This book is like a mixed salad! Spies, aliens, archeology, adventure, chases, narrow escapes, religions both good and evil, history, suspense, fiction, odd relationships... I think I have missed something on that. Anyway, over all this is very drama, very SF, and major film worthy.

Science fiction gets a boost with Quantum. Aliens, archeology, adventure and spies. Fast moving and an interesting read.

I tried. I really, really tried.

Quantum: The Trilogy Begins sounded so much like it would be the perfect book for science-loving nerdy old me, but when it came down to it, I couldn't finish it. After four attempts over a year and a half, I am throwing in the towel.

To those of you did finish and enjoyed it, I am jealous. I couldn't there to find the "good stuff" that I'm certain was lurking just behind the next chapter. I'll keep it on my Kindle for a while, so if you want to talk me into yet another attempt, I am open to entertaining your arguments FOR ENJOYING Quantum: The Trilogy Begins.

I love books like this, with unexplained artifacts, government conspiracies and a good dose of suspense.

So if you love a book like that, then this is the book you should read. It is packed with intrigue and kept me reading.

I have to say I'm not fond of trilogies in general, but for this one I will make the exception, especially after that cliffhanger of an ending!

The only off thing about the book was the relationship between two of the characters, that hinted of the taboo. I did not see how it fit in with the rest of the book. As if it was added as an afterthought to make the book more sellable?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
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Two doctors working in a refugee camp in the Sudan discover a mysterious metal cylinder buried in the desert. Their initial tests show the object was made long before any civilization on earth would have had the materials or technology to do so. In fact, it may predate the existence of mankind itself. When intelligence agencies around the world show an interest in the object, the scientists studying it disappear. What follows is a fast-paced race around the world between governments wanting to control the cylinder and the scientists trying to discover its secrets. Secrets that could change everything we thought we knew about how our world and our species began.

I found myself unable to finish this book. I tried it several times but I feel nothing as executed in the way I was expecting based on the description. This novel was just not for me unfortunately, as much as I hoped it would be.

"Quantum" eBook was published in 2017 and was written by Dean De Servienti (http://www.deandeservienti.com). Mr. De Servienti has published three novels.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the contemporary world.

Doctors working for an NGO in Africa stumble across a mysterious object. It looks high-tech, but was found buried in ancient rock. They gather a few experts to study it further and head to London. They quickly realize that they have found something that will disrupt world religions as well as possibly governments.

They decide to disappear until they can find out more about the object. They head to the US for further secret testing. They soon discover that they are being ruthlessly pursued by various intelligence agencies. They quickly find that survival and not pursuit of knowledge is their biggest challenge.

This was an interesting 9 hour read of a 301 page science fiction novel. While I liked the overall plot, I thought the execution was a bit weak. Nor was I really drawn to any of the characters. I had a hard time with all of the intelligence agents being nothing but obnoxious and ruthless killers. The cover art is OK. I give this novel a 3.4 (rounded down to a 3) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Very interesting book, a mixture of different genders.

What if?

A nice relaxing break from all the newish drivel written lately loosely based on Science Fiction. This is a story of a group of people who take it upon themselves to put greed and fame aside to take, study and hide a bit of alien kit, with the idea of keeping it away from humanity, knowing that if the world found out, it could lead to war, death and possibly the end of the world as we know it,
There are little titbits of scientific babble, but not enough to doze off too, and an interesting insight into the many facets to understanding the various world rulers and religious leaders, with an interesting perception of how they would view or react to such radical change this alien artefact could bring to all earths races around the world.
Both the Storyline and characters are convincing and overall the book is well written, smooth flowing, clipping along at an amiable pace, yet keeping it exciting to the end. I like the style of this writer and am looking forward to the next book in the series (of a set of three, I believe). Well done!

A review copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know if every book of this category are the same, but this one is reaaally enjoyable, I really liked that they added depth to this book based on REAL things, also the situations and the adrenaline of the characters feel immersive.

I'd recommend this book to a friend.

Two scientists, working for a NGO, discover an artifact in the deserts of Darfur that seems to have alien origins. They contact four other scientific experts and meet to see what they can discover about the object. In short order, they are alarmed by what it reveals, and consider it a worldwide threat. They go off-grid to study it further, and in fear for their lives. They tell their families not to look for them. But word has leaked of their find, and every government who knows about it wants to have it for their own.

The story follows the six scientists as they race against time to unravel the secrets of the object. But what do they know about evading trained assassins and covert operatives who are trying to kill them? They receive help from unexpected sources, but is it enough to keep them ahead of the killers? And is the world ready to hear what secrets are hidden within the alien artifact? . . .Once the assassins pick up their scent, the story picks up speed as they try to outrun their pursuers, and it was a wild ride till the end. The interaction between the spy agencies was fun, and injected a bit of humor with the interplay of government bureaucracies. There is an incestual relationship that is a bit unsavory, but a few twists and an entertaining read.

3 or maybe 3.5 stars. First off, since I think the author wrote this book in Italian, I want to compliment the translator--very good job. The book is a blend of genres: mostly thriller (with spies and lots of action) and science fiction (more science than sci-fi). An artifact is discovered that appears to be quite ancient, but of a substance that does not exist on earth, and was apparently left by aliens. There are no aliens and no space travel, so don't worry if sci-fi is not your thing. This is more of an action-packed thriller with an exploration of the implications for the origins of humanity. However, I thought the scientific fantasy aspects were more plausibly developed than the supposedly realistic actions of the various religious leaders and government agencies and some of the individuals involved. Also, there was a relationship that was just plain creepy and I didn't see how it contributed to the book. Anyway, with a little work, I could easily see this being made into a movie!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book.

Dean De Servienti came up with A well thought out Sci-Fi trilogy filled with a lot of action and intrigue concerning the past, present, and future. QUANTUM The Trilogy Begins is like taking a giant step into the unknown.The book cover and title itself suggests to the reader that there are matters in the universe beyond the human spirit in understanding.
Our story opens with a note from the author. But this reader has found a few unanswered questions. Was there actually a meeting that took place? Could the leak of a meeting have been a rumor? Even though suicide attacks ceased, and some CIA operatives were summoned home, there was no proof of these events. Did they really happen? Very intriguing indeed. I liked reading this book. It brought back a program I use to watch. QUANTUM LEAP. A very enjoyable program with excellent characters. Also this book had some characters that really stood out.
Then our introduction begins with an equation that Frank Drake developed, and we are thrown into the unknown about the cosmos; which, in turn, leads us into the Prologue that takes us into Darfur. An interesting read indeed!

This book is like a mixed salad! Spies, aliens, archeology, adventure, chases, narrow escapes, religions both good and evil, history, suspense, fiction, odd relationships... I think I have missed something on that. Anyway, over all this is very drama, Sci-Fi, major film worthy.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

Quantum is a book combining quantum mechanics, paleoanthropology, ninjas, and spies. It read like a science fiction-action movie. If you're one of those readers who is sensitive to the whole science versus religion debate when it comes to our origins as humans, I recommend not reading this book. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I found the concept behind finding advanced technology from another world and unlocking its mysteries that provide insights into our own origins very intriguing. On top of that, the author throws in the action sequences that come with having international parties looking to chase down and steal this technology to meet their own needs and misdeeds. The writing was just okay because I felt the author would go off on rather descriptive sections of the book that would distract from the overall story and slow the story down. Regardless, I definitely would be interested in reading future installments in the trilogy.

While the premise of this book seemed engaging, the narrative itself was lacking. Perhaps the fact it was translated from another language may have something to do with the choppiness at times. Also, the story seemed dated a bit for a contemporary release.

Unbelievable story. Fantastic is the best way to describe it, and now I can hardly wait to catch the next one in the trilogy. Like many of this type, there are a few too many of the too long words, but the story comes though regardless. Essentially, it involves a group of good-guy scientists trying to escape all the spy types with some science-fiction aspects thrown in. It never slows down. The writer has done a superb job. I voluntarily read and reviewed a prior-provided copy of this book.

ARC ebbok/Science Fiction: I saw the cover and read the description and thought this was the book for me. Too many characters with too many locations was the first hint this was going to be a stinker. The icky relationship between the "siblings" was another. The people with unendless money in bank accounts to skip around the world makes me mad too.
The scientist are a plenty and they are so dull. All these governments chasing after them was tedious. I expected a cross between Dan Brown and Michael Crichton with facts and history and faux science that makes sense. I'm a slow reader and bad books take even longer. I only finished it because NetGalley let me read the book in lieu of an honest review and I want my time back.

I was so intrigued by the concept of this one - I liked the alien artifact idea, the scientists trying to save the world, and the implications of it all for world history/religion. BUT I did not particularly love the writing... It was alright in the beginning, but slowed WAY down rather quickly and I found myself plodding through each page. Still, I was curious enough to see what would happen with the artifact and how the world would handle the inevitable release of information about it - until Chapter 9. That's when the book lost me completely... There were a few points before then when I found myself creeped out (there's a, let's say, *unusual* familial relationship presented early on), or bored (honestly, it seemed to me rather beyond credibility that every major government was so free and easy in their dramatic responses to the hunt for the scientists), or eye-rollingly irritated (how can smart people be SO oblivious??). But at the end of Chapter 9 - which is almost half-way through the book - there was a Big Reveal. I enjoyed it and didn't see it coming (although perhaps in hindsight I should have), but the way it played out seemed utterly unbelievable and totally turned me off... The Shadow is a HUGE part of the early book, and then, suddenly, Big Reveal and everything changes, like flipping a switch. It was the proverbial straw that broke the back of this one for me and I closed it for good...

This is the first book that I have read from Dean and I'm looking forward to reading the next two in the series.
A book similar to National Treasure or the Da Vinci Code, this pits several national security agencies against each other and 6 scientists and their special discovery. The plot was not too contrived or too involved so the book did make an easy, good beach read this summer.
Two of the characters have a very icky relationship which seemed out of place through the book which just does not fit in with the rest of the story.
There were several plot twists in the book that were unexpected (as they should be) and did not seem to be too out of place for the story.
This book is part 1 of a trilogy so I am looking forward to the next two books.

This book was translated from Italian and the translators did a very good job - although there were several spelling mistakes (and the ones I spotted were provided to the publisher), the flow and structure of paragraphs did not make it obvious that the book had been translated