The Austin Paradox by William R. Leibowitz : A Review

BOOK TITLE: The Austin Paradox

AUTHOR: William R. Leibowitz

ISBN/ASIN: B07CRNSM6W

GENRE: Adult Fiction - Thriller

NUMBER OF PAGES:461

FORMAT: Digital

SERIES / STANDALONE: The Miracle Man Series Book 2

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: iRead Book Tours

SUMMARY:

The Austin Paradox continues the remarkable saga of Robert James Austin in a gripping emotionally-charged thriller that explores the most compelling issues of our time.

Having lost his extraordinary intellectual powers in a laboratory explosion that was intended to kill him, Dr. Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in history, whose medical cures saved countless millions, struggles to find meaning in a life that has become devoid of purpose.

As he embarks on a journey of self-discovery in an effort to regain his abilities, Austin battles private demons, otherworldly forces, and a government obsessed with controlling him. When ruthless political and business interests align to pose an existential threat to humanity, Austin is thrust into the maelstrom.

Doubted even by those who love him, Austin is confronted by a harrowing paradox as time runs out to save mankind from extinction.

The Austin Paradox is the sequel to the critically acclaimed, award winning novel, Miracle Man, which was named by Amazon as One of the Top 100 Novels of 2015, a Top 10 Best Selling Thriller and a Top 10 New York Times/Amazon Best Seller.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

The concept of first impressions becomes irrelevant when dealing with books that come up subsequently in a series. As a reader already becomes familiar with the writer's style of narration and has a general idea of the characters and their qualities, there are two kinds of possible outcomes. It is harder for the author to keep to the characters' descriptions, and it is easier for the reader to pick and choose favourites before they begin the novel.

Miracle Man, the previous book in the series, was an engaging read and that made me read this book without much deliberation because I was familiar and comfortable with the writing style and was eager to know what happened to the genius doctor this time around. This book was advertised as a standalone, and that intrigued me more because I wanted to see if it would sound similar or different. The cover and the summary had the same effect as their book 1's counterparts. Simple cover that fit the stereotype of the genre, and detailed summary that gave the reader a clear idea of what the book is going to be about.

REVIEW:

Though it was obviously temporary, book 1 ended with the genius doctor having lost the abilities that made him unique. So it was with mixed expectations that I began reading this book. The one line description of this story sounds, like the first book's did, a little too less to encompass the brilliance of the story. A miraculous genius who has lost his unique abilities is on a journey of self-discovery to regain them, and is also tasked with trying to save mankind from extinction. But what makes this book special is the way this ordinary thriller plot is made into an interesting book that keeps the reader engrossed till the last page is turned.

The hints given at the end of book 1 predicted the return of Dr. Robert Austin's capabilities - both the good and otherwise. Taking up those threads directly, book 2 begins with a prologue that sets the mood nicely, and a glimpse into what may happen if the threats came true. The Austin family is now living a life with altered identities, but the return of those abilities for Dr. Austin might mean more threats and problems like he's faced earlier in his life. The premise itself was sure to glue the reader to the book, knowing very well that the author will expand it beautifully in his book. Even for those who read this book alone, and have no idea about The Miracle Man - book 1 in this series, the book clearly begins like a novel about someone who had powers and lost it (the reasons why are not necessary to enjoy book 2 - but the prologue still gives a general idea) and is one the journey to regain them and identify what led to their loss in the first place.

What I liked the best about the book was how the single word in the title, 'paradox', had multiple ways in which it was used. The paradox of his loved ones pushed to not believing him, that of a cure not working for the disease, and that of himself trying to find his way back and fearing what may happen if he regains his abilities. Each of these individual concepts were carefully highlighted in what I consider is a great story. Compared to the first book, though, maybe because the reader is used to the narration techniques, this one seems a bit slower, and crammed with more details than was absolutely necessary.

The overall narration is good, fast paced and keeps the reader interested. The book is a complete story, standalone by itself and takes up many interesting sub plots that it manages to weave well. The language is clear without much jargon considering the genre this book is about. The book scores points for its story line and narration.

WHAT I LIKED:

• Fast paced and interesting, covers all it said it would, in the summary.
• The characters stayed true to the readers' expectations of them.
• The book will not disappoint the readers of book 1, and that is a huge achievement.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• The whole virus-medicine cure theme has been overdone in this genre already, and this book would have worked much better with a different means.
• The details that are given to move the story ahead sometimes tended to slow down the pace of the story.

VERDICT:

An interesting book that brings together features of multiple genres.

RATING: 3.8/5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

William R. Leibowitz practices law internationally and prefers not spending too much time in any one place. He is a graduate of New York University and Columbia University Law School.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle, Paperback

PRICE$5.59 for Kindle, $15.98 for Paperback

BOOK LINKS: Amazon