, not a harsh judge who has determined our fates for us.
Having begun studying meditation in many of its forms during the past year, this novel illustrates the same search for becoming one with the universe that is fundamental to these practices. Small's story resonated completely with my personal belief in a "God" who is the essence of all that we are, not a harsh judge who has determined our fates for us.
August 8, 2016
A fabulous book about mystery, espionage, neuroscience and creative manipulation of the brain. Follow Ethan and his graduate student as they race against time to discover the weaknesses in the Logos machine he created in an effort to create religious ecstasy in most people, but madness in a few! Small's title truly hints of a foreboding that, left unchecked, could mean the end of one's free will. A must read for mystery and espionage lovers!
May 16, 2015
Absolutely fantastic book! Has to do with the role the brain plays in the belief in God or higher power. And a machine that can induce religious ecstasy. Thereby having the ability to control people and groups. Government evilness, terrorism,...a great thriller. Highly recommend. I won this book on goodreads!
February 11, 2014
I won this book through first reads giveaways. Wow!! Is all I have to say. As the summary says, is the perfect blend of religion, neuropsychology and politics. It appealed to me in all three ways and more! It was such a fun read and very Dan Brown-esque. Conspiracy theories are the best reads. :) Great job, Jeffrey Small!
December 15, 2013
While this book tackles huge questions of science and spirituality with a dose of distrustful governmental interventions--all of which were handled quite plausibly--at times I felt the human interactions forced and the broad topics over-simplified. This novel was a decent read, but I only finished it so I could get to my next book.
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