Like Michael Crichton? Try Edward M. Lerner's Probe
Written: Aug 16 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: suspenseful; surprise ending; dry humor
Cons: portrayal of women; some of the science too much for me
The Bottom Line: A suspenseful techno-thriller--recommended to any science fiction fan!
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| lernerj's Full Review: Probe |
Although my taste in novels tends to run toward the character novel rather than the science fiction or techno-thriller type, I like to make an exception when my father is the author. So when Edward M. Lerner's (dad, to me) debut novel Probe came out in 1991, I read it, and now that I'm all grown up, I read it again. I can honestly say that I enjoyed it both times.
The Plot
Probe begins with Bob Hanson, head of the R&D department at a major aerospace firm, being called into a secretive meeting with one of his top scientists, Carlton Moy. Their deep-space probe, Prospector, had made some interesting observations, and after a bit of analysis, the scientists realized that they had a dream discovery on their hands: it looked like Prospector had found an alien spaceship! Unfortunately for Bob and Carlton, their disgruntled co-worker Bill Parker, bitter that Bob had the job Bill had expected to be promoted into, was also in on the meeting and the discovery, and he immediately took his information elsewhere. With this small step begins a web of complex secrets and covert actions and manipulations in which scientists, CEOs, military leaders, journalists, politicians, and miscellaneous Federal agents attempt to outdo and outguess each other to come out on top of the alien situation. This mess of intrigue rapidly deepens, and soon Bob finds himself accused of a crime he didn't commit and on the run in order to protect a new discovery (and himself) from falling into the wrong hands.
And all along, while these events unfold, we periodically observe a strange gathering where the speakers are labeled only by their roles--the psychologist, the physicist, the sociologist, the programmers. It is clear that there is a nefarious plot going on in this group as well, and it has something to do with the discovery of the aliens and something to do with Hanson's persecution, but it's not clear what.
What Works in Probe
The motive force of the novel is two-fold: first, the ever-larger network of intrigue and plotting surrounding the discovery of the alien ship and attempts to profit (monetarily or otherwise) from it, and second, the mysterious gathering and its machinations. The two levels of action are at once separate and intimately connected, and a major part of the suspense is anticipating exactly how they are connected. At the same time, we have the suspense generated by any novel or film of the techno-thriller genre: someone's out to get our protagonist--will he get away from each successive trap? who can he trust? how can he prove his innocence? Between all of these different forms of suspense, I found that Probe kept me wondering the whole time--complete with a twist in the very last paragraph of the book.
I also enjoyed the way the plot developed. When we finally discover the identity of the mystery group, the ramifications are fascinating and interestingly explored. I found that the last 70 pages of the book, when this group had been identified and the chain of realizations began, to be the most entertaining part of the novel.
Finally, some of the smaller details add character to the novel. Lerner employs dry humor throughout the book (as he does in real life), and one of my favorite aspects of the work was the constantly snide remarks exchanged among the members of the mystery group. Perhaps it is the fact that I am an academic at heart; perhaps it comes from training in a home where "hard" scientists and "soft" scientists, not to mention the dreaded humanities majors, have had plenty of (at least somewhat civil) discussions about who knows best. But whatever the reason, I found these snotty, off-hand characterizations (the psychologist thinks the physicists know nothing about human nature, for example) hilarious.
What Doesn't Work (for me, at least) in Probe
The one significant frustration I felt while reading Probe was Lerner's portrayal of women. The novel was completed in 1987, so it is perhaps not all that surprising that the gender roles are not up to my standards. At any rate, I found it annoying that seemingly every time a woman appeared, she was subjected to verbal or actual ogling by the male characters. This frustration was somewhat ameliorated by the fact that Lerner portrayed the female lead as a competent scientist in her own right, but I still found these aspects of the story bothersome.
I also felt occasionally lost in the science of the transpiring events. While there are lots of things I know about, the natural sciences are not among them. So, for example, when Bob and Carlton were making their initial discovery of the alien ship, I had a bit of trouble following their logic and evidence. (The Doppler effect? That has something to do with motion, right? Wait....something to do with blue and red? That's about all you'll get from me.) Overall, though, Lerner explained the science clearly, and it is not actually necessary to understand much of any of the detailed scientific aspects in order to understand the plot overall.
About the Author
Edward M. Lerner, besides being my father, has worked for several decades in the aerospace and computer industries. Although Probe is his only novel to date, he has also published short fiction ranging from vignettes to novellas in Analog Science Fiction and Fact. You can learn more about Lerner and his work at his web site, http://www.sfwa.org/members/lerner/.
Conclusions
Although I can't claim to be a totally impartial judge, I would recommend Probe to anyone who enjoys techno-thrillers like the work of Michael Crichton. It is a complex story that provides an enjoyable, suspenseful read, a powerful, emotionally-told dénouement, and a surprise ending in the very last paragraph--what more could you want?
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lernerj
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Member: Jennifer
Location: Vienna, VA
Reviews written: 141
Trusted by: 99 members
About Me:
Sociology professor, reality-tv watcher, and kitty lover
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