| View Larger Image | Dark Matter: The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton: A Novel | Paperbackby Philip Kerr (Author)
| List Price: | $14.95 | | Price: | $10.17 | | You Save: | $4.78 (32%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | Three Rivers Press | | Page Count: | 352 Pages | | Publication Date: | October 28, 2003 | | Sales Rank: | 309,758th |
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FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9781400049493
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
In 1696, Christopher Ellis, a young, hot-tempered gentleman, is sent to the Tower of London, but not as a prisoner. A sudden twist of fate has led him there to assist the renowned scientist Sir Isaac Newton, who as Warden of the Royal Mint has accepted an appointment to hunt down counterfeiters who threaten to topple the shaky, war-weakened economy. Armed with Newton’s superior intellect and Ellis’s skill with a sword, the new partners seem primed to solve the case. But when their investigation leads them to a mysterious coded message on a corpse hidden in the Lion Tower, they realize that something more sinister is afoot. In the heat of their pursuit, Newton and Ellis’s suspicions become all too real as the body count rises and the duo uncovers a menacing far-reaching plot that might lead to the collapse of the government—and cost them their very lives. An extraordinary, suspense-filled, and richly satisfying tale, Dark Matter is an engrossing mystery infused with the volatile mix of politics, science, and religion that characterized life in seventeenth-century London. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 3.5 based on 27 reviews)
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Boring by Andre LePlume (Wash DC suburbs)  1 Stars
September 25, 2009
Interesting concept but poor execution. I read a lot of mysteries and other books as well, but I only made it through about 50 pages before I gave up. Fortunately, I checked it out of the library so all I wasted was my time. Boring, dull, stilted, boring, dull, stilted, boring, dull, stilted.........
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The Adventures of Isaac Newton by Stoney (Miami, FL)  5 Stars
September 10, 2009
Although an purported biography of Isaac Newton by his assistant Christopher Ellis, "Dark Matter" is a "Sherlock-Holmes-style" detective thriller. Although Newton's subsequent life is summarized, the novel is most definitely not a biography. The style closely mimics that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in which Holme's sidekick Dr. John Watson purportedly presents a biography of Sherlock Holmes in installment form. That said, the novel appears to be historically accurate.
THE SETUP
In this particular adventure, set about 1697, Newton is the Warden of the Royal Mint (as he genuinely was) and is involved in the investigation of forged currency, which turns out to be part of a greater conspiracy. Of course Ellis/Newton solve the case and save the day. Although this specific "adventure" is fictional, Newton actually did vigorously investigate monetary frauds and send many men to prison or death.
At least some of the "evil conspirators" (French Huguenots) were members of a non-trinitarian Christian sect which held that Jesus was a prophet--as many believe was the creed of the Templars. Therefore Templar history is very briefly summarized. However, the speaker specifically states that the Templar's grail was not Jesus' bloodline (among other things). To the best of my knowledge, that particular hypothesis was first raised a few decades ago, and would not have been known in Newton's time. Otherwise, there is little information given about Arianism or the Templars.
COMPARISONS AND CONTRASTS WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES STORIES
Reflecting modern tastes in literature, "Dark Matter" it is "sharper edged" than Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, by which I mean that the seamy underside of life and cruelty of punishments are much more vividly portrayed. In addition, violence and sexuality are much more vivid and graphic. Ellis, as a young and dashing assistant, is more appealing than Watson, Holmes' comparatively dim-witted sidekick-colleague.
The plot of "Dark Matter" is better structured, and broader in scope than most of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. In many ways the setting is more detailed and vivid. These differences are largely due to the fact that the Sherlock Holmes stories were short stories (with the exception of two novels), and the fact that the stories were penecontemporaneous when written. Doyle had no need to supply detailed descriptions of the scenes and social conventions, because these were well known to his readers. In contrast, "Dark Matter" is set approximately 200 years earlier.
CAVEATS
The 19th Century style Kerr adopts includes many digressions and asides, which are not particularly objectionable. Although the vocabulary is also closer to 19th Century British English than 17th Century, it could be a challenge for anyone who is not comfortable with 19th Century British English. Given that generalization, while Kerr uses many obsolete words, he does so judiciously--the approximate meaning of most is evident in context.
VERDICT
Overall, while I enjoyed the novel, I did not find it to be exceptional.
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Disappointing by Beth's Book Review Blog (USA)  2 Stars
August 16, 2009
After reading the description on the case I'd had high hopes for this, but was sorely disappointed. While I did slog through it, only because I was doing other things while listening, I was not impressed. The premise was interesting, but it was a bit coarsely presented and really, frankly boring at points. The only thing I did like were Newton and Ellis's religious theories.
Newton's behavior in the book reminded me Sherlock Holmes a little too much, with Ellis as a faithful Watson.
While I did not hate the book I was not impressed and cannot recommend it. The reader, John Lee, however, did a very good job with the reading, making what would have been intolerable better. His reading really set the tone for the book and brought it to life in its time period.
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Average by R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States)  3 Stars
May 30, 2009
This historical mystery features Isaac Newton as a sort of late 17th century Sherlock Holmes. It centers on Newton's late career as director of the English Mint during the important recoinage of English currency. This book has a number of potentially attractive elements; an interesting historical central character, an interesting historical setting, and combined elements of mystery and international thriller. Kerr has done enough research to feature some good period details. His depiction of Newton, clearly drawing on Richard Westfall's fine biography, features Newton's interest in alchemy and his heretical religious opinions. By and large, however, this book has a relatively formulaic feeling. None of the elements are original and none are combined in a novel manner. The quality of plotting, character development, and prose in merely average.
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Starts well, bogs down in subplots by Todd Stockslager (Raleigh, NC) 3 Stars
September 29, 2008
Starts well, with interesting details on the Tower of London (more a large fortress or small city) and Sir Ike. Then gets too involved in intricate and talky details of Anglo-French political and religious battles and a sordid romantic subplot that neither propels the story forward nor adds narrative depth to the characters.
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