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The Pentacle Papers #1
The Hammond Conjecture
The Hammond Conjecture is an alternative history novel which explores themes of memory, identity and historical narrative. It is also a lot of fun.
Are you sure you know who you are? If your memories disappeared and were replaced with someone else’s, would you still be you? And what if those memories were not just from another person - but of a different world?
London 1982 – perhaps. Regaining consciousness in an isolation ward of catatonic patients, glimpsing the outside world only through a television news bulletin, that is the dilemma facing Hugh Hammond.
Gradually Hugh’s memories return – of his life as an MI6 officer a decade earlier. But in a world where Britain has been locked in a lonely Cold War against a Fascist-dominated Europe but is now being wooed by the Third Reich to join its European Community.
Are his memories false: delusions, or implanted as part of a mind-control experiment? Or was the television news fake – and if so, why? And what is the role of Carlton, the shadowy Intelligence officer who delivered him there?
Hugh types out his recollections: an adventure which takes him from an opium den in Limehouse, via a hippie encampment in British-occupied North France, to a State Reception for the Deputy Führer in the Durbar Court in Whitehall, and to a Le Carré-style climax in the divided city of Paris.
“Very well thought-out … Reminds me of Michael Moorcock’s earlier novels.” – Gary Gibson, leading British sci-fi writer.
Are you sure you know who you are? If your memories disappeared and were replaced with someone else’s, would you still be you? And what if those memories were not just from another person - but of a different world?
London 1982 – perhaps. Regaining consciousness in an isolation ward of catatonic patients, glimpsing the outside world only through a television news bulletin, that is the dilemma facing Hugh Hammond.
Gradually Hugh’s memories return – of his life as an MI6 officer a decade earlier. But in a world where Britain has been locked in a lonely Cold War against a Fascist-dominated Europe but is now being wooed by the Third Reich to join its European Community.
Are his memories false: delusions, or implanted as part of a mind-control experiment? Or was the television news fake – and if so, why? And what is the role of Carlton, the shadowy Intelligence officer who delivered him there?
Hugh types out his recollections: an adventure which takes him from an opium den in Limehouse, via a hippie encampment in British-occupied North France, to a State Reception for the Deputy Führer in the Durbar Court in Whitehall, and to a Le Carré-style climax in the divided city of Paris.
“Very well thought-out … Reminds me of Michael Moorcock’s earlier novels.” – Gary Gibson, leading British sci-fi writer.
- GenresTime Travel
389 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2019
6 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 30, 2022
Read for SPSFC Semifinalists!
Overall Thoughts
Several other judges ended up DNFing this one, and I can see why that happened. This story toes the line with very unlikeable characters, an alternate history with uncomfortable events and ideologies, and sexist views. However, it’s also done in a way that completely shows the author knows these are bad things and does not condone the characters’ choices. I have some issues with this, as on the one hand science fiction and fantasy is supposed to open our eyes to other points of view and act as admonition for what could happen. On the other hand, there’s always the option not to write that particular tale. But enough philosophizing. Let’s get to the story.
Plot
The plot is a little dense at the beginning, starting with a mental patient who seems to be creating an alternate reality. The mental ward has some of the tropes of abuse and drug use, and the alternate history is rife with a fascist agenda. It makes sense, as we learn that the splitting point is somewhere around WWII and involves a peace agreement with Germany. I grew warmer to the whole topic as the book progressed, and I think it makes some very good correlations certain events that are happening today and how societies might progress, but it takes some constitution to get through part of the story.
Setting
This was the most enjoyable part of the story for me. There’s an excellent mystery in how the alternate history formed, how it’s being reported in this reality, and delving into what exactly happened and how event progressed. There’s obviously a lot of research behind the scenes on people and events, and it makes an interesting tapestry of what could have been. I honestly enjoyed the alternate history (as terrible as it was), except, of course, for the characters…
Character
So! I have many thoughts about the characters and I’m not entirely sure what to do with them. To start, the main character is terrible. Like morally a bad person. He’s sexist, racist, vengeful, prone to violence, and an idiot to boot. However, this is literally in the blurb. The other characters note these things about him. It’s no secret. There are many other mistreated marginalized populations, as one might expect in a fascist alternate history. The story unfolds precisely because the character is this way, and otherwise we wouldn’t have the information. He’s a James Bond wannabe, including the over sexualized fantasies (and some realities) with women. That brings me back to my very first point: this book is an intriguing story, but it intrinsically deals with some problematic elements, simply by its nature, and that’s going to turn some people off. If you would like to read a really cool alternate history exploring topics that are hard to read, but also coming to light in current events, then maybe give this one a try.
Score out of 10 (My personal score, not the final contest score)
Great concept and alternate history, but with unlikeable characters and problematic themes and elements. A bit of a hard read. 6.75/10.
Overall Thoughts
Several other judges ended up DNFing this one, and I can see why that happened. This story toes the line with very unlikeable characters, an alternate history with uncomfortable events and ideologies, and sexist views. However, it’s also done in a way that completely shows the author knows these are bad things and does not condone the characters’ choices. I have some issues with this, as on the one hand science fiction and fantasy is supposed to open our eyes to other points of view and act as admonition for what could happen. On the other hand, there’s always the option not to write that particular tale. But enough philosophizing. Let’s get to the story.
Plot
The plot is a little dense at the beginning, starting with a mental patient who seems to be creating an alternate reality. The mental ward has some of the tropes of abuse and drug use, and the alternate history is rife with a fascist agenda. It makes sense, as we learn that the splitting point is somewhere around WWII and involves a peace agreement with Germany. I grew warmer to the whole topic as the book progressed, and I think it makes some very good correlations certain events that are happening today and how societies might progress, but it takes some constitution to get through part of the story.
Setting
This was the most enjoyable part of the story for me. There’s an excellent mystery in how the alternate history formed, how it’s being reported in this reality, and delving into what exactly happened and how event progressed. There’s obviously a lot of research behind the scenes on people and events, and it makes an interesting tapestry of what could have been. I honestly enjoyed the alternate history (as terrible as it was), except, of course, for the characters…
Character
So! I have many thoughts about the characters and I’m not entirely sure what to do with them. To start, the main character is terrible. Like morally a bad person. He’s sexist, racist, vengeful, prone to violence, and an idiot to boot. However, this is literally in the blurb. The other characters note these things about him. It’s no secret. There are many other mistreated marginalized populations, as one might expect in a fascist alternate history. The story unfolds precisely because the character is this way, and otherwise we wouldn’t have the information. He’s a James Bond wannabe, including the over sexualized fantasies (and some realities) with women. That brings me back to my very first point: this book is an intriguing story, but it intrinsically deals with some problematic elements, simply by its nature, and that’s going to turn some people off. If you would like to read a really cool alternate history exploring topics that are hard to read, but also coming to light in current events, then maybe give this one a try.
Score out of 10 (My personal score, not the final contest score)
Great concept and alternate history, but with unlikeable characters and problematic themes and elements. A bit of a hard read. 6.75/10.
June 12, 2021
Hugh Hammond is an everyman, who thinks with every organ other than his brain. And unfortunately, the fate of Europe lies in his hands.
He wakes in an isolation ward with no recollection of his past. Encouraged to dredge up memories by writing, the confused man diligently types away. But the emerging memories recount an impossible history in which WWII ended by 1941. Europe stultifies under Nazi rule while Britain continues to appease. The author does an excellent job of describing the ramifications of an early treaty between Great Britain and Nazi Germany, clear even to a reader with no detailed knowledge of WWII history.
And Hammond's decade-old memories of his spy career are beyond embarrassing. He's an anti-James Bond with a talent for making unfortunate choices. Fortunately for the reader, many of these choices and much of the dialogue are quietly hilarious. And the alternate Europe in which the spy-action occurs is believable and depicted in detail.
While he languishes in home for incurables and relives his spy years, the mystery of how Hammond bounced from 1970 to 1980 is slowly revealed...
This novel will interest alternate fiction and time travel readers, as well as those who enjoy thrillers. The ending is left open and seems like a sequel is on its way. I appreciated the professional-level editing and formatting.
He wakes in an isolation ward with no recollection of his past. Encouraged to dredge up memories by writing, the confused man diligently types away. But the emerging memories recount an impossible history in which WWII ended by 1941. Europe stultifies under Nazi rule while Britain continues to appease. The author does an excellent job of describing the ramifications of an early treaty between Great Britain and Nazi Germany, clear even to a reader with no detailed knowledge of WWII history.
And Hammond's decade-old memories of his spy career are beyond embarrassing. He's an anti-James Bond with a talent for making unfortunate choices. Fortunately for the reader, many of these choices and much of the dialogue are quietly hilarious. And the alternate Europe in which the spy-action occurs is believable and depicted in detail.
While he languishes in home for incurables and relives his spy years, the mystery of how Hammond bounced from 1970 to 1980 is slowly revealed...
This novel will interest alternate fiction and time travel readers, as well as those who enjoy thrillers. The ending is left open and seems like a sequel is on its way. I appreciated the professional-level editing and formatting.
Read
December 25, 2021This is two (or possibly more) stories rolled into one, told fully from the viewpoint of Hugh Hammond, the titular character. We first meet him as a resident of what is supposedly a rehabilitation centre. But he's not sure how he got there, whether his carers are lying to him or victims of a wider conspiracy, or even who he is, really. The memories that come back to him are of a world where Britain is uneasily at peace with a Nazi-dominated Europe, in which Hammond worked for the Intelligence Service.
I enjoyed the presentation of an alternate history, and seeing what consequences might have arisen. Hammond himself, I found irritating, moreso because the book is in first person perspective, so we were permanently inside his head. There was some minor amusement in his total haplessness—obviously humour is very subjective. But it became very predictable that he was going to do the chaos-generating thing wherever possible, or stumble into some coincidence, or get interrupted repeatedly, or his train of thought trailed off just as he was about to say something impor... You get my meaning. But the scrapes he got into were interesting enough to keep reading.
The setting and concepts put me in mind of Moorcock's Cornelius Chronicles, although Hammond would have been more at home in The Chinese Agent instead.
I enjoyed the presentation of an alternate history, and seeing what consequences might have arisen. Hammond himself, I found irritating, moreso because the book is in first person perspective, so we were permanently inside his head. There was some minor amusement in his total haplessness—obviously humour is very subjective. But it became very predictable that he was going to do the chaos-generating thing wherever possible, or stumble into some coincidence, or get interrupted repeatedly, or his train of thought trailed off just as he was about to say something impor... You get my meaning. But the scrapes he got into were interesting enough to keep reading.
The setting and concepts put me in mind of Moorcock's Cornelius Chronicles, although Hammond would have been more at home in The Chinese Agent instead.
February 9, 2020
This was not my usual choice of reading, but it was recommended to me.
I had no idea what to expect, as I didn’t read the blurb, but quickly found myself turning the pages.
It is an intriguing mystery tale, exploring a phenomenon that could just be possible, if you accept the premise that unfolds in the story. It is well-written and, after the initial opening, gathers pace and kept me reading.
I will be looking out for the sequel, which will hopefully continue to follow the exploits of the hapless hero.
I had no idea what to expect, as I didn’t read the blurb, but quickly found myself turning the pages.
It is an intriguing mystery tale, exploring a phenomenon that could just be possible, if you accept the premise that unfolds in the story. It is well-written and, after the initial opening, gathers pace and kept me reading.
I will be looking out for the sequel, which will hopefully continue to follow the exploits of the hapless hero.
July 10, 2023
A superbly crafted tale! This was a real joy to read! So well written, all though a little gritty at times, great but scary ideas, well rounded characters! Overall a brilliant story! An excellent escape! I do strongly recommend this writers work & look forward to reading more of his works in the future!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews