I enjoyed this tale of a group of gifted young people under a psychologist's guidance who bring their talents to bear on solving a problem that has stumped leading scientists. Watching them riff on each other and grow, and learn life-lessons as much as skill-lessons, and bringing it together to credibly tackle a global crisis is impressively done.
My only objection was the now-familiar designation of far right nativists as the bad guys who have to be taken down. This is rather surprising when the West is most certainly being torn apart, but not by such forces. That aside the writing and pacing and storytelling here makes for an entertaining read.
From the book description:
“Put Kendrick on your must-read list, and move him near the top of the pile.” —Booklist
Dr. Stephen Pevnick is a world renowned behavioral scientist as well as an advisor to the President of the United States. He has gathered the world’s most prodigious savants—people with astonishing intellectual abilities—to his research center in Maine. His intent is to conduct an unprecedented experiment, to have the savants work on a common project together; a major challenge because the savants, while gifted, do not possess the social skills that might enable them to work as an effective team.
But, soon after they gather, a catastrophic event occurs that threatens to destroy the Eastern Seaboard. The world’s best scientists are helpless to stop it as panic grips the country, and a sinister conspiracy emerges with the potential to eradicate the free world. Can this group, plagued by their own insecurities and doubts, come together and use their incredible skills to save the world, or will the dark forces that set this disaster in motion prevail?
