Cover Image: Quantum Radio

Quantum Radio

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This is a fast-paced thriller with a no-frills narrative, I adore a short chapter and this has over 100. This does wander a far way from the sci-fi premise however, moving more towards a dark alternative history where Nazis won WWII, and the second half of the novel is closer to dystopian than any other genre. There is also the unfortunate tendency for the author to tell and not show, with characters telling each other things that they already know. A lot of potential here, and I did enjoy the book, but I feel like the marketing needs to be a little altered.

Was this review helpful?

I can always count on Riddle for a breakneck speed, fascinating characters, and a wonderful exploration of quantum ideas. Even if you're not a hard sci-fi/speculative fan, he is able to concisely and clearly explain difficult concepts so you can appreciate the story fully. Another fun ride from a solid author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

Upon starting this, I expected so much.

It was fast-paced and every time a chapter ended, I felt as though putting the book down just wasn't an option. Sadly, for me, it lost its magic somewhere after the midway point. When different timelines/universes came into it, I just started to lose interest. I can't decide if I had just read books where it had been done better, or if the book itself just lost a bit of its shine to me.

Was this review helpful?

Quantum Radio by AG Riddle is the beginning of a multiverse thriller saga centering around quantum mechanics. Dr. Tyson Klein, an American particle physicist working at CERN in Geneva makes a discovery which points to a parallel universe and sets him on a journey which becomes more alternate historical fiction than sci-fi. A fast-paced thriller, it loses the plot a little in the second half but is none-the-less a very readable book and I look forward to reading the sequel.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Ty Klein, a quantum physicist at CERN has made an amazing discovery which enables travel between alternate universes. It's an OK idea but Star Trek did it better. That said the first portion of the book covering his discovery is quite interesting but after Ty gets taken to a parallel world the story degenerates into a standard pursuit tale, at which point I lost interest.

Was this review helpful?

Quantum Radio

I am a fan of A G Riddle, but this one was just missing something for me. I didn't care about the characters or where the story was going. I will still pick up A G Riddle books in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley, Head of Zeus, and A G Riddle for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a great book. I love the storyline and the characters. An engaging story from the beginning to the end.

Was this review helpful?

I really like all his books. The story is so interesting, so you cannot put book down before you have read or listen it to end.

Was this review helpful?

Multiverses are big at the moment. Though actually I think they will probably have peaked with Everything, Everywhere All At Once and we are solidly into the realm of them being an over-used and poorly played storytelling device. Written science fiction has been kicking them about for years, and the good ones have dissected ideas around similarities, how wild the variations should be and what travel between them might mean.

Quantum Radio isn't that kind of book. Quantum Radio takes the first couple of lines of what a multiverse is, and then uses that to tell a Da Vinci Code style breathless adventure novel. Where a mysterious alien signal puts together a strange team of a partical physicist, his - er - childhood crush, a ultra-competent soldier and a junkie musician to save the multiverse from Nazi's. (They aren't called Nazi's but they come from a world where Germany won WWII and so calling them The Covenant feels a bit redundant). This is quite enjoyably silly stuff for the first half, until our team who aren't a team get shunted to another Earth where they appear to have to Mission Impossible their way to stopping mutually assured destruction. Its at that point that you realise that the set-up was exactly that, and this is the pilot episode for a series, Sliders by way of Agents Of SHIELD.

This is a breathless beach read, short chapters, short paragraph, declarative chapter enders as minor cliffhangers, and it globe trots, and earth trots amusingly. But there's no science in this science fiction and most of the fiction is pretty secondhand (the musician seems to be on the team because she did a bit of stage make-up back in the day - of and is also a megastar in the Nazi universe). Fun enough but I probably would have given up if I weren't by the pool.

Was this review helpful?

The first third is "DaVinci Code" redux. Instead of DaVinci, codes, and Catholic Church politics and conspiracies you get Einstein, quantum entanglement, and deep state politics and conspiracies. A tepid hero travels the world complements of mystery helpers and loads of expository dialogue in search of a quantum MacGuffin. But then, bang, we switch gears and start universe hopping. This requires a team, and vastly more expository dialogue that sometimes feels like a power point presentation and sometimes reads and looks like a film pitch deck. But it didn't matter because I read the entire book, marveling at the goofy, clever, bold, and ambitious nerve of the author to keep the whole thing afloat and the pages turning. And sometimes fun, high energy, a crazy fast pace, and chutzpah will power a quantum leap.

Was this review helpful?

This book really disappointed me. The first half was very intriguing, but the second part was an alternate WWII story that I really didn't care for. Everything was overly convenient throughout the whole book, the mc trusted on his intuition for so many things ("the password is xyz, why? Trust me, I feel that I'm right"). I wouldn't recommend it for fans of sci-fi thrillers, but for fans of WWII alternate history books.

Was this review helpful?

AG Riddles’ science-fiction is often heavy on the science, but never to the detriment of the story. Unfortunately, for me, this novel goes that bit too far, and ruins the story. There’s just too much quantum physics, and my poor head couldn’t cope. Disappointing.

I received an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A little too heavy on the science for my tastes, the verbose explanations of physics bored me and lost me to be honest. If was more heavy on the science than the fiction.

Was this review helpful?

I have read and enjoyed A.G. Riddle's books and this one was no exception. I really enjoyed the characters and the story and could not stop reading!

Was this review helpful?

Ty Klein, a quantum physicist at CERN has made an amazing discovery -something that is set to rock the world but his discovery is a threat to some. Rescued by his estranged father & taken to a facility. Ty has found a message. The key to this Quantum Radio it is in the DNA of four people. Although there was some thought it might be Ty's twin it is Ty who is one of the keys. Soon Kato- a military man, Nora- Ty's childhood friend & Maria- a musician struggling with addiction end up in an alternate & scary version of history.

I don't pretend to understand the science but then I didn't really need to. This was an exciting fast moving read with interesting characters & events that kept the pages turning. I hope that there are more adventures to come. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I do hope there are more to come.

Was this review helpful?

I really should know what to expect when I pick up a sci-fi thriller by AG Riddle. After all, I’ve read half a dozen of them and they share a comfortable formula. Half geek: half boy’s own adventure. This means you get thoughtful speculative extrapolation based around solid contemporary scientific concepts – something of a throwback to the golden age of science fiction, in fact.

So if you were raised on – ooh, I don’t know, EE Doc Smith or Asimov – then you’ll feel right at home with the science side of things… as well as the sketchy characters and a pell-mell plot driven by preposterous coincidences. As with the very best pulp fiction, it doesn’t pay to overthink things – particularly not the wince-inducing romantic interludes or the convenient arrival of a mini-McGuffin to accelerate the story when it starts to stall. Turn off your higher faculties, kick back and enjoy the ride.

Because Quantum Radio is an entirely entertaining romp. By good fortune (or perhaps a good publishing strategy) its theme of parallel worlds is right on the zeitgeist… although the mirror universe has been kicking around in Star Trek since the late 1960s, proving the point that everything comes back into fashion eventually.

Still, who isn’t up for a multi-dimensional adventure exploring alternate histories and meeting the evil version of yourself? Plus of course that well-worn trope of ‘what would the world be like if Germany had won WW2?’ Bring on the space-Nazis!

Riddle throws in some genuinely novel concepts to give his scenario some zizz, including a totally terrifying method of global destruction. In fact, the second half of the book feels a lot like a Bond movie, infiltrating the super-villain’s secret mountain complex – and there’s also a lot of exposition where the reader is required to soak up a half century of alternate history in a single chapter. Then it’s back to sneaking around and saving the universe.

Is it fun? Yes, surely. Is it flawed? That too. But Riddle saves the day with an endearing philosophy – basically, how to succeed at public speaking by being kind – which underpins the whole confabulation. It’s all charmingly naïve, and quite refreshing for being so.

7/10

Was this review helpful?

Quantum Radio is fast-paced page turner, opening with a bomb (literally) which sets off a stream of dominoes that seem to get larger and larger. This is my second AG Riddle novel and Quantum Radio carried on in much the same vein. It hooked me quick and carried me along on this wild ride through science, some alternative history and mad theories i cannot even begin to contemplate the reality of.
Reminding me of dan Brown, I love how Riddle builds his narrative and characters with ease, they're immediately likeable (albeit a bit 2D). You may be put off by the science talk but as someone who understands zero science, I didn't find the detail overwhelming or difficult.
While I would naturally put this novel into the science fiction category, it holds elements of historical, fantasy and thriller all rolled into one making it an epic journey to read through but it almost gave me whiplash feeling there was a little too much crammed in. Despite this I'll be eagerly awaiting Riddle's next book!

Was this review helpful?

You cannot go wrong with A G Riddle and speculative sci-fi. As always, this is a fast paced thriller with and exciting plot. A bit more complex and "out there" than usual but entertaining nonetheless.

Was this review helpful?

I had fun in reading thix mix of thriller, alternate history and sci-fi. There's a bit of science, a likeable main characters , and a lot of twists and turns that kept me turning pages.
It's not a perfect book: some twists are a bit forced but I think you will appreciated it if you love Doctor Who or alternate history.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Was this review helpful?

This tale is a brilliant story of a theoretical future which. personally, I feel is much closer to the reality and truth of our world than many will give it credit for. This is a real pity as folk around our planet need to be reawakened to the dangers of complacency, the deadening of senses by everyday violence and language plus the plotting of a certain strata in society to control our every thought and deed.

I hope those words have persuaded you that this is a must read book as I would not like to think that I have pushed you away from it.

Short version, my words do not do this book the justice it deserves so do please read it and make up your own mind.

Was this review helpful?