Book Review: Through the Triangle by C.P. Stewart

Summary:

Mysterious places exist in this world, where the unexplained is more common than one would expect. There are areas where people, watercraft, and airplanes have vanished, as if they never existed. Three of these areas lie in and around Alaska, Japan, and Florida. The latter of these three is widely known as the Bermuda Triangle, or Devil's Triangle, in which ships, planes, and more than a thousand people on them have disappeared without a trace. These people have become statistics, but were actual living breathing people with families, friends, and acquaintances. Reflect for a moment on what these people experienced as they transitioned from being a normal person to a memory in the blink of an eye. Did they cease to exist? Theories abound on the reason for the disappearances, ranging from the natural -- weather and methane gas, to the more radical UFO abductions.

Review:

I was surprised at how much I liked this book.  I'm not usually a big sci-fi fan.  I have read eight of Michael Crichton's books and really enjoyed them, but have not read any other sci-fi until now.  This book reminded me of a Michael Crichton book, and I mean that in the best way possible.  The science parts of the book were very understandable and I didn't get bogged down in a bunch of science that I couldn't understand.

This book is about the Bermuda Triangle and time travel.  I liked the futuristic setting and the characteristics of the future world were very believable and well-planned.  This book had a really nice attention to detail, which really appealed to me. 

I could tell that Stewart put a lot of time researching the science that this book is based on.  I really appreciate that.  I love a book that leaves me a little bit educated when I'm finished.  Ken Follett books do that to a certain extent, and so did Through the Triangle.  I am not a physics buff by any means, but the main character, Jake is a chemical engineer and he explains the scientific principles to the other characters in a very understandable way to the unknowing reader. 

I liked the plot, the pace was fast, and I also liked the side love story.  The conclusion was surprising, to say the least.  I love a good surprise!  The whole time I was reading this book, I kept saying to myself, "wow, I really like this."  I'll definitely be reading more from CP Stewart in the future.

Just One Gripe:

Stewart does not describe any of his characters' physical attributes.  This made it hard for me to "see" the characters in my head.  All I had were their names, ages, and occupations---no idea of what they looked like. 

The Best Thing About This Book:

I liked the quirky humor.  "Oosa" is one example that made me laugh out loud.

Appropriate for a younger audience:

No sex, but there are cannibals and murderers.  However, nothing is too graphic so it's a toss up.

Score:
Characters:  3/5
Plot:  4/5
Setting/Imagery:  4/5
Originality:  4/5

Ending:  3/5

Total Score:  18/25

 

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an impartial review.