The Hab Theory: A Novel (Hardcover)

Not only are the characters depicted in fascinatingly vivid detail, the scientific theories presented still seem plausible to me a full 23 years after my first reading. Eckert slowly weaves the reader into a web of intriguing premises that are all eventually tied into a neat little apocalyptic bow. As key characters begin to accept the possibility of a cataclysmic earth event, so too does the reader. Most of the questions the skeptic in me privately asked throughout the novel were answered in great detail later on.

Some of the material is dated - cell phones or the Internet had not yet been invented at the time of the HAB Theory's writing - but what science fiction novel that takes place in the near future (15-20 years) can foresee every innovation? More to the point, the author's primary concern is with the past, not futuristic devices not central to the storyline.

While it is likely a scientist could refute most of Herbert Allen Boardman's postulates, one cannot help but wonder if there is perhaps a grain of truth to his overall theory. How would our current president handle a similar situation? I, for one, do not wish to find out.

I won't bother to review the plot itself, as I'm sure you can get the gist from previous reviews. I wasn't sure I was actually going to read "The HAB Theory." I had it laying around for a while then decided to give the first chapter a shot. It quickly grabbed my attention and before I knew it I was 80 pages in.

Eckert's style in this book is a bit long-winded, but I think that adds to the realism. Great care is taken to describe every detail of each scene, such as the characters sipping coffee between dialogue, or the details of operator assisted phone calls the characters must make. It takes about 150 pages before the HAB Theory itself is even discussed. Also, some of the speech is rather stilted, like everyone is a proper British gentleman. John Grant's son even used the word, "Jiminy!" at one point. The book drags a bit in the last half, with lots of long conversations and speeches, full of much science and history talk. Despite all this, Eckert pulled me right along. I think it was the antici......pation of what may come.

The book, published in 1976, is quite dated in certain aspects, but I think this is somewhat charming. Though the time is never stated, from clues I'm guessing the story takes place around the year 2000. The characters definitely could have benefitted from cell phones and CD-ROMs (instead of phone booths and microfilm, as in the story).

All the characters are reasonably interesting. Even the subplot involving the emotional stuggles of John Grant's wife and, ahem, his girlfriend is compelling. Those two women have issues, I'll tell you what.

Poor old Herbert Allen Boardman (after whom the theory is named) is a sympathetic character despite shooting the president. The U.S. President himself is a likable guy and so is the president of Kenya and his family, who play an increasingly important role throughout the story. The novel has a fairly large cast, but not unmanagably large.

As for the science of the HAB Theory, it smacks of the misdirections and vagaries of creationism or UFO conspiracies to me (no, neither of those are directly involved), but I was willing to suspend my disbelief for purposes of reading the novel. But Maybe one day I'll eat my words...

A bit long-winded and unbelievable...some readers might be bored, but I recommend giving it a shot.