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Manchester Summer #1
Cold Fusion 2000
Can love defeat the laws of physics?
Science teacher Alex Kavanagh’s love life is imploding, his job repels him, and there’s friction with the teenagers who bully him at the bus stop. Even his super-power – being pedantic – doesn’t help much.
Enter his ex, Lucy, in what seems to be a chance meeting. Her betrayal marked the point when his life went nuclear. But – holy protons! – he still loves her.
Two problems. First, she isn’t who he thinks she is. Second, she’s going to leave him forever in seventy-two hours.
An intelligent and deceptive love story about a nerd searching for his theoretical Big Bang.
Note: this work is 100% human-created, crafted with love by the author. No generative AI has been used in the writing or editing.
Science teacher Alex Kavanagh’s love life is imploding, his job repels him, and there’s friction with the teenagers who bully him at the bus stop. Even his super-power – being pedantic – doesn’t help much.
Enter his ex, Lucy, in what seems to be a chance meeting. Her betrayal marked the point when his life went nuclear. But – holy protons! – he still loves her.
Two problems. First, she isn’t who he thinks she is. Second, she’s going to leave him forever in seventy-two hours.
An intelligent and deceptive love story about a nerd searching for his theoretical Big Bang.
Note: this work is 100% human-created, crafted with love by the author. No generative AI has been used in the writing or editing.
198 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Karl Drinkwater
28 books128 followersKarl Drinkwater is an author with a silly name and a thousand-mile stare. He writes dystopian space opera, dark suspense and diverse social fiction. If you want compelling stories and characters worth caring about, then you’re in the right place. Welcome!
Karl lives in Scotland and owns two kilts. He has degrees in librarianship, literature and classics, but also studied astronomy and philosophy. Dolly the cat helps him finish books by sleeping on his lap so he can’t leave the desk. When he isn’t writing he loves music, nature, games and vegan cake.
Go to karldrinkwater.uk to view all his books grouped by genre.
As well as crafting his own fictional worlds, Karl has supported other writers for years with his creative writing workshops, editorial services, articles on writing and publishing, and mentoring of new authors. He’s also judged writing competitions such as the international Bram Stoker Awards, which act as a snapshot of quality contemporary fiction.
DON’T MISS OUT!
Enter your email at karldrinkwater.substack.com to be notified about his new books. Fans mean a lot to him, and replies to the newsletter go straight to his inbox, where every email is read. There is also an option for paid subscribers to support his work: in exchange you receive additional posts and complimentary books.
PRAISE FOR KARL’S WORK
“Drinkwater creates fantastically believable characters.” —On The Shelf Reviews
“Each book remains in my mind for a long time after. Anything he writes is a must-read.” —Pink Quill Books
“Karl Drinkwater has the skill of making it near impossible to stop reading. Expect late nights. Simply outstanding.” —Jera’s Jamboree
“An intelligent and empathetic writer who has a clear understanding of the world around him and the truly horrific experiences life can bring. A literary gem.” —Cooking The Books
“Drinkwater is a dab hand at creating an air of dread.” —Altered Instinct
“A gifted writer. Each book brings its own uniqueness to the table, and a table Drinkwater sets is one I will visit every time." —Scintilla
Karl lives in Scotland and owns two kilts. He has degrees in librarianship, literature and classics, but also studied astronomy and philosophy. Dolly the cat helps him finish books by sleeping on his lap so he can’t leave the desk. When he isn’t writing he loves music, nature, games and vegan cake.
Go to karldrinkwater.uk to view all his books grouped by genre.
As well as crafting his own fictional worlds, Karl has supported other writers for years with his creative writing workshops, editorial services, articles on writing and publishing, and mentoring of new authors. He’s also judged writing competitions such as the international Bram Stoker Awards, which act as a snapshot of quality contemporary fiction.
DON’T MISS OUT!
Enter your email at karldrinkwater.substack.com to be notified about his new books. Fans mean a lot to him, and replies to the newsletter go straight to his inbox, where every email is read. There is also an option for paid subscribers to support his work: in exchange you receive additional posts and complimentary books.
PRAISE FOR KARL’S WORK
“Drinkwater creates fantastically believable characters.” —On The Shelf Reviews
“Each book remains in my mind for a long time after. Anything he writes is a must-read.” —Pink Quill Books
“Karl Drinkwater has the skill of making it near impossible to stop reading. Expect late nights. Simply outstanding.” —Jera’s Jamboree
“An intelligent and empathetic writer who has a clear understanding of the world around him and the truly horrific experiences life can bring. A literary gem.” —Cooking The Books
“Drinkwater is a dab hand at creating an air of dread.” —Altered Instinct
“A gifted writer. Each book brings its own uniqueness to the table, and a table Drinkwater sets is one I will visit every time." —Scintilla
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
April 15, 2018
Cold Fusion 2000 (CF2K) is a novel of incredible genius. Read it at face value and you will be left thinking that a LOT of things just don’t add up and how there are NO answers to anything; but, notice the hidden yet obvious clues, embrace the ambiguity and you will receive a complex internal conflict of a character. As such, it’s also very difficult to say anything detailed about the book because the slightest clue can spoiler it all…
Alex Kavanagh is not really enjoying his life. His job as a teacher is not at all rewarding (he’s simply too smart to teach youngsters who don’t give a flying), his relationships might start out well, but they fizzle out, and at home, he constantly argues with his sister. It seems like the routine he’s living is something he needs to satisfy his pedantic ways but this way of life is something that is also holding him back. His status quo is made even worse by the fact that he just seems to be drifting through the days, not enjoying anything much at all. Alex is a PhD dropout with sights firmly set back towards the past. The unwillingness to let go, the pit that causes loneliness…
And one day, everything truly goes to pot- the Glasgow Smile Man sits next to him on the bus (GSM is scary and creepy), the teenage bullies at the bus stop are relentless at making Alex feel intimidated and his girlfriend Anne has had enough. As Alex is already defeated by everything in his life, everything that has built up inside over the years, all his failures and hurts, you can only imagine that the next natural step would be for things to either get way-way worse or start moving towards the better. A surprise run-in with his ex GF, believe it or not, was exactly what Alex needed. A way to fix everything!
Now, you may think that this is going to be a straightforward lost loves romance story, but I would like to point out that this is not the case. Should you pick up this book, be ready to be surprised. And be vigilant. Every word in this book could be treated as an indicator of things to come, every chapter could hide the ‘a-ha!’ moment that helps you connect the dots! I would like to think that I had my theories about certain things but when at the end of the book I stumbled across the FAQ about the book, I was mind blown.
It’s funny, just the other day I was thinking that maybe I should try and find romance written by male authors and then I remembered I had CF2K on my Kindle. Fantastic! In I went and I truly received an interesting reading experience. Cold Fusion 2000 comes in a complete package filled with geeky smarts, feelings (good, bad, anxious and elated), surprises and a couple of wanks. Took you by surprise there, heh? Well, my point is, there’s no overly graphic sexy time content but still quite true to the relationships aspect when it comes to intimacy (even if it involved only one person).
Bottom line- a great contemporary novel with a complex main character I came to care about. I was 100% committed to the journey Alex had to undertake and thoroughly invested in seeing the destination… Reading this book felt real and at times sad, but also full of hope and with a promise of new beginnings… I really liked it…
Alex Kavanagh is not really enjoying his life. His job as a teacher is not at all rewarding (he’s simply too smart to teach youngsters who don’t give a flying), his relationships might start out well, but they fizzle out, and at home, he constantly argues with his sister. It seems like the routine he’s living is something he needs to satisfy his pedantic ways but this way of life is something that is also holding him back. His status quo is made even worse by the fact that he just seems to be drifting through the days, not enjoying anything much at all. Alex is a PhD dropout with sights firmly set back towards the past. The unwillingness to let go, the pit that causes loneliness…
He wondered where his mind had wandered this time, what life it had lived as a trail of neurons sped through networks of possibilities particle-fast, too rapid to catch without a hadron collider, causing super quarks of weirdness and leaving him with only a vague after-image like a melting dream. He had to accept that he couldn’t catch all his thoughts, all the things going on in his body, the processes which slipped by in the background just leaving a shadow, an itch, the grain of sand that probably wouldn’t become a pearl, a blazing after-trace that lives a second then is gone forever. All those possibilities occurring in a second of frantic life: it never ceased to amaze him. The world was an incredible and beautifully constructed thing.
And one day, everything truly goes to pot- the Glasgow Smile Man sits next to him on the bus (GSM is scary and creepy), the teenage bullies at the bus stop are relentless at making Alex feel intimidated and his girlfriend Anne has had enough. As Alex is already defeated by everything in his life, everything that has built up inside over the years, all his failures and hurts, you can only imagine that the next natural step would be for things to either get way-way worse or start moving towards the better. A surprise run-in with his ex GF, believe it or not, was exactly what Alex needed. A way to fix everything!
Now, you may think that this is going to be a straightforward lost loves romance story, but I would like to point out that this is not the case. Should you pick up this book, be ready to be surprised. And be vigilant. Every word in this book could be treated as an indicator of things to come, every chapter could hide the ‘a-ha!’ moment that helps you connect the dots! I would like to think that I had my theories about certain things but when at the end of the book I stumbled across the FAQ about the book, I was mind blown.
He felt that he perceived the shape within, just for a second. She had hope. It spread; he could almost witness electrons moving through the magnetic field between them, following lines of force, beautiful things everywhere, sharing, changing both of them in the process, the covalent bonding of life.
It’s funny, just the other day I was thinking that maybe I should try and find romance written by male authors and then I remembered I had CF2K on my Kindle. Fantastic! In I went and I truly received an interesting reading experience. Cold Fusion 2000 comes in a complete package filled with geeky smarts, feelings (good, bad, anxious and elated), surprises and a couple of wanks. Took you by surprise there, heh? Well, my point is, there’s no overly graphic sexy time content but still quite true to the relationships aspect when it comes to intimacy (even if it involved only one person).
Bottom line- a great contemporary novel with a complex main character I came to care about. I was 100% committed to the journey Alex had to undertake and thoroughly invested in seeing the destination… Reading this book felt real and at times sad, but also full of hope and with a promise of new beginnings… I really liked it…
January 6, 2020
Alex is a full on geek, A teacher, heavily into his physics. He isn’t the most interesting of characters to start with, being quite boring as he rarely goes out and socialises, definitely more of a loner, enjoying his own company. As we get to know him though, I could feel him growing on me and I enjoyed his social awkwardness.
He is actually a bit of an anti hero. In parts he surprised me with him stepping up to the mark which made me enjoy his character that little bit more. His relationship with the opposite sex, is what really makes this story. There is an innocence to it and made me reminisce of my younger self and past relationships.
I love the female characters in the story. They all bring something different to the story. Kelly, his sister, again reminded me of what life was like with an older brother and the squabbles. I loved how feisty she is. Natalie on the other hand, her friend, is more wiser than her years of which I think is down to her own family background making her grow up that little bit quicker. Lucy, well, you need to read this book to fully understand her character but she certainly makes for an interesting one.
Cold Fusion 2000 is not your straight forward romance/coming of age story. I mean the main character is twenty eight years old for a start! It does have a deeper meaning though, not to live looking back on life but to look ahead instead. By the end of the novel, I really felt a bond with Alex. I loved the beginning of the book also where the author cleverly transports the readers back, well if you are a certain age, to some truly classic song choices that flooded my mind with memories. If you’re looking for something a little bit different, I highly recommend this book.
My thanks to the author for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
He is actually a bit of an anti hero. In parts he surprised me with him stepping up to the mark which made me enjoy his character that little bit more. His relationship with the opposite sex, is what really makes this story. There is an innocence to it and made me reminisce of my younger self and past relationships.
I love the female characters in the story. They all bring something different to the story. Kelly, his sister, again reminded me of what life was like with an older brother and the squabbles. I loved how feisty she is. Natalie on the other hand, her friend, is more wiser than her years of which I think is down to her own family background making her grow up that little bit quicker. Lucy, well, you need to read this book to fully understand her character but she certainly makes for an interesting one.
Cold Fusion 2000 is not your straight forward romance/coming of age story. I mean the main character is twenty eight years old for a start! It does have a deeper meaning though, not to live looking back on life but to look ahead instead. By the end of the novel, I really felt a bond with Alex. I loved the beginning of the book also where the author cleverly transports the readers back, well if you are a certain age, to some truly classic song choices that flooded my mind with memories. If you’re looking for something a little bit different, I highly recommend this book.
My thanks to the author for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
March 6, 2014
Recieved by the author nearly a year ago. Oooops, sorry Karl. Anyways, I love the signing you put on the inside cover:
and that in itself is worth a star!
Opening:
A Brief History of Time
1992. The Shaman yelled Eezer Goode, Eezer Goode. Alex listened; decided that MSc's 're good and started his postgrad in physics.
1993. MSc over, Alex started a PhD on the topic of ancient physics. UB40 sang (I can't help) Falling in Love With You. Alex met a first year undergraduate called Lucy Spiers. He couldn't help himself.
Because I am a sucker for the music I'll list the other choices mentioned by the protagonist Alex for the years that lead up to the start of the story.
1994: Saturday Night, Whigfield and D:ream "Things can only get better"
1995: Coolio- Gangster's Paradise
1996: Fugees - Killing Me Softly (with lyrics) and Spice Girls - Wannabe
1997: Natalie Imbruglia - Torn and Aqua - Barbie Girl
1998: Madonna*Frozen
1999: Shania Twain - That Don't Impress Me Much
2000: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady
page 59 "We could go to the Whiworth just over there. They've got all sorts of textile stuff. You were always into that, right? And it's free."
Hannah Smith's casket
For most of this story Alex should have done a Reggie Perrin, yet for all his existential angst about how ineffectual his life is, his heart comes through in the end and this story becomes a charming rom-com. Because this is set in Manchester I had expected a Bowker-esque story (David Bowker's ouevre is just right for some dark evening reading) but this was another galaxy entirely. Light and fluffy without being mawkish or sentimental.
Karl DrinkwaterBack cover shows Dante Gabriel Rossetti, La Donna della Finestra 1879
December 2012
A Wet Day
and that in itself is worth a star!
Opening:
A Brief History of Time
1992. The Shaman yelled Eezer Goode, Eezer Goode. Alex listened; decided that MSc's 're good and started his postgrad in physics.
1993. MSc over, Alex started a PhD on the topic of ancient physics. UB40 sang (I can't help) Falling in Love With You. Alex met a first year undergraduate called Lucy Spiers. He couldn't help himself.
Because I am a sucker for the music I'll list the other choices mentioned by the protagonist Alex for the years that lead up to the start of the story.
1994: Saturday Night, Whigfield and D:ream "Things can only get better"
1995: Coolio- Gangster's Paradise
1996: Fugees - Killing Me Softly (with lyrics) and Spice Girls - Wannabe
1997: Natalie Imbruglia - Torn and Aqua - Barbie Girl
1998: Madonna*Frozen
1999: Shania Twain - That Don't Impress Me Much
2000: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady
page 59 "We could go to the Whiworth just over there. They've got all sorts of textile stuff. You were always into that, right? And it's free." Hannah Smith's casketFor most of this story Alex should have done a Reggie Perrin, yet for all his existential angst about how ineffectual his life is, his heart comes through in the end and this story becomes a charming rom-com. Because this is set in Manchester I had expected a Bowker-esque story (David Bowker's ouevre is just right for some dark evening reading) but this was another galaxy entirely. Light and fluffy without being mawkish or sentimental.
February 10, 2020
This is an unusual read. My first by Karl Drinkwater so I was unsure what to expect but it was an enjoyable read.
Alex is an unusual character he has difficulty making friends and was badly hurt by Lucy which has affected him badly.
I got the impression he is Autistic as it wHiould explain his fixation with stats and organisation and also his immaturity. I could be wrong of course as we all get different perspectives from a book. I like the character he should be difficult to like but he isn't. I found myself rooting for him as he tries to make sense of his life and move on.
His character is supported by his sister and Natalie. Natalie is secretly in love with him and she has a plan to make him notice her a very subtle sensitive plan which works perfectly.
A very different book from anything I have read before if I were to put it in a genre I would go for romance/family saga.
Thank you to Book on the Bright Side Publicity for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Alex is an unusual character he has difficulty making friends and was badly hurt by Lucy which has affected him badly.
I got the impression he is Autistic as it wHiould explain his fixation with stats and organisation and also his immaturity. I could be wrong of course as we all get different perspectives from a book. I like the character he should be difficult to like but he isn't. I found myself rooting for him as he tries to make sense of his life and move on.
His character is supported by his sister and Natalie. Natalie is secretly in love with him and she has a plan to make him notice her a very subtle sensitive plan which works perfectly.
A very different book from anything I have read before if I were to put it in a genre I would go for romance/family saga.
Thank you to Book on the Bright Side Publicity for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 2, 2018
This is a beautifully written story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Reading the reviews in advance alerts you to pay attention. It's good advice. The book definitely deserves a second read.
I found the story somewhat dark, and couldn't help feeling there was something disturbing about the main character as I changed my attitude about him many times. In the end I managed to like him. He grew up through the book.
I loved all the references to the time period, especially when the main character invented the smartphone in his head and how it would work and be so useful. Hilarious, he called it a Cleverphone.
The ending sure was a twist I didn't expect. I thought I had it all figured out.
The story really sticks in your head after you've read it.
I found the story somewhat dark, and couldn't help feeling there was something disturbing about the main character as I changed my attitude about him many times. In the end I managed to like him. He grew up through the book.
I loved all the references to the time period, especially when the main character invented the smartphone in his head and how it would work and be so useful. Hilarious, he called it a Cleverphone.
The ending sure was a twist I didn't expect. I thought I had it all figured out.
The story really sticks in your head after you've read it.
Read
February 3, 2020This was an amalgamation of physics, poetry, a fugue state, and life lived on a different plane.
My third book by author Karl Drinkwater, the story was swirling depths where everything was sopen to interpretation. Subtle clues were hidden in the prose and in the depths of the characterization. The author wrote a love story but which occurred in a few seconds or 72 hours depending on how the clues were read.
Alex was the geek who loved physics and Lucy, but she ditched him but returned back for 72 hours. Alex as a character was detailed well, a boy not so comfortable with relationships who sometimes stuck to the past without letting it flow to the future.
Time condensed to a chapter and time expanded to a book when the author took his pen to write the book. This might sound like a love story, but it was about living a lifetime in a few days or a few seconds. Are we who we truly say who we are? Do we exist beyond and within? Can we exist and not exist? Who is to say we don't live multiple lifetimes on different planes.
The book was beyond the realms of logic into the tangents of possibilities. The characters were anchored in the realms of reality and imagination. It was surely a different read. It needed me to look into myself and beyond myself.
The book reminded me that I have also lived a lifetime in a few seconds, but they actually didn't happen. Yet the joy and warmth of love was present in my heart. Who is to deny it didn't happen?
My third book by author Karl Drinkwater, the story was swirling depths where everything was sopen to interpretation. Subtle clues were hidden in the prose and in the depths of the characterization. The author wrote a love story but which occurred in a few seconds or 72 hours depending on how the clues were read.
Alex was the geek who loved physics and Lucy, but she ditched him but returned back for 72 hours. Alex as a character was detailed well, a boy not so comfortable with relationships who sometimes stuck to the past without letting it flow to the future.
Time condensed to a chapter and time expanded to a book when the author took his pen to write the book. This might sound like a love story, but it was about living a lifetime in a few days or a few seconds. Are we who we truly say who we are? Do we exist beyond and within? Can we exist and not exist? Who is to say we don't live multiple lifetimes on different planes.
The book was beyond the realms of logic into the tangents of possibilities. The characters were anchored in the realms of reality and imagination. It was surely a different read. It needed me to look into myself and beyond myself.
The book reminded me that I have also lived a lifetime in a few seconds, but they actually didn't happen. Yet the joy and warmth of love was present in my heart. Who is to deny it didn't happen?
May 8, 2013
I received Cold Fusion 2000 from the author as a LibraryThing Giveaway (or First Read, not important which).
Mr Drinkwater included a few typed notes with a handful of alternate passages to replace those in the printed book, which turned out to be of lesser importance to me than to him perhaps.
He also included an envelope marked not to read until after I had finished the novel due to containing FAQs with spoilers, which I dutifully complied with. The contents did turn out to be of great significance though, and he was correct in suggesting that the book is designed to have multiple layers on which it can be enjoyed as a straight read or one which bears greater scrutiny and attention to detail with a number of complex riddles.
Mr Drinkwater has cleverly interwoven an intricate thread around signposts rooted in physics, mathematics, and even neuropsychology, all of which sounds incredibly complicated, and yet, confession time, I missed most of them and may have been blissfully unaware of their existence without those mysterious FAQs.
It's important to state here and now that the knowledge of those signposts changes my enjoyment of the reading experience of the book by about a single iota, though it does afford a wry smile and acknowledgement of the hidden depths of the writing and its structure. It all makes me wonder how much else I miss when I read, so whilst acknowledging the author's intellect I feel faintly humbled, though he could of course have left me in a state of blissful ignorance. Now if Mr Ishiguro could do the same for The Unconsoled I would be eternally grateful.
I also learned something about being in a state of fugue, bolstered by wikipedia, and as far as spoilers goes I will leave it at that.
To be fair to myself, it was clear there was an underlying intricacy behind the storytelling and the general premise had been worked out though I did not feel compelled to analyse or even dig out the specific details, which means the author has achieved his stated aim of the book having a general appeal at an emotional, moral, and motivational level, as well as the scientific.
The writing is wonderfully warm, descriptive, even faintly blokeish so that I constantly called to mind Simon Pegg in the role of the protagonist Alex. I noticed that the style changed regularly, at times rhythmic for which I comfortably settled into a John Cooper Clarkeish narration, perfect for the turn of the century Manchester setting, and at others more straightforward prose, a clue again no doubt.
With a cast of supporting characters which could have been hewn from Mrs Brown's Boys, there are really very few who really matter, namely Alex, Lucy and Jane, and the beautifully portrayed Natalie.
Alex is 30 year old teacher, who as a student fell in love and had his heart broken by his muse Lucy. As so often happens, he becomes bitter and no other woman will either do or is to be completely trusted, and so he floats between his work, paternal home and the pub.
Until that is, Lucy somewhat magically reappears for a rollercoaster three day redemptive ride. Can it be that Alex will never imagine that Lucy is actually twin sister Jane on a mission to right the wrongs of the past before moving on and allowing Alex to do the same, move on that is? The one very minor irritant I had with Cold Fusion 2000 is that there is a lot of moving on to be sought, a lot of elusive happiness to be gained, as if such things are obtained through making peace with the painful past, or perhaps it's through appliance of science?
However, the characters and relationships drawn are very human and tangible, recognisable to anyone who has loved and lost, then drifted through life whilst others seem to have it all.
Equally realistic is the chasing of a muse (in this case a love interest, yet no less applicable to wealth, fame, power, ambition) so potent yet so destructive as to leave one blind to the possibilities which exist close at hand, patiently waiting to heal, soothe and show you the right path to the soul's satisfaction.
I have managed I think to avoid the serious spoilers and I believe this book could could be enjoyed by anyone at all so successfully has Mr Drinkwater achieved his own ambition of creating a very readable work accessible to all and with what he describes as rereadability to pore over all that smart science, numerology and physcology once again.
Well done Mr Drinkwater, and thanks to you, and to LibraryThing, for the opportunity to read and enjoy your excellent creation.
Mr Drinkwater included a few typed notes with a handful of alternate passages to replace those in the printed book, which turned out to be of lesser importance to me than to him perhaps.
He also included an envelope marked not to read until after I had finished the novel due to containing FAQs with spoilers, which I dutifully complied with. The contents did turn out to be of great significance though, and he was correct in suggesting that the book is designed to have multiple layers on which it can be enjoyed as a straight read or one which bears greater scrutiny and attention to detail with a number of complex riddles.
Mr Drinkwater has cleverly interwoven an intricate thread around signposts rooted in physics, mathematics, and even neuropsychology, all of which sounds incredibly complicated, and yet, confession time, I missed most of them and may have been blissfully unaware of their existence without those mysterious FAQs.
It's important to state here and now that the knowledge of those signposts changes my enjoyment of the reading experience of the book by about a single iota, though it does afford a wry smile and acknowledgement of the hidden depths of the writing and its structure. It all makes me wonder how much else I miss when I read, so whilst acknowledging the author's intellect I feel faintly humbled, though he could of course have left me in a state of blissful ignorance. Now if Mr Ishiguro could do the same for The Unconsoled I would be eternally grateful.
I also learned something about being in a state of fugue, bolstered by wikipedia, and as far as spoilers goes I will leave it at that.
To be fair to myself, it was clear there was an underlying intricacy behind the storytelling and the general premise had been worked out though I did not feel compelled to analyse or even dig out the specific details, which means the author has achieved his stated aim of the book having a general appeal at an emotional, moral, and motivational level, as well as the scientific.
The writing is wonderfully warm, descriptive, even faintly blokeish so that I constantly called to mind Simon Pegg in the role of the protagonist Alex. I noticed that the style changed regularly, at times rhythmic for which I comfortably settled into a John Cooper Clarkeish narration, perfect for the turn of the century Manchester setting, and at others more straightforward prose, a clue again no doubt.
With a cast of supporting characters which could have been hewn from Mrs Brown's Boys, there are really very few who really matter, namely Alex, Lucy and Jane, and the beautifully portrayed Natalie.
Alex is 30 year old teacher, who as a student fell in love and had his heart broken by his muse Lucy. As so often happens, he becomes bitter and no other woman will either do or is to be completely trusted, and so he floats between his work, paternal home and the pub.
Until that is, Lucy somewhat magically reappears for a rollercoaster three day redemptive ride. Can it be that Alex will never imagine that Lucy is actually twin sister Jane on a mission to right the wrongs of the past before moving on and allowing Alex to do the same, move on that is? The one very minor irritant I had with Cold Fusion 2000 is that there is a lot of moving on to be sought, a lot of elusive happiness to be gained, as if such things are obtained through making peace with the painful past, or perhaps it's through appliance of science?
However, the characters and relationships drawn are very human and tangible, recognisable to anyone who has loved and lost, then drifted through life whilst others seem to have it all.
Equally realistic is the chasing of a muse (in this case a love interest, yet no less applicable to wealth, fame, power, ambition) so potent yet so destructive as to leave one blind to the possibilities which exist close at hand, patiently waiting to heal, soothe and show you the right path to the soul's satisfaction.
I have managed I think to avoid the serious spoilers and I believe this book could could be enjoyed by anyone at all so successfully has Mr Drinkwater achieved his own ambition of creating a very readable work accessible to all and with what he describes as rereadability to pore over all that smart science, numerology and physcology once again.
Well done Mr Drinkwater, and thanks to you, and to LibraryThing, for the opportunity to read and enjoy your excellent creation.
February 13, 2020
Cold Fusion 2000 by Karl Drinkwater
This book grew on me. From the book description I had a feeling that Alex would probably be awkward and geeky but he also seemed…boring and unable to interact well with others. I picked up that he was an attractive redhead with a huge brain but not very socially adept. He seemed to want to be in a relationship but had trouble finding one or perhaps keeping one once he was with a partner. I can relate to that as long ago I found I would move on rather quickly as I figured out what was wrong rather than trying to fix things. In some ways I felt sorry for Alex and in others I wanted to shake him and tell him to wake up and make some changes
So, Alex is a bit boring or seems to be. He slogs through life taking it one day at a time while being of the generation that seems to have a failure to launch. I felt he was a bit without focus and needed…something. And, something he did find. I won’t tell you what but will say it is worth reading to find out.
There are a number of references to music that no doubt fit with the story although I didn’t know songs…or many of them. There were also references to physics that were apt but since I barely passed physics those may have eluded me a bit, too.
This book was well plotted, intriguing and well worth reading. In the end I enjoyed it and was glad that my first impression of Alex changed before the end of the book. They say it takes the right woman…and I think Alex did finally find her.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to the author and BOTBS Publicity for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4.5 Stars
This book grew on me. From the book description I had a feeling that Alex would probably be awkward and geeky but he also seemed…boring and unable to interact well with others. I picked up that he was an attractive redhead with a huge brain but not very socially adept. He seemed to want to be in a relationship but had trouble finding one or perhaps keeping one once he was with a partner. I can relate to that as long ago I found I would move on rather quickly as I figured out what was wrong rather than trying to fix things. In some ways I felt sorry for Alex and in others I wanted to shake him and tell him to wake up and make some changes
So, Alex is a bit boring or seems to be. He slogs through life taking it one day at a time while being of the generation that seems to have a failure to launch. I felt he was a bit without focus and needed…something. And, something he did find. I won’t tell you what but will say it is worth reading to find out.
There are a number of references to music that no doubt fit with the story although I didn’t know songs…or many of them. There were also references to physics that were apt but since I barely passed physics those may have eluded me a bit, too.
This book was well plotted, intriguing and well worth reading. In the end I enjoyed it and was glad that my first impression of Alex changed before the end of the book. They say it takes the right woman…and I think Alex did finally find her.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to the author and BOTBS Publicity for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4.5 Stars
February 6, 2013
It's rare to find a book that makes you laugh and think in equal measure. Cold Fusion 2000 does just that, as Drinkwater explores that time between leaving university and life starting in earnest, a time that should be filled of hope for the future but that all too often is full of longing for the past.
The writing evokes a rare sultry summer in Manchester at the turn of the Millennium - sticky buses, sweaty staff rooms, stifling heat. Drinkwater perfectly describes 'Stretford Arndale's car-park-on-shops bare bones architectural brutalism'. Characters are drawn with deftness and wit - even minor characters like GSM and Floppy Feet, whose heels lift out of his black trainers with each step.
Alex and Jane are great characters. Alex a frustrated physicist, kicking himself about things he should have done. Jane with a joie de vivre, trying to make amends for things another has done. The scenes in which they are together - particularly those set in the gallery and at the house party - are highly charged and full of longing. I read Cold Fusion 2000 on a train between London and the Peak District. I couldn't put this moving account of growing up and letting go down until it had reached its surprising conclusion.
The writing evokes a rare sultry summer in Manchester at the turn of the Millennium - sticky buses, sweaty staff rooms, stifling heat. Drinkwater perfectly describes 'Stretford Arndale's car-park-on-shops bare bones architectural brutalism'. Characters are drawn with deftness and wit - even minor characters like GSM and Floppy Feet, whose heels lift out of his black trainers with each step.
Alex and Jane are great characters. Alex a frustrated physicist, kicking himself about things he should have done. Jane with a joie de vivre, trying to make amends for things another has done. The scenes in which they are together - particularly those set in the gallery and at the house party - are highly charged and full of longing. I read Cold Fusion 2000 on a train between London and the Peak District. I couldn't put this moving account of growing up and letting go down until it had reached its surprising conclusion.
August 6, 2013
Karl Drinkwater contacted me and offered me a free copy for review, which I was happy to accept.
I enjoyed this book, although it did take me a while to warm to the main character, Alex. He just seemed rather hopeless. Which is, of course, part of the point! The middle part where he is re-connecting with Jane/Lucy (for he perceives her as the latter) is super-sweet, and very moving, but one cannot help but feel a faint sense of unease. Something seems slightly off... What could it be? (yes, it is intentional). The final passage, as other readers have noted, does feel a bit rushed, but I think wraps things up quite well. This is a story about closure, about how a relationship that is severed suddenly, dramatically, can affect someone's ability to form lasting relationships for years afterwards.
The grounding it in 2000 was well done, with Drinkwater obviously recalling the year well. I did find Alex's vague predictions on the evolution of the mobile phone quite amusing, if a little *too* exact. The story was slow to build, but I believe the characters were constructed well, and the writing and grammar seemed very professional to me. Overall, a strong and interesting read that I completed within one day.
I enjoyed this book, although it did take me a while to warm to the main character, Alex. He just seemed rather hopeless. Which is, of course, part of the point! The middle part where he is re-connecting with Jane/Lucy (for he perceives her as the latter) is super-sweet, and very moving, but one cannot help but feel a faint sense of unease. Something seems slightly off... What could it be? (yes, it is intentional). The final passage, as other readers have noted, does feel a bit rushed, but I think wraps things up quite well. This is a story about closure, about how a relationship that is severed suddenly, dramatically, can affect someone's ability to form lasting relationships for years afterwards.
The grounding it in 2000 was well done, with Drinkwater obviously recalling the year well. I did find Alex's vague predictions on the evolution of the mobile phone quite amusing, if a little *too* exact. The story was slow to build, but I believe the characters were constructed well, and the writing and grammar seemed very professional to me. Overall, a strong and interesting read that I completed within one day.
September 1, 2013
I have just finished reading CF2k, the FAQ on Karl's blog and most of the reviews on this site relating to the book. I too was contacted by the author and offered a free copy of the book because I had enjoyed 'The Rosie Project' and I too had felt pressure to like the book. Again, like most other readers, I didn't really like the beginning nor the main character at first... but I warmed to him once he met up with 'Lucy'. In fact, I found their time together thoroughly engaging. I also enjoyed the use of poetry and art throughout the book. I have to say, I don't think I would have chosen to read this novel based on either the title or the front cover, which would have been a shame. I would have missed out on a surprisingly complex and enjoyable experience. When it came to rating the book I was torn between giving it 3 stars or 4 stars, until I asked myself if I was keen to reread it. I am. Therefore 4 stars it is!
November 15, 2018
Karl Drinkwater has a particular talent for taking quotidian events and everyman characters and crafting them into something really special.
In Cold Fusion 2000, Alex is the 'everyman' - socially awkward, frustrated in his job, living with his parents, unable to get over his ex-girlfriend. A chance meeting with a woman gives him the chance to move past his frustrations but only if he is brave enough to take it.
In the hands of a less talented author, these events might be mundane, but Karl Drinkwater brings them to life with clever observations, scientific facts, poetry, Mancunian geography and realistic dialogue. An enjoyable and satisfying read, with a clever plot twist to boot. Well worth a read.
In Cold Fusion 2000, Alex is the 'everyman' - socially awkward, frustrated in his job, living with his parents, unable to get over his ex-girlfriend. A chance meeting with a woman gives him the chance to move past his frustrations but only if he is brave enough to take it.
In the hands of a less talented author, these events might be mundane, but Karl Drinkwater brings them to life with clever observations, scientific facts, poetry, Mancunian geography and realistic dialogue. An enjoyable and satisfying read, with a clever plot twist to boot. Well worth a read.
August 30, 2013
I don't wish to spoil this novel for anyone, but I must say, it's a very good read. The two main characters are stunning in their utterly blatant humanity. They are engaging, absorbing, and wonderful. I found myself losing whole chunks of time in this book without realizing it, that's how entertaining it is. The author is able to capture the complexity of thought and emotion that goes into every moment of being an individual and their relationships with those around them, while maintaining a very charming wit. Very well done. I very highly recommend this book.
August 3, 2013
This is one of those books that starts off a bit slow and you wonder what on earth you have gotten yourself into. As the story line develops it grabs you and you find yourself completely unable to put the book down. You care about the main character, you care about the story, you are disappointed when you are finished. You long to meet other people who have read it, and discuss the plot and the metaphors at length. If it was a play, I would give it a standing ovation. Bravo!
April 9, 2013
I felt this was almost a coming of age story, although the protagonist, Alex is thirty in the book. He's let a broken heart get him and his emotions stuck in a rut and he needs some help climbing out. Enter Jane, the twin of his ex to catalyse the change. There is some very lovely writing in this book and it doesn't go in the directions you would expect, and is all the better for it.
May 11, 2013
Fascinating, unpredictable outcome with refreshingly intelligent characters. A great companion to a rainy day and a cup of tea. Looking forward to more from this author in any genre.
February 14, 2020
I've had the pleasure of reading one of Karl Drinkwater's sci-fi novels, Lost Solace and as I know he writes across a range of genres, I was intrigued to read Cold Fusion 2000. It's certainly very different but I was captivated by this intelligent, witty love story which so perceptively explores the ties of Alex's past, the apathy of his present and the possibilities for his future.
The book opens with one of the best recaps of a character's past that I can ever recall reading; by using song titles (beginning with Ebeneezer Goode and ending with That Don't Impress Me Much), readers are taken on a whistle-stop tour of Alex's adulthood to date. In just a few clever lines we learn that he started a PhD in Physics but after his relationship with his girlfriend, Lucy ended, he left university and began teaching in a further education college; five years later, nothing has changed, he still lives at home and still hates his job. It's now the year 2000 and either the start or end of the millenium, depending on your viewpoint (it matters very much to Alex!) and as the story begins properly, it's clear that he has stagnated and is still living as a young person on the brink of adulthood rather than as a 28-year-old man.
A picture soon emerges of an intelligent but socially awkward man who spends more time in his own head than is good for him and whose social life is almost non-existent. He dreams of having a physics paper published but there's something so painfully chaotic about his thoughts that it's impossible not to pity him, even though he is often self-centred to the point of rudeness. Although his relationship with Lucy has been over for years, he doesn't seem to have been able to move on and is a rather sad and lonely figure. It's obvious that he is completely dissatisfied with his life but there comes a point where his mental health is clearly very fragile and it's difficult to see how he is going to be able to progress from this point.
Therefore, it's a pleasant surprise to see a very different side to Alex when Lucy suddenly appears in his life again. He isn't so obsessed with physics and his conversations with her about poetry and art are fascinating and really quite touching. I really warmed to his character at this point in the book because he begins to open up a little and allows himself to take risks even though he it makes him vulnerable to being hurt again. Lucy is an intriguing character; the reader learns a little more about her than Alex is aware of, but nevertheless, there does seem to be something she is holding back - possibly from herself as much as from Alex.
It's hard to review Cold Fusion 2000 without giving anything away but in the latter part of the book, Alex has the opportunity to change his life and I was curious to see how he would react. This is often a very humorous read but it's also a rather insightful look at how a person can be deeply affected by life's disappointments and although I didn't fully warm to him initially, by the end of the novel I was desperate for him to be happy. There are two other significant women in his life, his sister, Kelly and her friend, Natalie and I really enjoyed seeing how their interactions evolve during the course of the story. Karl Drinkwater writes such beautifully nuanced, believable characters who can perhaps be a little irritating at first but then later reveal a totally different side to their personality. There's a real warmth to the writing too, with the importance of family being valued as much as romantic love, and I thought the depictions of Alex's extended family were wonderfully authentic.
Cold Fusion 2000 is brilliantly deceptive novel with little clues scattered throughout as to the truth - whatever that may be... It's a story about the impossible being possible - which can be interpreted a number of ways, but just as Alex is a physics geek who also loves art and poetry, so the book can be more than one thing at the same time. How much is real and how much is fantasy is debatable and there are no definitive answers here so it very much depends on each reader's own analysis of the events. There are quite a few physics references and although I didn't fully understand them all, I was always able to appreciate why they were there. I also really enjoyed the information included about various artworks and the way in which they linked with the plot. I love books which take me out of my comfort zone and make me think and the cleverly structured, engaging and multi-layered Cold Fusion 2000 did just that. Highly recommended.
The book opens with one of the best recaps of a character's past that I can ever recall reading; by using song titles (beginning with Ebeneezer Goode and ending with That Don't Impress Me Much), readers are taken on a whistle-stop tour of Alex's adulthood to date. In just a few clever lines we learn that he started a PhD in Physics but after his relationship with his girlfriend, Lucy ended, he left university and began teaching in a further education college; five years later, nothing has changed, he still lives at home and still hates his job. It's now the year 2000 and either the start or end of the millenium, depending on your viewpoint (it matters very much to Alex!) and as the story begins properly, it's clear that he has stagnated and is still living as a young person on the brink of adulthood rather than as a 28-year-old man.
A picture soon emerges of an intelligent but socially awkward man who spends more time in his own head than is good for him and whose social life is almost non-existent. He dreams of having a physics paper published but there's something so painfully chaotic about his thoughts that it's impossible not to pity him, even though he is often self-centred to the point of rudeness. Although his relationship with Lucy has been over for years, he doesn't seem to have been able to move on and is a rather sad and lonely figure. It's obvious that he is completely dissatisfied with his life but there comes a point where his mental health is clearly very fragile and it's difficult to see how he is going to be able to progress from this point.
Therefore, it's a pleasant surprise to see a very different side to Alex when Lucy suddenly appears in his life again. He isn't so obsessed with physics and his conversations with her about poetry and art are fascinating and really quite touching. I really warmed to his character at this point in the book because he begins to open up a little and allows himself to take risks even though he it makes him vulnerable to being hurt again. Lucy is an intriguing character; the reader learns a little more about her than Alex is aware of, but nevertheless, there does seem to be something she is holding back - possibly from herself as much as from Alex.
It's hard to review Cold Fusion 2000 without giving anything away but in the latter part of the book, Alex has the opportunity to change his life and I was curious to see how he would react. This is often a very humorous read but it's also a rather insightful look at how a person can be deeply affected by life's disappointments and although I didn't fully warm to him initially, by the end of the novel I was desperate for him to be happy. There are two other significant women in his life, his sister, Kelly and her friend, Natalie and I really enjoyed seeing how their interactions evolve during the course of the story. Karl Drinkwater writes such beautifully nuanced, believable characters who can perhaps be a little irritating at first but then later reveal a totally different side to their personality. There's a real warmth to the writing too, with the importance of family being valued as much as romantic love, and I thought the depictions of Alex's extended family were wonderfully authentic.
Cold Fusion 2000 is brilliantly deceptive novel with little clues scattered throughout as to the truth - whatever that may be... It's a story about the impossible being possible - which can be interpreted a number of ways, but just as Alex is a physics geek who also loves art and poetry, so the book can be more than one thing at the same time. How much is real and how much is fantasy is debatable and there are no definitive answers here so it very much depends on each reader's own analysis of the events. There are quite a few physics references and although I didn't fully understand them all, I was always able to appreciate why they were there. I also really enjoyed the information included about various artworks and the way in which they linked with the plot. I love books which take me out of my comfort zone and make me think and the cleverly structured, engaging and multi-layered Cold Fusion 2000 did just that. Highly recommended.
May 7, 2017
This story surprised me. By the title, I wasn't sure I would care for it, but don't let the title fool you. I didn't understand the title, that is, until I got to the end of the book. It makes sense now; however it can throw you off if you're not familiar with scientific terms and their meanings--which I am not.
This is a good story. The writing is wonderful. The dialogue is real and descriptions are poetic. It's not an easy read, though it seems like it is initially, because nothing is as it seems. You don't realize any of this until, again, the end. I don't mind surprises if they're done well, and this is done well. This is also where the "not an easy read" part comes in. Unless you are paying close attention and read carefully, you will miss the clues. I'm guessing the author wants it this way to have the element of surprise, so to speak.
At first, I thought the story was a coming-of-age piece, that it was about a teenager or a young twenty year old by the way his behavior is described. What I soon learned is that he's like a man-child. Alex lives at home at the age of thirty; he treats his much younger sister, Kelly, horribly, much the way you would if you were both teenagers constantly getting in each others way; and he seems to complain a lot about everything. He's awkward and can't even effectively handle a small group of teenagers who harass him.
There's another young female in the house, Natalie, who is Kelly's friend. She is living with them due to a dysfunctional family of her own. Our protagonist forms a relationship with her which is understandable even due to the twelve year age difference because Natalie is mature for eighteen and as we know, Alex is young for a thirty-year-old. Their relationship works well and I feel this is the reason why.
At first, Alex is against forming any kind of friendship with Natalie because he's still hung-up-on, as well as bitterly angry with his ex, Lucy, who dumped him in college. This break-up is the reason for his messed-up life and his failure to achieve his PHD--at least according to Alex. When Alex meets Lucy again, or so he thinks (he's really meeting her twin Jane whom he never knew about), he's about to gain some closure or begin the relationship anew.
At the beginning of the book the author states some stories may not be straightforward and he warns us that we need to heed the small details. I took his warning to heart; unfortunately, I was still a bit confused. When I finally took a second look briefly, I understood what confused me. I'm not certain the author didn't want us confused. It made for an interesting and an "aha" moment at the end of the novel. What author doesn't like to surprise a reader when we think we have it all figured out!
The fact this author writes this well about physics, English, poetry, and art, leads me to believe he either did an enormous amount of research, spoke to someone who was knowledgeable in these fields, or he has knowledge and has studied these areas. As well-written as it is, I can't imagine it's from research only. I know nothing about physics so it was fascinating to read some of the highlights even though I know I will not remember any of it. Trying to learn something new is never a bad thing and it just helps the reader to understand the character even more.
The chapters are a bit long, though I understand why, now, that the longest one, Broken Parities, the author wrote it this way. I'm still wondering if he couldn't have broken it up into multiple chapters anyway and not have it affect the story.
I do not recommend reading this book spread out over a period of weeks or even days. It is a one or two day read, otherwise you will miss the details, or forget them, and be as confused as I was upon reaching the ending. This is one of the reasons I gave it a four star rating instead of a five. Maybe not being able to retain information more is my fault and I shouldn't rate it four stars. Personally, I feel if I'm that confused, then others will be, too.
All in all, it is worth the time. I enjoyed it in all my confusion, and in the end I realized maybe I was right with my first thought...it is a coming of age piece in its own way. Listen to the author's warning in the beginning and know that you need to take note of the words, particularly at the end of Chapter 2.
This is a good story. The writing is wonderful. The dialogue is real and descriptions are poetic. It's not an easy read, though it seems like it is initially, because nothing is as it seems. You don't realize any of this until, again, the end. I don't mind surprises if they're done well, and this is done well. This is also where the "not an easy read" part comes in. Unless you are paying close attention and read carefully, you will miss the clues. I'm guessing the author wants it this way to have the element of surprise, so to speak.
At first, I thought the story was a coming-of-age piece, that it was about a teenager or a young twenty year old by the way his behavior is described. What I soon learned is that he's like a man-child. Alex lives at home at the age of thirty; he treats his much younger sister, Kelly, horribly, much the way you would if you were both teenagers constantly getting in each others way; and he seems to complain a lot about everything. He's awkward and can't even effectively handle a small group of teenagers who harass him.
There's another young female in the house, Natalie, who is Kelly's friend. She is living with them due to a dysfunctional family of her own. Our protagonist forms a relationship with her which is understandable even due to the twelve year age difference because Natalie is mature for eighteen and as we know, Alex is young for a thirty-year-old. Their relationship works well and I feel this is the reason why.
At first, Alex is against forming any kind of friendship with Natalie because he's still hung-up-on, as well as bitterly angry with his ex, Lucy, who dumped him in college. This break-up is the reason for his messed-up life and his failure to achieve his PHD--at least according to Alex. When Alex meets Lucy again, or so he thinks (he's really meeting her twin Jane whom he never knew about), he's about to gain some closure or begin the relationship anew.
At the beginning of the book the author states some stories may not be straightforward and he warns us that we need to heed the small details. I took his warning to heart; unfortunately, I was still a bit confused. When I finally took a second look briefly, I understood what confused me. I'm not certain the author didn't want us confused. It made for an interesting and an "aha" moment at the end of the novel. What author doesn't like to surprise a reader when we think we have it all figured out!
The fact this author writes this well about physics, English, poetry, and art, leads me to believe he either did an enormous amount of research, spoke to someone who was knowledgeable in these fields, or he has knowledge and has studied these areas. As well-written as it is, I can't imagine it's from research only. I know nothing about physics so it was fascinating to read some of the highlights even though I know I will not remember any of it. Trying to learn something new is never a bad thing and it just helps the reader to understand the character even more.
The chapters are a bit long, though I understand why, now, that the longest one, Broken Parities, the author wrote it this way. I'm still wondering if he couldn't have broken it up into multiple chapters anyway and not have it affect the story.
I do not recommend reading this book spread out over a period of weeks or even days. It is a one or two day read, otherwise you will miss the details, or forget them, and be as confused as I was upon reaching the ending. This is one of the reasons I gave it a four star rating instead of a five. Maybe not being able to retain information more is my fault and I shouldn't rate it four stars. Personally, I feel if I'm that confused, then others will be, too.
All in all, it is worth the time. I enjoyed it in all my confusion, and in the end I realized maybe I was right with my first thought...it is a coming of age piece in its own way. Listen to the author's warning in the beginning and know that you need to take note of the words, particularly at the end of Chapter 2.
August 21, 2013
Many thanks to the author for giving me a copy of this book.
Karl sa già che la mia recensione sarà in italiano e ha già trovato qualcuno che la tradurrà per lui.
Ho finito questo libro questa mattina e mi ci è voluto un po' per mettere ogni cosa al suo posto. Incredibile ma vero, ne sono venuta a capo proprio sotto la doccia che - a quanto pare - sembra essere un luogo di epifania in questo romanzo.
Ma andiamo per ordine:
Alex Kavanagh è un ragazzo un po' strano: a trentadue anni vive ancora sotto al tetto dei suoi genitori. Niente di male, sia ben chiaro: ma se qui in Italia è praticamente una prassi, in Inghilterra sembra piuttosto bislacco, anche perché effettivamente Alex ha un lavoro ed è anche molto ordinato.
Si tratta di un fanatico della tecnologia, ex-studente di fisica che non è mai riuscito a ottenere il dottorato perché, quando era al college, la sua ragazza, Lucy Spiers, lo ha lasciato senza una spiegazione. Così adesso Alex è costretto a insegnare fisica alle scuole superiori, lottando contro ragazzi che non vogliono studiare la sua materia e odiando il lavoro che fa. Scrive numerosissimi articoli - anche parecchio originali - per riviste scientifiche. Questi, però, non vengono mai pubblicati perché davanti al suo cognome non c'è la parolina Dr., ma solo Mr.
Il suo rapporto con le donne è disastroso: dopo Lucy ha avuto altre storie, senza riuscire mai a legarsi a nessuna in modo particolare. Anzi, si comporta proprio da s*****, lasciandole o facendosi lasciare senza neanche capire il perché.
Interessante l'ambientazione nel 2000, con la tecnologia di quei tempi e interessante la cronologia degli ultimi otto anni scandita dalla musica che impazzava all'epoca, che rende il romanzo 'tipicamente inglese'.
Definirei Cold Fusion 2000 un romanzo di formazione a scoppio ritardato ma, in fondo, come si dice da queste parti meglio tardi che mai!
Karl sa già che la mia recensione sarà in italiano e ha già trovato qualcuno che la tradurrà per lui.
Ho finito questo libro questa mattina e mi ci è voluto un po' per mettere ogni cosa al suo posto. Incredibile ma vero, ne sono venuta a capo proprio sotto la doccia che - a quanto pare - sembra essere un luogo di epifania in questo romanzo.
Ma andiamo per ordine:
Alex Kavanagh è un ragazzo un po' strano: a trentadue anni vive ancora sotto al tetto dei suoi genitori. Niente di male, sia ben chiaro: ma se qui in Italia è praticamente una prassi, in Inghilterra sembra piuttosto bislacco, anche perché effettivamente Alex ha un lavoro ed è anche molto ordinato.
Si tratta di un fanatico della tecnologia, ex-studente di fisica che non è mai riuscito a ottenere il dottorato perché, quando era al college, la sua ragazza, Lucy Spiers, lo ha lasciato senza una spiegazione. Così adesso Alex è costretto a insegnare fisica alle scuole superiori, lottando contro ragazzi che non vogliono studiare la sua materia e odiando il lavoro che fa. Scrive numerosissimi articoli - anche parecchio originali - per riviste scientifiche. Questi, però, non vengono mai pubblicati perché davanti al suo cognome non c'è la parolina Dr., ma solo Mr.
Il suo rapporto con le donne è disastroso: dopo Lucy ha avuto altre storie, senza riuscire mai a legarsi a nessuna in modo particolare. Anzi, si comporta proprio da s*****, lasciandole o facendosi lasciare senza neanche capire il perché.
Interessante l'ambientazione nel 2000, con la tecnologia di quei tempi e interessante la cronologia degli ultimi otto anni scandita dalla musica che impazzava all'epoca, che rende il romanzo 'tipicamente inglese'.
Definirei Cold Fusion 2000 un romanzo di formazione a scoppio ritardato ma, in fondo, come si dice da queste parti meglio tardi che mai!
June 18, 2013
Cold Fusion 2000 by Karl Drinkwater begins with an interesting prologue.
The first chapter is made up of brief paragraphs describing the most important parts of our protagonist Alex's life, with the help of some suitable song titles worked into each sentence. We get a brief history of Alex between 1992 and 2000 (when this story takes place).
Alex is a 32 year old man living in Manchester, with a passion for sciences and poetry. He teaches physics and other sciences part-time at a local college, still lives at home and, like all of us, wonders what his life could've been like if he'd made different choices throughout it. Starting with the year he began his PhD in Physics. That year he fell head over heels with another student, only for her to break his heart, resulting in him dropping out of college and veering his life of track.
Alex is a complicated man. Like every other person on the planet, he has his ups and downs. He can be optimistic or very pessimistic, and has a tendency to 'give up the fight' before it's even started. Still living with his mother, along with his kid sister Kelly and her friend Natalie, none of whom share his passion for science, can take its toll. That and the fact that he's quite neurotic, is a little OCD, is very introverted, slightly germaphobic, obsesses over routine, is possibly autistic and a bit of a cliche nerd and geek (yes they are two different things). Case and point- Star Trek is one of his favourite shows.
He also gets frequent blackouts- lasting only a few seconds, but he can never remember anything about them, apart from a couple fragments at most. His neuroses all seem to stem from his painful split with his long-past girlfriend.
When he breaks up with his current girlfriend, he considers changing. Something. Anything. But Alex is also a procrastinator and is afraid of change. Whenever he puts his mind to changing something, he always has a reason not to.
He always wanted to get his papers published, and is constantly reading about his favourite things. The subject du jour- the RHIC (Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider) that is about to be turned on for the first time. During his research, he picks up on the same numbers time after time, and they act as a motif throughout the story.
He thinks about the past a lot and mourns the one that got away, his first love. So when she turns up in Manchester, he can hardly believe it.
To say anymore would be to spoil.
This is almost a coming-of-age story. A reminder that maturity is not all-encompasing, Some things take longer to grow. A look into how powerful a pull our past can have on us and how much it can affect us, but we all have the power to change that. The past does not hurt us because we try to move on, it hurts us because we do nothing. A simple change in attitude can completely alter our perceptions and the way we are perceived by others.
A bittersweet, slightly confusing ending, that leaves a little hollowness, along with new, tentative hope. A small hint- the story is not always as black and white as first it seems. You really have to pay attention to the small clues in this book. Remember everything. One tiny, little detail can change how you perceive the entire story. The revelation that comes with understanding, only adds to the bitterness left at the end.
There's a few different interpretations of this story, that are each entirely down to the reader. You'll be wondering long after the pages (or in my case iPad) close. This is the perfect re-read. Like with the completely irrelevant murder mysteries genre, once you get to the end and have all the answers, it's fun to look back and see all the obvious clues you missed first time through. It is the ending that makes this book. A plot that seems so ordinary, and sometimes disjointed, becomes an epiphany, but only for the reader. That is what makes it so good. For the characters, the story is simplicity itself, but for those reading it, it is hours spent wondering. Thinking back, seeing clues that could point in so many different directions. An almost personalised book- each person will get something a little different from it. There can be confusing aspects, but overall, this is a simple plot about living. Moving on from your past and yourself.
In the end, the world is what we make of it. Not positive or negative. A neutral that waits for us to imprint on it.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.
The first chapter is made up of brief paragraphs describing the most important parts of our protagonist Alex's life, with the help of some suitable song titles worked into each sentence. We get a brief history of Alex between 1992 and 2000 (when this story takes place).
Alex is a 32 year old man living in Manchester, with a passion for sciences and poetry. He teaches physics and other sciences part-time at a local college, still lives at home and, like all of us, wonders what his life could've been like if he'd made different choices throughout it. Starting with the year he began his PhD in Physics. That year he fell head over heels with another student, only for her to break his heart, resulting in him dropping out of college and veering his life of track.
Alex is a complicated man. Like every other person on the planet, he has his ups and downs. He can be optimistic or very pessimistic, and has a tendency to 'give up the fight' before it's even started. Still living with his mother, along with his kid sister Kelly and her friend Natalie, none of whom share his passion for science, can take its toll. That and the fact that he's quite neurotic, is a little OCD, is very introverted, slightly germaphobic, obsesses over routine, is possibly autistic and a bit of a cliche nerd and geek (yes they are two different things). Case and point- Star Trek is one of his favourite shows.
He also gets frequent blackouts- lasting only a few seconds, but he can never remember anything about them, apart from a couple fragments at most. His neuroses all seem to stem from his painful split with his long-past girlfriend.
When he breaks up with his current girlfriend, he considers changing. Something. Anything. But Alex is also a procrastinator and is afraid of change. Whenever he puts his mind to changing something, he always has a reason not to.
He always wanted to get his papers published, and is constantly reading about his favourite things. The subject du jour- the RHIC (Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider) that is about to be turned on for the first time. During his research, he picks up on the same numbers time after time, and they act as a motif throughout the story.
He thinks about the past a lot and mourns the one that got away, his first love. So when she turns up in Manchester, he can hardly believe it.
To say anymore would be to spoil.
This is almost a coming-of-age story. A reminder that maturity is not all-encompasing, Some things take longer to grow. A look into how powerful a pull our past can have on us and how much it can affect us, but we all have the power to change that. The past does not hurt us because we try to move on, it hurts us because we do nothing. A simple change in attitude can completely alter our perceptions and the way we are perceived by others.
A bittersweet, slightly confusing ending, that leaves a little hollowness, along with new, tentative hope. A small hint- the story is not always as black and white as first it seems. You really have to pay attention to the small clues in this book. Remember everything. One tiny, little detail can change how you perceive the entire story. The revelation that comes with understanding, only adds to the bitterness left at the end.
There's a few different interpretations of this story, that are each entirely down to the reader. You'll be wondering long after the pages (or in my case iPad) close. This is the perfect re-read. Like with the completely irrelevant murder mysteries genre, once you get to the end and have all the answers, it's fun to look back and see all the obvious clues you missed first time through. It is the ending that makes this book. A plot that seems so ordinary, and sometimes disjointed, becomes an epiphany, but only for the reader. That is what makes it so good. For the characters, the story is simplicity itself, but for those reading it, it is hours spent wondering. Thinking back, seeing clues that could point in so many different directions. An almost personalised book- each person will get something a little different from it. There can be confusing aspects, but overall, this is a simple plot about living. Moving on from your past and yourself.
In the end, the world is what we make of it. Not positive or negative. A neutral that waits for us to imprint on it.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.
January 26, 2020
Time taken to read - 1.5 days
Pages - 302
Publisher - Organic Apocalypse
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Can love defeat the laws of physics?
Alex Kavanagh is a pedantic physics geek – a teacher who hates teaching, a lover who’s always getting dumped, a writer whose articles all get rejected, a 28-year-old still living at home and bullied at the bus stop by teenagers – and he’s just had the worst day of his life. Things can only get better, right?
Enter his ex, Lucy, in what seems to be a chance meeting. Her betrayal marked the point when his life went nuclear. But – holy protons! – he still loves her.
Two problems. First, she isn’t who he thinks she is. Second, she’s going to leave him forever in 72 hours.
Cold Fusion 2000 is a haunting novel about a man who’s too rational to believe in ghosts and too short-sighted to see what was in front of him all along.
My Review
Alex Kavanagh is a geek - well I am a geek he is a proper nerd, heavily into physics, a teacher who has lost any passion for teaching. A bit socially awkward and never gotten over losing the love of his life Lucy. Unlucky in love, in a job he hates, living with his mum Alex is in a bit of a rut when Lucy appears back in his life could things finally be turning around for Alex? Lucy is different and finally he has a chance to tend to those old wounds, get answers to his questions and maybe have another go. However Lucy isn't quite what she seems and will only be back in Alex's life for a short time, can Alex finally get over his past to enjoy his future?
The opening chapter 1992 – June 2000 gives you a sentence run down of Alex’s year with a head nod to a song from that time. I absolutely love that, one wee chapter totally took me down memory land and I remember all of those songs, this book could have a wee playlist and it is a belter!
There is reference and nods to physics/maths/ numerology (I think you would call it) and some of it was a bit over my head. It gave me much discussion with my o/h who is a proper nerd and I had to ask some questions about, does it mean this, is it reference to that. I think if you are interested in physics and a smart wee chop you will get a kick out of the passages that have these wee snippets in them.
The actual story though, even though Alex is twenty eight he seems much younger, more innocent or dejected, moody and socially a bit awks. I wasn't sure if I liked him too much, felt sorry for him, liked him, wanted to hug him and went back and forth on it however I think he is a bit of a complex character you appreciate a bit more as you got further into the book.
The book is very much relationships and personal growth but hugely and cleverly littered with nods to science, significance of numbers and some other wee delights that for me had to go look up or gab to someone else about. The relationships were reminisce of some of my own from a time when I was much younger and I think Alex is a character pretty much any reader can if not identify with then appreciate in part, especially as the book progresses. Once Lucy entered I found it harder to put down and wanted to know exactly what was coming next, keeping me on my toes throughout. 3.5/5 for me this time, I have read and loved Drinkwaters other books, he branches into other genres so if you haven't read them do check them out as they are all very different!
Pages - 302
Publisher - Organic Apocalypse
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Can love defeat the laws of physics?
Alex Kavanagh is a pedantic physics geek – a teacher who hates teaching, a lover who’s always getting dumped, a writer whose articles all get rejected, a 28-year-old still living at home and bullied at the bus stop by teenagers – and he’s just had the worst day of his life. Things can only get better, right?
Enter his ex, Lucy, in what seems to be a chance meeting. Her betrayal marked the point when his life went nuclear. But – holy protons! – he still loves her.
Two problems. First, she isn’t who he thinks she is. Second, she’s going to leave him forever in 72 hours.
Cold Fusion 2000 is a haunting novel about a man who’s too rational to believe in ghosts and too short-sighted to see what was in front of him all along.
My Review
Alex Kavanagh is a geek - well I am a geek he is a proper nerd, heavily into physics, a teacher who has lost any passion for teaching. A bit socially awkward and never gotten over losing the love of his life Lucy. Unlucky in love, in a job he hates, living with his mum Alex is in a bit of a rut when Lucy appears back in his life could things finally be turning around for Alex? Lucy is different and finally he has a chance to tend to those old wounds, get answers to his questions and maybe have another go. However Lucy isn't quite what she seems and will only be back in Alex's life for a short time, can Alex finally get over his past to enjoy his future?
The opening chapter 1992 – June 2000 gives you a sentence run down of Alex’s year with a head nod to a song from that time. I absolutely love that, one wee chapter totally took me down memory land and I remember all of those songs, this book could have a wee playlist and it is a belter!
There is reference and nods to physics/maths/ numerology (I think you would call it) and some of it was a bit over my head. It gave me much discussion with my o/h who is a proper nerd and I had to ask some questions about, does it mean this, is it reference to that. I think if you are interested in physics and a smart wee chop you will get a kick out of the passages that have these wee snippets in them.
The actual story though, even though Alex is twenty eight he seems much younger, more innocent or dejected, moody and socially a bit awks. I wasn't sure if I liked him too much, felt sorry for him, liked him, wanted to hug him and went back and forth on it however I think he is a bit of a complex character you appreciate a bit more as you got further into the book.
The book is very much relationships and personal growth but hugely and cleverly littered with nods to science, significance of numbers and some other wee delights that for me had to go look up or gab to someone else about. The relationships were reminisce of some of my own from a time when I was much younger and I think Alex is a character pretty much any reader can if not identify with then appreciate in part, especially as the book progresses. Once Lucy entered I found it harder to put down and wanted to know exactly what was coming next, keeping me on my toes throughout. 3.5/5 for me this time, I have read and loved Drinkwaters other books, he branches into other genres so if you haven't read them do check them out as they are all very different!
April 6, 2018
The protagonist, Alex Kavanagh, comes across at first as a slightly OCD geek with a large chip on his shoulder. He's a teacher, but hates teaching. He has a girlfriend, but doesn't really want her. He starts writing physics articles for magazines but never gets round to finishing them. You don't know whether to feel sorry for him or slap him.
But the story draws you in. As frustrating as Alex is, Drinkwater's writing makes you keep on wanting to read and find out what happens next. Alex's sister, Natalie the live-in friend, the family dropping in whenever they feel like it, are all so realistic, it feels like you're living in the book with the characters. Then Jane makes an appearance and turns their lives upside down.
Jane is the twin sister of Alex's old flame, Lucy, the love he never got over. She's in town for 72 hours, and when she bumps into Alex by chance, she decides to make up for her sister's treatment of him 6 years before. From this point, it becomes a story of redemption, of realisation, of finally behaving like a grown-up, and you see Alex in a different light as he struggles to become the man he's always wanted to be.
Set in 2000, obviously, it has lots of references to the period that will make you smile as you read them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will probably re-read it at least once more to pick up some of the more subtle clues and references I missed the first time around, as I was concentrating on the story!
But the story draws you in. As frustrating as Alex is, Drinkwater's writing makes you keep on wanting to read and find out what happens next. Alex's sister, Natalie the live-in friend, the family dropping in whenever they feel like it, are all so realistic, it feels like you're living in the book with the characters. Then Jane makes an appearance and turns their lives upside down.
Jane is the twin sister of Alex's old flame, Lucy, the love he never got over. She's in town for 72 hours, and when she bumps into Alex by chance, she decides to make up for her sister's treatment of him 6 years before. From this point, it becomes a story of redemption, of realisation, of finally behaving like a grown-up, and you see Alex in a different light as he struggles to become the man he's always wanted to be.
Set in 2000, obviously, it has lots of references to the period that will make you smile as you read them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will probably re-read it at least once more to pick up some of the more subtle clues and references I missed the first time around, as I was concentrating on the story!
February 10, 2020
Alex, at 28, has a disastrous love life behind him and a life that he hates. A total geek, a teacher that knows his subject inside out but struggles to really connect with either his colleagues or students and an immaturity about him that made me really cringe. He is childish with his teenage sister and still lives at home with some pretty unusual characters coming and going whenever they want. Then the unexpected happens Lucy the love of his life pops back up again.
Since Lucy walked out on him, he seems to have been stuck in a rut, he had struggled with the opposite sex more than anything. Not your typical bloke at that age. Really read every sentence because there will be that nanosecond every so often that your brain kicks in and with a ‘what was that’ and ‘that can’t be right’ thought. Well, listen to it. What a clever author, digest every sentence and store everything.
The more the story evolved and the more I softened to Alex who knew the Lucy of old so very well, even after all this time. Her thoughts and the intimacies that he had relived so many times. This is such a beaut of a storyline, go with your feelings and go with Alex’s. Brilliant!
I wish to thank Book on the Bright Side Publicity and Promo for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
Since Lucy walked out on him, he seems to have been stuck in a rut, he had struggled with the opposite sex more than anything. Not your typical bloke at that age. Really read every sentence because there will be that nanosecond every so often that your brain kicks in and with a ‘what was that’ and ‘that can’t be right’ thought. Well, listen to it. What a clever author, digest every sentence and store everything.
The more the story evolved and the more I softened to Alex who knew the Lucy of old so very well, even after all this time. Her thoughts and the intimacies that he had relived so many times. This is such a beaut of a storyline, go with your feelings and go with Alex’s. Brilliant!
I wish to thank Book on the Bright Side Publicity and Promo for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
February 16, 2020
This was a book that I wasn’t sure about when I first started it. The beginning was a mix of a playlist of songs, physics and then a character I didn’t immediately take to. I read a dozen pages and decided to go off and do something else. I then returned to it and an hour or so later.
I don’t why that break worked but it did. I found the main character of Alex Kavanagh to be a cold and almost allof one and I didn’t think I would like him. By the end of the book however I discovered that me initial thoughts about him were totally wrong.
Alex is a socailly awkward person, he doesn’t quite seem to fit in anywhere and doesn’t seem to have anyone that he can connect to. He had been on track to complete a Phd, he then left University before completing it after a breakup from his then girlfriend Lucy. He returned back home to live with his parents.
He then reconnects with Lucy for a short time, they get on well but it isn’t meant to last as she is only visiting.
The story flows around Alex, his past and his present and his friendship with his sisters friend Natalie. It is almost like a story of finding who he is and where he belongs. I suppose you could call it a coming of age story, but this doesn’t really feel right as you assume that this would be more about a teen, but Alex is in his 20’s.
From a story I wasn’t sure about I then discovered a tale that was wonderfully written and gradually drew me in. I then found it very difficult to put down. A story of a man who is lost, but needs someone to take the time and have the patience for him. Alex went from a man I wasn’t that fussed about to a man who I really liked.
I think this is a book for those who like something a little bit different, that is well written and has some wonderful heartwarming moments. I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it.
I don’t why that break worked but it did. I found the main character of Alex Kavanagh to be a cold and almost allof one and I didn’t think I would like him. By the end of the book however I discovered that me initial thoughts about him were totally wrong.
Alex is a socailly awkward person, he doesn’t quite seem to fit in anywhere and doesn’t seem to have anyone that he can connect to. He had been on track to complete a Phd, he then left University before completing it after a breakup from his then girlfriend Lucy. He returned back home to live with his parents.
He then reconnects with Lucy for a short time, they get on well but it isn’t meant to last as she is only visiting.
The story flows around Alex, his past and his present and his friendship with his sisters friend Natalie. It is almost like a story of finding who he is and where he belongs. I suppose you could call it a coming of age story, but this doesn’t really feel right as you assume that this would be more about a teen, but Alex is in his 20’s.
From a story I wasn’t sure about I then discovered a tale that was wonderfully written and gradually drew me in. I then found it very difficult to put down. A story of a man who is lost, but needs someone to take the time and have the patience for him. Alex went from a man I wasn’t that fussed about to a man who I really liked.
I think this is a book for those who like something a little bit different, that is well written and has some wonderful heartwarming moments. I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it.
September 25, 2015
Cold Fusion 2000, by Karl Drinkwater, is a book that must be read to the end. It is a story of love, loss and moving on. As with a Rubik’s cube, it is not clear how the puzzle satisfies until the final few twists re-establish order.
The protagonist, Alex Kavanagh, is a frustrated science teacher at a further education college in Manchester. At thirty years of age he is living in his family home with his mother and sister, having given up on completing his PhD when he split with his girlfriend six years ago. He is a socially awkward man child with a tendency to educate and correct those around him.
Alex is first presented to the reader as a physics geek with OCD tendencies. I expected him to be developed into someone like Sheldon Cooper from the American TV show, The Big Bang Theory. It soon became clear that Alex has plenty of emotions but is struggling to deal with them. He exercises, he jerks off – more than I was comfortable with, but perhaps this is an honest depiction of a man’s habits – and he lashes out verbally at those around him.
The story is set in early summer; the hot, sticky weather adding to the oppression which colours Alex’s days. When he splits up with his current girlfriend, a fellow teacher at the college where he works, he starts to feel desperate about the lack of direction in his life. Then Lucy reappears. She is only in Manchester for a few days but they agree to spend time together. Alex wonders if she has changed.
To talk more of how the plot develops would be to give spoilers. It really is a book where everything happens for a reason.
On the first read through there were aspects that grated. I found the dialogue stilted at times, perhaps to reflect Alex’s awkwardness around people. He stated that he enjoyed the comings and goings at his home, something that made me question the extent of his OCD. As well as his nerdish interest in physics he enjoyed art and literature, poetry in particular. He cried, a rarity for men in fiction. The personality being presented seemed contradictory. It was only by the end that I better understood why Alex was written in this way.
Although this is a book about loss and relationships, much of it is humorous. Alex’s awkwardness is gently mocked; his attempts to keep free the seat beside him on the bus entertaining. The image of him escaping to the children’s playground was both amusing and poignant.
I empathised more with the science references than the art. In one scene Alex and Lucy watch the film, ‘American Beauty’, an all time favourite of mine. Their take on it irked. Art appreciation is subjective.
The faster moving final chapters with their clipped thoughts and interactions worked well. Although I did not warm to Alex I wanted him to manage to move on. When it became clear what had been happening I went back and reread sections, the scientific chapter openings making sense.
This is a clever book that warns against allowing your heart to be so crushed it becomes a black hole, and how love does not always follow the rules. I have reservations about the structure and flow of the story, but I am glad that I persevered.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the author.
The protagonist, Alex Kavanagh, is a frustrated science teacher at a further education college in Manchester. At thirty years of age he is living in his family home with his mother and sister, having given up on completing his PhD when he split with his girlfriend six years ago. He is a socially awkward man child with a tendency to educate and correct those around him.
Alex is first presented to the reader as a physics geek with OCD tendencies. I expected him to be developed into someone like Sheldon Cooper from the American TV show, The Big Bang Theory. It soon became clear that Alex has plenty of emotions but is struggling to deal with them. He exercises, he jerks off – more than I was comfortable with, but perhaps this is an honest depiction of a man’s habits – and he lashes out verbally at those around him.
The story is set in early summer; the hot, sticky weather adding to the oppression which colours Alex’s days. When he splits up with his current girlfriend, a fellow teacher at the college where he works, he starts to feel desperate about the lack of direction in his life. Then Lucy reappears. She is only in Manchester for a few days but they agree to spend time together. Alex wonders if she has changed.
To talk more of how the plot develops would be to give spoilers. It really is a book where everything happens for a reason.
On the first read through there were aspects that grated. I found the dialogue stilted at times, perhaps to reflect Alex’s awkwardness around people. He stated that he enjoyed the comings and goings at his home, something that made me question the extent of his OCD. As well as his nerdish interest in physics he enjoyed art and literature, poetry in particular. He cried, a rarity for men in fiction. The personality being presented seemed contradictory. It was only by the end that I better understood why Alex was written in this way.
Although this is a book about loss and relationships, much of it is humorous. Alex’s awkwardness is gently mocked; his attempts to keep free the seat beside him on the bus entertaining. The image of him escaping to the children’s playground was both amusing and poignant.
I empathised more with the science references than the art. In one scene Alex and Lucy watch the film, ‘American Beauty’, an all time favourite of mine. Their take on it irked. Art appreciation is subjective.
The faster moving final chapters with their clipped thoughts and interactions worked well. Although I did not warm to Alex I wanted him to manage to move on. When it became clear what had been happening I went back and reread sections, the scientific chapter openings making sense.
This is a clever book that warns against allowing your heart to be so crushed it becomes a black hole, and how love does not always follow the rules. I have reservations about the structure and flow of the story, but I am glad that I persevered.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the author.
February 23, 2019
**I received a free copy of Cold Fusion 2000 from Hidden Gems Books for an honest review.**
Initially, I thought to myself, "Why, oh why, did I decide on this one?" I certainly was no science prodigy in school. An English geek--yes. But science? Just get me through the class, and I'm happy. Then again, I've been watching Big Bang Theory for years, and I rather enjoy that. So maybe I can figure this out.
Thankfully, it didn't take an MSc in Physics to understand that this book was quite a find! Alex Kavanagh was a teacher who hated teaching, a brother who hated brothering, an adult who struggled with adulting...just an all around miserable guy. Then along came ex-girlfriend Lucy...again, showing up six years after leaving him for his best friend. Alex only has 72 hours with her until she leaves him again. Maybe this time will be different!
But the most different thing? Lucy isn't Lucy at all.
It indeed was a journey to watch the 28-year-old-still-living-with-mum Alex navigate his way into full maturity, not leaning so heavily on his intellect and sarcasm to keep himself isolated from those around him. Learning to love again with the very woman who broke his heart, he begins a slow transformation in front of the reader.
At the end, I said, "I knew....wait....what just happened?" I thought I saw the twist coming, but I had no idea. I was pleasantly surprised with Cold Fusion 2000 and appreciated the foreshadowing once the ending clicked for me. Definitely a great read!
Initially, I thought to myself, "Why, oh why, did I decide on this one?" I certainly was no science prodigy in school. An English geek--yes. But science? Just get me through the class, and I'm happy. Then again, I've been watching Big Bang Theory for years, and I rather enjoy that. So maybe I can figure this out.
Thankfully, it didn't take an MSc in Physics to understand that this book was quite a find! Alex Kavanagh was a teacher who hated teaching, a brother who hated brothering, an adult who struggled with adulting...just an all around miserable guy. Then along came ex-girlfriend Lucy...again, showing up six years after leaving him for his best friend. Alex only has 72 hours with her until she leaves him again. Maybe this time will be different!
But the most different thing? Lucy isn't Lucy at all.
It indeed was a journey to watch the 28-year-old-still-living-with-mum Alex navigate his way into full maturity, not leaning so heavily on his intellect and sarcasm to keep himself isolated from those around him. Learning to love again with the very woman who broke his heart, he begins a slow transformation in front of the reader.
At the end, I said, "I knew....wait....what just happened?" I thought I saw the twist coming, but I had no idea. I was pleasantly surprised with Cold Fusion 2000 and appreciated the foreshadowing once the ending clicked for me. Definitely a great read!
December 14, 2016
I received a review copy from the author. Alex Kavanagh is a 30 year-old PhD dropout teaching physics in Manchester. His mission is to be first in the shower, but gets thwarted, as he’s living at home with mother and sister and an absentee father who’s away on a rig. Then there’s Natalie, sister Kelly’s friend, who’s hiding out in the Kavanagh house from her own family.
As we meet Alex, he’s just waking up, ideas bursting through his sleep-addled mind. Ideas about articles, student essays to grade, doing push-ups bounce about in his brain like particles trapped in a super collider. Disappointed that he doesn’t have time for a wank, he dumps current person he’s dating, Anne, and it’s only 12:15!
A chance meeting with his ex, Lucy, leads to an eventful couple of days which given the fact that Lucy did the dumping, is quite a surprise. Not only to Alex as he’s quite eloquent in his revealing the hurt she’s slapped on him. His tears are still ‘cryogenically frozen.’
Lucy is actually Jane, Lucy’s twin and Jane lets Alex think that she’s Lucy as he’s never met Lucy’s family. When Lucy/Jane comes to stay at Alex’s house, ‘he for once felt part of a group rather than the odd element within one.’ Alex is trying hard to get some quality time with Lucy but with all the family around and the young nieces and nephews charging around, this proves to be quite a difficult endeavor. When he does and ‘he explores ground once known but was assumed lost forever’ he does feel Lucy is different.
Life is good again for Alex.
At times funny, at times totally frustrated with life in general, Alex’s solace is to find a peaceful moment with himself to wank away in quiet contentment. Sometimes he succeeds, sometimes the houseful of women intrude. There’s a memorable moment in the middle of a meeting when Alex has the urgent need to pee, which we’re explained can sometimes lead to an uncomfortable erection. Then there’s the encounter with the copy machine.
The POV’s are interesting but at times confusing. Jane sometimes imagines being with her twin Lucy. I question whether Lucy actually exists as the obituary throws me off. I don’t know what to make of it. The asides from Alex’s POV hit the mark. His thoughts about the ion super collider are absolute poetry as is Alex’s distraction with numerology. Drinkwater at his best!
The nice clip to the pace is broken by the interlude created by Lucy’s stay with the Kavanaghs. I stumbled here and almost lost hope. As the title says, this is 2000, and I’m left with this completely irrelevant bit of knowledge: 100 MB data on a Zip disc then and I’m holding a thumb drive that can hold 80 GB of data! Looking forward to more from Karl Drinkwater.
As we meet Alex, he’s just waking up, ideas bursting through his sleep-addled mind. Ideas about articles, student essays to grade, doing push-ups bounce about in his brain like particles trapped in a super collider. Disappointed that he doesn’t have time for a wank, he dumps current person he’s dating, Anne, and it’s only 12:15!
A chance meeting with his ex, Lucy, leads to an eventful couple of days which given the fact that Lucy did the dumping, is quite a surprise. Not only to Alex as he’s quite eloquent in his revealing the hurt she’s slapped on him. His tears are still ‘cryogenically frozen.’
Lucy is actually Jane, Lucy’s twin and Jane lets Alex think that she’s Lucy as he’s never met Lucy’s family. When Lucy/Jane comes to stay at Alex’s house, ‘he for once felt part of a group rather than the odd element within one.’ Alex is trying hard to get some quality time with Lucy but with all the family around and the young nieces and nephews charging around, this proves to be quite a difficult endeavor. When he does and ‘he explores ground once known but was assumed lost forever’ he does feel Lucy is different.
Life is good again for Alex.
At times funny, at times totally frustrated with life in general, Alex’s solace is to find a peaceful moment with himself to wank away in quiet contentment. Sometimes he succeeds, sometimes the houseful of women intrude. There’s a memorable moment in the middle of a meeting when Alex has the urgent need to pee, which we’re explained can sometimes lead to an uncomfortable erection. Then there’s the encounter with the copy machine.
The POV’s are interesting but at times confusing. Jane sometimes imagines being with her twin Lucy. I question whether Lucy actually exists as the obituary throws me off. I don’t know what to make of it. The asides from Alex’s POV hit the mark. His thoughts about the ion super collider are absolute poetry as is Alex’s distraction with numerology. Drinkwater at his best!
The nice clip to the pace is broken by the interlude created by Lucy’s stay with the Kavanaghs. I stumbled here and almost lost hope. As the title says, this is 2000, and I’m left with this completely irrelevant bit of knowledge: 100 MB data on a Zip disc then and I’m holding a thumb drive that can hold 80 GB of data! Looking forward to more from Karl Drinkwater.
May 14, 2018
A good and very interesting mix of Sliding Doors (movie) and The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.
August 23, 2013
I have to admit that this novel took its time to grow on me. I started off not liking the quirky introduction *or* the main protagonist very much, yet by the end of the story I’d genuinely grown to love him, flaws and all.
Alex Kavanagh is a socially awkward, bitter, PHD drop-out, resigned to teaching physics, a job he absolutely hates. He has just been dumped (again) and still lives with his mum; he even gets bullied at the bus stop by groups of local teenagers. When he encounters Lucy, the girl who dumped him at university, he tells her exactly what he thinks of her: he’s sure that the end of their relationship is what actually spiralled his life out of control and brought about all his neuroses in the first place. The only thing is, the spark still seems to be there between them and Alex cannot help thinking that quite possibly, Lucy may have changed…
This was a fun read- a romance with a bit of a difference that had some good twists and turns as well as some humour and poignant aspects. Set in Manchester in the year 2000, I loved all of the evocative references to music and fashion; I was at college that year myself so identified with Alex’s younger sister and her own predicament with her exams. There was a lot of attention to detail that made this a really atmospheric read.
The characters have a good deal of depth to them too- Alex was hard work admittedly, but bitterness aside, was well-drawn and eventually came out of his shell. Some characters seemed rather elusive, though I expect that was the point. My favourite character was actually Natalie- a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. It made me smile to realise that Alex didn’t pick up on just what was under his nose- typical!
In all honesty, the references to physics and science went a bit over my head. I didn’t really enjoy this book on any kind of scientific level- I’m just not clever enough for that! I experienced this more on the emotional side and liked the exploration of relationships and the journey that Alex underwent during the course of the plot.
This was a solid, realistic story about love, loss, and the choices we make. Readers will definitely identify with Alex in some way: his constant soul-searching, procrastination and continual remembrance of his lost love.
I appreciated the author’s writing style and would definitely consider reading more by him in future.
**Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.**
Alex Kavanagh is a socially awkward, bitter, PHD drop-out, resigned to teaching physics, a job he absolutely hates. He has just been dumped (again) and still lives with his mum; he even gets bullied at the bus stop by groups of local teenagers. When he encounters Lucy, the girl who dumped him at university, he tells her exactly what he thinks of her: he’s sure that the end of their relationship is what actually spiralled his life out of control and brought about all his neuroses in the first place. The only thing is, the spark still seems to be there between them and Alex cannot help thinking that quite possibly, Lucy may have changed…
This was a fun read- a romance with a bit of a difference that had some good twists and turns as well as some humour and poignant aspects. Set in Manchester in the year 2000, I loved all of the evocative references to music and fashion; I was at college that year myself so identified with Alex’s younger sister and her own predicament with her exams. There was a lot of attention to detail that made this a really atmospheric read.
The characters have a good deal of depth to them too- Alex was hard work admittedly, but bitterness aside, was well-drawn and eventually came out of his shell. Some characters seemed rather elusive, though I expect that was the point. My favourite character was actually Natalie- a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. It made me smile to realise that Alex didn’t pick up on just what was under his nose- typical!
In all honesty, the references to physics and science went a bit over my head. I didn’t really enjoy this book on any kind of scientific level- I’m just not clever enough for that! I experienced this more on the emotional side and liked the exploration of relationships and the journey that Alex underwent during the course of the plot.
This was a solid, realistic story about love, loss, and the choices we make. Readers will definitely identify with Alex in some way: his constant soul-searching, procrastination and continual remembrance of his lost love.
I appreciated the author’s writing style and would definitely consider reading more by him in future.
**Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.**
September 4, 2013
‘Watching numbers crunch and evolve was almost as mesmerising as the Windows 98 disk defragmenter.’
After a prologue which includes a summary of significant events in Alex Kavanagh’s life between 1992 and June 2000 when this story opens, we meet Alex. He is a 32 year old man, fascinated by science and poetry. He teaches science part - time at a local college, has occasionally experienced fugue states, and still lives at home. Alex wonders about how his life might be if he’d made different choices. In 1993 he started a PhD focussed on ancient physics, and started a relationship with an undergraduate named Lucy. Lucy dropped him in 1994, and he dropped out of university without completing his PhD.
‘Breaking the balance is a big thing. Restoring it is just as big.’
Living at home with his mother, his younger sister Kelly and her friend Natalie is challenging. None of them are interested in science, and there’s not much else in Alex’s world. But when Alex breaks up with his current girlfriend Anne, he accepts that he needs to change. Easier thought than achieved, especially if you are introverted, neurotic and obsessive.
Alex seems to spend most of his time focussing on either papers he is trying to have published in the field of physics, or thinking about the past. And when Lucy, his first love, turns up in Manchester – and seems interested in him – Alex can hardly believe it. Will he have a second chance? And what is Lucy’s story?
‘Note to the reader:
Some stories are not as straightforward as they might first seem, and small details can be telling.’
It took me a little while to become caught up in Alex’s story, and I didn’t pick up on all of the small details until right at the end. Now, of course, the things I missed seem obvious. It’s not so much a coming of age story (yes, some people come of age much later than others) as a reminder that we each influence the world we want. And sometimes, answers (and love itself) come from unlikely places. Once I became caught up in Alex’s story (and made sense of certain small details) I really enjoyed the story – and wondered what would happen next. How much does the past impact on the present? Can Alex achieve and maintain balance?
To say more would be to spoil the read.
Note: I was offered, and accepted, a copy of this book for review
purposes. I am pleased that I did.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
After a prologue which includes a summary of significant events in Alex Kavanagh’s life between 1992 and June 2000 when this story opens, we meet Alex. He is a 32 year old man, fascinated by science and poetry. He teaches science part - time at a local college, has occasionally experienced fugue states, and still lives at home. Alex wonders about how his life might be if he’d made different choices. In 1993 he started a PhD focussed on ancient physics, and started a relationship with an undergraduate named Lucy. Lucy dropped him in 1994, and he dropped out of university without completing his PhD.
‘Breaking the balance is a big thing. Restoring it is just as big.’
Living at home with his mother, his younger sister Kelly and her friend Natalie is challenging. None of them are interested in science, and there’s not much else in Alex’s world. But when Alex breaks up with his current girlfriend Anne, he accepts that he needs to change. Easier thought than achieved, especially if you are introverted, neurotic and obsessive.
Alex seems to spend most of his time focussing on either papers he is trying to have published in the field of physics, or thinking about the past. And when Lucy, his first love, turns up in Manchester – and seems interested in him – Alex can hardly believe it. Will he have a second chance? And what is Lucy’s story?
‘Note to the reader:
Some stories are not as straightforward as they might first seem, and small details can be telling.’
It took me a little while to become caught up in Alex’s story, and I didn’t pick up on all of the small details until right at the end. Now, of course, the things I missed seem obvious. It’s not so much a coming of age story (yes, some people come of age much later than others) as a reminder that we each influence the world we want. And sometimes, answers (and love itself) come from unlikely places. Once I became caught up in Alex’s story (and made sense of certain small details) I really enjoyed the story – and wondered what would happen next. How much does the past impact on the present? Can Alex achieve and maintain balance?
To say more would be to spoil the read.
Note: I was offered, and accepted, a copy of this book for review
purposes. I am pleased that I did.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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