Review 2

The Omega Wave by Richard Rydon
Lulu Publishing (2008)  ISBN 9781409212980

The year is 2025, and Wes Lane, Inc. has hired a Swedish scientist named Luper Beauchamps to develop and research neurospheres. Neurospheres are biological computers created from neurons. The neurons in this research are obtained from deceased human brains. This research is supposed to provide answers to the questions of when consciousness begins and when it ends. The scientists also want to prove that consciousness can exist outside of the human mind.

Luper becomes closely acquainted with two of his colleagues, Rose and Frieda. They all have some suspicions about some of the people who work above him. When some of the neurons start disappearing and they discover other ones that they did not create, the group knows that something is not right. When a Central Asian Embassy appears on adjoining property, their suspicions are confirmed. They suspect that the neurospheres are being used for mind control and torture. They have to hide some of their research. It is very apparent that the government wants to take control of this project. This puts their personal safety in jeopardy.

The author of “The Omega Wave” is a retired university scientist. His scientific knowledge and education is obvious in this novel. Being an educator, he is able to easily explain the scientific concepts used in this story. He makes everything seem very plausible and real. As a non-scientist, I have to admit, I am not quite sure where reality ends and fiction begins. That’s what really makes this story an adventure. It all seems so real.

The author also does a wonderful job of developing the characters. I found myself truly liking the main hero and heroine. The ones that the reader would not be sure about are very complex, and might not fit into a black and white “good guy/bad guy” category. This complexity of their characters makes the story more real. I think what makes this book truly terrifying is that there is an underlying feeling that this novel is something that could really happen in our country if our government were to get too much control. “The Omega Wave” by Richard Rydon will definitely stimulate interesting conversations and provide you with thought provoking questions about bioethics.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views
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