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The Quantum Mechanic #1
For Every Action: The Quantum Mechanic, Book 1
Desperate to prove that he has found the unified field theory in the Bible, young mathematics prodigy Jacob Saylor runs away to the Middle East. But when he and his brother venture into the desert they disappear, only to return years later with no memory of where they have been. Jacob's fragmented mind descends into madness and nearly a decade passes before he can find a way to hold onto his sanity. Daily life becomes a struggle and he makes ends meet by working and sleeping in his father's old garage.
Then a group of cybernetic terrorists calling themselves The Embodied attack. Having discarded their humanity for bodies of living technology they serve their masters by secretly manipulating world events, eliminating enemies, and toppling nations. Explosions claim thousands of lives across the country and Jacob watches in horror as his family is lost. But then he sees that his 11-year-old niece has survived - and something inside of him snaps. She's trying to crawl from the wreckage on broken limbs, and he knows that he's the only one who can save her.
What he does next changes the world as he manipulates the very fabric of reality.
Now The Embodied are seeking him and he will have to overcome the horrors of his past if he is to fight for our survival. But the most terrifying demons he must face are his own, and redemption will mean returning to the source of his torment. Time is running out and the only way forward is for him to face the consequences of tampering in God's domain.
Now the world needs this shattered soul to find a way through his pain to fight for humanity. Can he become what we so desperately need...one last and final hero?
Then a group of cybernetic terrorists calling themselves The Embodied attack. Having discarded their humanity for bodies of living technology they serve their masters by secretly manipulating world events, eliminating enemies, and toppling nations. Explosions claim thousands of lives across the country and Jacob watches in horror as his family is lost. But then he sees that his 11-year-old niece has survived - and something inside of him snaps. She's trying to crawl from the wreckage on broken limbs, and he knows that he's the only one who can save her.
What he does next changes the world as he manipulates the very fabric of reality.
Now The Embodied are seeking him and he will have to overcome the horrors of his past if he is to fight for our survival. But the most terrifying demons he must face are his own, and redemption will mean returning to the source of his torment. Time is running out and the only way forward is for him to face the consequences of tampering in God's domain.
Now the world needs this shattered soul to find a way through his pain to fight for humanity. Can he become what we so desperately need...one last and final hero?
- GenresScience Fiction
Audible Audio
First published May 18, 2014
8 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Jason Faris
10 books13 followersJason currently lives in Kentucky near the small town Wexton is based on, with his very patient wife, several children, and one small and incredibly neurotic dog.
His first novel 'For Every Action' was finished in 2014, and was originally published in three parts; 'Stormfront', 'Prometheus Within', and 'The Third Law'. All of them earned consistent four and five star reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Google Play, Smashwords, and Kobo. In January of 2016, Jason made the decision to consolidate them into the novel 'For Every Action' to satisfy reader demands.
Jason has since written 'Rise of The Embodied', the next installment in the Quantum Mechanic series, which garnered even higher praise from readers and critics. He loves hearing from his fans and makes it a point to answer every email he can personally.
He is currently without an agent, but is considering offers. Printed copies of The Quantum Mechanic series can also be obtained through the Quantum Mechanic website.
His first novel 'For Every Action' was finished in 2014, and was originally published in three parts; 'Stormfront', 'Prometheus Within', and 'The Third Law'. All of them earned consistent four and five star reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Google Play, Smashwords, and Kobo. In January of 2016, Jason made the decision to consolidate them into the novel 'For Every Action' to satisfy reader demands.
Jason has since written 'Rise of The Embodied', the next installment in the Quantum Mechanic series, which garnered even higher praise from readers and critics. He loves hearing from his fans and makes it a point to answer every email he can personally.
He is currently without an agent, but is considering offers. Printed copies of The Quantum Mechanic series can also be obtained through the Quantum Mechanic website.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 14, 2016
First of all I have to commend the author for embarking into an extremely ambitious first novel. The complexity of this plot, along with the thoroughly researched knowledge needed to pull it off, are outstanding.
To summarize this plot would be pretty tricky, especially with the initial portion of the book jumping back and forth over a drawn out time line, encompassing characters form diverse walks of life—but essentially the future holds technological advances so dire and impressive, they have moved far, far beyond the realm of human ability and intelligence…and the government’s who have sought to harness that power for warfare, have quickly lost control of, or been targeted by, their inventions.
Among these weapons and advances, which are furnished by the author’s meticulous research, and pretty lofty imagination using that research, is a biologically, technologically, and genetically engineered “living” weapon, that in my mind is one of the highlights of the author’s work. This particular monster reeks untold havoc on a United States well fortified armament of soldiers, and is introduced in a way that is pretty damn scary. Within this brutally engineered monster is a programming code that defies all human explanation, and this is one of the many ripe mysteries laced into the story. But this particular monster is a small fry next to the heavy hitting baddies, who are ready and able to brutally send the Western World into an early grave.
Along side these atrocious forms of technological warfare, which are represented by super soldiers, nano-artificial locust swarms, weaponized space, and more, the author has even laced philosophically challenging concepts such as artificial intelligence, human identity transference from organic matter to synthetic matter, and even reaches into the biblical/spiritual realm using technology. All of these extremely varied, independent, dazzling manifestations of the power of technology make for a pretty intellectually stimulating feast, and its set along side a story line with enough action, violence, well timed humor, and snappy dialogue to keep forward momentum.
That being said, I think this is an authentic, hardcore sci-fi piece. With the level of knowledge the author applies to the technical components of this story, readers without familiarity or strong interest in IT, quantum physics, nano-technology, etc. might feel a bit estranged or at a loss for what’s going on. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is strictly for hardcore sci-fi readers, but I could make a few arguments. Regular/casual readers should go into it with the intention of being challenged in that way.
Also, the author is pretty invested in every one of his characters, and if a reader is looking for an instant gratification/surface level experience with a story’s characters, this book is not for them. You’re going to be invested, so have a little patience.
In the end, writing this story no doubt took a colossal effort, and the final product represents the author’s fearlessness at taking on a project just about all writers would quiver at. And hey, it looks like he had a hell of a lot of fun writing it, too, because I had a hell of a lot of fun reading it.
To summarize this plot would be pretty tricky, especially with the initial portion of the book jumping back and forth over a drawn out time line, encompassing characters form diverse walks of life—but essentially the future holds technological advances so dire and impressive, they have moved far, far beyond the realm of human ability and intelligence…and the government’s who have sought to harness that power for warfare, have quickly lost control of, or been targeted by, their inventions.
Among these weapons and advances, which are furnished by the author’s meticulous research, and pretty lofty imagination using that research, is a biologically, technologically, and genetically engineered “living” weapon, that in my mind is one of the highlights of the author’s work. This particular monster reeks untold havoc on a United States well fortified armament of soldiers, and is introduced in a way that is pretty damn scary. Within this brutally engineered monster is a programming code that defies all human explanation, and this is one of the many ripe mysteries laced into the story. But this particular monster is a small fry next to the heavy hitting baddies, who are ready and able to brutally send the Western World into an early grave.
Along side these atrocious forms of technological warfare, which are represented by super soldiers, nano-artificial locust swarms, weaponized space, and more, the author has even laced philosophically challenging concepts such as artificial intelligence, human identity transference from organic matter to synthetic matter, and even reaches into the biblical/spiritual realm using technology. All of these extremely varied, independent, dazzling manifestations of the power of technology make for a pretty intellectually stimulating feast, and its set along side a story line with enough action, violence, well timed humor, and snappy dialogue to keep forward momentum.
That being said, I think this is an authentic, hardcore sci-fi piece. With the level of knowledge the author applies to the technical components of this story, readers without familiarity or strong interest in IT, quantum physics, nano-technology, etc. might feel a bit estranged or at a loss for what’s going on. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is strictly for hardcore sci-fi readers, but I could make a few arguments. Regular/casual readers should go into it with the intention of being challenged in that way.
Also, the author is pretty invested in every one of his characters, and if a reader is looking for an instant gratification/surface level experience with a story’s characters, this book is not for them. You’re going to be invested, so have a little patience.
In the end, writing this story no doubt took a colossal effort, and the final product represents the author’s fearlessness at taking on a project just about all writers would quiver at. And hey, it looks like he had a hell of a lot of fun writing it, too, because I had a hell of a lot of fun reading it.
March 14, 2016
First of all I have to commend the author for embarking into an extremely ambitious first novel. The complexity of this plot, along with the thoroughly researched knowledge needed to pull it off, are outstanding.
To summarize this plot would be pretty tricky, especially with the initial portion of the book jumping back and forth over a drawn out time line, encompassing characters form diverse walks of life—but essentially the future holds technological advances so dire and impressive, they have moved far, far beyond the realm of human ability and intelligence…and the government’s who have sought to harness that power for warfare, have quickly lost control of, or been targeted by, their inventions.
Among these weapons and advances, which are furnished by the author’s meticulous research, and pretty lofty imagination using that research, is a biologically, technologically, and genetically engineered “living” weapon, that in my mind is one of the highlights of the author’s work. This particular monster reeks untold havoc on a United States well fortified armament of soldiers, and is introduced in a way that is pretty damn scary. Within this brutally engineered monster is a programming code that defies all human explanation, and this is one of the many ripe mysteries laced into the story. But this particular monster is a small fry next to the heavy hitting baddies, who are ready and able to brutally send the Western World into an early grave.
Along side these atrocious forms of technological warfare, which are represented by super soldiers, nano-artificial locust swarms, weaponized space, and more, the author has even laced philosophically challenging concepts such as artificial intelligence, human identity transference from organic matter to synthetic matter, and even reaches into the biblical/spiritual realm using technology. All of these extremely varied, independent, dazzling manifestations of the power of technology make for a pretty intellectually stimulating feast, and its set along side a story line with enough action, violence, well timed humor, and snappy dialogue to keep forward momentum.
That being said, I think this is an authentic, hardcore sci-fi piece. With the level of knowledge the author applies to the technical components of this story, readers without familiarity or strong interest in IT, quantum physics, nano-technology, etc. might feel a bit estranged or at a loss for what’s going on. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is strictly for hardcore sci-fi readers, but I could make a few arguments. Regular/casual readers should go into it with the intention of being challenged in that way.
Also, the author is pretty invested in every one of his characters, and if a reader is looking for an instant gratification/surface level experience with a story’s characters, this book is not for them. You’re going to be invested, so have a little patience.
In the end, writing this story no doubt took a colossal effort, and the final product represents the author’s fearlessness at taking on a project just about all writers would quiver at. And hey, it looks like he had a hell of a lot of fun writing it, too, because I had a hell of a lot of fun reading it.
To summarize this plot would be pretty tricky, especially with the initial portion of the book jumping back and forth over a drawn out time line, encompassing characters form diverse walks of life—but essentially the future holds technological advances so dire and impressive, they have moved far, far beyond the realm of human ability and intelligence…and the government’s who have sought to harness that power for warfare, have quickly lost control of, or been targeted by, their inventions.
Among these weapons and advances, which are furnished by the author’s meticulous research, and pretty lofty imagination using that research, is a biologically, technologically, and genetically engineered “living” weapon, that in my mind is one of the highlights of the author’s work. This particular monster reeks untold havoc on a United States well fortified armament of soldiers, and is introduced in a way that is pretty damn scary. Within this brutally engineered monster is a programming code that defies all human explanation, and this is one of the many ripe mysteries laced into the story. But this particular monster is a small fry next to the heavy hitting baddies, who are ready and able to brutally send the Western World into an early grave.
Along side these atrocious forms of technological warfare, which are represented by super soldiers, nano-artificial locust swarms, weaponized space, and more, the author has even laced philosophically challenging concepts such as artificial intelligence, human identity transference from organic matter to synthetic matter, and even reaches into the biblical/spiritual realm using technology. All of these extremely varied, independent, dazzling manifestations of the power of technology make for a pretty intellectually stimulating feast, and its set along side a story line with enough action, violence, well timed humor, and snappy dialogue to keep forward momentum.
That being said, I think this is an authentic, hardcore sci-fi piece. With the level of knowledge the author applies to the technical components of this story, readers without familiarity or strong interest in IT, quantum physics, nano-technology, etc. might feel a bit estranged or at a loss for what’s going on. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is strictly for hardcore sci-fi readers, but I could make a few arguments. Regular/casual readers should go into it with the intention of being challenged in that way.
Also, the author is pretty invested in every one of his characters, and if a reader is looking for an instant gratification/surface level experience with a story’s characters, this book is not for them. You’re going to be invested, so have a little patience.
In the end, writing this story no doubt took a colossal effort, and the final product represents the author’s fearlessness at taking on a project just about all writers would quiver at. And hey, it looks like he had a hell of a lot of fun writing it, too, because I had a hell of a lot of fun reading it.
January 6, 2015
Character development was great, and not stunted by side information added. Completely realistic scenario and follow through, and that's what makes the story so realistic and scary!
June 20, 2017
“For Every Action”, the first book in The Quantum Mechanic series, is written by Jason Faris and the Audible edition narrated by Judy Rounda. The series consists of what appears a total of three books; with this being the only book currently available in audiobook format. The book is a rather complex and dense science fiction tale that can be difficult to comprehend at times if you are unable to devote dedicated time to listening; without distraction. If you like stories consisting of modified humans, nanotechnology, multiple story plots, emotional ebbs and flows, and a number of events occurring over different times, you may want to take a deeper look at this book and series.
There were times I lost the story line and ended up frustrated until I was able to pull the pieces back together and get on track. Often this was caused because of my multitasking while listening, so I would recommend you set aside time to listen. Once you begin to see how the book switches between different times, it becomes easier to follow to the end. As you listen and follow the story’s many plots, you will begin to see the direction and be surprise by the way the author reveals how the puzzle pieces fit together. The book is detailed and multifaceted, but at times it seems to be this way because the writing was wordy and overly descriptive. I enjoy books that give you enough for your imagination to run with, but not when an author feeds me the scene with a spoon for every little action taking place.
If you are a person who likes mysterious characters, cryptic application code, special nanobots, ruthless killing machines, learning capabilities like that found in the matrix movie, and human modification or enhancement, this book may be up your alley. It includes a small amount of space travel and even a touch of romance. As you can see, the book has nearly everything one could ask for except the kitchen sink; none I could remember at least. If I had one major complaint, which is more a personal one, is the author’s use and context of quoting Biblical passages. Often the Scriptures were used out of context and did not relate to how they were being used in the book. I know the author wanted to blend pieces of religion, science, relationships, and much more, but for me this just did not work. All of the Bible references could have been removed and not really impacted the overall story arc.
For younger readers or parents looking for information on whether this book would be appropriate, let me say this. The book heavily uses vulgar language, and this only intensifies about halfway through the book. As I began listening, I was pleased to only hear a few uses of such language, but it gets much worse. Secondly, the book contains both scenes of sex and discussion involving sexual matters along with some crude adult humor. Included are some scenes consisting of rather intense graphic violence. If any of these are offensive to you, I would suggest you look for another book to read or listen too.
Judy did a decent job narrating this rather long audiobook. I enjoyed the many additional extras she included in the book’s recoding such as: news broadcasts with music, different microphone and sound effects for the characters during interviews, etc. This helped bring the book to life for me and made it all that more enjoyable. Unlike others that have tired doing this, she did not over do them. She was also quite expressive in her voicing of the many different characters. At times, it was hard to believe this was all narrated by a single individual. I do wish there would have been better care taken to correct many of the volume inconsistencies throughout the book heard while listening. At points, it seemed clear that the narrator started recording on a different day and the mic or setup was not configured the same it had been previously. It is not terrible nor does it make the book one I would not listen too. Just be aware for those who like clean and perfect recordings, this one has a few warts on it.
In summary, if you like quite complex science fiction stories having a few twists and turns that are told in a non-linear fashion, I think you may enjoy this book. It does contain strong language, subject matter, and violence, so I would not recommend it to younger audiences. It contains a rather unique story in a day where so many books copy or follow a pattern of other successful stories. A large amount of work has gone in to writing and narrating it, so you may want to give it a try.
Disclaimer: I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.
There were times I lost the story line and ended up frustrated until I was able to pull the pieces back together and get on track. Often this was caused because of my multitasking while listening, so I would recommend you set aside time to listen. Once you begin to see how the book switches between different times, it becomes easier to follow to the end. As you listen and follow the story’s many plots, you will begin to see the direction and be surprise by the way the author reveals how the puzzle pieces fit together. The book is detailed and multifaceted, but at times it seems to be this way because the writing was wordy and overly descriptive. I enjoy books that give you enough for your imagination to run with, but not when an author feeds me the scene with a spoon for every little action taking place.
If you are a person who likes mysterious characters, cryptic application code, special nanobots, ruthless killing machines, learning capabilities like that found in the matrix movie, and human modification or enhancement, this book may be up your alley. It includes a small amount of space travel and even a touch of romance. As you can see, the book has nearly everything one could ask for except the kitchen sink; none I could remember at least. If I had one major complaint, which is more a personal one, is the author’s use and context of quoting Biblical passages. Often the Scriptures were used out of context and did not relate to how they were being used in the book. I know the author wanted to blend pieces of religion, science, relationships, and much more, but for me this just did not work. All of the Bible references could have been removed and not really impacted the overall story arc.
For younger readers or parents looking for information on whether this book would be appropriate, let me say this. The book heavily uses vulgar language, and this only intensifies about halfway through the book. As I began listening, I was pleased to only hear a few uses of such language, but it gets much worse. Secondly, the book contains both scenes of sex and discussion involving sexual matters along with some crude adult humor. Included are some scenes consisting of rather intense graphic violence. If any of these are offensive to you, I would suggest you look for another book to read or listen too.
Judy did a decent job narrating this rather long audiobook. I enjoyed the many additional extras she included in the book’s recoding such as: news broadcasts with music, different microphone and sound effects for the characters during interviews, etc. This helped bring the book to life for me and made it all that more enjoyable. Unlike others that have tired doing this, she did not over do them. She was also quite expressive in her voicing of the many different characters. At times, it was hard to believe this was all narrated by a single individual. I do wish there would have been better care taken to correct many of the volume inconsistencies throughout the book heard while listening. At points, it seemed clear that the narrator started recording on a different day and the mic or setup was not configured the same it had been previously. It is not terrible nor does it make the book one I would not listen too. Just be aware for those who like clean and perfect recordings, this one has a few warts on it.
In summary, if you like quite complex science fiction stories having a few twists and turns that are told in a non-linear fashion, I think you may enjoy this book. It does contain strong language, subject matter, and violence, so I would not recommend it to younger audiences. It contains a rather unique story in a day where so many books copy or follow a pattern of other successful stories. A large amount of work has gone in to writing and narrating it, so you may want to give it a try.
Disclaimer: I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.
July 2, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
"When did the world turn into a ... comic book?""
Whilst the introductory blurb about the book is, strictly, accurate it does not properly represent the full body of this book. Jason, an extremely talented Biblical scholar, linguist of ancient languages, mathematician and archaeologist, disappears without trace whilst in the Middle East, suddenly and dramatically reappearing some two years later, near death, very badly damaged and without memory of what had happened. Not until a terrorist destruction of a bridge and his miraculous rescue of his eleven years old niece from it, does he truly begin to realise both who and what he has become. Thereafter, most of the story follows Jessica, the rescued girl, as doctors try desperately to restore her to some semblance of a normal child, first saving her life then repairing the horrendous injuries she has sustained, and this includes an almost untried futuristic proceedure.and the aftermath of this intervention
Beautifully written, and with a biblical quotation prefacing each new chapter, For Every Action is a story about God and the power of prayer, of evil, love and hate, of quantum mechanics and what it is to be human, of comic book heroes and bioengineering - and never to underestimate an eleven years old girl. It is also a very visual book both in the comic heroes style fight scenes, superbly envisaged, and in the detailed, fascinating descriptions of the unseeable worlds of the subatomic and of computer code: in the hands of a talented director this would surely make an outstanding film it is a story of cosmic proportion.So why only four stars? Well, a rather petty personal preference. I was both intrigued and captivated by Jason's charismatic story and wanted more. Instead, there was mostly Jessica and, although hers was a fabulous tale, full of action and determination, stretching the imagination into cosmic dimensions, I still felt cheated. Plus, I became irritated by the frequent references to her bravery and selflessness by members of the team who watched. Petty? Yes, of course, but that's how it was.
This cannot have been an easy book to narrate and Judy Rounda had the unenviable task of bringing to life not just the protagonists of the story but making the unseeable tangible. Overall, she does a good job, with a very pleasant to hear voice reading at a steady, brisk pace. However, there are times especially in the latter part of the book when she seems to falter, tiny pauses where this listener thought inappropriate and without any tonal emotion to give greater understanding to the content of the text. Her rendering of the dialogue of the characters, also, shows little distinctive definition other than for Jessica, herself, and the AI who 'adopts' her, not that this matters as it is always clear who is speaking. But with only a small proportion being dialogue, a performance rather than a reading would have enhanced this lengthy, sometimes difficult book. Nevertheless, a good presentation by Ms.Rounda.
Despite my various complaints, above, I am very glad to have read this book and send my deep thanks to the rights holder who freely gifted me a copy of For Every Action, via Audiobook Boom. It is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys having their imaginations stretched, especially if superhero comic book characters are also to their liking. The vision of the world for our possible future is a truly terrifying one and, if it should come to pass, I can only hope that there will, indeed, be not one but several Jessica's to assist us. I note that this is the first of a trilogy of books based in and around this time. The second, Rise of the Embodied, should make fascinating reading. I have already acquired a copy of the ebook although not yet read it and hope that the author will soon make this also available on audio.
"When did the world turn into a ... comic book?""
Whilst the introductory blurb about the book is, strictly, accurate it does not properly represent the full body of this book. Jason, an extremely talented Biblical scholar, linguist of ancient languages, mathematician and archaeologist, disappears without trace whilst in the Middle East, suddenly and dramatically reappearing some two years later, near death, very badly damaged and without memory of what had happened. Not until a terrorist destruction of a bridge and his miraculous rescue of his eleven years old niece from it, does he truly begin to realise both who and what he has become. Thereafter, most of the story follows Jessica, the rescued girl, as doctors try desperately to restore her to some semblance of a normal child, first saving her life then repairing the horrendous injuries she has sustained, and this includes an almost untried futuristic proceedure.and the aftermath of this intervention
Beautifully written, and with a biblical quotation prefacing each new chapter, For Every Action is a story about God and the power of prayer, of evil, love and hate, of quantum mechanics and what it is to be human, of comic book heroes and bioengineering - and never to underestimate an eleven years old girl. It is also a very visual book both in the comic heroes style fight scenes, superbly envisaged, and in the detailed, fascinating descriptions of the unseeable worlds of the subatomic and of computer code: in the hands of a talented director this would surely make an outstanding film it is a story of cosmic proportion.So why only four stars? Well, a rather petty personal preference. I was both intrigued and captivated by Jason's charismatic story and wanted more. Instead, there was mostly Jessica and, although hers was a fabulous tale, full of action and determination, stretching the imagination into cosmic dimensions, I still felt cheated. Plus, I became irritated by the frequent references to her bravery and selflessness by members of the team who watched. Petty? Yes, of course, but that's how it was.
This cannot have been an easy book to narrate and Judy Rounda had the unenviable task of bringing to life not just the protagonists of the story but making the unseeable tangible. Overall, she does a good job, with a very pleasant to hear voice reading at a steady, brisk pace. However, there are times especially in the latter part of the book when she seems to falter, tiny pauses where this listener thought inappropriate and without any tonal emotion to give greater understanding to the content of the text. Her rendering of the dialogue of the characters, also, shows little distinctive definition other than for Jessica, herself, and the AI who 'adopts' her, not that this matters as it is always clear who is speaking. But with only a small proportion being dialogue, a performance rather than a reading would have enhanced this lengthy, sometimes difficult book. Nevertheless, a good presentation by Ms.Rounda.
Despite my various complaints, above, I am very glad to have read this book and send my deep thanks to the rights holder who freely gifted me a copy of For Every Action, via Audiobook Boom. It is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys having their imaginations stretched, especially if superhero comic book characters are also to their liking. The vision of the world for our possible future is a truly terrifying one and, if it should come to pass, I can only hope that there will, indeed, be not one but several Jessica's to assist us. I note that this is the first of a trilogy of books based in and around this time. The second, Rise of the Embodied, should make fascinating reading. I have already acquired a copy of the ebook although not yet read it and hope that the author will soon make this also available on audio.
July 20, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
In 2018 Jacob and his brother travel to the Middle East in order to prove that he has found the unified field theory in the Bible and soon disappear. They reappear two years later, but none of them remembers what they found there, where Jacob lost his sanity. He will spend a decade trying to recover it.
In 2031, during a terrorist attack by a cybernetic group called the Embodied, Jacob's brother and his wife result dead, and his 11 year old niece Jessica gravely crippled. Jessica is saved at the last minute by a mysterious man, able to bend reality. Jessica undergoes several operations until she is finally taken to a special laboratory where she will be integrated with an AI in order to become a weapon to destroy the Embodied.
This books starts slow but it quickly captured my attention. There are two main stories here: on one hand we have Jacob's mystery, and on the other hand we have Jessica's transformation. I have to say that Jessica's part was my favorite, reminding me of Akira or Ghost in the Shell.
Jessica suffers a radical transformation, becoming not just an enhanced human being but a real machine and integrated with an AI. There are important decisions to be taken here, and Jessica showed great mature for her age. Even though Jessica is one of the main two characters, I had troubles to connect to her. The character had all the ingredients to be likable, but I think I found issues to find her believable. I agree that a severe trauma like the one she suffered can be enough to change somebody, but she seemed too mature for her age. I also had issues with her way of speaking. Somehow it did not sound natural, and found her reactions quite unusual.
I loved the part where she needs to undergo great changes in order to become a creature like the Embodied, and also the mystery around this group of terrorists. If you liked the movies I mentioned above, this book is for you.
Jacob's story was more interesting, but I had more troubles to believe it and fully enjoy it. Every chapter starts with a Bible passage, and this is related to what happened to Jacob in the Middle East. Somehow he found a way to understand some of God's secrets and manipulate the fabric of reality. Jacob was a mix of Jesus and super hero. I think I had more issues with this part of the story because I am an atheist, mixing scifi with religion spoils a story for me.
In the blurb it mentioned that Jacob was the mysterious man who saved Jessica from the terrorist attack. This is not implied in the book, and even though it could be suspected, this is not revealed until much later.
Judy Rounda did a great job with the narration. At first I was not sure whether I was listening to a woman or a young man. She is capable producing a great range of voices, from an old man to a young girl. Rounda used diverse sound effects to deliver recorded interviews and news broadcasts. It was a nice touch and was done in a very subtle way.
There were some audio production issues though. It was quite noticeable where some audio edits were done, and this broke the rhythm of the narration, but it was not too obvious to really spoil the book.
It was a great listen, even though it seem a bit long winded at times. I really enjoyed the cybernetic parts of the story, and I am looking forward to listening to the rest of the series, and maybe get a better understanding of Jacob's story.
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.
In 2018 Jacob and his brother travel to the Middle East in order to prove that he has found the unified field theory in the Bible and soon disappear. They reappear two years later, but none of them remembers what they found there, where Jacob lost his sanity. He will spend a decade trying to recover it.
In 2031, during a terrorist attack by a cybernetic group called the Embodied, Jacob's brother and his wife result dead, and his 11 year old niece Jessica gravely crippled. Jessica is saved at the last minute by a mysterious man, able to bend reality. Jessica undergoes several operations until she is finally taken to a special laboratory where she will be integrated with an AI in order to become a weapon to destroy the Embodied.
This books starts slow but it quickly captured my attention. There are two main stories here: on one hand we have Jacob's mystery, and on the other hand we have Jessica's transformation. I have to say that Jessica's part was my favorite, reminding me of Akira or Ghost in the Shell.
Jessica suffers a radical transformation, becoming not just an enhanced human being but a real machine and integrated with an AI. There are important decisions to be taken here, and Jessica showed great mature for her age. Even though Jessica is one of the main two characters, I had troubles to connect to her. The character had all the ingredients to be likable, but I think I found issues to find her believable. I agree that a severe trauma like the one she suffered can be enough to change somebody, but she seemed too mature for her age. I also had issues with her way of speaking. Somehow it did not sound natural, and found her reactions quite unusual.
I loved the part where she needs to undergo great changes in order to become a creature like the Embodied, and also the mystery around this group of terrorists. If you liked the movies I mentioned above, this book is for you.
Jacob's story was more interesting, but I had more troubles to believe it and fully enjoy it. Every chapter starts with a Bible passage, and this is related to what happened to Jacob in the Middle East. Somehow he found a way to understand some of God's secrets and manipulate the fabric of reality. Jacob was a mix of Jesus and super hero. I think I had more issues with this part of the story because I am an atheist, mixing scifi with religion spoils a story for me.
In the blurb it mentioned that Jacob was the mysterious man who saved Jessica from the terrorist attack. This is not implied in the book, and even though it could be suspected, this is not revealed until much later.
Judy Rounda did a great job with the narration. At first I was not sure whether I was listening to a woman or a young man. She is capable producing a great range of voices, from an old man to a young girl. Rounda used diverse sound effects to deliver recorded interviews and news broadcasts. It was a nice touch and was done in a very subtle way.
There were some audio production issues though. It was quite noticeable where some audio edits were done, and this broke the rhythm of the narration, but it was not too obvious to really spoil the book.
It was a great listen, even though it seem a bit long winded at times. I really enjoyed the cybernetic parts of the story, and I am looking forward to listening to the rest of the series, and maybe get a better understanding of Jacob's story.
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2017
** Review of Audio Format **
Imaginative and Compelling
This listen has everything! SciFi, tech, religion, war, nano tech, everything! Jacob goes into the desert with his brother and comes out a changed man. He's not sure what happened to him and his brother and he can't process it for a long time. Things begin to come together for him when the Chinese attack in the form of The Emodied, a group of men and women that have been merged with machines. Caught up in the mayhem is Jacob's niece who is maimed beyond belief. Jacob saves her by finally embracing the abilities he went into the desert to confirm in the first place.
Once saved, Jacob's only surviving family member becomes something no one expected and together they are the hope of humanity. My only disappointment is that the other books in this series are not on audio yet. Can't wait until they are out!
The narration by Judy Rounda was incredible. She brought this story to life in a huge way and made a good story even better. There were sound effects at times to make news reports more realistic and her voices were phenomenal.
I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.
Imaginative and Compelling
This listen has everything! SciFi, tech, religion, war, nano tech, everything! Jacob goes into the desert with his brother and comes out a changed man. He's not sure what happened to him and his brother and he can't process it for a long time. Things begin to come together for him when the Chinese attack in the form of The Emodied, a group of men and women that have been merged with machines. Caught up in the mayhem is Jacob's niece who is maimed beyond belief. Jacob saves her by finally embracing the abilities he went into the desert to confirm in the first place.
Once saved, Jacob's only surviving family member becomes something no one expected and together they are the hope of humanity. My only disappointment is that the other books in this series are not on audio yet. Can't wait until they are out!
The narration by Judy Rounda was incredible. She brought this story to life in a huge way and made a good story even better. There were sound effects at times to make news reports more realistic and her voices were phenomenal.
I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2017
OK found an amazing new author for a gritty precise and compelling hard sci fi story.
In a world gone mad with runaway cybernetic and biotech monsters the human spirit has given up on old religion's with these new horrors present.
Faris creates such a masterful weave of realism i was frankly quite taken with the levels of detail. With so many authors out there with varying degrees of skill i was amazed i hadn't heard of him ,but was gratefully surprised with this story.
My biggest complaint is how long the story is and how the level of details creates a small amount of confusion which means a fair bit of concentration required with it being audio and hard to flick back for further enlightenment and clarification like you would with a book.
The narrator is female and I usually prefer a male narrator but Judy did a great job with the characters and again i was very pleased.
In stars 5/5 across the board but i would give easily 95/100.
As a owner of a vast library of books and an increasing audio collections it's hard for particular stories to stick out but i believe this one will always stick out.
Better yet there isn't a wait for more in the series, so im away to buy the series as this gushing of praise is very rare and making me self conscious lol.
In a world gone mad with runaway cybernetic and biotech monsters the human spirit has given up on old religion's with these new horrors present.
Faris creates such a masterful weave of realism i was frankly quite taken with the levels of detail. With so many authors out there with varying degrees of skill i was amazed i hadn't heard of him ,but was gratefully surprised with this story.
My biggest complaint is how long the story is and how the level of details creates a small amount of confusion which means a fair bit of concentration required with it being audio and hard to flick back for further enlightenment and clarification like you would with a book.
The narrator is female and I usually prefer a male narrator but Judy did a great job with the characters and again i was very pleased.
In stars 5/5 across the board but i would give easily 95/100.
As a owner of a vast library of books and an increasing audio collections it's hard for particular stories to stick out but i believe this one will always stick out.
Better yet there isn't a wait for more in the series, so im away to buy the series as this gushing of praise is very rare and making me self conscious lol.
October 11, 2017
Loved this book & going to start the next one in a few days!
Love my foul mouthed 11 year old Jessica!
I feel smarter having listened to this book. So much science & science fiction blended together that I wonder how long before some of the things listed in this book are our reality!
I’m an atheist but I actually live the religious aspects explored here. I still live by the golden rule. I can appreciate all ideas.
Great job with this narrator too.
Thank you for a truly original read!
I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.
Love my foul mouthed 11 year old Jessica!
I feel smarter having listened to this book. So much science & science fiction blended together that I wonder how long before some of the things listed in this book are our reality!
I’m an atheist but I actually live the religious aspects explored here. I still live by the golden rule. I can appreciate all ideas.
Great job with this narrator too.
Thank you for a truly original read!
I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.
July 20, 2017
I actually received this book for an honest review and I'm very excited to say this is an easy review. For Every Action is a great book. The characters are well described. You can relate to their actions and emotions. This is a real page turner. I finished it so quickly and moved on to book 2 in the series, that I almost forgot to leave a review. Sorry to Mr. Faris!!! I just had to find out what happened in the next book, which, by the way is also fantastic!
August 3, 2017
Some great ideas, and very intriguing ways they were presented. Had the author structured the book a bit differently, it could have been fantastic.
February 15, 2016
This book is criminally underrated on good reads. I know this is going to come out a full novel rather than individual novellas, but I had to post my review after seeing this under three stars;
First of all I have to commend the author for embarking into an extremely ambitious first novel, the complexity and diversity of knowledge needed for this rich plotline, which takes the reader forward and backward across the 21st century, blends technologically augmented reality, biological engineering, political intrigue, physics, religion, an erudite military knowledge, and more.
To summarize this overall plot would be pretty tricky given the time advances and contractions, and the nature of the story at this point, which is essentially a very well laid foundation for what promises to be eventual a highly imaginative and well researched fruition. But I think it’s best to advise readers they are delving into deep and authentic science fiction; A religious and scientific near prodigy embarks into the shadowy conflict of Middle Eastern/Western religiously fueled warfare and becomes what may or may not be the instrumental figure for the world’s salvation from a terrifying weapon that is a complete antithesis to all human ethic.
The future holds a biologically, technologically, and genetically engineered “living” soldier, (among other terrifying advances in warfare that approach horror fiction) that in my mind is the authors highpoint of his work. The author’s emotive delivery of the “monster”, which is terrifying first in it’s destructive capabilities against a well fortified armament of soldiers, is made more terrifying through the mystery of it’s origins and introduction of what seems to be the key-piece of all the rife mysteries latent throughout the story; a programming code that seems to defy human origin, and leaves the reader drooling over its profound implications. What is the code!?
If I had any criticism for this book whatsoever, it is that there really is no resolution or firm progress to any of the seeds of mystery the author plants, and as an independent, completed novella in a series it seems as thought there should be at least some resolution to one of the many plot lines the author introduces, and in the same way, the variety of character view points the reader experiences without maturing the reader’s relationship with those character’s, can leave you feeling just a bit estranged.
But as a short story in a series this is probably a reach to find fault in a first book that is in all actuality exceptionally written. Every plot line the author has introduced is so coordinated and well articulated, all he has really accomplished in that “Failing”, is a reader that is compelled to read his subsequent books. And the characters are all precise cogs in the organization of an outstanding premise.
The roots of a philosophically challenging and intellectually stimulating series are all here, and it’s all moved along at a brisk pace with plenty of gritty action and occasional well-timed humor. The sparkling fuse has burned down to the base of mortar shell in this first book, and I’ll be without a doubt reading the next to see the pending explosion.
Readers with short attention spans or looking for fast food category fiction need not apply.
First of all I have to commend the author for embarking into an extremely ambitious first novel, the complexity and diversity of knowledge needed for this rich plotline, which takes the reader forward and backward across the 21st century, blends technologically augmented reality, biological engineering, political intrigue, physics, religion, an erudite military knowledge, and more.
To summarize this overall plot would be pretty tricky given the time advances and contractions, and the nature of the story at this point, which is essentially a very well laid foundation for what promises to be eventual a highly imaginative and well researched fruition. But I think it’s best to advise readers they are delving into deep and authentic science fiction; A religious and scientific near prodigy embarks into the shadowy conflict of Middle Eastern/Western religiously fueled warfare and becomes what may or may not be the instrumental figure for the world’s salvation from a terrifying weapon that is a complete antithesis to all human ethic.
The future holds a biologically, technologically, and genetically engineered “living” soldier, (among other terrifying advances in warfare that approach horror fiction) that in my mind is the authors highpoint of his work. The author’s emotive delivery of the “monster”, which is terrifying first in it’s destructive capabilities against a well fortified armament of soldiers, is made more terrifying through the mystery of it’s origins and introduction of what seems to be the key-piece of all the rife mysteries latent throughout the story; a programming code that seems to defy human origin, and leaves the reader drooling over its profound implications. What is the code!?
If I had any criticism for this book whatsoever, it is that there really is no resolution or firm progress to any of the seeds of mystery the author plants, and as an independent, completed novella in a series it seems as thought there should be at least some resolution to one of the many plot lines the author introduces, and in the same way, the variety of character view points the reader experiences without maturing the reader’s relationship with those character’s, can leave you feeling just a bit estranged.
But as a short story in a series this is probably a reach to find fault in a first book that is in all actuality exceptionally written. Every plot line the author has introduced is so coordinated and well articulated, all he has really accomplished in that “Failing”, is a reader that is compelled to read his subsequent books. And the characters are all precise cogs in the organization of an outstanding premise.
The roots of a philosophically challenging and intellectually stimulating series are all here, and it’s all moved along at a brisk pace with plenty of gritty action and occasional well-timed humor. The sparkling fuse has burned down to the base of mortar shell in this first book, and I’ll be without a doubt reading the next to see the pending explosion.
Readers with short attention spans or looking for fast food category fiction need not apply.
October 9, 2016
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.
"For Every Action" is a great book. It covers a wide range of topics--and somehow links them all together--that you are left in awe at times. The technology described in the book is mind-blowing at times, but it also makes you feel disgust at how humans can take advances and use them to find new ways to kill each other instead of new ways to help people.
The book covers topics ranging from artificial intelligence to religion to military intelligence to countries trying to find advantages against each other to terrorism to one little girl's quest for revenge against the people who killed her parents and left her terribly injured. The book is long, but doesn't seem that way. It allows for many characters to be explored in-depth and we find brilliant, compassionate, and ruthless characters, but we also find out why they are they way they are. There's one characters you spend the entire book wondering who he was, who he is now, and what happened to him to leave him the way he is. He is a profound mystery.
There are many examples given of artificial intelligence gone wrong, which are really terrifying because you know if humans had this technology we would probably do these things. Much of this technology is used by countries to wage war against each other and all you can do is wonder why. If we really had the ability to do these things, why would we waste it on continuing to kill each other? It makes no sense. It also makes you wonder why humans think they can create technology that is smarter than they are, stronger than they are, and more resilient than they are and still think they can control it. "There are safeguards built in", is always a reason given for the "safe" use of these technologies, but then the artificial intelligence gets more intelligent and defeats the safeguards. Artificial intelligence proves to be as adaptable as humans always have been, but with the potential for much more destruction when they do.
I highly recommend this book. It blows your mind every other page and almost makes you cry on many others. There are many times you may be awe-struck and even feel hopeful that the best of humanity will come through in the end.
I would definitely have given this book five stars if not for a very high number of errors that should have been caught in the editing process. I usually don't do this unless there are so many errors as to be distracting and that is the case with this book. You'll be reading along and have to come to a stop to figure out what a word was supposed to be or what word is missing or who is being referred to because the pronouns are mixed up. Other reviewers have commented on this, so why haven't any corrective actions been taken? That could vault the book into another level.
Anyway, I do recommend this book. I don't know how much of the science is real or theorized or just made up, but it doesn't really matter because it is all so cool. I definitely want to read the other books in this series. I just hope they have been edited.
"For Every Action" is a great book. It covers a wide range of topics--and somehow links them all together--that you are left in awe at times. The technology described in the book is mind-blowing at times, but it also makes you feel disgust at how humans can take advances and use them to find new ways to kill each other instead of new ways to help people.
The book covers topics ranging from artificial intelligence to religion to military intelligence to countries trying to find advantages against each other to terrorism to one little girl's quest for revenge against the people who killed her parents and left her terribly injured. The book is long, but doesn't seem that way. It allows for many characters to be explored in-depth and we find brilliant, compassionate, and ruthless characters, but we also find out why they are they way they are. There's one characters you spend the entire book wondering who he was, who he is now, and what happened to him to leave him the way he is. He is a profound mystery.
There are many examples given of artificial intelligence gone wrong, which are really terrifying because you know if humans had this technology we would probably do these things. Much of this technology is used by countries to wage war against each other and all you can do is wonder why. If we really had the ability to do these things, why would we waste it on continuing to kill each other? It makes no sense. It also makes you wonder why humans think they can create technology that is smarter than they are, stronger than they are, and more resilient than they are and still think they can control it. "There are safeguards built in", is always a reason given for the "safe" use of these technologies, but then the artificial intelligence gets more intelligent and defeats the safeguards. Artificial intelligence proves to be as adaptable as humans always have been, but with the potential for much more destruction when they do.
I highly recommend this book. It blows your mind every other page and almost makes you cry on many others. There are many times you may be awe-struck and even feel hopeful that the best of humanity will come through in the end.
I would definitely have given this book five stars if not for a very high number of errors that should have been caught in the editing process. I usually don't do this unless there are so many errors as to be distracting and that is the case with this book. You'll be reading along and have to come to a stop to figure out what a word was supposed to be or what word is missing or who is being referred to because the pronouns are mixed up. Other reviewers have commented on this, so why haven't any corrective actions been taken? That could vault the book into another level.
Anyway, I do recommend this book. I don't know how much of the science is real or theorized or just made up, but it doesn't really matter because it is all so cool. I definitely want to read the other books in this series. I just hope they have been edited.
April 9, 2016
I received this eBook via Story Cartel for my review.
To sum this up with a single exclamation it would be... WHOA!
I was taken for a frantic hair raising ride and wasn't let go until the last word. So many points to ponder, so many scenarios that could one day be possible, perhaps not to this degree, but altering genetic code and enhancing with micro-technology is feasible.
In many books the author often portrays a single sided view, sometimes to the point of prejudism. Here, we are shown the prejudices and feelings from all sides, from us as Americans and those of the Chinese towards us, etc. Just when it feels like a verbal tirade against another nation, it turns around and gives us the other side of that coin.
There is plenty of cussing. Particularly the f-bomb. I did have trouble with Jessica being 11/12 spouting out these words. Then again, the hell she went through with surgery after surgery and being examined inside and out along with the loss she had to deal with, it's plausible.
Plenty of Christian scriptures, values, morals and ethos. I for one didn't have a problem, in fact I truly loved these parts, but others might take umbrage with this. It brought a whole other level to the human condition within this story. Not only is it sci-fi but it brings in a belief of a higher power, making it more... human. Science and God living side-by-side.
This story sure gives one a lot to think upon, to chew on, and to cringe at. Tech may one day come close to this kind of scary!
I look forward to the continuation.
Last words? They would have to be - WHEW! Can I breath now?
To sum this up with a single exclamation it would be... WHOA!
I was taken for a frantic hair raising ride and wasn't let go until the last word. So many points to ponder, so many scenarios that could one day be possible, perhaps not to this degree, but altering genetic code and enhancing with micro-technology is feasible.
In many books the author often portrays a single sided view, sometimes to the point of prejudism. Here, we are shown the prejudices and feelings from all sides, from us as Americans and those of the Chinese towards us, etc. Just when it feels like a verbal tirade against another nation, it turns around and gives us the other side of that coin.
There is plenty of cussing. Particularly the f-bomb. I did have trouble with Jessica being 11/12 spouting out these words. Then again, the hell she went through with surgery after surgery and being examined inside and out along with the loss she had to deal with, it's plausible.
Plenty of Christian scriptures, values, morals and ethos. I for one didn't have a problem, in fact I truly loved these parts, but others might take umbrage with this. It brought a whole other level to the human condition within this story. Not only is it sci-fi but it brings in a belief of a higher power, making it more... human. Science and God living side-by-side.
This story sure gives one a lot to think upon, to chew on, and to cringe at. Tech may one day come close to this kind of scary!
I look forward to the continuation.
Last words? They would have to be - WHEW! Can I breath now?
April 15, 2018
Excellent Christian SciFi
It is good to read a well-written novel where faith is a significant issue. It is a novel of miracles and monsters - of both scientific and spiritual natures.
I can quibble with everything, I'm a picky writer and a picky scientist. But, this is a very good book. It isn't an easy read, the pacing and time jumps in the first section were confusing. It all makes sense in the end.
I recommend that you give it a try. This is a solid novel that is definitely outside the mainstream.
It is good to read a well-written novel where faith is a significant issue. It is a novel of miracles and monsters - of both scientific and spiritual natures.
I can quibble with everything, I'm a picky writer and a picky scientist. But, this is a very good book. It isn't an easy read, the pacing and time jumps in the first section were confusing. It all makes sense in the end.
I recommend that you give it a try. This is a solid novel that is definitely outside the mainstream.
September 14, 2016
Lots of action, interesting combination of technology and faith. Only drawback is every other paragraph has a grammar or spelling error. Still well worth the read. Just hope, in other books of the series, God doesn't turn out to be an alien, that would be a real letdown.
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