Challenge: 50 Books discussion

This ended up being a quicker read than I would have guessed. Robert Sawyer's "FlashForward" had a lot of potential to be a theory rich roller coaster ride in the vain of the Michael Crichton styled thriller. It ended up a quasi-engaging, theory driven science fiction piece on destiny versus self-determination. In the end Sawyer’s vision feels incomplete. Too much is handled through brief conversations, quick clips, and veiled mysteries which don’t pay off in a manner that is fully satisfying.

It is not surprising that this book was turned into TV show, the book has the nuts and bolts of a solid thriller, but it fails to deliver. The TV show is more fully realized. It ups the stakes and gives you more characters. Where the book’s characters are two dimensional, the producers of the television show have breathed life into the echoes of these same characters. This story is more compelling being back dropped by an FBI investigation of world event. The questions of fate vs. choice are ramped up by the addition of the good verses evil battle in the TV show.

“FlashForward” is a relatively minor work standing on its own. As the seed for what could turn out to be a moderately successful television show this book is a wonderful catalyst. I only hope they don’t go for the ST:TNG episode ending (see the ST: TNG episode call Relics). While it would be good see Montgomery Scott one more time in action, Sawyer’s ending was too opened ended to be satisfying.

Currently Reading: The Lovely Bones
Next Up: