Origin Unknown: A Novel

by Pierre Davis

True terror comes from deep within.Dr. Lydia South, a cutting-edge neuroscientist, has perfected a lucrative, top secret technology that can map secrets of the brain. But Lydia’s past is inextricably bound with that of a brilliant but deranged sociopath, a man with the ability to blend in anywhere around the world, sow seeds of destruction, and escape unscathed—and he’ll stop at nothing to remain anonymous.It’s a dizzying case for the straight-shooting Lt. Elliot Elliot, aka E-Squared or Double E. As the former cop untangles the madman’s cleverly constructed web of false leads and dead ends, he’s drawn deep into the human mind—and even deeper into the mind of a monster. And the only hope for Elliot and Lydia escaping alive may rest in the unpredictable hands of an inexplicably gifted four-year old boy.

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

“True terror comes from deep within.” So says the blurb on the front cover of Origin Unknown by Pierre Davis. Unfortunately, the flaws in this book weaken the impact of the terror.
The story is a complicated web of good and evil, with the scene shifting from a secret neuroscience lab on the west coast to auto accidents and terrorist attacks in Kosovo and then to pool sharks and drug dealers in a Portland bar called the Pot Shot. While the characters are believable and well-developed, the story jumps from one scene to another at a dizzying pace, and several of the fright elements struck me as contrived.
Lt. Elliot Elliot is the former cop, now employed as head of public safety at a large medical center complex, who takes charge of Jason Cross, a four year old boy who appears to be autistic, when his mother abandons him at the medical center. As Elliot follows up on the boy, who may be more than he appears to be, he must contend with the boy’s mother, an “actress” in porno films who dreams of winning awards as she downs OxyContin, and her boy friend/producer, who mysteriously disappears. As Elliot’s investigations bring him into contact with a former Russian agent with knowledge of unimaginable evil, he eventually finds help and a possible romance with Dr. Lydia South, a neuroscientist at Pearson Medical Center who knows the origin of the malicious sociopath threatening to wreak havoc on their world.
The most frightening aspect was the plot line involving the release of cesium 137, a radioactive isotope, into the ventilation system of Pearson Medical Center, with its mysterious Area 52. Here the author touches on just enough reality to frighten, although the reason for the attack strays into science fiction.
There is a good story here, but there are too many scene breaks to create a smooth story line, and I found the sociopath who is trying to wipe out Area 52 to be too evil to be credible.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing premise, a quick beachside read. Likely this is a book that's better if you just keep reading it, rather than putting it down for several days and trying to pick it up again.

The scenes jump around so fast it makes my head spin a bit, but the author makes his points well. The lead character, Elliot Elliot, is definitely likeable. The bad guy is really bad, but we don't ever really find out why. We also don't find out whether what makes him bad will manifest itself again in the four year old who's also central to the plot. I guess the author may be trying to leave things open for a sequel.

One annoying thing: I GET that this is about the way the mind and brain work. Does every second chapter have to start with the same little verse? This seems a bit lazy. Just saying.

All in all, a decent read for an airplane ride, or a night in with a glass of wine.