A deeply intelligent tale about intelligence itself, and the hurdles science must clear to see the light of day.
An archeologist working in Kazakhstan is presented with a discovery that could prove revolutionary, but taking it public proves unexpectedly fraught in Linden’s novel.
In the hope of landing a full professorship in the anthropology department at Rushmere University, Dr. Claire Knowland accepts a research position on a dig in Kazakhstan investigating the domestication of ancient horses. Her “true passion” is the study of animal intelligence, but as a 32-year-old adjunct, she is willing, however begrudgingly, to make concessions to secure professional advancement. An unexpected discovery piques her interest: Rob Rebolet, the chief of security for the Transteppe mining company, reports that one of his geologists, Russian Sergei Anachev, has found something peculiar—a grouping of “enormous bones” far too large to belong to horses that seem purposefully arrayed in a place where elephants never roamed. The bones predate the rise of any human ancestor, provocatively challenging the accepted scientific interpretations of the evolutionary emergence of intelligence on Earth, a gripping possibility lucidly explained by the author: “If the bones were not arrayed by some ancient human ancestor, could they represent the rise of intelligence in some other mammalian line, which became extinct many millions of years ago? Given the long sweep of life on earth, if evolution could produce intelligence once, could it have produced it more than once?” Such an explosive discovery will almost certainly be commandeered by the profoundly corrupt Kazakh government, and the examination of the bones is waylaid by the violent outbreak of civil war. Sergei is also menaced by Andrei Bezanov, a cruel Russian oligarch with a longstanding grudge against him who aims to take over Transteppe, thereby gaining control of the region’s valuable phosphorite reserves.
The novel deftly combines a dramatically powerful story with a thrilling scientific possibility, one made impressively accessible by the author. The story ranges from an assassin’s attempt on Claire and Sergei’s lives to searching discussions of the nature of intelligence and its mysterious appearance in the world, which is made even more inscrutable by the fact that human beings seem to have a monopoly on its possession (though Sergei’s findings undermine that assumption). As Dr. Keerbrock, another scientist, puts it to Claire: “Why only us? If rapid environmental change is a driver of intelligence, why don’t we find a bunch of other smart animals?” Some of the literary elements of the novel are questionable—Sergei’s history of acrimony with Bezanov feels convoluted and contrived, and Bezanov is something of a cartoonish villain, brimming with outsized evil plans and fantasies of revenge. Additionally, the eventfulness of the tale sometimes takes a turn for the formulaic; some of the violence depicted seems culled from popular cinema, and is more canned than exhilarating. Nonetheless, Claire is a memorable hero, as smart as she is empathetic, and Sergei is a profoundly complex character, one with an extraordinary grasp of science and a prudent sense of human nature. This is an immersive tale that is both intellectually enlivening and genuinely entertaining.
A deeply intelligent tale about intelligence itself, and the hurdles science must clear to see the light of day.Pub Date: May 14, 2019
ISBN: 9781948122375
Page Count: 336
Publisher: RosettaBooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.
A woman fears she made a fatal mistake by taking in a blood-soaked tween during a storm.
High winds and torrential rain are forecast for “The Middle of Nowhere, New Hampshire,” making Casey question the structural integrity of her ramshackle rental cabin. Still, she’s loath to seek shelter with her lecherous landlord or her paternalistic neighbor, so instead she just crosses her fingers, gathers some candles, and hopes for the best. Casey is cooking dinner when she notices a light in her shed. She grabs her gun and investigates, only to find a rail-thin girl hiding in the corner under a blanket. She’s clutching a knife with “Eleanor” written on the handle in black marker, and though her clothes are bloody, she appears uninjured. The weather is rapidly worsening, so before she can second-guess herself, former Boston-area teacher Casey invites the girl—whom she judges to be 12 or 13—inside to eat and get warm. A wary but starving Eleanor accepts in exchange for Casey promising not to call the police—a deal Casey comes to regret after the phones go down, the power goes out, and her hostile, sullen guest drops something that’s a big surprise. Meanwhile, in interspersed chapters labeled “Before,” middle-schooler Ella befriends fellow outcast Anton, who helps her endure life in Medford, Massachusetts, with her abusive, neglectful hoarder of a mother. As per her usual, McFadden lulls readers using a seemingly straightforward thriller setup before launching headlong into a series of progressively seismic (and increasingly bonkers) plot twists. The visceral first-person, present-tense narrative alternates perspectives, fostering tension and immediacy while establishing character and engendering empathy. Ella and Anton’s relationship particularly shines, its heartrending authenticity counterbalancing some of the story’s soapier turns.
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781464260919
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A standout in the series.
The sixth adventure of Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon explores the mysteries of human consciousness, the demonic projects of the CIA, and the city of Prague.
“Ladies and gentlemen...we are about to experience a sea change in our understanding of how the brain works, the nature of consciousness, and in fact…the very nature of reality itself.” But first—Langdon’s in love! Brown’s devoted readers first met brilliant noetic scientist Katherine Solomon in The Lost Symbol (2009); she’s back as a serious girlfriend, engaging the committed bachelor in a way not seen before. The book opens with the pair in a luxurious suite at the Four Seasons in Prague. It’s the night after Katherine has delivered the lecture quoted above, setting the theme for the novel, which features a plethora of real-life cases and anomalies that seem to support the notion that human consciousness is not localized inside the human skull. Brown’s talent for assembling research is also evident in this novel’s alter ego as a guidebook to Prague, whose history and attractions are described in great and glowing detail. Whether you appreciate or skim past the innumerable info dumps on these and other topics (Jewish folklore fans—the Golem is in the house!), it goes without saying that concision is not a goal in the Dan Brown editing process. Speaking of editing, the nearly 700-page book is dedicated to Brown’s editor, who seems to appear as a character—to put it in the italicized form used for Brownian insight, Jason Kaufman must be Jonas Faukman! A major subplot involves the theft of Katherine’s manuscript from the secure servers of Penguin Random House; the delightful Faukman continues to spout witty wisecracks even when blindfolded and hogtied. There’s no shortage of action, derring-do, explosions, high-tech torture machines, attempted and successful murders, and opportunities for split-second, last-minute escapes; good thing Langdon, this aging symbology wonk, never misses swimming his morning laps. Readers who are not already dyed-in-the-wool Langdonites may find themselves echoing the prof’s own conclusion regarding the credibility of all this paranormal hoo-ha: At some point, skepticism itself becomes irrational.
A standout in the series.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780385546898
Page Count: 688
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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