The Verne Legacy

by Tom Ford

Richard Pours, Philadelphia resident and new college grad, is excited to find his first job. But despite his 4.0 GPA, master's degree, and secret photographic memory, no one will hire him--until a mysterious letter arrives offering him $300,000 to be the recorder on an expedition. Stranger yet, when he arrives for his interview, he doesn't have to convince anyone that he is right for the job.

After his unusual interview, Richard is whisked away to meet his travel companions. An impressive mix of doctors specializing in a variety of sciences--and a musician--will accompany Richard on his expedition, which will take them to lands unseen since the dawn of time. The voyage has barely begun when Richard discovers that he's not the only one aboard who has unique abilities--and the uncanny similarities between him and his colleagues don't end there.

Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure

228 pages, Paperback

Published December 15, 2015

About the author

Tom Ford, born in 1949 in Chicago, currently lives in a suburb of Chicago with his wife, Janice. The proud father of three and grandfather of five enjoys telling stories and recounting his vivid dreams—including the one that became this book. He is a recipient of a Bronze Star, from his tour in Vietnam. A percentage of any profits from his books will be donated to The Wounded Warrior Project.

Reviews

[Faouzia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book for a review.
This is more like 4.5 stars

If you are looking for a wild adventure, lost civilizations and unique adventurers this book had it all.
I really liked how the story went on, from just a simple expedition just a little bit strange to a journey into long lost worlds.

The story starts with Richard getting an interview to be a part of a special scientific expedition, his mission was to write a journal about it. Simple enough, until he started to feel that all this was a bit strange, especially when he realizes that all the scientists with him had special abilities, just like himself.
The characters were very interesting and i liked the connections between them and the discoveries they made along the way.

The end though was a little bit too much for me. Everything was explained but it was much more extraordinary than i thought or wished it to be.
Still, this book was really great and i enjoyed every page of it.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read! The author did his research, I love how each specialist had particular field is interest. I could really identify with the main character surrounded by all that brain power! An intriguing plot, great location and characters.

(I think this would make a fun movie!)

I definitely recommend this book to readers. It went by so quickly!! I'd love to see a follow-up.

*Thank you to the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion*

[Slowprose, book division of Slowestuff blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book! It blasts out of the starting gate with a gentleman by the name of Ben, journaling the story of Richard Pours. Richard recently graduated with a master's degree in political science and journalism and was having a difficult time finding a job. That is, until a dream job offer came by way of registered letter.

This begins a whirlwind of adventure and Richard find himself on an expedition with a group of strangers. These are not ordinary strangers, but Richard soon discovers that they each have a unique ability, just as he does. Richard is the journalist of this group, but thanks to his photographic memory, he doesn't need to jot down a single note. The story is told from Richard's perspective, and the narration style is factual and objective - just as you would expect a reporter to be. There is not a lot of emotional development in this book. It is the retelling of a fantastic adventure involving this group of unique individuals. The narration style had me imagining I was listening to Sheldon Cooper, or Forrest Gump, retelling a story. Very factual without any emphasis on emotion or social nuances.

That is not to say it wasn't entertaining and amusing. It was! There were several times I laughed at Richard and his missteps. The story itself was completely riveting and exciting. I think there was a little too much detail early in the book, with the descriptions of the transportation they were using and the details of exactly how they were getting to where they were going. I wish that part of the book would have been devoted in getting to know the wonderful cast of characters a little bit better.

However, once this groups comes upon an incredible find, the story is epic! I didn't know exactly where it was going to lead me, and the ending was super interesting. Go and read the first paragraph of the book again once you finish it. Clever Clever Clever!

I received this ebook complimentary from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free signed copy of this book through a Goodread's Giveaway.

I really enjoyed this book. Like the title suggests it is very much a Vernsian tale. The main character Richard is retelling the story. He has an eidetic memory and has been hired to record the events during a trip somewhere. In the beginning he has no idea where he is going. Along the way he meets other characters. Richard has always kind of felt like an outsider but his travelling companions soon become friends and family.

There is a lot of action in the story and many surprises and twists. I really enjoyed the fact that Ford weaved science fact with science fiction. It made for a much more interested read.

My only complaint is that I felt the ending was rushed. Ford spent so much time describing things in such detail it almost felt to me like he thought, oh I have to end this and just added an ending.

All in all this was a fantastic story and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys Sci-fi.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 90% of the book was four-stars, very good, with an old-fashioned, Verne or Conrad style of writing: a calm dry narrative of an amazing expedition. I curled up with my Kindle, happy for a pleasant adventure. The mysteries get stranger and I raced towards the end to see how it all fit together. The last 10%, I admit, *did* answer all the questions raised in the book - and many more. But it was such a silly kind of conspiracy, explained, that I regretted a little my reading investment. Now, that's only my opinion; if you loved The DaVinci Code, say, you'll really love this book.

I received a free copy from NetGalley, which did not affect the content of my review.

[Yara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a bit painful. The narrative by the main character Richard is insightful but lacks excitement, even though many times he describes exciting, amazing adventures. There isn't enough spoken interaction, actions are told in a descriptive way. And everything is plugging along nicely for more than halfway when people start drying, many times unnecessarily. The ending left a lot to be desired. I was left confused on several items. It gets three stars because the story itself, locations, myths, "history" provided were pretty creative.

[Zippergirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be credulous. Refrain from poking sticks into any gaps you come across and you will find this mysterious scientific expedition beneath Antarctica's polar ice sheet good old-fashioned fun. Think Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and yes, Jules Verne, meet Klaatu. Worth the price of admission.

[Dena Waters]

This book was a real page turner, a quick read. It kept me interested throughout, and I liked the ending, which sometimes makes or breaks a book for me. I do recommend this for some no stress reading.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I found the way the story was told to be very dated and the story to be old fashioned.
The characters had no depth and I felt poor interaction.
Unfortunately it just was not for me.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read by Tom Ford. Loved the adventure and mystery. I didn't want the book to end. I wanted more.

[Gray Mouser · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is written in a travel journey style, not accidentally reminding us of Vernes' "20000 miles" to which several allusions are done in the book. As that, the writing is a bit uninspired, but my enjoyment of reading improved as the story developed. The characters remain somewhat two-dimensional and I did not attach to any of them, but it would have been an enjoyable 3-star read as a fantastic adventure story, if not for the inconsistencies and, in particular, the ending.

The book is rife with scientific inconsistencies. I do not mind if authors just ignore science. But if they dive into it, it needs to be at least consistent and this book is rife with obvious errors. To name a few, without providing spoilers : (i) An ingenious triple-layer hull design allows the sub to plunge so far unexplored depths... and the same sub has a glass viewscreen, covering the front of the large dining room, as well as a bay which can be opened to launch a mini-sub at maximum depth. (ii) The captain "declared character: safety of my passengers and crew first" starts a series of underwater explosions/shockwaves to map for potential oil fields... while being in a rock/ice tunnel 2500 feet under water. (iii) The timelines used in the story are absolutely incompatible with the genetics and archeology discussed by the characters. (A riverbed 65 million years old ???) and so on...

Again, much can be forgiven for a good story, but this one is not. The plotline isolates the main characters and builds up quite obviously to a hidden secret, which is revealed in the last five pages. And which is, I am sorry, utterly naive, simplistic, unrealistic and unsatisfying. Storylines with a "revealing" end typically provide you with an "Aha!" effect, where you realize how all the pieces now fit into the puzzle. In this case, it is the cheapest deus-ex-machina possible... and does not even make sense with how the story developed! It was a "You have to be kidding me" sensation ,which immediately moved my time reading from "time wasted having fun" to "time just plain wasted".

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly adventurous novel that takes you places you wouldn't think with an ending that is somewhat non climatic. This was a refreshing novel that did not contain a normal plot. It was well researched, yet it did become slow in spots and maybe a bit to many explanations or repetition occasionally. iFor a debut novel it was ok. If the author writes another book I would pick it up. Not a stellar book, but enjoyable and full of good ideas.

[Courtney Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant read for me and takes the reader on a classic adventure-style journey. I agree with some of the other reviews that due to the journalistic narration, there is less character development and dimension behind the characters. I personally didn’t love the end as it breached too far into fantasy than I prefer. Overall, I enjoyed the adventure and the way this book made me imagine the exhibition. A good example of crossing adventure with science fiction / fantasy.

[Janka H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, this is not a good book. And the ending is both illogical and weird. Yet, there is a certain youthful energy well captured, which deserves a star (based on a content alone, I would go for 1 star).

[Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kind of hard for me to get into at first, as it's mostly just larger description paragraphs, with very little dialogue between characters. In addition to that, it just kind of started off slow, and didn't really answer any questions until the end (to clarify, all of my questions were eventually answered). If not for these things, I would have given the book four stars. Around page 80 it started to get pretty interesting, and from there it just got more interesting, despite the continued lack of much dialogue, though that did get a slightly better, too. Overall, I thought the story was pretty creative; it was confusing at times, talking about different timelines and using scientific terms and such, but the concept of it being dictated to Benjamin Franklin by Richard was pretty cool, once I figured out that that's what occurred. Lastly, I want to share my favorite quote from the book, which is actually from the introduction; Tom Ford says "All I write is what might be, and it is up to the reader to imagine what may be possible or real". That quote fits the book very well, and I think it would be beneficial for readers to remember it while reading The Verne Legacy.
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first started "The Verne Legacy" I was transported back 45 years to my high school years. The good part of High School, learning the joy of reading Edgar Rice Burroughs "Pellucidar" series. Jules Verne "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".

The Prose is simple yet effective in it's narrative style of writing. The dialog is sparse, used to further the plot. No real character development but that didn't detract from the overall story line.

The book is a quick read. The ending was anticlimactic for me since there isn't much tension throughout the book.

I would recommend "The Verne Legacy" to those who have fond memories of the earliest of Science Fiction writers.

I was given a copy of "The Verne Legacy" by NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

[Brian Southworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This to me was a fun adventure for all ages.The story follows recent college grad Richard Pours.He receives a mysterious letter offering him $300,000 to be a recorder on an expedition.He is taken to meet others who would accompany him on this journey and finds out-like himself that the others have similar strange abilities.Where were they going? Who brought them here? Were they in danger? This story kept me on the edge of my seat, I breezed through it and couldn't put it down! in the style of Jules Verne this adventure will appeal to all those who enjoy works by Michael Crichton,James Rollins, J.R.R Tolkien and others.This book takes you away to a magical place, it makes reading fun! This may be the best book I've read this year.I for one will gladly read anything else Tom Ford publishes.Check this one out you will be glad you did.

[Shannon Babbage · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not really expecting to enjoy this book , not normally my preferred genre.
I received this book free from Goodreads and the author requested an honest review.
This book was a pleasant surprise, there was a lot of suspense and excitement , at times I was feeling quite claustrophobic, so the novel
had me along for this ride in the submarine.
The only thing I felt could be improved on was more character development. I didn't feel that I really knew enough about each of the characters for me to really even care if they were killed off as some were in rather horrible ways.
Overall I would say it was a very good read and I did enjoy it very much! Thank you for sharing with me.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fairly slow paced read but it holds you from the beginning to the end. The characters are all well thought out and the story line flows well around them - the author has obviously researched each of the characters 'field of expertise' which gives the story even more meat for the reader to hold on to.

My original review said that I found the ending lame but on re-reading the book I am changing that and it's rating! Whether it's additional age (mine!) or just a more open mind about things I fully appreciated the ending much more than I did on the original reading. I now definitely recommend this book to all who enjoy a good thrilling read.

This is a Goodreads First Read

[Hyacinth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway on goodreads. This is a book that makes you think about science and religion and how they agree and/or differ. As I was reading, I was asking myself why was I feeling like I was in school revisiting history and portions of scripture at the same time. I really enjoyed the book. Some of it was way out there for me but I still thought it was a great read. The end kind of lost me a bit but I think I could see this becoming a series.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in an easy to read first person voice Tom Ford's book was a delightful adventure. His plot was complex and followed a group of scientists who discovered the remains of an ancient civilization. It was a bit confusing as one of the characters has two names - my suggestion would be a quick reference character list - names and occupations. I sincerely hope he writes a sequel!

Disclosure: I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, its wild journey, and the plot. I was a bit disappointed with the ending.