Dante’s Equation review

Dante's Equation

Most gamers would be familiar with the name Jane Jansen if they’ve played the Gabriel Knight trilogy; Sins of the Father, The Beast Within and Holy Blood Holy Grail. These were great games but many would not be aware that for the first two games, the story was also published. Now her latest fare is Dante’s Equation. For Knight’s fan you’ll be disappointed as the man himself is not featured but what you can expect is a good ride. The bible code is no stranger to most mystery fan, hidden codes in the Torah that forms arrays when aligned and thus spells out prophecies. The story is told in a multi-person perspective with four different threads that at times intertwine or at times standalone.

Denton Wyle is a reporter for a mystery magazine that sets out on a quest to find out about disappearing people who vanish into thin air, part personal obsession part destiny he soon learns about a text by Rabbi Kobinski entitled “The Book of Torment” that was written by him when he was in Auschwitz and soon finds himself embroiled up to his neck in trouble as he tracks the pages of the book.

Rabbi Aharon is an orthodox Jew living in the old quarters of Jerusalem. His interest lay in deciphering the hidden messages in the Torah though many regard him as wasting his time. A chance finding of repetition of the name Kobinski in the Torah perk his interests and he sets out to find the answer as to why such an unknown Rabbi appears so frequently. In the course he learns about a weapon of god that threatens to release the angles and demons into his world and thus risk everything to prevent such a fate.

Calder Ferris is a Department of Defence agent that seeks out unorthodox research in the hopes of securing the next generation of weapon. Trained Marine and devotedly patriotic, he will do anything to ensure he gets what he wants. When his mentor Avery dies, he is left with a file detailing Wave pattern research and the possibility of a weapon of power and so he goes in search of it, without conscience. Is he making the right decision or is this all a punishment for the sins of his past?

Dr. Jill Talcott and her student Nate sets out to experiment an equation she has been working on her whole life in wave patterns. The experiments found them with the knowledge of the one-minus-one wave and the possibilities of it were staggering. Believing they have found the holy grail of the future, they set out to experiment with it in the hopes of getting recognition and fame. Unbeknown that playing with forces beyond their knowledge and control can prove disastrous. Behind them, pursued by both the government of the United States as well as the Israeli Mossad, they must decide what to do with this knowledge and whether we are ready for it.

Thus all the players carry on with their life, not even aware of the thread of fate that spun them together in the future. The book is packed with Jane’s trademark of infusing mysticism, the occult, Judaism and technology. It was interesting to read on Dante’s wheel the perception of Kabbalah on the forces that interplays within our lives and how science and science fiction infuse themselves to provide a scenario of plausibility. The book will grip and taunt you not to put it down as the players are sucked ever deeper into the adventure. If you’re a science fiction fan, this is the book to get. Who is Rabbi Kobinski? What secrets does the Book of Torment hold? How does the writing of a religious teacher reflect the next generation of physics? What is the connection between an orthodox Rabbi, a reporter, a military man, two scientists and a long dead Rabbi? What are the consequences of the actions of each of the players in the book? Are we alone in this world? Is there such thing as heaven and hell and if so where might we find ourselves? What is God?