Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of The Genesis Code

The Genesis Code
Readnmachine avatar reviewed on + 1447 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


Futuristic medical technology collides with fundamentalist religious fanaticism in this glacially-paced "thriller" that takes its hero on a painstaking search to locate and save victims targeted by an evil force he doesn't understand.

Most readers, however, will have figured out the salient points of the big reveals long before protagonist Joe Lassiter gets there -- especially if they've read The DaVinci Code. This makes it somewhat difficult to believe that Lassiter is a fabulously rich and powerful figure in the information game -- the go-to guy for individuals, corporations, and governments who need deep intelligence on a variety of topics.

Lassiter's search for the truth behind the murder of his sister and her son sends him hopscotching through much of Europe. There he seems to spend much of his time throwing around inexhaustible amounts of money, checking in and out of hotels, hanging around trattorias and drinking coffee when he's not being menaced by shadowy forces intent on fatally ending his hunt.

There are a couple of scenes where the action gets fast and deadly, but much of the novel is a slog.