DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my review. Opinions are my own. No compensation was received for this review.
I really like sci-fi, and I like historical fiction quite a bit as well. When I saw this book that is supposed to be a pairing of the two, I jumped at the chance to read and review it.
The main character in the story, handsome flyboy Roger Greene, is from Indiana, where I live, so that gave the book added interest for me. (Irrelevant side note, later, when Roger is on Hoosier soil again, I recognized the places he mentioned, and that was so cool for me. I know, I’m a dork.)
Roger, an orphan, depends solely on himself, his charm and his abilities. When he gets gunned down over enemy lines, he cries out one call to God, but assumes his life is over.
Amazingly though, he survives and he’s taken to a concentration camp that is more like an experimentation camp.
He finds he’s the final lab rat in an experiment that is supposed to extend life (hence the name Methuselah, the man who lived the longest ever in recorded history).
The other main character, Katherine Mueller, seems like the perfect match for Roger, and we wonder just when will the two meet, and will they have an instant connection, or not?
Each chapter shows a date and location, so readers can quickly tell when it is, and if the chapter is about Katherine or about Roger. Throughout the book, we travel back in time to the Nazi war to present time and back again.
The character development was really good, and I felt I knew them well. I enjoyed the faith aspect also. The one thing I didn’t enjoy was the dialogue. Some of it seemed really forced…contrived…I kept thinking it was because Roger was from another time, so his lingo would be different, but you’d think that after ALL the years he had to read long classics (not to mention the Bible), he might have picked up a larger vocabulary.
All in all, I really enjoyed the characters, and the plot line. I didn’t LOVE the ending, but that’s only because I always like to know more. I hear that Rick is working on a continuation of this story, and am looking forward to reading that.
I think anyone who enjoys sci-fi OR historical fiction will enjoy this book. It’s not just for women – men and children will enjoy it as well. There is a bit of clean romance, but not so much that it’s too mushy. 😉 My almost 12 year old son ate it up within 8 hours. He couldn’t put it down once he started reading. 🙂
I also think this would make a great movie some day. 🙂
If you’re concerned with the book being too similar to Captain America or the movie Forever, fear not. There might be slight similarities, but not enough to turn you away. The book is in no way copying either story line.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and give it 4 stars!
Book info
About the book:
The Methuselah Project (Kregel, September 2015)
Nazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended.
Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed—until the day he’s shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy.
When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success—but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn’t aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn’t Captain America—just a lousy existence only made passable by a newfound faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger’s sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there’s no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It’s 2015—and the world has become an unrecognizable place.
Katherine Mueller—crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle—offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he’s trying to flee?
Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
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About the author:
Rick Barry is the author of Gunner’s Run, another World War II novel, Kiriath’s Quest, and over 200 articles and fiction stories. In addition to being a World War II buff, he is the director of church planting ministries at BIEM, a Christian ministry operating in Eastern Europe. He holds a degree in foreign languages, speaks Russian, and has visited Europe more than fifty times. Rick lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Connect with Rick online: Blog, Facebook, Twitter.
About Jenn: I’m a Christian wife to an amazing man (since 1998) and a stay-at-home-teaching mom to four special & incredible boys (born in 2004, 2005, 2007, & 2009). I’m messy and cluttered, but working on that (really, I am!). I’m a discouraged perfectionist and a classic procrastinator who probably has both ADD & Autism, so I tend to jump from topic to topic (and activity to activity) without notice. My Love Languages are Words of Affirmation and Physical Touch. I’m an INFP who enjoys friends but loves to be alone. I love getting and giving hugs, and encouragement is a Spiritual gift of mine that can too-easily be turned into the weapon of discouragement, if I’m not careful. I enjoy writing, singing, words, drawing, photography, digital creations, and reading. Oh, and pizza, tacos, and steak. Now I’m hungry. That reminds me; I eat gluten free and try to eat organic and avoid white sugar and GMOs as much as possible. Find me on Facebook (Writer/Editor page) (Fan page), Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.
