The Ark of Adams By Jack Kane

Article first published as Book Review:The Ark of Adams by Jack Kane on Blogcritics.

As Weather and Global warming continue to wreak havoc on the earth, snow and ice blanket the world, creating a new ice age. In an effort to moderate the conditions on humanity, discovery of an answer comes through the technological ingenuity of Dr. Adams. To reduce the difficulties produced by cold, starvation and the other stresses that arose from a new ice age, it would require a different environment, a virtual reality, a new Genesis that could be manipulated to a more agreeable and comfortable existence, a place to renew while the physical body was in stasis.

As with all answers and exciting discoveries, different factions look for control, Dr. Adams is one of the first of the inhabitants reset, and then replaced by other more capable operators. Reset is a program enacted for criminal or other inhabitants that become a problem in the mode. Reset is engineered to help rehabilitation, but as in the case of most correctional systems, the inhabitants often get worse.

Even in this virtual reality, there are issues; hackers consistently try to break into government computers. Nicki Allen innocently becomes a criminal because of her curiosity. Through an online companion, she obtains a thumb drive copy of Genesis and as she pulls it up to see what the excitement is all about, she herself is detained and reset. Her online companion, Kung Fu, is there and has a plan.

Even as rescue comes, death and destruction become a way of life in this new reality. Duplicity creates an opportunity; one that sweeps her in. As she fights for her life, she gains control, and becomes the
Director of the alternate reality. Unaware of who or what Kung Fu is, she has brushed his existence to the side and determined to create peace. However, lack of knowledge and a misunderstanding of motives leave her blind. As their reality is decimated and the people destroyed, only now does she begin to see the depravity of the lunatic behind the mask.

In The Ark of Adams, Jack Kane has created an alternate reality, a new frontier of safety and life for the human population. It is a reality full of people with their own lives and families. He has created strife, and set different groups against the other, setting up war like conditions. His characters are both real and likable. Nicki is flawed and yet she has a strength that is unlike many others. Kane obviously has some knowledge of fighting; there is some extremely well written training dialogue. While the pace is quick, some grammatical flaws confuse the story. A good proof read would set it to rights and would put this book in a genre along with other good Science Fiction novels.

There is darkness inherent in the story, one that stems from the abuse of privilege and power. It is a disturbing look at a possible future with global warming, famine and war. Even with a safety valve–alternate reality–humans have still not learned their lesson. War continues and abuse of power shows in every part of each reality. With the knowledge that Nicki finds, is there hope for the earth, and its alternate reality?

There is great value to the story, both knowledgeable and scientific. Jack Kane sets it up in a believable fashion. If you like science fiction and great action sequences you will enjoy this book.

Rating 3/5
The Ark of Adams


This e-book download was received as a free copy from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the information.