What can I say, Strieber is a legend in the literary community. His books have scared me silly and made my little mind churn more than the scientific texts that I studied in college. The Omega Point is a testament to the intensity that he puts to each novel. The novel blends esoteric historical facts, with modern day religious beliefs and scientific principals seamlessly in one chilling apocalyptic package. I couldn't put this novel down, and in fact was so into it, in the line at the DMV, the bank, Wal-Mart, Lakeside Mall... that people were peering at the cover trying to see what had me so enraptured.
REVIEW: When 2012 passes with hardly a fizzle, the world laughs in the face of the zealots and charlatans that had touted End-of-World prophecies and dooms day scenarios. Yet, 8 years later as the Earth is entering the path of a Supernova that will ultimately incinerate all life and the exact date they first entered within the range of the Supernova turns out to be December 21, 2012, they day the Mayan calendar ends, no one laughs - mostly because the world is in chaos, mass populations have gone into hiding in huge redoubts carved within mountains. They have left the rest of the population to fend for themselves - intent on surviving the catastrophe and repopulating the Earth with the privileged and rich who could afford places within these redoubts.
On the opposite perspective their is a select few who have been prepared for the disaster and might just possess the means to survive, if not flourish within these end of days. They have kept their knowledge so secret that even the members of this select few have self-induced amnesia and psychosis to hide from themselves and the others that will stop at nothing to find out what they know.
David, the hero of The Omega Point is thrown into this chaos, thinking that he has procured a coveted position heading up an exclusive psychiatric facility that specializes in the rich and well-known. He is taken by surprise though, when the woman who hired him divulges that he is actually there to awaken the patients from their induced craziness and amnesia. He is also taken by surprise when he is told that he is also suffering from amnesia, that his mission is to save a small percentage of the population, and his leadership has been foretold thousands of years ago. It quite literally sounds like madness, and as David swims through this madness and chaos you can quite literally taste it upon the pages. Every word and sentence that Strieber writes literates the chaotic and unbalanced nature of the moment, yet as conclusions are made and mysteries are solved the writing levels out and calms. The word play and dialogue was quite an experience in itself.
Added to the masterful writing, Strieber has woven a high-energy tale of fiery death and destruction, the pages are brimming with scientific facts, intense spiritual opinions and ideas, alien creationist theories and historical suppositions that had me scratching my head and believing that it just might be possible. After reading this I felt like I had just read a Left Behind novel written by Zecharia Sitchin. The weaving of Christian faith, with ancient Mayan and Egyptian gods and goddesses, then paired with alien origin theories was in itself mind-boggling and strangely real. Add to it, the fictional apocalyptic backdrop and you have yourself one hell of a thrill ride.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Adult fiction with graphic violence and sexual themes. For mature readers. Fans of Stephen King's The Stand, Carl Sagan's Contact and Arthur C. Clark's Time Odyssey Series should enjoy.
