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The Genesis Code

Review

The Genesis Code

THE
GENESIS CODE, the debut novel of Florida attorney Christopher
Forrest, will keep you reading long after the final page has been
turned. It is based on such an interesting premise that you will
want to read more about it, if only to further delve into the
elements that Forrest weaves together so well.

The book’s title refers to a momentous discovery by Joshua
Ambergris, a Nobel Prize-winning geneticist and founding partner of
Triad Genomics, a global biotech firm. Ambergris discovers nothing
less than a coded text hidden within human DNA. Based on scientific
research but guided by everything from the Dresden Codex (look it
up, it’s fascinating) to the Sefer Yetsirah, this
sets off a firestorm, for Ambergris is murdered hours before he is
to make a formal announcement.

Ambergris has left a trail of clues behind for the benefit of his
protégé, Christian Madison, and his research assistant,
Grace Nguyen. Madison and Nguyen, however, are pursued by a shadowy
organization that has preserved the secret of the genetic code for
centuries and is split on whether to keep it hidden or let it be
revealed to the world. As Madison and Nguyen follow
Ambergris’s clues, they find themselves in a deadly and
puzzling chase to uncover the secrets of and the reason for the
code, buried in the remains of thousands of years of human
history.

While THE GENESIS CODE is an exciting adventure tale on its own
terms, Forrest’s research into the obscure works of early
civilization provides a fascinating starting point for anyone
interested in exploring the possibilities of what knowledge may
have been lost in the sands of time as well as what may be hiding
in plain view. The discussion of the Mayan long count calendar ---
which ends on December 21, 2012, for those who like to plan ahead
--- by itself should provide a springboard for further
reading.

As for the book itself, Forrest almost paints himself into a plot
corner but manages to cleverly and believably find a way out. While
a thriller at heart, this is an impressive debut that raises
spiritual and scientific questions that will keep you researching
and wondering.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub on January 22, 2011

The Genesis Code
by Christopher Forrest

  • Publication Date: August 21, 2007
  • Genres: Fiction, Thriller
  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Forge Books
  • ISBN-10: 076531603X
  • ISBN-13: 9780765316035