Investigative reporter Ross Hunter nearly didn’t answer the phone call that would change his life – and possibly the world – for ever. ‘I’d just like to assure you I’m not a nutcase, Mr Hunter. My name is Dr Harry F. Cook. I know this is going to sound strange, but I’ve recently been given absolute proof of God’s existence – and I’ve been advised there is a writer, a respected journalist called … called Ross Hunter, who could help me to get taken seriously.’ What would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences? This question and its answer lie at the heart of Absolute Proof, an international thriller from bestselling author Peter James. The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life’s work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world’s major religions are all under threat. If Ross Hunter can survive long enough to present the evidence . . .
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“Absolute Proof” by Peter James is an ingeniously book that combines religion and investigative reporting. The book begins with two seemingly unrelated and perhaps unimportant segments, but do not be deceived, both will prove to be very significant.
Investigative reporter Ross Hunter gets a call that will change his life. Dr. Harry claims that he has absolute proof of God’s existence, and he has chosen Hunter to tell the story to world. Thus begins a quest that will take Hunter to the far-reaches of the world, plunge him into an abyss of information and misinformation, pit him against the established religions of the world, and put his life in imminent danger.
Peter James is the quintessential storyteller, and he has created a compelling story of exploration, mystery, and murder. Multiple plot lines intertwine with the chronicle of Hunter’s investigation. Each thread is well developed and complete; every segment adds value and detail to the total account. The characters are complex, troubled, and yet dedicated; they include Hunter and an array of treasure hunters, religious fanatics, devoted clergy people, money-hungry hustlers, million-dollar businesses people, and brazen assassins. It seems that many people have stakes in either acquiring this proof or preventing its acquisition by others.
This is an innovative treasure hunt based in reality. Hunter’s quest for proof centers around objects found at certain longitude and latitude coordinates. Astute readers can follow Hunter on Google maps as the journey progresses. Tension hangs on every page and peril lurks in the most unlikely places. Hunter’s every move, every conversation, and every exploration is being monitored by someone, friend, foe, or both. The quest is filled with conflict, greed, and unmatched perseverance.
James does not circumvent philosophical questions. If God’s existence were proven, would it unite the world or divide it even further? James speculates through action and adventure, and answers are left to the reader to contemplate and decide.
“And the irony is that science is asking questions that only religion can answer, but to accept those answers would mean admitting defeat for the scientists.”
Absolute Proof is mixture of mystery philosophy, religion, thrills, and a search for truth, but above all, it is a compelling story of people, one that readers will not soon forget.
“Absolute Proof” was available in the U.S. only as an audio book. I could not wait, so I ordered a print copy from the U.K. I found it so compelling and absorbing that purchased the audio book as well. Hugh Bonneville provides convincing narration, delivering diverse characters and action that springs to life. He brought the story to life. James has written a well-researched book with non-stop thrills, and historical elements. It is a captivating story, and enjoyable story, a story that gives readers a lot to contemplate.
The plot is an interesting one. What would happen if the world were given absolute proof of God’s existence? With undertones of a Dan Brown adventure, the story unfolds quite rapidly, taking journalist Ross Hunter across the U.K., then on to Egypt & finally America in search of Christ’s DNA and the sole bloodline survivor. As with any good novel, each chapter ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger, urging the reader to venture forth in hope of revealing more clues. Well written & intriguing, this is a book that will keep you hooked to the end, although in my humble opinion I was left wanting a more satisfactory conclusion.
This book was inspired by a phone call that James received 30 years ago. In the book, Ross Hunter gets a phone call from an elderly man who claims that he has absolute proof of God’s existence. If this was true, it would pit every religion against each other and each religion claiming the proof as their own.
Not only is Ross trying to prove the existence and find the proof, with the clues, in the form of coordinates, that puts his life at risk as there are other people out there who will do whatever it takes to get this proof. They do this by bugging his home and phone and following him ultimately scaring his pregnant wife. Ross is on the run for his life as he not only finds the existence but he must prove it is real and stay one step ahead of the people who want this proof.
A false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life’s work of a famous atheist all are after Ross, can he live long enough? With believable characters and situations, I had a hard time putting this book down even though it is a huge book. Very easy to read, if you are into religion and what if’s, this book is something that you should be able to get your teeth into. I enjoyed it immensely as I do every Peter James book I have read!