Customer Reviews

The Kennedy Effect

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book is a very well researched and entertaining journey through an alternate history that left me with many of those "Hmmm..." moments. I found it to be a tightly woven science fiction tale with broad appeal through its many historical and modern day references. I particularly enjoyed the book's very strong and thought provoking "point of view" on politics and religion. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good "what if...?".

I never thought it was possible to be on the edge of your seat while reading a book but this sci-fi story accomplished that. The story ratchets up the tension as one nears the date of Kennedy's assassination. Without giving away too much the reader is kept off balance about the main character's true intentions when he arrives at Dealey Plaza, the site of the shooting. This does come early in the book but serves as a springboard to the rest of some frenetic action in this fast paced read.

I gave this book to my wife to read and she loved it too.

Remember the Star Trek: TNG episode where Worf kept hopping from one alternate reality to the next? That's what this book is like. In this story, however, the clock starts in the early sixties during the Kennedy Presidency. The main character is named Jack (wink, wink) from another reality. He visits ours as part of a covert operation to keep a rogue group from blowing up our existence since their religion is intolerant of any reality but their own. Great read.

Anybody who enjoys Kennedy Conspiracy theories and the TV show Mad Men will be entertained by this science fiction story. There is an alternate reality where JFK never became president. Instead he's a spy, but not in any cold war. He's spying on us in our reality in some kind of interdimensional struggle to preserve existence. The physics is well explained in layman's terms and definitely adds a sense of impending doom for the characters in harms way -- all of us!

Starting to read this book I was reminded of the H. G. Wells' novel War of the Worlds. The first paragraph of that classic started with us being watched by an alien intelligence who were drawing their plans against us. In the case of The Kennedy Effect, however, we're being watched by our own counterparts in a parallel universe. They're mostly peaceful tourists but a splinter group amongst them are neither peaceful nor harmless. They intend to wipe us out of existence just because we're not them. Thus the conflict that propels the President's counterpart through this riveting story.

The salvations of many universes crosses them. "The Kennedy Effect" is a unique novel telling the tale of an Alternate John F. Kennedy glimpsing our universe and his assassination in or world. Fearing for his own fate, he must look far and wide to find some place to survive, his universe, ours, and many others. An intriguing science fiction novel that blends alternate history and historical fiction, "The Kennedy Effect" is sure to please genre fans.

Summary: President John F. Kennedy's counterpart from an alternate reality visits Earth, his stated mission: to observe our timeline, including the assassination of our president. But then his own dark fate is revealed, and he goes on the run. Soon Kennedy finds himself in a battle to save both his universe and ours from marauders who would do anything to destroy us. To stop them, he must trust a mysterious faction from yet another reality, the Martians. This work of alternative history/speculative fiction creates a subgenre aimed at those who relish far-out concepts containing a strain of plausibility. Here's a universe and an Earth that match scientific theory and offer unique ideas within the realm of the perhaps might-be. (synopsis from book)



I have to say, as most of you who read my reviews know, I am not much of the Science-Fiction type. On that note, I try to at least give everything a good solid try. Going into this book I was a bit skeptical because...come on, JFK and alternate realities...sounded a bit crazy. Well, imagine my shock after I started to read that I was enjoying this book. The author certainly knows how to draw the reader in slowly and then hook you. I was literally pacing around as I was reading, there was so much tension. It was also, after a brief web search on my part, very historically accurate. So I truly enjoyed this book and I am very glad I gave it a chance, who knows, maybe I'll turn to the Science-Fiction side again one day.

I absolutely love this book!!! Fasten your seatbelt! This book is a unique mix of politics, history and sci fi that keeps you on the edge of your seat for each twist and turn of the plot. This book will stretch your imagination as you ponder the possibility of JFK himself in a parallel universe to ours traveling in time to try to save his universe and as well as ours. Mr. Foy sprinkles in many interesting nuggets of detail that will be familiar to people living in the Boston area, including some that will make you chuckle. This book is the perfect stocking stuffer for all of the sci fi fans on your gift list. Also, if you like this book, a wonderful read is Foy's previous novel "Future Perfect" written in a similar genre.

Nice cover and a great title, but the pleasant surprises don't stop there. Having always thought of time adn space in a linear realm this book opens up all kinds of possibilities. I found myself putting the book down at times to take a few moments to enter the world of time travel. I highly recommend this book to all science fiction fans and JFK enthusiasts.

This is an exceptional book. From the very beginning the reader is left asking questions, wondering how everything ties together. Spanning decades, The Kennedy Effect brings in so much information from actual history and Mr. Foy's imagination that, if one does not read carefully, one can become overwhelmed by the complexity of it all. It is worthwhile, however, to soldier on because each chapter weaves the story tighter and tighter until, by the end, everything that you have read has served to advance the story, despite the disjointed nature of the book. The way this is done is nothing short of brilliant.

Lovers of hard science fiction will find much to enjoy about this book. American political history buffs will also revel in the detail Mr. Foy has brought to that aspect of the story. In fact, he weaves historical fact into his story so flawlessly that if one does not know the actual history, one will be left wondering where fact leaves off and fiction begins.

A worthwhile read that easily earns five stars.