The Footprints of God: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – May 28, 2019

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't usually write reviews, but I read this book in one evening because I liked it so much. What a fantastic plot. When describing the situation, the author paints a beautiful picture. The characters were realistic and intriguing. From the beginning to the end, I was rooting for the main characters to succeed. I will most certainly look for more books by this author.

A small group of elite scientists has been working on a megacomputer that goes beyond artificial intelligence; Trinity is an unimaginable breakthrough that makes nuclear weaponry look like child's play. The problem is, for the past few months the scientists have been suffering from neurological disorders. One of them, Dr. Fielding, succeeded in putting a temporary halt to the research (or so he thinks) until the cause of these disorders has been found.The book opens dramatically. It's six hours after Dr. Fielding's death, seemingly due to a stroke. But his friend and colleague, Dr. David Tennant, is certain he was murdered. Now David, accompanied by his psychiatrist, must run for his life.What exactly has been going on in that lab? What meaning, if any, is there to the dreams or visions David's been having during his narcoleptic attacks? Why did Dr. Fielding send David that mysterious letter and what is the white granular substance in the envelope? Is David's paranoia justified, or, as his psychiatrist believes, is he delusional? As the answers to these questions are revealed, FoG is Greg Iles at his best!Unfortunately, the story quickly sinks into a tepid cat-and-mouse game. The characters are cardboard cutouts; the thriller aspects not so thrilling. At the end of chapter 21 is an event that's never explained; we're left hanging, wondering what that was all about. It's a small thing, but...well, sloppy.So much for the first half of the book. This seems to be a recurring problem for authors when they present an intriguing concept in the guise of a thriller (eg., THE DA VINCE CODE): The ideas are fascinating, but it suffers as a thriller.The second half is something else entirely! The full potential of the megacomputer becomes terrifyingly clear. David's visions been fathomed. He knows now what must be done. This is the edge-of-your-seat excitement we've come to expect from Mr. Iles. It doesn't matter if you don't agree with the religious possibilities he presents (I don't think we're expected to.) The ideas themselves are mind-blowing! Motifs are an added treat. For instance, keep an eye out for mention of candles and bubbles.Though I could've done with less of the first half, THE FOOTPRINTS OF GOD is worth reading for its considerable intellectual rewards.

Dr. David Tennant, professor of ethics at the University of Virginia Medical School, is also employed by the US government on the top secret Project Trinity. It is chartered to build a super computer designed to harness human intellect by downloading the minds of some of the most brilliant men in the world. When Tennant begins to see some of his colleagues exhibit neurological trauma, he shifts into the role of investigator. Not a popular choice when he is having his own psychological issues, his best friend dies (or is he murdered) and the men behind the project see this as a means to grant them immortality as their minds will live on long after their death. This will make them like God.In typical Iles' style, this thriller is non-stop action. Tennant's frantic race to discover how his friend died, what is going on in his own brain, will his psychiatrist fall in love with him or commit him to the nearest mental hospital, can he dodge all the bullets with his name on them, and outwit one of the most powerful and beautiful female villains Iles has created. And, wondering if can he do this before the computer goes on online will keep the reader up at night.A great read. As a writer of suspense and thrillers I would put this one near the top of the stack. Iles is at the top of his game in "The Footprints of God."

This book had promise. It had an interesting premise. It started slow, but then picked up quite nicely beforing coming to a crashing halt toward the end. The climax of this book is actually a philosophical discussion between a man and a computer. Read that again. A tense situation is going on around them, but a 50 page philosophical discussion about the existence of God is the climax of this book. Anytime the tension or action starts, we switch back to the discussion and everything grinds to a halt.All in all, this book has to be one of the most uneven I've read in a long time. Avoid this one.

Fantastical and scary all at the same time. Is this the direction we're headed in? I sincerely hope we're not.

Loved it, Greg Isles cannot go wrong.

As I sell super computers, I had a special interest in this book. Even though I am a Greg Iles fan, I had my doubts. Very often you see that authors write nonsense when it comes to IT. Iles, however, writes little about the technology. Just enough to make it plausible and not enough to get it wrong. Smartly done. Next to that, he weaves all the big life questions into the book, about living forever, religion, does God exist, can humans find all answers.

I would recommend this to anyone that has an interest in computers ( who doesn't?). With artificial intelligence around the corner, the future looks bleak for humankind!

The story is exiting enough for me to read it through to the end. If one yet not convince with the fact that computer machine is already ruling the world , he or she should read this book.