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Quantum Radio
One groundbreaking discovery...will change everything.
Welcome to 'QUANTUM RADIO', A.G. Riddle's first new novel in almost two years - a spell-binding epic filled with science, history, and enough plot twists to keep you up late into the night.
On September 10th, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider began operating at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. It was - and still is - the largest machine ever built. It has a simple purpose: to examine the smallest building blocks of the universe. That work could solve the greatest scientific mysteries of all time: the nature of space and time itself and the origins of our universe.
Recently, the Large Hadron Collider was upgraded. Today, it has the ability to detect sub-atomic particles researchers have never seen before. Some of those particles hid a secret, a revelation that will rewrite our very understanding of the universe.
A few days ago, a quantum physicist working at CERN made an incredible discovery. Using a computer algorithm, Doctor Ty Vogel identified a pattern in the sub-atomic particles being generated by the LHC. This pattern is a data transmission across space and time - a signal being broadcast by a sort of...quantum radio. That signal - and the message it carries - will change the world forever.
Welcome to 'QUANTUM RADIO', A.G. Riddle's first new novel in almost two years - a spell-binding epic filled with science, history, and enough plot twists to keep you up late into the night.
On September 10th, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider began operating at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. It was - and still is - the largest machine ever built. It has a simple purpose: to examine the smallest building blocks of the universe. That work could solve the greatest scientific mysteries of all time: the nature of space and time itself and the origins of our universe.
Recently, the Large Hadron Collider was upgraded. Today, it has the ability to detect sub-atomic particles researchers have never seen before. Some of those particles hid a secret, a revelation that will rewrite our very understanding of the universe.
A few days ago, a quantum physicist working at CERN made an incredible discovery. Using a computer algorithm, Doctor Ty Vogel identified a pattern in the sub-atomic particles being generated by the LHC. This pattern is a data transmission across space and time - a signal being broadcast by a sort of...quantum radio. That signal - and the message it carries - will change the world forever.
502 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2023
5273 people are currently reading
9454 people want to read
About the author
A.G. Riddle
22 books5,749 followersA.G. Riddle spent ten years starting internet companies before retiring to pursue his true passion: writing fiction.
His debut novel, The Atlantis Gene, is the first book in The Origin Mystery, the trilogy that has sold a million copies in the US, is being translated into 19 languages, and is in development at CBS Films to be a major motion picture. The trilogy will be in bookstores (in hardcover and paperback) around the world in 2015.
His recently released fourth novel, Departure, follows the survivors of a flight that takes off in 2014 and crash-lands in a changed world. The hardcover will be published by HarperCollins in the fall of 2015, and 20th Century Fox is developing the novel for a feature film.
Riddle grew up in a small town in the US (Boiling Springs, North Carolina) and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill. During his sophomore year of college, he started his first company with a childhood friend. He currently lives in Florida with his wife, who endures his various idiosyncrasies in return for being the first to read his new novels.
No matter where he is, or what's going on, he tries his best to set aside time every day to answer emails and messages from readers. You can reach him at: ag@agriddle.com
** For a sneak peek at new novels, free stories, and more, join the email list at:
www.agriddle.com/email
If you don't want to miss any Riddle news, you can:
Like the A.G. Riddle Facebook page:
facebook.com/agriddle
Follow A.G. Riddle on Twitter:
twitter.com/riddlist
For more, please visit:
AGRiddle.com
* * *
His debut novel, The Atlantis Gene, is the first book in The Origin Mystery, the trilogy that has sold a million copies in the US, is being translated into 19 languages, and is in development at CBS Films to be a major motion picture. The trilogy will be in bookstores (in hardcover and paperback) around the world in 2015.
His recently released fourth novel, Departure, follows the survivors of a flight that takes off in 2014 and crash-lands in a changed world. The hardcover will be published by HarperCollins in the fall of 2015, and 20th Century Fox is developing the novel for a feature film.
Riddle grew up in a small town in the US (Boiling Springs, North Carolina) and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill. During his sophomore year of college, he started his first company with a childhood friend. He currently lives in Florida with his wife, who endures his various idiosyncrasies in return for being the first to read his new novels.
No matter where he is, or what's going on, he tries his best to set aside time every day to answer emails and messages from readers. You can reach him at: ag@agriddle.com
** For a sneak peek at new novels, free stories, and more, join the email list at:
www.agriddle.com/email
If you don't want to miss any Riddle news, you can:
Like the A.G. Riddle Facebook page:
facebook.com/agriddle
Follow A.G. Riddle on Twitter:
twitter.com/riddlist
For more, please visit:
AGRiddle.com
* * *
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 977 reviews
March 23, 2023
My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Quantum Radio is the newly released multiverse thriller by A.G. Riddle centering on Dr. Tyson Klein, an American particle physicist working at CERN in Geneva. Ty’s research at the Large Hadron Collider leads to a breakthrough discovery in quantum mechanics pointing to the existence of a parallel universe. Ty detects an encoded signal from a type of quantum radio, which he believes contains an important message. He is determined to decode this message, both for the advancement of science and, potentially, for the benefit of humankind.
Ty’s discovery of the quantum radio is an astonishing scientific breakthrough. However, when he presents his work at a scientific conference, Ty immediately becomes the target of a shadowy organization known as the Covenant. With his life in danger, Ty flees to the safety of his estranged parents and the U.S. government.
The scientific premise of Quantum Radio is quite interesting, and I rather enjoyed the first several chapters of the book. Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from there as the plot devolves into a sequence of unbelievable coincidences. Moreover, the intricacies of the quantum radio are deciphered rather arbitrarily through Ty’s intuition rather than any compelling scientific arguments.
Quantum Radio is a fast-paced thriller that recalls Michael Crichton with its no-frills narrative style. A.G. Riddle maintains an even pace over the book’s 113 short chapters.
Regrettably, Quantum Radio strays too far from its sci-fi premise, becoming more of an alternate historical fiction where the Nazis won World War II and plunged the world into an extended period of darkness and oppression. The second half of Quantum Radio has more in common with the dystopian alternate history of The Man in the High Castle than with any science fiction novel.
Quantum Radio also suffers from unrealistic dialogue that features characters telling each other things they already know, solely for the benefit of the reader. For example, these supposedly world-leading physicists have a habit of describing basic scientific concepts to each other that they should have all learned as undergraduate students.
But the most cringeworthy scenes occur in the second half of the book, where characters read pages worth of text from museum exhibits at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. With all this extended info dumping, I felt like I was reading an entry in Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House children’s book series, but with more Nazis.
Ultimately, Quantum Radio falls short of its Crichtonesque aspirations, spoiling an interesting premise by straying too far from its sci-fi roots and by relying too much on awkward dialogue-driven exposition and an overly contrived plot. Grimdark readers with an appetite for mind-bending multiverse science fiction are advised to look elsewhere.
Quantum Radio is the newly released multiverse thriller by A.G. Riddle centering on Dr. Tyson Klein, an American particle physicist working at CERN in Geneva. Ty’s research at the Large Hadron Collider leads to a breakthrough discovery in quantum mechanics pointing to the existence of a parallel universe. Ty detects an encoded signal from a type of quantum radio, which he believes contains an important message. He is determined to decode this message, both for the advancement of science and, potentially, for the benefit of humankind.
Ty’s discovery of the quantum radio is an astonishing scientific breakthrough. However, when he presents his work at a scientific conference, Ty immediately becomes the target of a shadowy organization known as the Covenant. With his life in danger, Ty flees to the safety of his estranged parents and the U.S. government.
The scientific premise of Quantum Radio is quite interesting, and I rather enjoyed the first several chapters of the book. Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from there as the plot devolves into a sequence of unbelievable coincidences. Moreover, the intricacies of the quantum radio are deciphered rather arbitrarily through Ty’s intuition rather than any compelling scientific arguments.
Quantum Radio is a fast-paced thriller that recalls Michael Crichton with its no-frills narrative style. A.G. Riddle maintains an even pace over the book’s 113 short chapters.
Regrettably, Quantum Radio strays too far from its sci-fi premise, becoming more of an alternate historical fiction where the Nazis won World War II and plunged the world into an extended period of darkness and oppression. The second half of Quantum Radio has more in common with the dystopian alternate history of The Man in the High Castle than with any science fiction novel.
Quantum Radio also suffers from unrealistic dialogue that features characters telling each other things they already know, solely for the benefit of the reader. For example, these supposedly world-leading physicists have a habit of describing basic scientific concepts to each other that they should have all learned as undergraduate students.
But the most cringeworthy scenes occur in the second half of the book, where characters read pages worth of text from museum exhibits at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. With all this extended info dumping, I felt like I was reading an entry in Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House children’s book series, but with more Nazis.
Ultimately, Quantum Radio falls short of its Crichtonesque aspirations, spoiling an interesting premise by straying too far from its sci-fi roots and by relying too much on awkward dialogue-driven exposition and an overly contrived plot. Grimdark readers with an appetite for mind-bending multiverse science fiction are advised to look elsewhere.
March 27, 2023
A. G. Riddle does not disappoint me...ever. This story is intriguing and draws the reader in. There are, however, some plot points that were not 100% perfect for me. Overall, as usual, a very satisfying and highly recommended read.
April 27, 2023
Last year A.G. Riddle’s Lost in Time was my favorite book of 2022 and he became an auto-buy author for me.
In Quantum Radio, many of my favorite boxes were checked. Sci-fi - check, sci-fi thriller - check, science! check check check, alternate worlds - check, historical fiction - check, alternate history - check, apocalyptic- check, and so many others. This book is multiple genre and I really enjoyed it.
Ty, a quantum physicist scientist at CERN makes a discovery that knocks the socks off of the science community. But then he immediately finds that his life is in danger by a group known as the Covenant. The action barely stops.
The ending answers many questions but also starts an entire new set of questions which will be answered in the coming sequels. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
*Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the advance eGalley.*
In Quantum Radio, many of my favorite boxes were checked. Sci-fi - check, sci-fi thriller - check, science! check check check, alternate worlds - check, historical fiction - check, alternate history - check, apocalyptic- check, and so many others. This book is multiple genre and I really enjoyed it.
Ty, a quantum physicist scientist at CERN makes a discovery that knocks the socks off of the science community. But then he immediately finds that his life is in danger by a group known as the Covenant. The action barely stops.
The ending answers many questions but also starts an entire new set of questions which will be answered in the coming sequels. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
*Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the advance eGalley.*
February 7, 2023
Quantum Radio is a sci-fi thriller. I would love to recommend this book to people who are interested in quantum mechanics.
However, I would even more recommend this book to WWII history nerds. The plot ends up revolving around some alternate history ideas, and it gets deep in the weeds there. At many points, it feels more like a alternate history adventure than a sci-fi thriller.
This novel has an intriguing premise and consistent pacing. I could barely put it down! It balances its point-of-views well, and each protagonist gets their own character development arc.
In the end, the novel very clearly sets up for many more adventures in the series. I felt like this fizzled the finale a little, as I realized that many of the items teased throughout the novel would not be getting resolved anytime soon.
A review including this book will be on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://youtube.com/@ChloeFrizzle
Thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
However, I would even more recommend this book to WWII history nerds. The plot ends up revolving around some alternate history ideas, and it gets deep in the weeds there. At many points, it feels more like a alternate history adventure than a sci-fi thriller.
This novel has an intriguing premise and consistent pacing. I could barely put it down! It balances its point-of-views well, and each protagonist gets their own character development arc.
In the end, the novel very clearly sets up for many more adventures in the series. I felt like this fizzled the finale a little, as I realized that many of the items teased throughout the novel would not be getting resolved anytime soon.
A review including this book will be on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://youtube.com/@ChloeFrizzle
Thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
July 3, 2023
This one was a fun set up novel for a multiverse Series.
December 23, 2024
Tyson Klein is a physicist at Cern and has made a gigantic discovery that traces of exotic subatomic particles have come from outside our universe and seem to carry a signal. Thankfully, the author explains all of this really well. Tyson, a semi-annoying protagonist, ends up meeting with his somewhat estranged parents who turn out to be involved with this and he ends up on quite the adventure trying to solve who or what is behind this.
This novel does appear to be a setup for a sequel or two. It was a fascinating novel. It took me a while to finish it as I realized it was not one, I was in the mood for right now. However, this was my issue, not the author or book.
This novel does appear to be a setup for a sequel or two. It was a fascinating novel. It took me a while to finish it as I realized it was not one, I was in the mood for right now. However, this was my issue, not the author or book.
March 16, 2023
An interesting approach by wrapping quantum physics, particle acceleration, and near 20th-century history into this sci-fi novel.
It is difficult to describe and review without adding spoilers, and so I'll simply say that I enjoyed the plot and the characters, although I felt it slipped a little at the end; in part I now see, as the author sets the climax up to lead the reader into a further volume.
It is difficult to describe and review without adding spoilers, and so I'll simply say that I enjoyed the plot and the characters, although I felt it slipped a little at the end; in part I now see, as the author sets the climax up to lead the reader into a further volume.
May 10, 2023
Sci-fi nerds, you are going to enjoy this one. It will be a little dry for some of you, since it's dense with rewritten history and requires some awareness of quantum theory. But for those who thrive on smart sci-fi, the kind that doesn't talk down to you or water down its ideas, this is your time to geek out.
I was inspired to rewatch the last season of Fringe while reading Quantum Radio, and now I'm hunting for more of the same "alternate where and when" scenarios in my to-read list.
Oh, and I'm also impatiently waiting for book two of this adventure series. I feel like the first book required a lot of world-building, character development, and setup, which included quite a few hard-to-believe coincidences to get it all going. But now that the tough stuff is established, we can sit back and simply enjoy the adventure.
I was inspired to rewatch the last season of Fringe while reading Quantum Radio, and now I'm hunting for more of the same "alternate where and when" scenarios in my to-read list.
Oh, and I'm also impatiently waiting for book two of this adventure series. I feel like the first book required a lot of world-building, character development, and setup, which included quite a few hard-to-believe coincidences to get it all going. But now that the tough stuff is established, we can sit back and simply enjoy the adventure.
July 1, 2023
This book is dumb af. The author is painfully amateur. This book reads like something a 16-year-old boy would write where they live vicariously through the book’s main character. The plot is uninspired, the dialogue is cheesy, and this book barely qualifies as science fiction; it’s more like an alternate history fantasy novel with “quantum” added to the plot because it sounds cool. The author clearly does not have a science background, or if they do, they aren’t utilizing it. Most of the problems in the book are solved by the main character through either unexplained processes or hunches and intuition, and the book constantly reminds the reader that the main character is Mr. 200 IQ Big Brain. I think the author needs to remember the principle of “Show, don’t tell.”
I have no idea how this book has so many good reviews. Don’t waste your time.
I have no idea how this book has so many good reviews. Don’t waste your time.
March 9, 2023
After an excellent premise and an exciting beginning, this book fell apart quickly and ceased to be enjoyable. I'm usually a big fan of AG Riddle. I've read every one of his books and this is without a doubt on the bottom of the list. It strayed from his usual sci-fi genre into a meld of history/psychology/philosophy and poorly written characters, all of which had frequent moments on their "soapboxes", which all sounded the same and just cheesy. Oh well, they can't all be home runs. I'm sure it took courage to try something different.
February 23, 2023
Quantum Radio is the first book in a planned sci-fi adventure series about a young scientist whose discovery has the potential to change the world - and not just our universe. I’d read and enjoyed (with minor reservations) the last couple of books by this author, who has a great imagination and creates not too serious stories which blend various genres. This certainly had an intriguing premise and started well, but there were too many inconsistencies and too much didn’t make sense for me to fully engage, so it’s falling into the liked not loved basket.
Tyson Klein, an American scientist, has made a momentous discovery at CERN, involving a mysterious message from the quantum realm, when someone tries to blow him and his research up. Going on the run, he is rescued by an unlikely ally and brought to DARPA, where they set to work decoding the transmission, taking him on a dangerous journey to an alternate universe where the 20th century played out very differently. Can Ty and his new colleagues save the day and get home, or will the shadowy Covenant change the course of history?
I’m finding this hard to review without spoilers - the blurb purposefully doesn’t reveal much. We have a likeable hero embarking on an epic mission with some very diverse companions using very far-fetched science - so far, so Doctor Who. There’s a sweet low key romance, quite a bit of action, lots of pop culture influences, no nasty violence and a twisty plot, but it all just felt too unbelievable and convenient for me, especially when the secret was revealed. The ending leaves everything open for an ongoing series - so lots of plot threads are left open, although the author does generously show us the characters’ ultimate futures, in case we decide to leave it there. This was a firm 3.5 🌟read for me and I’ve struggled with whether to round up or down. Ultimately, I’m rounding down, but think readers who aren’t as pernickety will enjoy this more than I did, and I probably will read the next one to find out what happens next, since the world building is in place and I did like the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Quantum Radio is published on March 2nd.
Tyson Klein, an American scientist, has made a momentous discovery at CERN, involving a mysterious message from the quantum realm, when someone tries to blow him and his research up. Going on the run, he is rescued by an unlikely ally and brought to DARPA, where they set to work decoding the transmission, taking him on a dangerous journey to an alternate universe where the 20th century played out very differently. Can Ty and his new colleagues save the day and get home, or will the shadowy Covenant change the course of history?
I’m finding this hard to review without spoilers - the blurb purposefully doesn’t reveal much. We have a likeable hero embarking on an epic mission with some very diverse companions using very far-fetched science - so far, so Doctor Who. There’s a sweet low key romance, quite a bit of action, lots of pop culture influences, no nasty violence and a twisty plot, but it all just felt too unbelievable and convenient for me, especially when the secret was revealed. The ending leaves everything open for an ongoing series - so lots of plot threads are left open, although the author does generously show us the characters’ ultimate futures, in case we decide to leave it there. This was a firm 3.5 🌟read for me and I’ve struggled with whether to round up or down. Ultimately, I’m rounding down, but think readers who aren’t as pernickety will enjoy this more than I did, and I probably will read the next one to find out what happens next, since the world building is in place and I did like the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Quantum Radio is published on March 2nd.
April 11, 2023
This was a sci-fi book that explored the multiverse through quantum entanglement theory and an unlikely cast of characters whose connection doesn't become clear until later in the book. This book explores alternate histories (with explanations and a timeline) which is different from most sci-fi books I have read. There's a huge emphasis on kindness that I appreciated "To me the sum of a life is how they've impacted the people around them and the strangers they've never met."
I was impressed with how up to date Riddle was with genetic concepts. His explanation of twin's not being fully identical depending on when the blastocyst splits was from a paper I read a few years ago. Few authors can be accurate in technical science while also make science accessible to their readers.
This book did not enthrall me like Riddle's other book Lost in Time, but I am more interested in sciency sci-fi versus sci-fi exploring alternative historical timelines. This also seems to be the start of a series which means a lot more character building can happen in the future, thus the characters weren't as fleshed out. The end of the story definitely made me interested in how the story continues!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
I was impressed with how up to date Riddle was with genetic concepts. His explanation of twin's not being fully identical depending on when the blastocyst splits was from a paper I read a few years ago. Few authors can be accurate in technical science while also make science accessible to their readers.
This book did not enthrall me like Riddle's other book Lost in Time, but I am more interested in sciency sci-fi versus sci-fi exploring alternative historical timelines. This also seems to be the start of a series which means a lot more character building can happen in the future, thus the characters weren't as fleshed out. The end of the story definitely made me interested in how the story continues!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
January 29, 2023
Quantum Radio is a sci-fi thriller by author, A.G. Riddle. I am fast becoming a huge fan of this author. If you like authors like Blake Crouch you might find this one up your alley. AG Riddle’s novels focus on science, technology and history and you can tell the author does his homework and research. This book could easily be a movie with its fast-paced action scenes, twists and turns and likeable main characters. While not my favorite one of his, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I grabbed a copy of this one without even reading the blurb that is how much I have enjoyed his books previously and this one was no exception. The first of a series, this one doesn’t completely wrap up and I am keen to see where the series goes next.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an arc of this book.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an arc of this book.
May 21, 2024
I read another book by AG Riddle which I gave five stars to (Lost In Time), so I was excited to read Quantum Radio.
I didn't know what to expect when I read it. However, I was hooked by page 30, and often didn't want to put the book down. From start to finish, I was captivated by the plot, characters, and fascinating themes included in the story (I'd be providing spoilers if I included any more detail).
5 stars.
I didn't know what to expect when I read it. However, I was hooked by page 30, and often didn't want to put the book down. From start to finish, I was captivated by the plot, characters, and fascinating themes included in the story (I'd be providing spoilers if I included any more detail).
5 stars.
February 11, 2023
This is a fine story. It has interesting characters, puzzling situations, character development, twists, and mysterious things going on alongside the thriller elements. It’s pretty much a rollercoaster. That’s odd, as the author has the characters liken their trip to a rollercoaster later on. I’d been thinking it for some time.
It took me a while to get into it. I’m not sure anyone who hasn’t got an inkling of what “quantum radio” might mean would pick up this book. But the author seems to think we won't understand either science or changes in time-lines from the story. So he tells his readers (at length) what they probably know enough about to get from some excellent writing of the plot and character interaction.
When we finally reach the climax, it is great. Quantum Radio a really great thriller if you skip all the padding. The author does a good job with all of his descriptions and characterisations.
And after the climax, we finish with the start of the next book. That’s how it seems, since they finally reach the cadet stage of their new lives. It has times when it reads like a coming-of-age adventure like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. But surprisingly, the protag is about thirty. He certainly doesn’t seem it.
If he writes a sequel will I read it? As he won’t need to do all his infodumps again, maybe.
It took me a while to get into it. I’m not sure anyone who hasn’t got an inkling of what “quantum radio” might mean would pick up this book. But the author seems to think we won't understand either science or changes in time-lines from the story. So he tells his readers (at length) what they probably know enough about to get from some excellent writing of the plot and character interaction.
When we finally reach the climax, it is great. Quantum Radio a really great thriller if you skip all the padding. The author does a good job with all of his descriptions and characterisations.
And after the climax, we finish with the start of the next book. That’s how it seems, since they finally reach the cadet stage of their new lives. It has times when it reads like a coming-of-age adventure like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. But surprisingly, the protag is about thirty. He certainly doesn’t seem it.
If he writes a sequel will I read it? As he won’t need to do all his infodumps again, maybe.
February 1, 2023
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
Overall, I enjoyed Quantum Radio by A.G. Riddle, but I was a bit annoyed by the complete shift in tone from the first half to the second. I'll talk about that in a moment.
The book starts off nicely, though a little oddly (see my nit pick later on). Tyson Vogel is giving a speech to various people at CERN in the hopes of getting funding to further his research into an astonishing discovery he feels he's made. After examining the various data from a wide swathe of Large Hadron Collider experiments, he believes he's located a coherent signal of some sort. He can't quite narrow it down more than that, yet. His audience doesn't seem to believe him, but someone does, as events occur that seem to be trying to stop him from pursuing his research further.
This is all well and good, and we move into something of a mystery / thriller type of story. It progresses until it reaches a crescendo about halfway through the book, when it switches to something more akin to a survival story. Then it moves into more of a spy thriller.
Basically, the genres are all over the place, and they don't necessarily mesh well together. Each section, in and of itself, was done well, with good writing, decent character development, etc. But the switching was a bit jarring, altogether.
One additional nit pick: I can't believe a scientist working at the LHC would start with a press conference without having first at least talked to a few other people, let alone written a paper on the subject. I don't care how narcissistic and theatrical they want to be. That's not how scientists of a calibre to be hired at the LHC would behave.
So, in the end, did I enjoy the book? Yes. Were there some serious problems with it? Also yes. Would I be willing to read the (incredibly foreshadowed) sequel? Still yes.
Overall, I enjoyed Quantum Radio by A.G. Riddle, but I was a bit annoyed by the complete shift in tone from the first half to the second. I'll talk about that in a moment.
The book starts off nicely, though a little oddly (see my nit pick later on). Tyson Vogel is giving a speech to various people at CERN in the hopes of getting funding to further his research into an astonishing discovery he feels he's made. After examining the various data from a wide swathe of Large Hadron Collider experiments, he believes he's located a coherent signal of some sort. He can't quite narrow it down more than that, yet. His audience doesn't seem to believe him, but someone does, as events occur that seem to be trying to stop him from pursuing his research further.
This is all well and good, and we move into something of a mystery / thriller type of story. It progresses until it reaches a crescendo about halfway through the book, when it switches to something more akin to a survival story. Then it moves into more of a spy thriller.
Basically, the genres are all over the place, and they don't necessarily mesh well together. Each section, in and of itself, was done well, with good writing, decent character development, etc. But the switching was a bit jarring, altogether.
One additional nit pick: I can't believe a scientist working at the LHC would start with a press conference without having first at least talked to a few other people, let alone written a paper on the subject. I don't care how narcissistic and theatrical they want to be. That's not how scientists of a calibre to be hired at the LHC would behave.
So, in the end, did I enjoy the book? Yes. Were there some serious problems with it? Also yes. Would I be willing to read the (incredibly foreshadowed) sequel? Still yes.
March 20, 2023
AG Riddle writes to a comfortable formula: half geek: half boy’s own adventure. This means you get thoughtful speculative extrapolation based around solid contemporary scientific concepts – a throwback to the golden age of science fiction, in fact.
You don't need a degree to understand the pop-science - nor an appreciation of fine writing to cope with the sketchy characters and a pell-mell plot driven by preposterous coincidences. It doesn’t pay to overthink things – particularly not the wince-inducing romantic interludes or the convenient arrival of a plot device to accelerate the story when it starts to stall. Turn off your higher faculties, kick back and enjoy the ride.
Because Quantum Radio is an entirely entertaining romp. Its theme of parallel worlds is right on the zeitgeist… and who isn’t up for a multi-dimensional adventure exploring alternate histories and meeting the evil version of yourself? Plus of course ‘what would the world be like if Germany had won WW2?’ Bring on the space-Nazis!
Riddle throws in some genuinely novel concepts, including a totally terrifying method of global destruction. In fact, the second half of the book feels a lot like a Bond movie, infiltrating the super-villain’s secret mountain complex – and there’s also a lot of exposition where the reader is required to soak up a half century of alternate history in a single chapter. Then it’s back to sneaking around and saving the universe.
Is it fun? Yes, surely. Is it flawed? That too. But Riddle saves the day with an endearing philosophy – basically, how to succeed at public speaking by being kind – which underpins the whole confabulation. It’s all charmingly naïve, and quite refreshing for being so.
7/10
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You don't need a degree to understand the pop-science - nor an appreciation of fine writing to cope with the sketchy characters and a pell-mell plot driven by preposterous coincidences. It doesn’t pay to overthink things – particularly not the wince-inducing romantic interludes or the convenient arrival of a plot device to accelerate the story when it starts to stall. Turn off your higher faculties, kick back and enjoy the ride.
Because Quantum Radio is an entirely entertaining romp. Its theme of parallel worlds is right on the zeitgeist… and who isn’t up for a multi-dimensional adventure exploring alternate histories and meeting the evil version of yourself? Plus of course ‘what would the world be like if Germany had won WW2?’ Bring on the space-Nazis!
Riddle throws in some genuinely novel concepts, including a totally terrifying method of global destruction. In fact, the second half of the book feels a lot like a Bond movie, infiltrating the super-villain’s secret mountain complex – and there’s also a lot of exposition where the reader is required to soak up a half century of alternate history in a single chapter. Then it’s back to sneaking around and saving the universe.
Is it fun? Yes, surely. Is it flawed? That too. But Riddle saves the day with an endearing philosophy – basically, how to succeed at public speaking by being kind – which underpins the whole confabulation. It’s all charmingly naïve, and quite refreshing for being so.
7/10
There's more on this book and other sci-fi and thrillers over at murdermayhemandmore.net
See you there...
March 25, 2023
What Blake Crouch should have written. I'm so mad this was released a few weeks ago and we will have to wait some time for the sequel.
July 29, 2024
3.5 ⭐️. Enjoyable science fiction read by one of my favorite authors. I enjoyed Riddle’s other books more but still had a good time with this one. Took about half the book for it to finally reel me in but it was great once it did. Definitely recommend.
January 10, 2023
I chose Quantum Radio because I have read other books by A. G. Riddle in the past and I am always looking for a good sci-fi story. This one had a mystery thrown in with the science and the fiction of quantum physics and the possibility of alternate times and universes. It reminded me of Fringe and Man in the High Castle but was in no way a copy of either. Quantum Radio had its own unique trajectory. There is just enough truth in the tale that you could believe it's possible.
My only criticism is that a lot of explanation was left to the last chapters and I would have liked some it to have been woven into the story sooner - particularly the family dramas and having Ty at least grasping the much bigger picture around them.
My thanks to A. G. Riddle, NetGalley and Head of Zeus/AdAstra for the ARC and opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend Quantum Radio!
My only criticism is that a lot of explanation was left to the last chapters and I would have liked some it to have been woven into the story sooner - particularly the family dramas and having Ty at least grasping the much bigger picture around them.
My thanks to A. G. Riddle, NetGalley and Head of Zeus/AdAstra for the ARC and opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend Quantum Radio!
April 29, 2023
This book feels like a pilot for a new "Sliders"-like series. Since I loved Sliders, I enjoyed the premise very much. However, the execution leaves much to be desired. There is waaay too much exposition and repetition. The author places the characters in unlikely scenarios and then uses long explanatory sections to say why that happened. Also, Ty says "I'm a scientist", and "I believe in science" simply too many times.
The ending is a setting to ongoing adventures, running through the entire history of the background story in 4 pages instead of leaving it to be explored more in-depth in the next book (which will obviously be written).
All in all, mostly fun book, but could be much better.
The ending is a setting to ongoing adventures, running through the entire history of the background story in 4 pages instead of leaving it to be explored more in-depth in the next book (which will obviously be written).
All in all, mostly fun book, but could be much better.
July 30, 2023
I gave this novel 1 star. Perhaps I am overly critical, but I was disappointed in the prose and the ending of the story. Riddle is a so so writer. His characters and scenes are physically flat. And he tries desperately, with only minor success, to give his characters an inner life. Quantum Radio had a compelling start. I was all in as the ride began. But once the protagonists reach the alternate reality, the story became laughable. Only to culminate with a resolution of an impending world war, by a conversation between two people who had no actual power. After the resolution, the story dragged on for an interminable denouement so that the author could set up the protagonists for the sequel(s). Quantum Radio was my first and last A.G. Riddle.
March 19, 2023
I’ve enjoyed many of Mr. Riddle’s works, but not this one. It’s a multiverse/time travel tale positing an alternative history for mankind on earth. Unfortunately, I found it not all that well thought out and filled with so many moving parts as to be implausible. As such, I had great trouble suspending my disbelief and staying engaged. The characters are thinly drawn and not compelling, which made it tough to care about them. Some 560 pages, the novel is also way too long. Die-hard sci-fi fans may find something to enjoy, but to me, this seemed a mash-up of too many ideas and devices already thoroughly explored by other books, movies, and television series.
January 25, 2025
This book has some of the worst dialogue between characters I’ve ever seen.
August 4, 2023
this was an interesting book! the first half was better than the second half though. the plot started to get overlong after a point, and the ending felt unsatisfying. despite its flaws, overall this was a good book that i would recommend
3/5 stars
3/5 stars
March 5, 2023
This is the first book by this author I have read, and I am so glad it is the start of a series as I can’t wait to read what happens to the main four characters after this! A mind blowing read.
Ty works as a scientist, monitoring the Large Hadron Collider, when he makes a monumental discovery which could change our understanding of the universe. He has found a pattern in the data which appears to be a message. He calls this quantum radio. Unfortunately, the dark and mysterious organisation known as The Covenant do not want him to share his findings and try to have him killed.
Ty, Nora, Kato and Maria are brought together by a message Ty decodes.The four people each have an unknown reason for being selected by this message, and their lives change forever. I don’t want to go any further into the story as I never include spoilers in my reviews, but I can tell you once these four people got together and the story really began I couldn’t tear myself away from the pages!
Anyone with an interest in the LHC and quantum physics will enjoy this book, as well as anyone interested in a brilliant fast paced multi genre read.
Ty works as a scientist, monitoring the Large Hadron Collider, when he makes a monumental discovery which could change our understanding of the universe. He has found a pattern in the data which appears to be a message. He calls this quantum radio. Unfortunately, the dark and mysterious organisation known as The Covenant do not want him to share his findings and try to have him killed.
Ty, Nora, Kato and Maria are brought together by a message Ty decodes.The four people each have an unknown reason for being selected by this message, and their lives change forever. I don’t want to go any further into the story as I never include spoilers in my reviews, but I can tell you once these four people got together and the story really began I couldn’t tear myself away from the pages!
Anyone with an interest in the LHC and quantum physics will enjoy this book, as well as anyone interested in a brilliant fast paced multi genre read.
March 26, 2023
An action, espionage, thriller SF book.
I enjoyed how the story is structured, inviting you in to a seemingly SF story, giving you a healthy dose of science, then the mystery starts and we're researching the solution, to jump into action, and teleport into a espionage.
This may be a small spoiler: this book is an example of great multiverses story.
I enjoyed how the story is structured, inviting you in to a seemingly SF story, giving you a healthy dose of science, then the mystery starts and we're researching the solution, to jump into action, and teleport into a espionage.
This may be a small spoiler: this book is an example of great multiverses story.
December 12, 2023
The beginning wasn't bad. I was pulled into the story despite the awkward dialogue. Why do people insist on writing scientist dialogue where the one scientist, instead of just saying what he's going to say, begins to ask questions of the other scientist to lead him to the answers which he could have just said in half the time. These are colleagues talking, not teacher and student, but anyway... I digress...
The book started out fine, but then it took a turn into the multi-verse. I am not a huge fan of the multi-verse, but this is not the books fault, it is more the fault of the person who wrote the blurb about the book not mentioning it, but I was in, so I continued.
Then we get to a world (I'm not marking this as a spoiler, but it might be spoiler adjacent if you want to stop) where Germany and the Axis powers won WWII, and NOWHERE IN THE BOOK does anyone mention the extermination of the Jews or comment on how homogenous everyone is as they're going along and learning ab0ut the history of the place they landed. Not every WWII book needs to be about Judaism, but if people from our world are going into that one, then it at least deserves a mention.
The book just tumbles downhill from there. Scientists act on hunches instead of extrapolating facts, and one speech from one captured is able to spark peace talks between the two waring sides. Yeah, after that, technically I finished reading, but I had pretty much tuned out.
The book started out fine, but then it took a turn into the multi-verse. I am not a huge fan of the multi-verse, but this is not the books fault, it is more the fault of the person who wrote the blurb about the book not mentioning it, but I was in, so I continued.
Then we get to a world (I'm not marking this as a spoiler, but it might be spoiler adjacent if you want to stop) where Germany and the Axis powers won WWII, and NOWHERE IN THE BOOK does anyone mention the extermination of the Jews or comment on how homogenous everyone is as they're going along and learning ab0ut the history of the place they landed. Not every WWII book needs to be about Judaism, but if people from our world are going into that one, then it at least deserves a mention.
The book just tumbles downhill from there. Scientists act on hunches instead of extrapolating facts, and one speech from one captured is able to spark peace talks between the two waring sides. Yeah, after that, technically I finished reading, but I had pretty much tuned out.
January 29, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for an advance reader copy. If you want a synopsis, click on the book.
The thing I like about Sci-Fi is that it can take you anywhere and this story certainly does that. I managed to keep up (well almost) with the technical stuff about quantum particles, etc although, at times, I felt it was stopping me getting on with the storyline. The story is well planned with surprises along the way and it has a satisfying ending, leaving things open for a follow-up. However, I'm not sure I'd look forward to another.
Still a decent Sci-Fi read though.
The thing I like about Sci-Fi is that it can take you anywhere and this story certainly does that. I managed to keep up (well almost) with the technical stuff about quantum particles, etc although, at times, I felt it was stopping me getting on with the storyline. The story is well planned with surprises along the way and it has a satisfying ending, leaving things open for a follow-up. However, I'm not sure I'd look forward to another.
Still a decent Sci-Fi read though.
March 6, 2023
So I was almost finished my review on this book when I inadvertently touched the screen in the wrong place and it disappeared, and I don’t have the willpower to go through it all again, so:
Good rather than brilliant story. A bit overly complex.
Some areas require a large suspension of disbelief that I wasn’t quite capable of.
If you love geeky science stuff with a plot that feels like a mix of several episodes of Star Trek and Stargate with a generous seasoning of Dr Who, this is one for you.
And there’s going to be at least one sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.
Good rather than brilliant story. A bit overly complex.
Some areas require a large suspension of disbelief that I wasn’t quite capable of.
If you love geeky science stuff with a plot that feels like a mix of several episodes of Star Trek and Stargate with a generous seasoning of Dr Who, this is one for you.
And there’s going to be at least one sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.
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