Customer Reviews

The Moses Probe

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

 

 

During a rescue of Luke Skywalker in the film "The Empire Strikes Back," the viewer is treated to a cockpit view from the "snow speeder" craft as the searchers swoop close to ridges and plunge sharply into deep valleys. The first time I saw that scene, it made my stomach jump. I was surprised that images could cause such a physical effect.

Ted Magnuson brought me to a similar reaction with mere words; the exhilarating action he packed between the covers of THE MOSES PROBE.

This story takes place in 2112. Protagonist Jac Flyte eagerly prepares for his mission to Alpha Centauri, made possible by the recent invention of faster-than-light travel. An old fiancé, Dr. Cheryl Bellini, pulls him away from that exercise for the opportunity to travel instantaneously to the center of the universe. Predictably, this sets up the romance component of the novel, but it doesn't travel too far down that trail before snapping back into action. Together they travel to the planet Protos--aboard biotechnical marvels built according to the instructions found within the "Moses Probe," a capsule sent to Earth from Protos 25 years earlier.

While Earth a century from now retains much of what is familiar (the author's vision is anything but ridiculous), the Protoans are highly advanced and speak in unfamiliar terms. Like several of the advanced life-forms one might expect to encounter in "Star Trek," the universe is the territory of the Protoans, both physically and spiritually. Suddenly our planet seems small and inconsequential. Magnuson includes a helpful glossary in the back of the book for the alien words, but I found it easy to discern their meaning from the context.

This book is loaded with battles between good and evil, with mystery and deception, and imagery fit for the silver screen. It may take you most of the book to decide which is "good" and which is "evil." The plot is complicated, including some minor items that don't seem necessary, yet it races along beginning to end--and like any well-told story, leaves us with questions to ponder. I'll have to read this one again! Five stars for THE MOSES PROBE.

-Byron C. Justice, author of "Violent Night"

This may be the worst book ever written. I don't know how many trees were slaughtered to bring this piece of excrement to the world but I know if it was one it was one too many. If it weren't for the vanity press industry the world would be spared this kind of hackneyed tripe. The "author" of this mess strikes me as the kind of person who would review his own work and give it five stars. I give it zero stars. Correction: I give it the finger.

The author has no idea of security, military, social or technological detail. This is just a patchwork piece of rubbish, with a bit of everything thrown in for verisimilitude as science fiction. One word would describe this book, but I have to use more than 20 , The word is "UGH"
I have only read one worse plot and that concerned a train on a railway line to space!! What was the publisher thinking?

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (8/06)

What if man could be instantly transported anywhere in the universe? "The Moses Probe" contains that technology. Some will stop at nothing to get the information, even murder. "The Moses Probe" by Ted Magnuson will thrill both Science Fiction and Fantasy fans.

Long a joke to his colleagues, Dr. Leahy a brilliant but eccentric scientist has cracked the code in the Moses Probe. Lt. Jac Flyte is leaving, Cheryl, a cosmologist and the woman he loves to journey with to Alpha Centauri. Cheryl calls Jac and begs him to look at what Dr. Leahy has discovered. Jac is skeptical that anyone could ever travel faster than the speed of light but he agrees to listen. putting his position with the Alpha Centauri Mission at risk. When Jac and Cheryl find Dr. Leahy dead they decide to commit to each other and continue pursuing Dr. Leahy's work.

"Leahy's Bio' Ethereal Transports--are animals." Jac and Cheryl have "...entered a world where giant dragonflies awaited his decision to breach the time-space continuum." Soon Jac and Cheryl are flying off on an adventure that could cost them their lives.

From the moment I saw the cover of this book and the title I was enticed to pick it up. I had to read it. This book has a little of everything - intrigue, suspense, adventure, fantasy, science fiction and romance. Don't forget to add murder to the list. This book is well written. The subject matter is interesting and intriguing. It will appeal to readers of many genre especially science fiction and fantasy. The characters are interesting and come alive on paper.

Book received free of charge.

The Moses Probe is an imaginative story where riders can jump from universe to universe riding upon the backs of large insects. Throw in a love story, a planet in danger and some very nasty bad guys and you've got the entire makings for one thrilling ride.

Lt. Jack Flyte, ( I love that name.) is all set for a manned fight to Alpha Centauri. He's said his good-bye's knowing when he returns to Earth, nothing will be the same. He's even bid good-bye to Dr. Cheryl Bellini, the women he loves. Yet with a call from her, he attends a meeting that will change his life forever.

When in college the two of them had been involved with one Dr. Leahy and his fanciful dreams of instantaneous flight. But is it just a dream, or, thanks to the Moses Probe, is there more to it? And is Jack willing to abandon his dream of faster-then-light travel to take a chance on someone else's words alone?

The Moses Probe opens up new worlds and I found myself as a reader hoping it to be more than just fiction. I think you will enjoy this story as much as I did.

I really liked this book. It was a fun read and kept my attention - hard to put down. I found it to have a classic "good vs evil" theme - but wait - who is good and who is evil? You'll have to read it to find out!

Young Lovers, Big Bang, Swashbuckling Adventure, Theory of the Universe and Everything, all these elements come together in 'Moses Probe.' I hope you will have as much fun reading Moses Probe as I had writing it.