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A Book Review:
THE ORIGINATORS – a novel
LITERARY HOOK By Christine Swanberg
From The Rock River Times, Rockford, IL – 3/29/06
From time to time, I enjoy reading novels by people I know.
Charles Schwartz of Highland Park, Illinois, has published a novel of epic magnitude:
THE ORIGINATORS - a novel.
Published in 2005 by Note•Well•Publishers, this 450-page tome was an intriguing “read” for the recent winter months (soon to be spring, we hope). Sometimes it’s fun to indulge yourself in a long, luxurious, complicated book filled with suspense, intrigue, and visionary zeal. Add to that characters who you simply have never met before in any other novel as well as a plot that spans from 1884 to the virtual present and “near future”—and you have the necessary mix for a thriller.
You will traverse history and visit such places as Paris, New York, Portsmouth, Le Havre, “Somewhere” in Pennsylvania, The Azores, Washington D.C., “Somewhere” in Maryland, Molineau, Israel, Qatar, Stockholm, and Mecca. If you enjoy a vicarious adventure to places exotic and historical, you will enjoy the landscape of THE ORIGINATORS.
History buffs will get a kick out of “meeting” people of historical impact that are interwoven in the main characters’ lives. The main characters Hyim and Leah Hopewell, Ezra, Li-Don, the enigmatic “Jimmy” as well as “originators” such as Cronos and a motley crew of intergalactic peace-warriors weave their way through various decades. Strange things happen—sometimes with no explanation—to the Hopewells and their entourage of friends and allies until their ultimate purpose and destiny is revealed.
Hyim, whose name changes several times and finally becomes Chaim, discovers that he is part Originator and part human. The Hopewells are time travelers in a sense. Because of their “lightning” experience with the Originators who have unlocked the secret of hydrogen, the Hopewells live virtually without aging for decades. They morph into various identities and have names such as Richard and Ann Wallace, George and Julie Kornbluth, Martin and Wendy Helton.
I confess that I do not have the kind of mind that it takes to unravel layers of plot, allegory, religious undertones, and social commentary. I just go along for the ride, blissfully experiencing the hard labor the author has gone through to create levels and intricacies for the reader to enjoy.
THE ORIGINATORS is a multi-faceted, complicated book that promises to please various kinds of readers: those who want to waltz through history, those who are fascinated by the prospect of a potent and limitless energy source right in front of us, those who enjoy a touch of science fiction with characters able to “live forever” and morph into numerous identities, allegories of religious and social significance, and characters to enjoy on a cold, winter night snuggled under the covers.
If THE ORIGINATORS sounds like a book you might like to read,
call 847-432-3736 or email: charlie@charliesbooks.com or amazon.com
Warning: Be prepared for a long, dangerous journey that will leave you with a lot to think about!
Summary Reviews of The Originators - a novel by Charles Schwartz Review
Kept me in suspense about critical energy shortages. The polical intrigue was fascinating. This is certainly recommended reading. --Hedycrow, Illinois, August, 2005
Review
Don't miss this book!! A real page turner! Loaded with suspense, mystery, intrigue and an interesting cast of character. --Missouri reviewer, September, 2005
A reader from Missouri
Better than DaVinci Code! ...historical novel laced with intrigue, compelling dialogue and the question of politics vs energy dependence.
Review
A plot of political intrique, using science and technology concepts that touch upon the very fiber of our bodies. --The Mouse Dot, Fall, 2005
Authors's comments: As an intriguing political thriller, this is the story of how greed and violence collide with intricate twists as one man tries to give free and abundant HYDROGEN energy to the world. The Originators set off with a plan for the introduction of free, clean, and abundant energy to coincide with the introduction of the automobile at the start of the 20th century.
The plot thickens. Power brokers vs. Teddy Roosevelt; 1000 auto manufactures , some with steam, or kerosene, or new electric to power their vehicles. And of course the oil barrons who are determined to kill off all competition. Then the stupid, stupid, Great War, later called WWI, interrupted the plan. Had that war not happened, the hydrogen technology would have been introduced just in time to stop the awful Henry Ford from dictating the course of dirty energy as an industry. A Note for the reader: This is a story infused with a moral dimension.
Meaning does not lie exposed on the surface but submerged. It waits for the reader who has ears to hear the message, which may or may not come.
If it does, an insight will reveal itself to stir up the unconscious morality denoting the sanctity and essence of human life.
I agree... "If on a winter's night a traveler," by Italo Calvino, in which the reader is congratulated for having purchased Calvino's book when so many others in the bookstore beckoned, or attacked:
"...the Books You Mean To Read But There Are Others You
Must Read First, the Books Too Expensive Now And You'll
Wait Till They're Remaindered, the Books ditto When They
Come Out In Paperback, Books You Can Borrow From Somebody,
Books That Everybody's Read So It's As If You Had Read
Them, Too ... Books Read Long Ago Which It's Now Time To
Reread and the Books You've Always Pretended To Have Read
And Now It's Time To Sit Down And Really Read Them...." Read: The Originators - a novel by Charles Schwartz
Publisher's Description
As a literary novel, The Originators is the story of how greed and violence collide with the reverence for life when free and abundant Hydrogen energy is given as a gift to the world. Here is an intriguing story that explores the frightening truth about Man s past to save his future. This compelling and engaging political thriller could be described as a Da Vinci Code for the energy industry, with historic scope and intricate twists right out of Irving Wallace. Abstract
Hyim and Leah Hopewell are on their honeymoon in the romantic city of Paris in 1889. In a fit of exuberance, they sneak onto the Eiffel Tower in the middle of the night, just as an electrical storm lights up the city. It's the most romantic night of their young lives. Hyim, a brilliant young physicist, can't quite explain what happens next. They are attacked by persons unknown. After a short struggle, Leah ends up falling over the railing, a 200-foot drop. The assailant escapes, but somehow, some way, Leah is still alive. As Hyim tries to go over the events in his mind, he eventually comes to the undesirable conclusion that there was more at work than the physics he had been taught in college. The Hopewells--along with their faithful servant, Li-Don--are soon catapulted into a world of violence and intrigue, where the concepts of friends and enemies have little meaning. Was Leah the target? Or is something more sinister at work? No one can be trusted. In a time when corporate interests are left unchecked and the industrial revolution is darkening the skies of Western Civilization, Hyim must find the answer to why there are so many people aligned against him. As he comes to understand the tremendous but disorganized campaign to destroy his research, he simultaneously realizes that his family is the most important thing in his life. In his search for the truth, he finds more than he bargained for as he starts to question his very existence. His answers have implications for all of mankind, but can he save the world from itself? A curious little box may hold the key.
Reader Reviews:
"Here's a book that you want to take with you everywhere. The characters become your friends so it's hard to come to the end of the story! It's a good read that's about people we know. Yet this book is beyond that. Within some esoteric concepts of why we're here, The Originators plots a web of international political intrique, futuristic science and technology, and concepts that touch upon the very fiber of our bodies as we age. There are sub-plots of love, friendship, countries that spar, some biblical references for fun, plus a larger theme that strikes a cord in all of us a la The Time Machine or l984 - but not really! You'll have to find out, but hurry. It's great summer reading! If not now, I'd buy it out for one of those long airplane rides this fall or winter. Enjoy!! " "Summer thriller that has you asking for more!" August 12, 2005 By The Mouse "Dot"
*****
"The novel kept me in suspense while giving me information about critical energy shortages. The polical intrigue was fascinating. This is certainly recommended reading; intrigue & suspense.
August 9, 2005 By Eugene A. Meyer *****
"DON'T MISS THIS BOOK!!! A real page turner! Loaded with suspense, mystery, intrigue and a very interesting cast of character. This book will take you all over the world and definitely leave you thinking." August 8, 2005 By Hedycrow (Illinois)
*****
"If you're looking for a historical novel laced with intrigue and compelling dialogue, then this is your summer reading! The author weaves actual scientific and historical facts into a science fiction/thriller, leaving you to question assumptions held about politics and energy dependence.
Better than DaVinci Code!" August 7, 2005 By A Reader from Missouri (Missouri) ***** |
NOTE•WELL•PUBLISHERS The Originators - a novel (phone) 847-432-3736 (fax) 847-432-3272 Highland Park,Il, 60035 "the e-mail of the
species is more deadly than the mail"
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Books of Poetry By Charles Schwartz POETRY MOMENTS [Collected Poems]
BETWEEN THE SHEETS [Selected Poems]
UNDER MY SKIN [Selected Poems]
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