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The Didymus Contingency - Tenth Anniversary Edition
If you could go back in time...and witness any event...where would you go?
When Dr. Tom Greenbaum faces that question after successfully discovering the secret to time travel, he knows the time, place and event he will witness: the death and failed resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Dr. David Goodman, Tom's colleague and closest friend, follows Tom into the past, attempting to avert a time-space catastrophe. Forces beyond their control toss them into a dangerous end game, where they are tempted by evil characters, betrayed by friends, pursued by an assassin from the future and haunted by a demon that cannot be killed.
This Tenth Anniversary Edition of The Didymus Contingency contains freshly edited text with a new premium layout and author's note detailing how the screenplay that nearly became a movie, became a novel instead.
When Dr. Tom Greenbaum faces that question after successfully discovering the secret to time travel, he knows the time, place and event he will witness: the death and failed resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Dr. David Goodman, Tom's colleague and closest friend, follows Tom into the past, attempting to avert a time-space catastrophe. Forces beyond their control toss them into a dangerous end game, where they are tempted by evil characters, betrayed by friends, pursued by an assassin from the future and haunted by a demon that cannot be killed.
This Tenth Anniversary Edition of The Didymus Contingency contains freshly edited text with a new premium layout and author's note detailing how the screenplay that nearly became a movie, became a novel instead.
334 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
163 people are currently reading
2474 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Robinson
163 books2,596 followersJeremy Robinson is the New York Times bestselling author of seventy novels and novellas, including Apocalypse Machine, Island 731, and SecondWorld, as well as the Jack Sigler thriller series and Project Nemesis, the highest selling, original (non-licensed) kaiju novel of all time. He’s known for mixing elements of science, history and mythology, which has earned him the #1 spot in Science Fiction and Action-Adventure, and secured him as the top creature feature author. Many of his novels have been adapted into comic books, optioned for film and TV, and translated into thirteen languages. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children. Visit him at www.bewareofmonsters.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
January 29, 2020
This is the 10th consecutive Jeremy Robinson book that I've read, all as part of gearing up for Project Legion. I've had a great time; all of his books are a lot of fun. Until now. This was absolutely horrible. Time travel is my favorite genre, so I was really looking forward to this, even though it was going to be set during biblical times. As an atheist / former christian I really didn't have any desire to read a religious book. But after reading 9 books by the author, I felt pretty confident that it would be just another adventure set in the middle east.
Nope.
There were multiple discussions about how great the world is now because of Jesus. I was expecting there to be some twist about Jesus - perhaps he was an alien? another time traveler? Maybe the twist would be that the question about Jesus' divinity would remain unseen, unanswered, unclear?
Sadly, no. This was a blatant christian story written espressly to show the author's religious views. If this had been the first Jeremy Robinson book I'd read it would've been the last. As it is, I'm seriously having second thoughts about reading any more, and I have 20+ of his books in my to-read list.
Putting aside the religious aspect, this is also a book in bad need of an editor. As others here have mentioned, it was filled with mispellings and plot holes that any decent editor would've caught.
All in all a huge disappointment from an author I was really enjoying.
Nope.
There were multiple discussions about how great the world is now because of Jesus. I was expecting there to be some twist about Jesus - perhaps he was an alien? another time traveler? Maybe the twist would be that the question about Jesus' divinity would remain unseen, unanswered, unclear?
Sadly, no. This was a blatant christian story written espressly to show the author's religious views. If this had been the first Jeremy Robinson book I'd read it would've been the last. As it is, I'm seriously having second thoughts about reading any more, and I have 20+ of his books in my to-read list.
Putting aside the religious aspect, this is also a book in bad need of an editor. As others here have mentioned, it was filled with mispellings and plot holes that any decent editor would've caught.
All in all a huge disappointment from an author I was really enjoying.
October 9, 2010
Story itself might have been a bit creative and interesting, but I couldn't get past the 28 typos in ~250 pages! AND I was being very generous with my counting--I didn't even consider the lack of appropriate or consistent use of hyphens, for instance. However, I couldn't help but notice that our author or publisher (most likely both) can't tell the difference between "than" and "then" or "women" and "woman" (although, I must add that "men" and "man" didn't seem to be an issue with him....). My favorite typo would have to be "riffle" for "rifle." Classic! I cannot believe that someone earned MY money off of this!
June 5, 2012
In The Didymus Contingency by Jeremy Robinson Dr. Tom Greenbaum and Dr. David Goodman discover the secret to time travel. Their future selves send back watches that are actually devices that make time travel a reality. After a drunken celebration, Tom, whose wife was killed for her Christian beliefs, ends up traveling back in time to prove that Christianity is a farce and Jesus was just another man. David follows trying to help his friend, but, unknown to either of them, other malevolent forces are at work. Even while they are living in a historical past right out of the Bible, they are being pursued by an assassin from our time.
Even though The Didymus Contingency could be construed to be strictly a Christian novel, it actually nicely blends science fiction into a traditional time travel format. While the events in the book follow the Biblical account of Jesus' life, the story is also a well executed science fiction/action-adventure novel.
The format I read was the newest re-release on my Kindle, so, as far as I saw, the original typos and errors spoken of concerning earlier editions were all corrected. I actually have enjoy other books by Robinson so I was expecting the writing to be good and the story to be compelling and full of action.
I really enjoyed The Didymus Contingency. Admittedly I also appreciated the tie in to the Biblical account of the life of Christ, but I really think this novel could be appreciated by most science fiction fans. It was also a great airplane/vacation read. Very Highly Recommended; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
Even though The Didymus Contingency could be construed to be strictly a Christian novel, it actually nicely blends science fiction into a traditional time travel format. While the events in the book follow the Biblical account of Jesus' life, the story is also a well executed science fiction/action-adventure novel.
The format I read was the newest re-release on my Kindle, so, as far as I saw, the original typos and errors spoken of concerning earlier editions were all corrected. I actually have enjoy other books by Robinson so I was expecting the writing to be good and the story to be compelling and full of action.
I really enjoyed The Didymus Contingency. Admittedly I also appreciated the tie in to the Biblical account of the life of Christ, but I really think this novel could be appreciated by most science fiction fans. It was also a great airplane/vacation read. Very Highly Recommended; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
March 27, 2009
Most likely one of the worst books I've ever read. The dialogue is poor. The writing is atrocious. One of the primary characters comes across as just absolutely stupid - yet he's supposed to be a genius and assists in making the actual time machine. There are a ridiculous amount of holes in the story. It's simply a religious diatribe dressed up as sci-fi. I've no problem with the religious aspect. But I do think that some people would consider it almost blasphemy how some of the disciples are portrayed as being slow-witted. Credit to the author for a very original idea. Boos to the author for not being able to write the story well.
January 29, 2016
Spoiler alert - don't read this until you've read the book :-)
The most glaring thing about this book is it's ignorance of history. The characters think, "I want to see Jesus, so I'll just go back to 28 AD, 28 years after the exact date of this birth." It doesn't work that way. The Christian calendar was instated hundreds of years after Jesus' birth, and is at best an estimate.
The author follows the Bible like it's a script, with everything happening in the exact order and everyone saying and doing everything exactly like the modern Bible says. Even the Gospels don't agree on some things, and they were written at least 30 years AFTER Jesus' death. The New Testament is not a historical document, it is a religious document, and should not be taken as historical fact. Following the Bible this closely took all the fun out of the book. Everyone knows how it's going to end.
When it became obvious that the author was going to piggy-back on the Bible to the letter, and when the character named "Tom" (who happens to be a bit of a "doubter") was chosen as a disciple, the ending of the book became wrapped in a nice little bow on about page 50. There is no reason to read on from there because the reader already knows how it's going to play out.
When the characters go back in time the third person they meet is THE Jesus! First, the name Jesus was a popular Jewish name in that era, so of course someone named Jesus will be on every street corner. If you say, "I'm looking for Jesus," you'd find plenty of them, but not THE Jesus. Second, since the dates in the Bible aren't clear, it would be impossible to find anyone without a lot of investigation.
There are a few prejudices in this book that I found offensive:
-all "hicks" are violent idiots
-all business executives are at best jerks and at worst evil
-all non-believers are wrong and know absolutely nothing about Christianity
-all military people are violent killers
Making all of the "bad guys" possessed by demons was a strange thing for the author to do. The "devil made me do it" attitude takes the responsibility of doing bad things away from the characters. When you do bad things are you possessed by the devil? No, you just made a bad decision. In this book's case it took all remaining unpredictability out of the plot.
There is a point where the characters say the world would be terrible without Christianity. The U.S., the greatest nation ever in the history of the universe wouldn't exist! Come on!! First, we are not a Christian nation. We have freedom of and from religion. Second, if Christianity hadn't existed something else would have taken it's place. The world could have been better without Christianity or it could have been worse.
There is a decent underlying story in this book, it's just under too many layers of Christian propaganda to shine. It's hidden under a bushel!
The most glaring thing about this book is it's ignorance of history. The characters think, "I want to see Jesus, so I'll just go back to 28 AD, 28 years after the exact date of this birth." It doesn't work that way. The Christian calendar was instated hundreds of years after Jesus' birth, and is at best an estimate.
The author follows the Bible like it's a script, with everything happening in the exact order and everyone saying and doing everything exactly like the modern Bible says. Even the Gospels don't agree on some things, and they were written at least 30 years AFTER Jesus' death. The New Testament is not a historical document, it is a religious document, and should not be taken as historical fact. Following the Bible this closely took all the fun out of the book. Everyone knows how it's going to end.
When it became obvious that the author was going to piggy-back on the Bible to the letter, and when the character named "Tom" (who happens to be a bit of a "doubter") was chosen as a disciple, the ending of the book became wrapped in a nice little bow on about page 50. There is no reason to read on from there because the reader already knows how it's going to play out.
When the characters go back in time the third person they meet is THE Jesus! First, the name Jesus was a popular Jewish name in that era, so of course someone named Jesus will be on every street corner. If you say, "I'm looking for Jesus," you'd find plenty of them, but not THE Jesus. Second, since the dates in the Bible aren't clear, it would be impossible to find anyone without a lot of investigation.
There are a few prejudices in this book that I found offensive:
-all "hicks" are violent idiots
-all business executives are at best jerks and at worst evil
-all non-believers are wrong and know absolutely nothing about Christianity
-all military people are violent killers
Making all of the "bad guys" possessed by demons was a strange thing for the author to do. The "devil made me do it" attitude takes the responsibility of doing bad things away from the characters. When you do bad things are you possessed by the devil? No, you just made a bad decision. In this book's case it took all remaining unpredictability out of the plot.
There is a point where the characters say the world would be terrible without Christianity. The U.S., the greatest nation ever in the history of the universe wouldn't exist! Come on!! First, we are not a Christian nation. We have freedom of and from religion. Second, if Christianity hadn't existed something else would have taken it's place. The world could have been better without Christianity or it could have been worse.
There is a decent underlying story in this book, it's just under too many layers of Christian propaganda to shine. It's hidden under a bushel!
May 13, 2014
Straw man skeptic meets Jesus
This is a time travel story used as a device to retell selected stories from the New Testament. The time travel technology, never explained, serves merely to put modern characters in contact with Jesus.
It's quite clear that the author has no doubts about Jesus's miraculous powers. The only character in the book that doubts Jesus is the token skeptic--even the authorial voice simply states Jesus's acts as facts. If the author really wanted to take us through the experience of a conversion from nonbeliever to believer, he might have set up the story so that the reader actually has reason to suspect that the skeptic might be right. He could contrast the apparent wisdom of Jesus with the possibility that he is a fraud. Then, in the end, create a situation where the skeptic verifies that Jesus is in fact dead and then experiences the resurrection in a situation that leaves no doubt.
As it is, the story presents the skeptic as a straw man who is ignorant of even the most basic elements of the Jesus story, which seems highly improbable. He is an Israeli, who was married to a devout Christian woman, and who lived in the United States for more than 10 years. He has an advanced degree. How is it that he doesn't know who Judas is? Or the Pharisees? This is appalling writing--the author is either ignorant of what real skeptics are like, or chooses to set up a straw man.
If you are a Christian and you want to recommend a book to a nonbeliever that you think might change their mind -- don't. This book provides no new perspectives and takes a stance that will alienate your non-believing friend. Try C. S. Lewis instead.
This is a time travel story used as a device to retell selected stories from the New Testament. The time travel technology, never explained, serves merely to put modern characters in contact with Jesus.
It's quite clear that the author has no doubts about Jesus's miraculous powers. The only character in the book that doubts Jesus is the token skeptic--even the authorial voice simply states Jesus's acts as facts. If the author really wanted to take us through the experience of a conversion from nonbeliever to believer, he might have set up the story so that the reader actually has reason to suspect that the skeptic might be right. He could contrast the apparent wisdom of Jesus with the possibility that he is a fraud. Then, in the end, create a situation where the skeptic verifies that Jesus is in fact dead and then experiences the resurrection in a situation that leaves no doubt.
As it is, the story presents the skeptic as a straw man who is ignorant of even the most basic elements of the Jesus story, which seems highly improbable. He is an Israeli, who was married to a devout Christian woman, and who lived in the United States for more than 10 years. He has an advanced degree. How is it that he doesn't know who Judas is? Or the Pharisees? This is appalling writing--the author is either ignorant of what real skeptics are like, or chooses to set up a straw man.
If you are a Christian and you want to recommend a book to a nonbeliever that you think might change their mind -- don't. This book provides no new perspectives and takes a stance that will alienate your non-believing friend. Try C. S. Lewis instead.
August 10, 2014
Several things made me a little apprehensive of this book at first. I wasn't for sure how I would like reading about Jesus as a character in a work of fiction. Also, I thought this might be just a lot of sermonizing with little substance.
Well I was pleased on all accounts. This is a well told story that is able to mix modern world views in an historical fictional setting. The time travel element was well done and did not make the error of trying to over explain the science. The characters were great, I absolutely love the relationship between the believer and the atheist; their friendship was real and it was refreshing to see (in our increasing polarized society).
The story line does follow the chronology on the New Testament with a lot of behind the scenes action. While at some point I begin to suspect the ending it did not diminish my enjoyment in the least. I guess believers might enjoy this more than non believers but I really did think it was a good story.
Well I was pleased on all accounts. This is a well told story that is able to mix modern world views in an historical fictional setting. The time travel element was well done and did not make the error of trying to over explain the science. The characters were great, I absolutely love the relationship between the believer and the atheist; their friendship was real and it was refreshing to see (in our increasing polarized society).
The story line does follow the chronology on the New Testament with a lot of behind the scenes action. While at some point I begin to suspect the ending it did not diminish my enjoyment in the least. I guess believers might enjoy this more than non believers but I really did think it was a good story.
August 26, 2013
If you could time travel back to 30AD and spend time with Jesus, would you? If you didn't believe that he was truly God, that he performed miracles, would you want to see with your own eyes?
I really enjoyed this time travel/religious thriller, an early book from Jeremy Robinson. Legion was particularly good, I almost wanted it to go into horror territory.
I really enjoyed this time travel/religious thriller, an early book from Jeremy Robinson. Legion was particularly good, I almost wanted it to go into horror territory.
November 19, 2016
I just love this author and all his books.
February 5, 2021
100% Awesome!!! Highly recommend this title and this author! Very impressive and thought provoking title.
March 17, 2018
I have to admit...I'm late getting to this, the first novel by Jeremy Robinson. I'm not sure why it took me so long. It's right up my alley in terms of my interests...time travel and biblical accounts. I've read most of Robinson's books with gusto. But for some reason, this book wasn't much of a priority on my list of books to read. What a mistake that was! I absolutely loved it! And honestly, after reading this book, it's no wonder that Robinson went on to become one of my favorite authors out there.
One of the things that struck me most was the insight he had into the biblical account of Jesus's ministry. Even more, was the insight he had into a few of Jesus's personal relationships with His disciples and with his friends. I have a Master's Degree in Biblical Studies. I specialized in the New Testament. And while Robinson did take artistic liberties in creating this tale (it's a time travel story...focused on a period in history in which we have little recorded. How could he not take liberties?), much of it was very well researched and depicted accurately. I was completely intrigued with his portrayal of Judas, in particular. Especially the enigmatic account of his part in the Last Supper. In Scripture, the scene where Jesus hands Judas the bread, indicating who will betray him, isn't very clear. But Robinson's portrayal of this event is believable and as good a guess as anyone could make.
Furthermore, I read one negative review that criticized the book for flat characters and nothing but fast-paced action. Really? The action is what it's all about. Want a coming of age story of someone overcoming impossible personal odds to cope with something? Find a literary fiction book. This is a thriller. Action is where it's at! However, I'll say that I enjoyed the characters in this story...good and evil characters alike. But no matter how well-developed characters are, without action in a thriller novel, the author would have failed miserably. Thankfully, Robinson knows his action very well.
Other negative reviews of this book have focused on the lack of time paradoxes, I personally say, "Bravo!" I loved this story because of the fact that Robinson used a different approach to time travel than most sci-fi stories. Whereas, in Doctor Who, there are certain fixed points in time that can't be changed, Robinson posits that all of time is fixed. This, to me, makes the most sense...especially if the universe is created by an all-powerful and organized God (which I believe).
Of course, this brings us to the topic most of the negative reviews seem to harp on. It's Christian perspective. I'm sorry. Did these readers NOT read the book's description? How could you not know what you were getting when you read it? I don't fault a person who doesn't like the story for its theistic worldview. That is a matter of taste and choice. But I don't understand how people can penalize an author for writing what is on his heart. I've read tons of books by authors who attempt to tear the Christian faith apart. I've never once written a negative review because of that fact. Still, I personally loved the Christian viewpoint in this tale, and will wholeheartedly spread the word of the wonders of The Didymus Contingency to all my friends and family. As a matter of fact, I've already bought a paperback edition specifically to give to my mother. And in my opinion, there should be no greater compliment to Mr. Robinson than that.
Oh, side note: I also listened to the Audible edition of this book, narrated by R.C. Bray. Once again, Mr. Bray killed it. His performance was top notch. His vocalization and characterizations were superb. Especially his portrayal of the demon-horde, Legion. Amazing!
One of the things that struck me most was the insight he had into the biblical account of Jesus's ministry. Even more, was the insight he had into a few of Jesus's personal relationships with His disciples and with his friends. I have a Master's Degree in Biblical Studies. I specialized in the New Testament. And while Robinson did take artistic liberties in creating this tale (it's a time travel story...focused on a period in history in which we have little recorded. How could he not take liberties?), much of it was very well researched and depicted accurately. I was completely intrigued with his portrayal of Judas, in particular. Especially the enigmatic account of his part in the Last Supper. In Scripture, the scene where Jesus hands Judas the bread, indicating who will betray him, isn't very clear. But Robinson's portrayal of this event is believable and as good a guess as anyone could make.
Furthermore, I read one negative review that criticized the book for flat characters and nothing but fast-paced action. Really? The action is what it's all about. Want a coming of age story of someone overcoming impossible personal odds to cope with something? Find a literary fiction book. This is a thriller. Action is where it's at! However, I'll say that I enjoyed the characters in this story...good and evil characters alike. But no matter how well-developed characters are, without action in a thriller novel, the author would have failed miserably. Thankfully, Robinson knows his action very well.
Other negative reviews of this book have focused on the lack of time paradoxes, I personally say, "Bravo!" I loved this story because of the fact that Robinson used a different approach to time travel than most sci-fi stories. Whereas, in Doctor Who, there are certain fixed points in time that can't be changed, Robinson posits that all of time is fixed. This, to me, makes the most sense...especially if the universe is created by an all-powerful and organized God (which I believe).
Of course, this brings us to the topic most of the negative reviews seem to harp on. It's Christian perspective. I'm sorry. Did these readers NOT read the book's description? How could you not know what you were getting when you read it? I don't fault a person who doesn't like the story for its theistic worldview. That is a matter of taste and choice. But I don't understand how people can penalize an author for writing what is on his heart. I've read tons of books by authors who attempt to tear the Christian faith apart. I've never once written a negative review because of that fact. Still, I personally loved the Christian viewpoint in this tale, and will wholeheartedly spread the word of the wonders of The Didymus Contingency to all my friends and family. As a matter of fact, I've already bought a paperback edition specifically to give to my mother. And in my opinion, there should be no greater compliment to Mr. Robinson than that.
Oh, side note: I also listened to the Audible edition of this book, narrated by R.C. Bray. Once again, Mr. Bray killed it. His performance was top notch. His vocalization and characterizations were superb. Especially his portrayal of the demon-horde, Legion. Amazing!
April 7, 2019
This is a special 10th Anniversary release of one of Robinson's earliest works, and even in this story you can see the promise of the excellent storyteller he would become. This was back during Robinson's more explicitly Christian writing days, and he comes through with a fresh look at the single most famous man in history. The time travel aspects are also done really well, with a rare and fairly fresh take on the idea.
The original edition of this continues to be one of my favorite books from Robinson, and indeed it was the very first book of his I ever read - I've now read all but less than a handful. Yes, it was that good that it got me hooked for about four dozen books over the last decade. You really can't go wrong with this book - even if you're not a Christian. It is simply an amazing story that has stood the test of time. (And hey... maybe it could yet be used in his Avengers Level Event he recently kicked off in another book...)
The original edition of this continues to be one of my favorite books from Robinson, and indeed it was the very first book of his I ever read - I've now read all but less than a handful. Yes, it was that good that it got me hooked for about four dozen books over the last decade. You really can't go wrong with this book - even if you're not a Christian. It is simply an amazing story that has stood the test of time. (And hey... maybe it could yet be used in his Avengers Level Event he recently kicked off in another book...)
February 29, 2016
Like David Goodman, the parts of the story that are also recorded in the Bible, I already knew. And, initially calling Jesus the rugged man, should have been an easy catch for most knowledgeable Christians to get right away. That being said, I found the story quite entertaining - I laughed - I cried - but most of all, I was drawn into the story. Weaving a fictional story into facts recorded in the Bible isn't new. Nevertheless, the story jumped off the pages as I was reading it and I felt like the characters (especially the biblical characters) were more colourful and lifelike. Jesus was made to look more down to earth and human. A person many of us could see ourself being close to in real life.
Using human suffering as a means for glorifying God is a hard pill to swallow - even for many Christians. In my opinion, however, the author did a satisfactory job responding to the often misunderstood issue without the need to elaborate. After all, this is a fictional novel. I would have provided more mystery, but this isn't my story to tell. I gave it four stars because I more than just liked it.
Using human suffering as a means for glorifying God is a hard pill to swallow - even for many Christians. In my opinion, however, the author did a satisfactory job responding to the often misunderstood issue without the need to elaborate. After all, this is a fictional novel. I would have provided more mystery, but this isn't my story to tell. I gave it four stars because I more than just liked it.
July 7, 2021
Tom and David have invented time travel. Tom, bitter about his wife's death from 20 years before, goes back in time in drunken anger prove Jesus was a fraud. His friend, David, goes back to stop him. What happens is a great adventure back in time with one surprise after another.
I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this. I was afraid it would be another one of those books that has come out where there's some mysterious document or happening that proves Jesus as a fraud. However, it wasn't. It was refreshingly pleasing to read. I loved that way the author knit together the past and the present in everything that happened. It makes it more delicious if you know the gospels--although you will have to suspend belief about a few things, but the main truth is true. I think even one who doesn't believe in Jesus will agree it's a satisfying book.
I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this. I was afraid it would be another one of those books that has come out where there's some mysterious document or happening that proves Jesus as a fraud. However, it wasn't. It was refreshingly pleasing to read. I loved that way the author knit together the past and the present in everything that happened. It makes it more delicious if you know the gospels--although you will have to suspend belief about a few things, but the main truth is true. I think even one who doesn't believe in Jesus will agree it's a satisfying book.
January 13, 2016
Rarely do we watch a movie that compares with the book. Having read the Bible and having a fair understanding of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, I was hesitant to read this book-what if it doesn't measure up to the original story of the Bible? I took the gamble and was not disappointed. The story had the Sci-fi that I like and managed to entangle it with the Gospels that I love. It did so effortlessly and seamlessly.
I am well aware that I am biased as a Baptist Pastor, but I enjoy good entertainment. The imagery of Biblical times was great. The science-fiction angle was very cool.
I highly recommend this book to both dedicated Christians and Atheists alike. Both will find entertainment value here.
I am well aware that I am biased as a Baptist Pastor, but I enjoy good entertainment. The imagery of Biblical times was great. The science-fiction angle was very cool.
I highly recommend this book to both dedicated Christians and Atheists alike. Both will find entertainment value here.
January 3, 2016
The Didymus Contingency was the first book I read that was authored by Jeremy Robinson. I enjoyed it so much that I have continued to look forward to his books and read them as soon as they are available.
This is a thought-provoking story of time travel adventure. Not as simple as the question, "should we kill Hitler?" but with a little time to think about the ramifications of time travel between the action and intrigue. It is fast-paced and the story moves quickly without losing character growth and development. The science is interesting but the people are even more so.
This is a thought-provoking story of time travel adventure. Not as simple as the question, "should we kill Hitler?" but with a little time to think about the ramifications of time travel between the action and intrigue. It is fast-paced and the story moves quickly without losing character growth and development. The science is interesting but the people are even more so.
September 26, 2015
The Didymus Contingency by Jeremy Robinson is a delightfully clever cerebral science fiction novel. Two scientists, one a devout Christian and the other an avowed atheist, together develop time travel technology. Tom, the atheist scientist, embittered by the martyred death of his wife decides to use the technology to return to the time of Jesus Christ and debunk him as being divine. What follows is a very interesting conceit that keeps the reader/listener completely engaged. This listen has my greatest recommendation.
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January 1, 2016Wow, If you could go back in time. Where would you go and what would you do. Well in The Didymus Contingency scientists did just that. I won't put anymore spoilers in here.
I really enjoyed reading this story. I remembered history as I read the book as the events unfolded. What an awesome imagination and story, I would highly recommend this book to anybody that loves time travel adventures. It doesn't get better than this.
I did recieve a free copy of this book for an honest review. I bought the older version years ago and loved it. The is a new and updated version that is just awesome.
I really enjoyed reading this story. I remembered history as I read the book as the events unfolded. What an awesome imagination and story, I would highly recommend this book to anybody that loves time travel adventures. It doesn't get better than this.
I did recieve a free copy of this book for an honest review. I bought the older version years ago and loved it. The is a new and updated version that is just awesome.
November 22, 2015
I had no idea what this book was about, and I am glad I went in blind. As someone who was raised in Southern Baptist home, I absolutely loved the premise behind this story. It was interesting to me to see a different perspective of the life that Jesus lead. I enjoyed the way that Jesus and his disciples interacted. I loved the time travel concept and honestly could not stop reading this story until I was finished!
January 2, 2016
All in all a really good book. I like to read time-travel books and found this one to be extremely interesting because of why Tom and David did. Won't spoil it for future readers, but it is well worth the read. I would also recommend it to YA readers, since there is no sexual content at all. Its a good solid story with an interesting concept. I'd do it, and I want one of those watches!
August 5, 2016
Good premise for a book, poorly researched. For instance: Who doesn't know where the term Doubting Thomas comes from??? Someone that can invent a time machine should know that kind of information, yet doesn't. It had a lot of plot & character holes in it to say the least!
May 9, 2022
First off, don't listen to the hater reviews for The Didymus Contingency. Sure, not everything about the book was historically accurate. Notice that it's classified as "Literature & Fiction" -- meaning that the author may take some creative liberties with the work and that everything isn't required to include 100% accurate historical facts. Second, right in the book's description, it says Tom will be going back in time to see Jesus -- again, no surprise then that the book ends up focusing quite a bit on Jesus' life and issues of religion. And going back to the first point, it's fiction so readers should not be shocked to learn that the book may include details added about Jesus, the apostles, and the time period that aren't 100% purely true and are used to fill in historical gaps and to make the narrative more entertaining.
There are many things I really appreciated about The Didymus Contingency. I'm a sucker for this kind of book -- one that retells a familiar story (especially using a different genre) but is just different enough to keep you reading to find out how the new elements will be interwoven into the old tale. And Robinson did just that extremely well. The Didymus Contingency melded time-travel science fiction, history, and religion together in an account of the biblical Gospels while at the same time tackling a time travel paradox in a creative and interesting way (which is all I can say to keep this review spoiler-free). The intricacies of the layered plot kept the story engaging as even though those familiar with any of the four Gospels could not always see where the narrative was going. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep the story fresh and entertaining. And once the plot was resolved, it was so satisfying to see everything fall into place to give you that big "ah-ha" moment when it all makes sense.
Beyond all the praise I've already included, The Didymus Contingency is a well-written book -- but there are a few places I'll agree with some of the more critical reviews. For example, most of the characters were really only as deep and developed as they needed to be to make the plot work and as a result, they came across as a bit tropey. And some characters became plot devices and didn't always seem to make the best and most logical decisions given the situations they were in. However, everything else was so well done that I have no problem overlooking these minor issues as none of them really hindered my overall enjoyment of the book.
In the audio version of the book, R.C. Bray’s performance is excellent. By now, I expect anything R.C. Bray narrates to be great and The Didymus Contingency is no exception. His tone is ideal, the character voices are unique, and the pacing was matched to work well with each scene.
There are many things I really appreciated about The Didymus Contingency. I'm a sucker for this kind of book -- one that retells a familiar story (especially using a different genre) but is just different enough to keep you reading to find out how the new elements will be interwoven into the old tale. And Robinson did just that extremely well. The Didymus Contingency melded time-travel science fiction, history, and religion together in an account of the biblical Gospels while at the same time tackling a time travel paradox in a creative and interesting way (which is all I can say to keep this review spoiler-free). The intricacies of the layered plot kept the story engaging as even though those familiar with any of the four Gospels could not always see where the narrative was going. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep the story fresh and entertaining. And once the plot was resolved, it was so satisfying to see everything fall into place to give you that big "ah-ha" moment when it all makes sense.
Beyond all the praise I've already included, The Didymus Contingency is a well-written book -- but there are a few places I'll agree with some of the more critical reviews. For example, most of the characters were really only as deep and developed as they needed to be to make the plot work and as a result, they came across as a bit tropey. And some characters became plot devices and didn't always seem to make the best and most logical decisions given the situations they were in. However, everything else was so well done that I have no problem overlooking these minor issues as none of them really hindered my overall enjoyment of the book.
In the audio version of the book, R.C. Bray’s performance is excellent. By now, I expect anything R.C. Bray narrates to be great and The Didymus Contingency is no exception. His tone is ideal, the character voices are unique, and the pacing was matched to work well with each scene.
January 19, 2021
Hard to believe I’ve been reading Robinson’s stories for almost 7 years and I’m still not done with his stuff. Even harder to believe that I’m just now finally getting around to finishing his debut novel.
As I just said The Didymus Contingency is Robinson’s first book and while it’s clearly Robinson through and through, it’s also easy to see how far he’s come and just how much he has changed as an author.
There’s always been clear evidence that Robinson either is or was a Christian. Nearly all of his non ChessTeam books have had some kind of religious based subtext and usually it’s influenced by Christianity but it’s pretty blatantly obvious The Didymus Contingency is straight from his beliefs, Basing a sci-fi/time travel novel on Jesus’s life and skepticism on his resurrection.
It goes without saying that this can be an insanely controversial topic and Robinson could easily have gone down the Dan Brown route, rewriting sacred Biblical texts and pushing out some pretty outlandish theories, but, aside from the aforementioned time travel paradox, you’d be very hard pressed to find anything controversial or remotely questionable in regards to how he portrays Jesus and his life (though I suppose Jesus’s speech and actions could be bothersome to some...even if it’s an attempt to highlight Jesus’s humanity). I guess the usage of the word “bitch” might anger some folks if they thought this book was a Christian one...
Honestly, I’m surprised at how well done The Didymus Contingency ended up being. Yes there are plot holes, and yes there are some gaping questions that we never get answered, but that’s not the point of this book.
I think the bummer here is just how much Robinson has strayed from his origins. His new stuff isn’t nearly as tame or easy to read. And while I’m no prude when it comes to fiction, I feel like Robinson’s new over reliance on explicatives and juvenile humor has lessened what he could be able to accomplish.
As I just said The Didymus Contingency is Robinson’s first book and while it’s clearly Robinson through and through, it’s also easy to see how far he’s come and just how much he has changed as an author.
There’s always been clear evidence that Robinson either is or was a Christian. Nearly all of his non ChessTeam books have had some kind of religious based subtext and usually it’s influenced by Christianity but it’s pretty blatantly obvious The Didymus Contingency is straight from his beliefs, Basing a sci-fi/time travel novel on Jesus’s life and skepticism on his resurrection.
It goes without saying that this can be an insanely controversial topic and Robinson could easily have gone down the Dan Brown route, rewriting sacred Biblical texts and pushing out some pretty outlandish theories, but, aside from the aforementioned time travel paradox, you’d be very hard pressed to find anything controversial or remotely questionable in regards to how he portrays Jesus and his life (though I suppose Jesus’s speech and actions could be bothersome to some...even if it’s an attempt to highlight Jesus’s humanity). I guess the usage of the word “bitch” might anger some folks if they thought this book was a Christian one...
Honestly, I’m surprised at how well done The Didymus Contingency ended up being. Yes there are plot holes, and yes there are some gaping questions that we never get answered, but that’s not the point of this book.
I think the bummer here is just how much Robinson has strayed from his origins. His new stuff isn’t nearly as tame or easy to read. And while I’m no prude when it comes to fiction, I feel like Robinson’s new over reliance on explicatives and juvenile humor has lessened what he could be able to accomplish.
April 30, 2022
Jeremy Robinson’s first book! Over 70 books later and his style has changed significantly. This one was still well written and held my interest.
It has strong religious overtones with Jesus as a main character. I have some religious trauma and I generally avoid any media dealing with Christianity. However, Jesus was never the problem for me, just the religion. The leaders at the church I grew up in were just like the Pharisees in this novel. If Jesus suddenly showed up there I don’t think he would be welcome.
Instead of being triggering, this novel reminded me of the stories I grew up hearing, and I enjoyed revisiting them. It was fun to see a human side to both Jesus and the disciples. I don’t know what I think about his divinity, but Jesus always provided love and service to those others rejected—a model I still try to follow even though I’ve rejected the trappings of religion.
As Jeremy says at the end, this book has been enjoyed by people from a variety of backgrounds. Mixing time travel with stories from the Bible is fun! And remarkably, not the first book I’ve read with that as the base plot.
It has strong religious overtones with Jesus as a main character. I have some religious trauma and I generally avoid any media dealing with Christianity. However, Jesus was never the problem for me, just the religion. The leaders at the church I grew up in were just like the Pharisees in this novel. If Jesus suddenly showed up there I don’t think he would be welcome.
Instead of being triggering, this novel reminded me of the stories I grew up hearing, and I enjoyed revisiting them. It was fun to see a human side to both Jesus and the disciples. I don’t know what I think about his divinity, but Jesus always provided love and service to those others rejected—a model I still try to follow even though I’ve rejected the trappings of religion.
As Jeremy says at the end, this book has been enjoyed by people from a variety of backgrounds. Mixing time travel with stories from the Bible is fun! And remarkably, not the first book I’ve read with that as the base plot.
November 13, 2022
I never thought I would ever enjoy the glaciers of Antarctos (i.e. Antarctica)... But after reading this extraordinary work, that's exactly what happened... It starts like most post-apocalyptic stories... But the plot takes interesting twists and unusual combinations. Here is everything: a realistic portrayal of the world tragedy (mass floods, glaciers, fiery drought...), and an interesting intertwining of human destinies (someone is destined to perish in the second chapter, and someone is kept alive till the last page), and an "unexpected" happy ending... I never imagined that I would come across biblical stories and real demons in this book (though I thought the title contained a metaphor).
The conclusion was that the book was worthwhile and easy to read, with the author providing some interesting details which really stirred your imagination. Bottom line - a beautiful tale for fans of fantasy!
The conclusion was that the book was worthwhile and easy to read, with the author providing some interesting details which really stirred your imagination. Bottom line - a beautiful tale for fans of fantasy!
November 5, 2024
Hard to rate this novel as it a reworking of the New Testament, so the storyline is anticipated. The science-fiction element is well done with the use of time travel, the historical character portrayal is different than expected, so it was unique in that aspect. I did enjoy the relationship between the atheist Tom and the born-again David, with each other, as well as their interaction with Jesus and his disciples, but it was a bit ridiculous that the highly educated Tom knew nothing about the story of Jesus, especially Judas, which is synonymous today as "traitor". The problem with this type of novel is there will be a few readers with an imperious attitude complaining about the religious element which doesn't match their particular beliefs and will be highly critical. It is a work of fiction with a different twist, a quick enjoyable read for most.
February 7, 2021
Gosh, I really wanted to give this more stars.
But taking what is essentially the story of Easter, throwing in time travel, and the sheer volume of grammatical errors ... UGH. I just couldn't. This whole book was so weird. As a Christian reading it, I was so confused. I didn't feel like David got any of the resolution he needed to build his character. There were questions, and he had this 'holier than thou' attitude that I really thought would be remedied in actually meeting Jesus. But. Uh. Apparently that didn't happen. Tom's story arc was just ODD.
Just everything. Don't get me started on Lazarus.
Two stars. Mostly for runner up "It might effect the decisions you make" and the true winner, "We're hear to eat your food".
But taking what is essentially the story of Easter, throwing in time travel, and the sheer volume of grammatical errors ... UGH. I just couldn't. This whole book was so weird. As a Christian reading it, I was so confused. I didn't feel like David got any of the resolution he needed to build his character. There were questions, and he had this 'holier than thou' attitude that I really thought would be remedied in actually meeting Jesus. But. Uh. Apparently that didn't happen. Tom's story arc was just ODD.
Just everything. Don't get me started on Lazarus.
Two stars. Mostly for runner up "It might effect the decisions you make" and the true winner, "We're hear to eat your food".
April 22, 2025
Where do I begin? I really wanted to like this book and I can see why it was originally self-published. I consider myself an atheist but I am not ignorant to religion's impact on our history and I don't judge anyone's core beliefs either.
The plot had so much potential and the ominous looking cover promised some serious science fiction but the pages within were a complete let down and that's the shame of it. I have many complaints regarding the writing, dialogue, and plot holes but others have already touched on these issues.
I did finish the book hoping for a decent ending but was left disappointed by what seemed to be the author's goal of proselytizing his beliefs onto the readers and disguising it as serious storytelling. This was a wasted opportunity.
The plot had so much potential and the ominous looking cover promised some serious science fiction but the pages within were a complete let down and that's the shame of it. I have many complaints regarding the writing, dialogue, and plot holes but others have already touched on these issues.
I did finish the book hoping for a decent ending but was left disappointed by what seemed to be the author's goal of proselytizing his beliefs onto the readers and disguising it as serious storytelling. This was a wasted opportunity.
January 2, 2018
It holds you close as you weave ylur way through history and finally meeting su h rivoting care actor a while allowing you to believe them as they become real. I love reading this kind of "history" books that fill your mind with visions of what the past and future could be. Any one who se I
Imagination is free enough to let you believe all things are possible will appreciate this book. Leaves you to believe all it does becomes real. Thank you . Mr. Robinson. I loved the journey!!
Imagination is free enough to let you believe all things are possible will appreciate this book. Leaves you to believe all it does becomes real. Thank you . Mr. Robinson. I loved the journey!!
February 16, 2020
I loved this story. Two scientists discover how to travel through time. Both are Jewish and familiar with the Hebrew language. Tom is atheist and Dave is a Christian. After celebrating their new discovery and while drunk, Tom decides to go back and prove Jesus is just a man. When Dave discovers what Tom has done he follows him to bring Tom home before he can change history. Instead both men find Jesus and travel with him. I loved Dave's excitement when he witnesses a miracle or event he knows from the Bible and his frustration with his friend's stubborn refusal to see the truth.
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