El hombre milagro

by William R. Leibowitz

Robert James Austin es un niño huérfano con una inteligencia totalmente fuera de lo común. Desde muy joven decidió especializarse en algunos campos de la medicina para encontrar curas milagrosas a enfermedades que no la tienen, en un claro afán por contribuir al progreso de la humanidad.
Pero este don molesta a una poderosa empresa farmacéutica, al gobierno e incluso a lacia, que se verá involucrada en una conspiración contra los estudios de Robert, quien va obteniendo mejores resultados en sus investigaciones al mismo tiempo que desarrolla un sentimiento autodestructivo.
Robert tendrá que luchar contra las amenazas constantes a su propia vida y vencer al enemigo para poder lograr su objetivo último: el progreso científico en aras del bien común.
Un apasionante thriller que explora una mente extraordinaria y el peligro que enfrenta para proteger el secreto de su poderosa inteligencia.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Book Club, Suspense, Mystery, Crime, Science Fiction

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2014

Reviews

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover, those eyes, exciting, alluring, drawing me in, deeper and deeper…


WOW! My blood was boiling, my heart pounding, my palms sweating….well, you get the drift. Miracle Man is over the top fantabulous! Unputdownable!

OH NO. Here we go…

Isn’t there a government organization for everything?

The kid, 11 year old Bobby Austin…I hope the parents are suspicious about the Institute’s motivations, because I sure am!

As I write this review, I am watching Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, and Robert James Austin makes me think of Sheldon. Intelligence off the charts and socially inept, in fact he becomes so engrossed in his work, he zones people out completely, drives himself past the brink of exhaustion. But is that all that’s going on?

I can see some badness coming his way. Nevertheless, I am loving this rollercoaster ride and you couldn’t pry the book out of my hands with a crowbar.

I believe our medical research leaves a lot to be desired and so does Robert. I believe Big Pharma is more interested in creating a treatment, than a cure. But, he is in the position to do something about it. Robert puts his life on the line for his beliefs. He is driven obsessed, he cannot stop until he finds the answer.

Joe, his mentor, is someone you have to meet for yourself. All I will say is…I love the man.

The writing is excellent and the story so intense, I keep forgetting Miracle Man is fiction. I want to put my arms around Robert and tell him it will be all right. Remember, he is only 11 years old, and I am watching him grow up.

I am trying real hard not to spoil anything, so I am scanning my notes for small nuggets that can convey how much I loved this story.

So thought provoking…So many questions come to mind…

Government conspiracies, Big Pharma, betrayal, inner demons, greed, entitlement, religion…

The characters…all are well developed and unique individuals in their own right. Some I loved and some I truly hated, detested, wanted to jump into the book and punch their lights out! I empathized with some, I wanted to bury some under the jail, but they are all pivotal to evoking emotions of sadness, rage, love, and hope, and have their place in the story.

I wondered how William R Liebowitz would wrap up Miracle Man. I had some ideas and he flirted with them, but took them even further than I envisioned. Way to go, William!

This is a must read for anyone that gives a damn about the world we live in! Let’s hope some genius reads this book and gets motivated.

The interview at the end left me feeling confused. What, if anything, can change the way business and research is done? I don’t have the answers, but I know something different needs to be done.

Thank goodness I have book II, The Austin Paradox. No waiting and I am beginning it now.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Miracle Man by William R Liebowitz.

See more at fundinmental

[Sibel Gandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. All of the characters were so engaging. Yet, I have read many psychological thriller, which is a favorite genre of mine. I wanted to point out that I did not really feel like this book was a psychological thriller. When I think of books in this genre, they are ones where the story gets into your head and plays mind games. This book did not do that. Yet, what it did do was to provide a well written and intriguing story.

Robert showed signs in a very early age of being a genius. Not just any genius as he was in his own universe. Robert was interested in auto immune diseases. He discovered the cure for multiple sclerosis. He started a non profit corporation called Uniserve, so that people could get access to the medications for a low cost. Reading this book kind of reminded me of the movie, A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe as John Forbes Nash, Jr. The first half of this book showcased Robert the brilliant mind but the second half of the story showed him collapsing under the weight of it all. I was happy to read that the author was writing another book continuing this story as the ending was kind of left open for more.

[Jake Silver · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was supposed to be a thriller, I'm told. However, there is never a moment of suspense in this whole novel. The book briefly introduces points of conflict to the main character, but then the author seems afraid to let you worry about the main character and his goals, so each and every point of conflict is cleared up almost immediately. You'll read about a plot against the protagonist, and 4 pages later, the schemer will be crushed like a bug. This trend is so consistent, you'll learn to never fear for the safety of the characters for even a moment. A novel cannot "thrill" without tension, and Leibowitz fails to instill any tension at all in this piece.

The writing was cringe inducing. Especially the dialogue. Especially the romantic dialogue. It's just so corny and unbelievable that it's hard to even see the characters as people. And cliches are rampant in the character dialogue. Any character involved in a government/law enforcement agency spouts the same boring lines you've been hearing for years on tv shows about law enforcement.

The story felt incredibly choppy. The average length of the chapters is less than 4 pages. You get the impression that Leibowitz had a bullet list of all the plot points, and went through one by one, crafting the events with haste. Never have I been so aware of the structure of a story while reading it as I was with Miracle Man.

There is little character development. There's the whole downward spiral of Robert's mental condition, but that's not the same. He's so boring. There's no internal conflict, and the man is an unwavering saint the whole book. He just does exactly what you expect him to do at all times.

The story itself is somewhat unique, which is where the second star comes from. I personally haven't read a book with a story quite like this, and uniqueness is good. But the author fails to use the material to its full potential, and as a result this book is nothing special. With some editing, more attention to style, better character development, and a better command of information and timing to keep the reader on the edge of his seat, and this novel could have been great. But the way it was published, it's just another novel on my list that I'm sure won't leave a lasting impression.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miracle Man is my first introduction to William R Leibowitz. It tells the story of Robert James Austin, who is the word's greatest genius. As an infant, Bobby, was left in a dumpster to die. Thankfully, he was rescued. A few years later, his intelligence captures the eye of the government and is put into a special educational program. This leads him into a new way of life at a very young age of four. He gets the best education that any person could ever receive. As he gets older, he wants to help others and cure illnesses. This takes him on a whole new journey. One involving danger and corruption from big pharmaceutical companies wanting to stop him.

I have to admit, at almost 450 pages, I was a little intimidated by the size of Miracle Man. However, that quickly changed. I found it to be easy to read with very short chapters, making it hard to put down. I actually had it read in one day. I liked Bobby from the beginning. His mental state, struggles, and turmoil were believable to me. The plot is one that makes me wonder if it could come true.

I give Miracle Man a well deserved five plus stars. I recommend it to readers who like a good hold on to your seat psychological thriller. The suspense will keep them engaged and wanting more. I am excited to find out there is a book two that continues Bobby's story. I can not wait to read it to see what will happen to him next.

I received this book from the author. This review is 100% my own hones opinion.

[Gülşen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitap; konu, kurgu ve dil açısından çok akıcı çok sürükleyiciydi. Her ne kadar bazı özel sebeplerden dolayı hızlı okumayamasam da gerçekten okunurdu. Bobby'e yer yer üzüldüm yer yer hayran oldum ama üstün zekalı olmanın nasıl ürkütücü olduğunu, sorumluluklarının ne kadar ağır olduğunu düşündürdü bana. Zevk alarak merak ederek okunacak bir kitaptı. 😊

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was terrible. I really wanted to like it because I recieved an advance review copy for free, but I just didn't. I want to support struggling indee authors but this book just failed. Honestly, reading it felt like I was reading the first draft of a book. It just did not feel polished in any way what so ever.

Let's start with the positives, the author does know how to build up suspense and the book feels fast paced throughout. I also didn't take issue with the plot. It could have been a very strong book if some effort had been put into execution.

However, the negatives far outweigh the positives. Firstly, the grammar and spelling was at times atrocious. Another thing I absolutely hated was the author's choice of words used. Honestly, at times it felt like the author went through the thesaurus as often as possible to try and sound smart, adding complicated words just for the sake of it. This really just detracted from the story. It was particularly bad when a character would use weird words in speach. As an example a quote from one of the characters is: "well how fortuitious". No one speaks like that. I mean some people do, but they end up on r/iamverysmart and get ridiculed and the person that said it was a normal guy.

The metaphors and similies was another glaring issue I had with this book. Two examples would be "his face looked like a sunburned jack-o-lantern" and another was "he lit up like a jack-o-lantern". I don't know what the author's fascination with jack-o-lanterns is but describing a happy child's happy face as something resembling a spooky halloween decoration is to say the least an interesting decision.

None of the characters made sense to me and particularly women were incomprehensible. At times I physically shuddered at the lewd descriptions in this book. It read like an incel's wet dream. Super smart, attractive, young man has sex with super attractive women all the time even though he "socially inept". Come on! Really?! So he's supposed to have 0 social skills, we get told this over and over, but all he has to do is walk into a club and hot women are rubbing themselves all over him. Secondly, he's supposed to be really attractive even though he eats like shit, barely sleeps, drinks way to much alcohol, never goes outside and doesn't care for his appearance. I don't buy it.

Two fantastic exerpts from the book demonstrating how terribly female characters are written:

"You're overdressed," she said. Without lifting the blanket he stripped off his tee shirt and underpants. Kate maneuvered herself over him." - so our socially inept character meets this ultra hot basically naked girl hanging out with her mom on holiday and him, his guardian and these two women go hang out on a yacht and this girl is apparently the most sexy, sensual, sex forward person ever at the age of like 18. Has the author ever had sex? Like this only happens in porn.

"A wiz kid and a hottie too." Rebecca laughed heartily. "Too bad I'm old enough to be your mother. " - from a secretary to the dean of a university he just met. Again no one speaks like that. It is wildly inappropriate and sounds like it's from a porno again. Has the author ever interacted with women? We are people, right? With thoughts and feelings aside from let's bang that incel, he really turns me on.

I have to tell you all that I am leaving this review voluntarily. Honestly, I am doing this an act of charity. Do not buy this book. It is pure crap. This is the first book I read as an advance review copy and by god it is probably the last. I do not want to have to put myself through something like this again!

[April Epley · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW- I am just astonished! Not often do I get to read books I would rate with 5 stars, but this book I would even go higher if they allowed it! What a talented writer and an awesome book. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, clear a day or two, and make yourself comfortable with this book. I read this all at one time and well past my bedtime. It was worth it!
This starts out with a man walking in a pretty desolate part of town with a garbage bag in hand. He is thinking to himself of where it all went wrong and how far down him and his high school sweetheart had gone. All the drugs and chaos and it all has led him to what he is about to do. He throws away the bag, later we find out it is a baby boy. Peter and Edith Austin come to the rescue at their social worker friends pleading. Robert James Austin is what they decided to name the baby boy.
Bobby is quite a remarkable young man. At 4 years old his parents take him in to be seen as he is having severe nightmares and he spaces off quite regularly. Bobby amazes doctor after doctor. He ends up in a ‘special’ school (much to his parents sadness) run by the OSSIS. There they help him to learn to use his extreme intelligence. The OSSIS have big plans for Bobby. Bobby’s brain is constantly working and keeping him busy. A lot of the time he is fighting himself. He is so good-hearted. I just love him. There are times you want to give him a hug and cry for and with him.
After his parents pass Bobby decided to go into the medical field. Oh the miracles this boy can do! This is not what the OSSIS had in mind. Bobby wants to help others, cure them, and fix them. He wants to use his intelligence for good, meanwhile there are so many that are against him and out to get him. You will have to read it to see how it all turns out. I loved Dr. Manzini. He treated Bobby like a son. He helped Bobby to see and do what he wanted/needed to. He wanted Bobby to have his own path and not the path that others choose for him. I loved that.
I am giving this book 5 stars. They are Huge ones though. This is one of my favorite books this year. I am hoping for another book. This is not a cliffhanger but there is room for more. I will eagerly await. Thank you.

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

William R. Leibowitz in his new book, “Miracle Man” published by Manifesto Media Group introduces us to Robert James Austin.

From the back cover: REVERED REVILED REMARKABLE

The victim of an unspeakable crime, an infant rises to become a new type of superhero. Unlike any that have come before him, he is not a fanciful creation of animators. He is real.

So begins the saga of Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in human history. But where did his extraordinary intelligence come from?

As agents of corporate greed vie with rabid anti-Western radicals to destroy him, an obsessive government leader launches a bizarre covert mission to exploit his intellect. Yet Austin’s greatest fear is not of this world.

Aided by two exceptional women, one of whom will become his unlikely lover, Austin struggles against abandonment and betrayal. But the forces that oppose him are more powerful than even he can understand

The late Michael Crichton when something bothered him he would chew on it and similar to an Oyster producing a pearl would produce his own pearl in a new book. It seems that Mr. Leibowitz has the same ability to produce a pearl in written form. What a combination: science, mathematics, mystery and suspense. One would never think that this would be interesting but in the hands of Mr. Leibowitz this one will keep you flipping pages as fast as you can read. Robert James Austin is a fascinating character with an I.Q. off the charts. While it puts him in high demand it also marks him as a very lonely person. There is so much going on within these pages that if I told you more it would spoil it for you so I will not. Let me assure you that once you get started with “Miracle Man” you are not going to want to stop until you finish so I recommend you start early. Mr. Leibowitz has provided us with a very clever exciting book and I do hope he does provide us with a sequel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Partners In Crime. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The synopsis of this story intrigued me greatly. But I wondered if it would be too over my head or hard to understand given the subject matter. There were parts of the story that were a little difficult to get through but for the most part I understood the vast majority of it. I felt sorry for Robert Austin and his plight. He is a very lonely person and no one can see that. All they see when they look at him is a man with an IQ beyond comprehension, not a lonely human being. It seems as though his peers will do whatever it takes to keep him happy and pacified as long as they get what they want. It isn't until Robert decides to change his path that the real truth comes out.

This is not a feel-good happily ever after story. The ending is a little bit of a shocker and leaves the story open but is not a cliffhanger. Robert has a lot of demons both internal and external that play a huge role in his life. This story is a dark, depressing look at the life of people that are perceived as different, even when they are seemingly surrounded by their own kind. It was a difficult read at times, as my heart broke for Robert. I wanted to jump into the story and just give him a big hug and be his friend. The story was really well written and engaging and very emotional.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert James Austin, Bobby, was an infant found abandoned in a dumpster. Then at age 4 it is discovered that he is extremely intelligent and gets enrolled in a special government program with access to the best education. Unfortunately his intelligence is also wrought with nightmares and trances. He also has some mental issues that he constantly battles. As he grows, Bobby decides to cure illnesses instead of work in the military. The problem is the more cures he creates the more big pharmaceutical leaders don’t want his cure and plan on stopping him.

This was an interesting story. It makes you wonder what it would be like to be so intelligent. Of course it would come with a price and that broke my heart watching Bobby struggle through relationships and with his own mental problems. I did really like how the pharmaceutical leaders wanted to stop his cures. It makes you wonder how much of that happens in today’s world.

I admit that I had a little bit of a challenge to get into this story. There were some parts that felt a little rough but overall this was a good story. I will definitely be looking into other books by William Leibowitz.

I received Miracle Man for free from Sage’s Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review.

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: MIRACLE MAN

What an engrossing, compelling, educational, and inspiring. If only the world held men and women of such dedication as Robert James Austin! Not only his immense genius, but his heart and compassion, could turn the tide of society--and certainly halt the widespread rampancy of disease and terminal illness.

[Mary E. McKinney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good try.

This book had a good start but just dragged on and got just plain bad.The main character lacked depth and the story was so unbelievable.

[Gata Hudson · Rating 1 out of 5]

kinda stupid

[Alan Menachemson · Rating 5 out of 5]

although not artistically written i gave it a 5 because its plot was so unique and the story so lovely
very readable, read it

[Will Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is dope af

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character of this book is the Miracle Man of the title, a man called Robert James Austin. As a new-born baby he was a foundling, found and placed in foster care with a brilliant couple. They soon discover that he has an extremely high IQ and basically was speaking and then reading before his first birthday. By his third birthday he was learning college level physics, maths and almost every other subject he can get his foster parents to find for him, or for him to find and print off the internet. Shortly after this birthday, he starts to have very frightening nightmares. They take him to see various doctors, all of which are more interested in testing his IQ than worrying about helping with is night terrors.

They are advised, after a few years of testing, that Bobby really needed to be taught at a special school for gifted children which is run by a government firm called OSSIS, the Office of Special Strategic Intelligence Services). They want to use his extraordinary genius to help save the country, by working for the government. They support his work in maths and sciences, through numerous degrees and PhD’s, until he decides to change direction in his early twenties. Deaths of those close to him affect him more than he knows how to handle. He wants to help solve medical issues and find cures for diseases that are killing millions every year. Unfortunately, those in charge don’t want him to stop working on issues they want him to explore.

He refuses to work for any agency linked to the government and has to strike out on his own. He was used to being isolated, but well looked after, having all the facilities and both Harvard and MIT, their professors, staff and labs. Now all that has been taken away from him. He has faced many tragedies in his life so far, he has no real social interaction skills with those of a similar age to him due to his massive IQ which is hundreds of points over the smartest person ever tested and they can’t even tell if that’s a real reading for him, probably just a minimum level. He has been solving issues for his mentors and professors since his teens, but now they have been taken away abruptly, with instructions not to interact with him.

Those in charge thought this would bring him back into their fold, but they don’t know him and his mind very well. They do they can to find out what he is doing and to spy on his every action, but they aren’t the only ones who are interested in what he is doing. He is finding cures for diseases that the big pharmaceutical companies make their huge profits from. Each medicine that he out dates, by providing all the new medicines he invents for free or very low cost through his own foundation, are costings these companies billions! They are out for blood and add in some religious factions against medical interventions, he is becoming a huge target of hate, but from those suffering, he is a hero and a Miracle Man!

The book takes you through his life from a baby through to his late thirties and the problems he has, as the harder he pushes himself to succeed, the harder and more damaging his nightmares and absences become. There are a few strong women at the end of the book, who are key to his survival. One he has worked with at the lab office and the other met by what should have been chance, but was something else entirely. There is plenty mentions of mathematical, scientific and medical issues for the reader to overcome, but they are not overly technical in detail. Bobby wins plenty of Nobel Peace Prizes and becomes a recluse from the media and luckily ad his childhood records kept secret by the government.

An incident at the end of the book, leaves a lot of matters up in the air and makes you wonder what will happen in book two which is now available. I will have to get straight onto it! The first book leaves you with issues still to ponder over and wondering what will happen to Bobby and those he loves. Will there ever be any more technological advances in medicine? Where did Bobby’s intelligence come from and will he manage to keep sane or will this darkness and evil overtake him, as is suggested in parts? Once you get past his teens, the story really takes off and kept my attention, leaving me stuck in the house until I finished it! I thoroughly enjoyed the book and could see how these big companies would want to shoot down the little man, who has a cheaper solution. Also the government wanting control of its assets! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSirens and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Elaine Donadio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you imagine a world without Multiple Sclerosis and over eighty other auto immune diseases, ALS Lou Gehrig's Disease, Muscular Dystrophy, and Malaria to name a few? Our Miracle Man, Dr. Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in human history has made it all happen. You would think the world would worship at this feet. Instead, the robber barons of the pharmaceutical industry set out to destroy him as they watch their stock options grow more and more worthless.

Please remember, this is a work of fiction.

What's the connection? If people are no longer sick and dying, they no longer need medicine/ drugs. If they no longer need drugs, pharmaceutical sales plummet along with stock values. CEOs start trading down into smaller houses and forsake their limousines as they start cutting up their unnecessary credit cards to try to live within a budget. Can you picture it? Hence, the vendetta starts as attempts are made to destroy the reputation and the life of the Miracle Man who creates his own inexpensive treatments for the average person, refusing to unduly profit from the suffering and misfortunes of others.

Young Bobby is an abandoned baby who is lucky enough to be adopted by a loving couple. When Bobby is four years old his genius results in his being sent to a special boarding school for genius children. He is isolated from family and friends. Even in this setting, Bobby out scores his classmates with an IQ of over 500. He tends toward melancholy as he struggles against himself. After some time, Bobby loses all those who love him and whom he loves. Eventually, Harvard and MIT demand he work on the space and armament programs and forcibly evict him when he refuses. Tufts University welcomes him with open arms where he becomes a Nobel Prize winner multiple times over for his work in eradicating disease. Two women strongly support him through life and work,  not just figuratively, but also literally, as his divided personality begins to destroy his hold on reality. Becoming more and more trance like, Bobby then struggles to return to the world of the living after a near fatal attempt on his life. Will Bobby ever be the same?

The book keeps the reader's interest. I loved it in the beginning, but by the middle I liked it a lot. There are instances when time stands still with some repetitions and drawn out scenes of nothing. The minor characters are stereotypical, although often complex. Bobby's story unfolds slowly. The reader is left with an unsatisfactory end—the story stops, it actually does not end—making way for what I believe will be a sequel.

The author must have done an unbelievable amount of research to explain the medical, chemical, and mathematical aspects of disease and cure. Even though this is a work of fiction, the thought processes and research spark one's mind to view problems in a different way and to entertain different solutions.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely powerful and though provoking novel that I could not put down. I had to keep following the incredible life of Robert James Austin as he fights the corrupt and greed of corporate America.

Robert had a very unique, sad and almost short start to life. He was left for dead as an infant and was rescued by a surprising saviour. This began his journey into foster care - he was one of the lucky ones and was welcomed into a beautiful, loving family. It became clear quite quickly how unique Robert truly was. While his foster parents knew he was special, they were more concerned about the dark side effects of this genius. Throughout the novel, we experience glimpses into this dark side and your heart aches for him. He puts far too much pressure on himself and his intelligence all in the aim to not waste the gift that he was given (it must have been a greater purpose that he was saved and received this gift?).

The government on the other hand sensed his raw potential and wanted to foster it. Trying to protect him but also balance the needs of his genius, Robert is sent to a special school for intelligent children. He not only shines, he excels in every subject. He pushes the brink of knowledge and what people held to be true. He comes up with new formulas, new discoveries and so much more. This all takes a toll on his mental health and physical well-being but the government did not care.

It is actually during a trip to volunteer at a children's cancer ward and through many conversations with the man who becomes like a father figure to him, that Robert realizes his true calling - discovery cures to diseases that kill and destroy the body.

He quickly becomes the greatest enemy of the government and the pharmacy industry, who have grown rich on disease. They would do anything to stop him (more so the pharmacy) but the government, while not happy with his choice, understand they need to protect their greatest asset. The pharmacy greed knows no boundaries as it becomes evident throughout the novel - including murder and bribery!

This was mind-blowing, get you thinking type of novel. You are in awe of his genius, his resilience but also worry for his well-being. You keep waiting for that one moment that it will all come crashing down, as one person can not carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. He is kindness and humbleness and this is shown through his acts of selflessness - instead of trying to profit off of his cures, he makes them available to all regardless of wealth. This is what we need more of in the world - protecting all members of our society. This is an amazing novel that I could not put down - I can not wait to start the second part, Austin Paradox - review coming soon!

[Stan Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miracle Man is the story of Robert James ("Bobby") Austin, who had a troubled beginning but was quickly discovered to have extraordinary intellectual powers. As he grows and his intellectual capacity matures, he becomes focused on eradicating the world of disease.

And therein is the conflict - pitting Austin and his lab against big Pharma which survives only on the fact that there are diseases for which symptoms need to be controlled. This is quite a creative and unique twist on the prototypical medical thriller. There are other pieces to the story, of course, including 3-letter government agencies, a love interest and the constant inner struggle that Bobby deals with throughout the story.

You will have to read this for yourself to see how this plays out. What made this all the more enjoyable was the ending which was a surprising shock to me.

This was an easy read which I finished in only a couple of days. The characters were introduced and developed very well, the action moved at a good pace and it was easy to follow the interwoven stories.

If I had one nit to pick it is more with the characterization of the book as a psychological/medical/conspiracy thriller. I was originally drawn to Miracle Man because psychological thrillers are one of my favorite genres, but I don't think this is a psychological thriller. I waffle on whether I would call this a medical thriller. There are definitely elements of conspiracy.

The problem is not the adjective, but the label "thriller." I think the academic and intellectual prowess of the protagonist Bobby is overblown - oodles of PhDs and multiple Nobel Prizes - puts him out of touch with any reality. A "thriller" to me would be a story that is close enough to reality that it makes the storyline plausible. Robert Austin is not a plausible character and this nagged at me throughout the book; however, the conflict between scientific research and big pharma is real. The government interference is real. Austin is more a science fiction than a plausible character and that was a detractor for me.

Nevertheless, don't let that keep you from reading the book. It's a very entertaining read based on some creative and unique ideas. I'm already on the second book in the series, anxious to see what happens next.

Thanks to BookSirens and the author. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Angela Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miracle Man was not the science/medical thriller I expected. I think I was expecting a heavy, medical / science fiction thriller when I picked up this series. Instead, the author takes readers on a journey with twists and turns through the life of a brilliant man facing internal and external dilemmas. A large part of the book is devoted to establishing Robert's character as a genius. This development really allows readers to watch this character grow, change and respond to the world around him. This novel does have a focus on medical science and the medical genius creating miracles--but, it is more of a lighter read than a science or medical textbook. The author does a wonderful job of creating a story centered on an exceptional genius that average readers will understand and enjoy.

Miracle Man offers twists and surprises--and a life journey. As readers follow the main character from his early childhood through adulthood, they follow his journey. As Robert learns, experiences, grows, and changes as a man--the author incorporates real world greed, manipulation and dramatic ups and downs along the way to tell his story. Much of the story is predictable, but, there are some developments along the way to surprise readers--and entice readers to move on to the next book in the series.

Would I recommend Miracle Man by William R. Leibowitz? I truly enjoyed this novel--and plan to read the second novel in the series this week!. I felt for the main character as he fought to use his genius for a noble purpose--and I look forward to following him onto his next, perhaps not so noble, journey. Readers who enjoy reading about the gifted and finding life's purpose and talents--and who understand the greed and desire in the world to control gifted minds--will be intrigued by this novel. It is not a fast, action-packed thriller--but, was impossible to put down. Miracle Man is a novel that flows from stage to stage of the character's life with ease and leaves the reader more than willing to follow the author's words to another book of the series.

I received a copy of this book from the author or publisher for use in a blog review. All opinions are my own.

[Lauren Simko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was torn between a 1 star and 2 start rating, but I decided to go with 2 stars. I'll clarify why I made that decision in this review.

The positives (there aren't many) on this book are the plot and the end. I can only imagine how hard it is to develop characters and a plot and tie it all up in a bow, while leaving an opening for more if needed. The main character, Bobby, is an intriguing character and I found myself wanting to know what happened to him.

That's about it. Was the book even edited? There are so many errors...including the overuse of "awhile" with "a while" never used, and it looks like the author picked up a thesaurus and just randomly choose words to appear smarter.

I also had difficulty envisioning why the characters looked and acted the way they did, with a lot of error in their descriptions overall. As just one example, Bobby goes on vacation, described as super thin and falling apart, and within a week he is this attractive tanned guy with muscle tone. He never eats well and abuses his body but we're supposed to believe he is this extremely attractive person?

The inability to relate to women on a normal level hits home as well. The descriptions of Bobby's relationships is basically like a bad porn script, and do not provide any depth to the feelings or passions of true human encounters. Bobby goes on benders and women just flock to him because of....what exactly? Blue eyes? Money? He sure doesn't have an amazing personality as discussed multiple times. He's not supposed to have money, so what exactly makes this happen? The author needs to brush up on his knowledge of females and not have every good memory of Bobby's involve sex and alcohol.

The only reason I moved from 1 star to 2 stars is that the author genuinely surprised me. I purchased this novel a few years ago and finally got around to reading it. I'm glad I'm done because this is at the absolute bottom of my reads for 2020. I had high expectations that this would be a clever, well-written, action packed novel of an amazing character, and instead it left me angry and wanting the time back to invest in something else.

[Marilyn Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miracle Man is the first in series of books listed under the categories of mystery, thriller and suspense, but it's much more. For me there is a touch of sci-fi in its "what if" look at the future.

What if a super intelligent child grows up to focus selflessly on solving the riddle of illnesses with only treatments and no cures. What if he chooses to give away those cures away in a way that assures even the poorest of people would have access to them. Sounds like something the world would welcome - right? Unfortunately in Miracle Man the answer is no.

Robert James Austin - the genius trying to do just that - is plagued by the government men who made his accelerated education possible. They want him to use his intellect to give his country world superiority. Then there is the pharmaceutical industry desperate to halt the new cures as their deep profits rest on treatments that have to be taken for long periods of time at the high prices they set. Cures would mean losing millions of life-long customers.

The author warms the story up by winding by bringing in personal notes such as a wonderful mentor and later, a love interest. We also feel the personal toll to Robert's health and mental well-being as he disappears down the rabbit hole when he is fully immersed in new research. Then there is intrigue as we follow the government's dealings, as well as the danger he faces from a contract killer hired by a pharmaceutical czar. But there is also a significant part of this book that follows his research thoughts - first as he is growing up and making new discoveries, and then as he approaches finding a cures. And this part of the book does take a bit of patience.

Despite those slower sections, I enjoyed reading this book. And the end, when it comes, will surprise you.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

An infant is found in a dumpster in a plastic garbage bag. Thankfully, he is alive and healthy but there is so much media attention, he is unadoptable because prospective parents think something is probably wrong with the "dumpster baby." Eventually, a retired couple agrees to take him in as their last foster child and they name him Bobby. 

When he is a little older, it's discovered that Bobby's intelligence is off the charts. The government takes him to a facility where he can learn and have more resources available than if he were in a public school. Eventually, Bobby parts ways with the government because they want to use his intelligence for the military and Bobby wants to cure diseases.

Bobby ends up winning multiple Nobel prizes because of his work on many diseases. He's also on the radar of the government, pharmaceutical companies, crazies, and who knows who else. Bobby's safety is always at risk not just from others but his sanity is also at risk. From the beginning, doctors believed that he could end up losing his mind or entering one of his frequent trances and never coming out of it.  

It took me a while to get into Miracle Man. However, it is based on a unique idea and once Bobby was older it was difficult to put the book down. There were times that I skipped paragraphs because it got too technical about things that didn't affect the story. And it needs editing, mostly for missing quotation marks. Overall, though, it's definitely a book worth reading. And the end was a big surprise. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Austin Paradox.

[Debra Schoenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter and Edith Austin, who had successfully adopted and raised a large family and were now close to retirement, were were asked to adopt an abandoned baby.  They agreed, provided the child had no serious health issues.  When Bobby began to develop recurring nightmares they brought him to a doctor only to discover that their little boy's intelligence was so extraordinary that he was soon placed in a government sponsored institute for gifted children.

As it turns out, Bobby's IQ was off the chart.  Way off.   The government provided everything he needed to develop and grow his intellect.  But do the math and science skills Bobby possess come with a price?  

A thought-provoking plot as well as a glimpse into the workings of the different governmental organizations and  pharmaceutical companies provide an interesting backdrop to the story.  

Although the storyline was compelling and kept me turning the pages, there wasn't a lot of character development.  The romance and accompanying dialogue between Bobby and Christina was awkward and superficial and didn't sound very realistic. The characters were rather one-dimensional.

Although this is admittedly a work of fiction, there were some inaccuracies that could have been avoided with further research.  

At 420 pages, this was a bit of a clunker but the unusual plot kept my attention until the very end.  The cliffhanger was a complete surprise (please stay tuned:  there is a 461 page sequel!)

If you are looking for a psychological thriller / scifi drama, you're sure to enjoy this novel.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miracle Man is about one man who refuses to use his genius ability to harm others. When Robert James Austin is only four years old, he shows the potential for having the greatest mind the world has ever seen. At that moment Robert’s childhood ends, and he is taken in by greater powers to be raised as a weapon and for the gain of others. This is all he knows, but when he reaches adulthood, he is ready for change, ready to start making a positive difference in the world, and ready to have control over his own life. I found it very hard not to like the main character of this story. Robert James Austin might be smarter than anyone else on the planet, but he has a sincere desire to use his power for good. I liked that Robert wasn’t just a cocky, cold, no it all, as so many super geniuses are shown to be in fiction. It made him stand out more to me and made me feel much more for him as he went through his struggles of trying to understand what he is and feeling the pressure of having the world on his shoulders. I liked all of the complex layers of the book that made it so exciting. The superhuman intelligence and the mystery behind who and what Robert is, I found the government training program to be fun and interesting, and the danger of who is after Robert was thrilling and entertaining. It was just overall a great story, with well-developed characters that fully captured my attention from beginning to end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who reads medical or psychological thriller stories. A wonderful read that is most definitely worth five stars.

[Writers N Authors Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Miracle Man by William R. Leibowitz Book Review
The Miracle Man is a fast-paced psychological thriller perfect book every chapter gave you a deeper understanding of the genius Robert James Austin.  From the first chapter, this book draws you in it's a real page-turner The Miracle Man has intrigue and suspense. The author writes in an impressive twist of good vs evil. The book gives you a balanced mix of conspiracies (government and big pharmacy),  betrayal, and greed

I quickly fell in love with the characters, Bobby is adopted by the Austins to later find out they have adopted a gifted child, his IQ is off the charts. The government-sponsored Bobby's education, to develop and grow his intelligence.  The Miracle Man gives us a glimpse into the different governmental organizations.  The characters are all well developed, and each fits into the story well. 

I love the cover of The Miracle Man it draws you in. The writing is intense, at times I felt I was reading a non-fiction, you become so attached to Bobby your reading Bobbys story and growing with him, it's so well written I keep forgetting Miracle Man is fiction. 

I loved everything about this book!  I look forward to Mr. Leibowitz's next book

https://writersnauthors.com/miracle-m...

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miracle Man by William R. Leibowitz.
Rating ***** Highly recommended.
What can I add to the accolades this novel has so deservedly received. A thoroughly well researched, fabulously plotted novel with many twists and turns. Strong, amazing characters who come through the hardest of times albeit not unscathed. Sinister, devious and unsavoury, egotistical people who won’t let anything or anybody ruin their goals. Corporations who only care about their balance sheets or more precisely their profits failing in their duty to relieve the pain and suffering of humanity. Then there is Robert James Austin. Tormented by nightmares and demons, unable to deal with the loss of loved ones. Although cared for physically with every aid to develop his unique genius mentally he is left to continually struggle with the other side of this great gift. A magnificent gift he uses to help mankind.
From a baby, through his childhood, adolescence and adult life his struggles will tear at your heart. Thank heaven for the people who found him and loved him.
If you haven’t read Miracle Man do I think now. I can’t wait to read The Austin Paradox. Miracle Man.
Thank you to William R. Leibowitz your hard work and skills are appreciated. Thanks also to Mr Leibowitz’s publisher and also to BookSirens who gave me a copy in return for an honest review, which I have given.

[David Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert James Austin was left in a dumpster as a baby. The press called him the dumpster baby but eventually a nice family adopted him and now he is the world's greatest genius. The government found him at an early age and wanted him to help build weapon systems. After the death of one of his mentors though Robert decides to throw his superior intelligence into curing the world's diseases. This makes him an enemy of the government and the pharmaceutical companies. Robert doesn't know who he can trust anymore and there are powerful forces trying to stop him.


Miracle Man by Robert James Austin is a psychological medical thriller which is not your average read. This book has great characters and a great story but is very light on suspense and action which isn't to say its not good. There is a message here about how all life even if it seems insignificant is important and one about how the pharmaceutical companies make money off treating a disease but don't really want to find a cure. I also enjoyed how the book gets into how there is a balance in the universe between good and evil. This is a book that will really make you think it's like a superhero story without the costume.

[Nebulous · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Everything has its reciprocal, its opposite."

William R. Leibowitz's "Miracle Man" is an all encompassing book that transcends the label of book genres. It is a book that captures the spectrum of the human spirit through different lenses (the intelligent mind of Dr. Robert Austin, the Government Organisations and Intelligence Agencies) in the background of current societal norms, particularly with the business model of pharmaceutical companies. There is an element of a spiritual and humanistic messages that are woven through strong and memorable supporting characters which celebrates what makes us human. The level of research undertaken to demonstrate the genius of Dr. Austin is present in nearly every page and this book is a balance between science and faith. The ending caught me off guard for I was not ready to let this book go but I can't wait to dig into the next book an immerse myself in the spell-binding writing style of William R. Leibowitz. I don't think 5 stars is enough for a rating.

A thank you to BookSirens for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team of this book. This review is left voluntarily.