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John Taft #1
The Einstein Papers
The Chinese government is on the verge of cracking Einstein's "Unified Field Theory," which would give allow them to develop a terrifying new weapon, and anti-terrorist agent John Taft is determined to stop them. A first novel. Reprint.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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194 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 21, 2015
Although this was written quite a while ago by the author, it caught my eye because of the books he had co-wrote with Clive Cussler. I found the book to book slightly slow at first; but only so. It quickly picked up and continued with momentum that did not stop until the last page. This novel contains great historical backgrounds with Albert Einstein and one of his theories that he had solved before his death; but did not publish due to the destructive nature of what he had discovered. It is worth the time to read if you are one who enjoys history, action and adventure.
March 29, 2020
This is the second worst book I’ve ever read. I think a few of my brain cells died while reading it. “He sat down on his bony ass.” No better way to write that sentence?
March 11, 2023
A novel written by one of Clive Cussler's co-authors.
It starts with Einstein completing the Unified Field Theory, but realizes it could make an even more destructive weapon than the atomic bomb. So he hides the completed paper on his sail boat.
"Present day" - the Chinese capture a Chinese scientist working in the US after he writes about Einstein's papers on Unified Field Theory - to have that weapon. The US sends John Task to capture him back - and does.
More adventures against the Chinese and their paid agents.
The Chinese scientist and US colleague figure out the Theory and discover how it can be weaponized. To stop the Chinese from attacking Taiwan, the US uses the weapon and staves off the attack.
John Task is the new hero (book 1) so there will be more books.
It starts with Einstein completing the Unified Field Theory, but realizes it could make an even more destructive weapon than the atomic bomb. So he hides the completed paper on his sail boat.
"Present day" - the Chinese capture a Chinese scientist working in the US after he writes about Einstein's papers on Unified Field Theory - to have that weapon. The US sends John Task to capture him back - and does.
More adventures against the Chinese and their paid agents.
The Chinese scientist and US colleague figure out the Theory and discover how it can be weaponized. To stop the Chinese from attacking Taiwan, the US uses the weapon and staves off the attack.
John Task is the new hero (book 1) so there will be more books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2018
I bought this book at a library book sale looking for authors I could use for a long car ride with audio versions. I needed something appropriate for me, my 16 year old, and possibly my 74 year old engineer father. This would have been ok for that but the book was just ok in my opinion. It was interesting enough that I made myself repeatedly go back to it to finish it but it wasn’t a page turner I couldn’t put down...not for me anyway. I didn’t use it for an audio book...just read the hard copy I bought inexpensively to preview.
November 10, 2020
I enjoyed this book for what it was. Very easy reading and nice to switch off to. It’s incredibly far fetched in places but consider the year 2020 has been, I’m not sure far fetched is far fetched anymore.
Exciting and very fast paced.
Exciting and very fast paced.
June 16, 2021
Wonderful reading this book; well written and holds interest from beginning to end
February 9, 2022
great adventure novel
If you like a bond style special agent saves the world book then read this. The multiple plots are cleverly intertwined.
If you like a bond style special agent saves the world book then read this. The multiple plots are cleverly intertwined.
December 18, 2012
The cover of this book bears a quote from Clive Cussler: “Craig Dirgo has the stuff of a master storyteller and the makings of a great adventure author!” I agree, but Dirgo’s first solo effort shows that he’s still got a way to go to get there. I enjoyed his Oregon Files books because they were written differently than most adventure novels in that they weren’t about unraveling a villain’s plot, but were more about the intricacies of a major heist. It is unfortunate that that doesn’t work so swell in a standard adventure yarn, which this is.
It’s as if this novel is a bunch of pieced-together short stories about failure, as John Taft, his partner Larry Martinez, and the rest of the good guys keep letting the bad guys get away. Even worse, the timing is poor. We know exactly what the bad guys are doing well in advance of the good guys, so as they go through the paces of catching on, we’re left tapping a foot with impatience because we want to get on with the story already.
The book also has a few issues with editing. Like a camera that lingers too long on a scene, too many details are mentioned, or they’re described awkwardly and laboriously. It’s as if the wrong draft of the manuscript went to the printer and more editing and a few rewrites should have been done to smooth out its many rough spots.
Complaints aside, I still think this is a pretty decent first novel. Dirgo has a lot of talent, and I have the feeling he’s going to improve with subsequent novels. He just needs to hone his craft a bit now that he’s on his own.
He borrowed a little from Cussler to get the story off the ground, beginning in the last days of Albert Einstein’s life before vaulting into the present day with high-adrenaline action as John Taft rescues a physicist from a Chinese prison and spirits him out of the country. The US government has reason to believe the Chinese are on the verge of developing a superweapon using Einstein’s Unified Field Theory, which would utilize the Earth’s three major forces: gravity, magnetics, and electricity. The Americans chase the Chinese all over the Eastern seaboard trying to get their hands on the papers in order to develop a superweapon first. Meanwhile, the Chinese stir up trouble in the Middle East as cover for their REAL plot: annexing Taiwan to mainland China. When the American physicists finally have the formula complete, things turn out much different than expected, but the good guys use it to their advantage in an explosive climax.
As far as heroes go, John Taft has potential, but I haven’t really been able to warm to him yet. Hopefully, he will develop along with Dirgo’s skills with character depth. Ditto with Taft’s sidekick Martinez, particularly since he has the unusual appendages of a wife and children. Dirgo should be able to use them in some interesting ways in the plots of future novels.
In all, I can’t put this one on the top of my list of favorites, but I didn’t hate it, either. I think Dirgo shows a lot of potential and it should be fun to watch his talent develop along with this series.
It’s as if this novel is a bunch of pieced-together short stories about failure, as John Taft, his partner Larry Martinez, and the rest of the good guys keep letting the bad guys get away. Even worse, the timing is poor. We know exactly what the bad guys are doing well in advance of the good guys, so as they go through the paces of catching on, we’re left tapping a foot with impatience because we want to get on with the story already.
The book also has a few issues with editing. Like a camera that lingers too long on a scene, too many details are mentioned, or they’re described awkwardly and laboriously. It’s as if the wrong draft of the manuscript went to the printer and more editing and a few rewrites should have been done to smooth out its many rough spots.
Complaints aside, I still think this is a pretty decent first novel. Dirgo has a lot of talent, and I have the feeling he’s going to improve with subsequent novels. He just needs to hone his craft a bit now that he’s on his own.
He borrowed a little from Cussler to get the story off the ground, beginning in the last days of Albert Einstein’s life before vaulting into the present day with high-adrenaline action as John Taft rescues a physicist from a Chinese prison and spirits him out of the country. The US government has reason to believe the Chinese are on the verge of developing a superweapon using Einstein’s Unified Field Theory, which would utilize the Earth’s three major forces: gravity, magnetics, and electricity. The Americans chase the Chinese all over the Eastern seaboard trying to get their hands on the papers in order to develop a superweapon first. Meanwhile, the Chinese stir up trouble in the Middle East as cover for their REAL plot: annexing Taiwan to mainland China. When the American physicists finally have the formula complete, things turn out much different than expected, but the good guys use it to their advantage in an explosive climax.
As far as heroes go, John Taft has potential, but I haven’t really been able to warm to him yet. Hopefully, he will develop along with Dirgo’s skills with character depth. Ditto with Taft’s sidekick Martinez, particularly since he has the unusual appendages of a wife and children. Dirgo should be able to use them in some interesting ways in the plots of future novels.
In all, I can’t put this one on the top of my list of favorites, but I didn’t hate it, either. I think Dirgo shows a lot of potential and it should be fun to watch his talent develop along with this series.
December 21, 2016
Totally far-fetched, some serious problems with over-detailing (we really don't need 3 paragraphs describing the general's dinner) but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Fun!
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June 26, 2013Great fun read. What if Einstein actually solved his Unified Field Theory - what would be the impact? What if the conclusion he reached was so devastating - he chose to hide the results from the world. Who would kill to discover the secrets it held. By the end you have to wonder if Einstein and Tesla ever spend time together. When Tesla died the FBI raided his apartment and confiscated all his papers. It was rumoured he was working on some sort of death ray at the time of his death. Who could Einstein trust with his secret field theories? A great romp through the secret service agencies of multiple countries.
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December 19, 2007This has to be the stupidest book I've ever read. Not only are the basis for the theoretical assumptions asinine, but the plot jumps from one lucky situation to another. The highlight is when one of the secret agents runs barefoot across the border from China into Uzbekistan, carrying a technological secret that threatens to topple all of China. The Chinese helicopters and soldiers chase them all the way to the border, and then realizing they are in another country, they turn back. Huh?
February 22, 2010
Craig Dirgo's contributions to some of the Cussler series enticed me to read some original work...I wasn't disappointed...along the line of Ludlum's Covert One, Coont's Deep Black, and Rollins' Sigma Force...they save the world from China's efforts to seize Taiwan by controlling Einstein's Unified Force Theory...unbelievable, but a fun read!!!
January 30, 2011
I read this book a while ago, and coming back to it reinforced my initial impression of the book. While it's not a masterful work of fiction, it's quite an entertaining read, especially for fans of Ludlum or Clancy. The book was one of the first examples of well-orchestrated simultaneous action I had ever read, and it's stuck with me as I read and write my own work.
January 27, 2016
Don't be put off by the title, this is a full on thriller. I enjoyed reading about John Taft's exploits with his buddy Martinez and I loved the idea that Albert Einstein had left a hidden clue to his final equation. Some have compared this to a Dirk Pitt story, (and I have read a few) but this seemed fresh to me and I am sure I will be reading more from Craig Dirgo.
October 21, 2010
Formulaic, predictable, one-dimensional characters.
The phrase "he said easily" was so overused it went from distracting, to maddening, to comical. "No," he said easily. (How does one do that?) It's now a joke among my writer friends.
The phrase "he said easily" was so overused it went from distracting, to maddening, to comical. "No," he said easily. (How does one do that?) It's now a joke among my writer friends.
August 1, 2013
Great read! My husband recommended it! full of suspense. I could hardly put it down to see what the americans and the Chinese were going to do next. Even though I do not understand Einsteins theory.
January 29, 2011
A run-of-the-mill action thriller. A book to waste time with, but nothing to write an expansive, glowing review about.
August 4, 2011
This was a pretty cool book. It involved science, intelligence and military action, all things I like.
July 24, 2014
I finished this book because I wanted to see if it told me more about Einstein's Unified Field Theory. It told me more than I knew, but I don't fully trust the author's opinion on the topic.
May 3, 2016
read SOMETIME in 2003
Want to read
January 5, 2019Synopsis: with the Chinese on the brink of a new devastating weapon, antiterrorist operative John Taft must act swiftly.
October 13, 2020
Nothing new here. Basically a poor-mans Cussler. Decent premise, but lacked. A few to many parallels to Clive.
July 23, 2017
Interesting book. Real science mixed with fiction. History.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews