Quantum Radio
AG Riddle
416 pages
Head of Zeus
Published on March 2nd, 2023
⚛️⚛️⚛️ &1/2
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 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.
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