Rating: 
Summary: For the Experienced Reader Only...
Review: An interesting story that investigates the possibility that the origin of violent behaviour may lie in our genetic composition. A young couple sets out on a quest to solve this mystery which begins with interviewing death row subjects. What begins as innocent investigation, however, turns into a gruesome nightmare for both husband and wife. You might find your mind wandering a bit in the beginning, but just when you begin to wonder how you are ever going to get through the 430-odd pages, the pace picks up tremendoulsy (in the last 100-150 pages or so). Although a bit drawn out at times, this chilling mystery is filled with surprises. From trans-continental journeys to religious undertones, the many twists and turns keep the educated reader on the edge of their seat. If you are a scientist, or an Ivy League graduate, it makes for stimulating reading! It may be a bit much for other readers, though, as there is a lot of scientific vocabulary which is essential to comprehend in order to understand the full picture.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping page turner
Review: Hecht is an entertaining, intriguing writer. This is his second novel I have read (Skull Session is the first). He delves into interesting topics that create psychological thrillers. This book, in addition to being a book I couldn't put down, focuses on deeply philosophical and even spiritual issues that strike the heart of human behavior and responsibility. The only shortcoming in this book is the role of a religious-zealot-wacko who plays a prominent part. Although probably a realistic type of character, I just was not able to logically connect his mission and what would motivate him to kidnap a scientist. It seems incongruent that such a zealot would ever consider little knows scientific evidence to actually threaten his empire of mind numb followers. Otherwise, the characters are interesting and the story creative and intelligent. If you like this, I recommend Skull Session too.
Rating: 
Summary: Skull session was good, but this one was great!
Review: I found this to be less interesting than Skull Session. The ideas and plot were original but seemed to get lost somewhere in the middle.
Worth reading by all means, just not up to par with Skull Session in my opinion.
Looking forward to his next effort.
Rating: 
Summary: the usual scientists..
Review: I must say I'm a bit biased, because I usually don't read this genre of books. It seemed interesting though, as it claimed to be a scientific thriller, and I'm a scientist who likes suspense. I got immediately put off by the way it is written. So many clichés! And the scientists - sigh. They always have to be extreme geniuses, while nothing in the text shows that they actually are. I was not once impressed with any observation that was made. Then, their 'difficult' backgrounds make the story go a bit more downhill. It's all so easy! I would sooner take up an Agatha Christie I have read many times had I known what the book would be like. One plus is that he makes science sound interesting. All in all, the science in the book is too simplistic for such a complicated problem, but I understand you have to compromise. I would not recommend this book. I have read far more interesting scientific novels, of which 'A scientific romance' by Ronald Wright is one. One comment on the editorial at amazon: much of the book is about who kidnapped Jess, and the editorial writes it down in one sentence as if it is a triviality! Thank you for giving it all away directly!
Rating:
Summary: Sharp scientific thriller
Review: I'll admit that I'm a sucker for a good dose of science-oriented mystery, but I'd argue that this is a wonderful example of the genre. I found the science plausible (to my admittedly limited eye), the characters real, and the problem gripping. Genesis is a think tank notorious for taking on unorthodox scientific problems. Backed by one of the world's largest corporations, they decide to examine what looks terrifyingly like an epidemic of violence worldwide. The problem of the Babel Effect, as it comes to be known, turns out to be much more personal then any of the team members could have predicted. The book gets minor points off for being a little bit too didactic, and the villain of the piece felt a little bit too much like a cop out, but neither of these points really detracted from the reading of the book. I started it on an airplane, read it obsessively most of the first evening at my destination, and finished it over breakfast the next day.
Rating:
Summary: Completely Gripping -- I was up all night!
Review: It's been a long, LONG time since I've read a novel this intense. I started leafing through the first chapter as I was getting ready to fall asleep, and found myself finishing the book as the sun came up the next morning! I found the book completely satisfying. There were obvious plot turns I thought it was going to take, but it kept me guessing. It's a gripping thriller, but at the same time a truly intelligent book that stretched my intellect and served up what were ultimately profound insights about humanity (at least at 5:00 in the morning! :-) The characters were very real to me, very human, and at the same time were truly compassionate. I'm very picky about my fiction, and find much of it to be lacking. I LOVED this book, and I'm ordering Daniel Hecht's first one today.
Rating:
Summary: Good idea and some new words
Review: Just could not get to liking this book despite the fascinating premise of a scientific cause of violence. Would have liked more of a plot line and more sympathetic characters rather than the sense of being lectured to, which at times was distracting. Plus the annoying habit of creating words really drove me crazy (but kept my attention looking for new ones) such as perseveration (not perseverance?), predacious (had to look it up, but predatory would have worked) and other 50 cent words that reinforced the feeling of textbook rather than recreational reading. All in all, would try this author again with another intriguing theme (if he maintains his perseveration).
Rating:
Summary: Good combination of relationship and science
Review: The title book caught my eye on the shelf and I could hardly put it down. The science was interesting, and the relationships were as well. Perhaps for someone in the field it was too simplistic, but for a reasonably intelligent person not in the field, it was a stimulating and gripping read.
Rating:
Summary: Ideology Masquerading as Literature
Review: This book is clearly high concept, yet it disappoints on at least three levels: it is basically an ideological tract with a story thrown in; in many ways it is "junk science;" and the story and characters are essentially unbelievable.
Whatever one's own ideological viewpoint, in this case it is helpful to call a spade a spade: the author manages to exploit just about every issue dear to the hearts of a left-of-center world view: fundamentalist religion, uncaring large corporations, evil government intelligence agencies. The book's portrayals of these societal constructs are universally negative and stereotypical: of course the self-appointed evangelical is flawed and either (at best) unable to control the criminal behavior of his followers, or (at worst) the cause of their criminal behavior; of course the large corporation has deep secrets that must involve illegal activity; of course the intelligence agencies are non-accountable, evil and always willing to stamp on individuals' rights. The viewpoint the author would like us to adopt is astonishingly transparent.
At the end of the book, the author assures us that the science is "true." The problem is (again) a certain viewpoint is presented as the only viewpoint; or, if an alternative viewpoint is suggested (i.e., through the character of Jared Constantine) it is presented as flawed and obviously wrong. For example, the message the book presents about games theory is basically that it teaches aggression is never rewarded, and cooperation (non-aggression) is always more efficient. A review of the literature concerning just, say, the Prisoner's Dilemma makes it clear that games theory is not so black and white -- the effectiveness or efficiency of any particular approach depends on the facts and circumstances of the particular situation, non-aggression is not always "bad." But, of course, it is more convenient to present a simplistic, one-sided view, because it supports the author's apparent world view: if we could all just work together, sing "kumbaya" as we travel the road of life, there would be no wars, no violence. That is not what games theory says, or not all that it says.
It is interesting that Amazon's summary points up the inevitable comparison of Michael Crichton with this author. However, in a recent Parade article, Crichton tells us, for example, that fears of negative health effects from EMF have been thoroughly debunked, yet EMF plays a prominent part in this book. Which author should we believe? Crichton's most recent book, "State of Fear" debunks global warming (how did Hecht leave global warming out of Babel Effect? A glaring omission.)
Finally, just a few of the factors that make the book unbelievable: first, someone like Ryan McCloud simply could not possibly exist. Second, the credibility of finding Jessamine at the refugee camp was zero. Third, the episode of Ryan's imprisonment was too obvious of a plot mechanism (how else could Jessamine have been conveniently kidnapped?). Fourth, the ending was just too syrupy.
Two final comments. As yet another example of the author's ideological leanings, if the theory of the book is followed to its logical conclusion (behavior is genetic and biological), then of course no one has to ever worry about taking responsibility for his or her own acts -- it's a disease (i.e., obesity is a disease, has nothing to do with diet or exercise; ditto for osteoporosis). But, the author at the end cannot bring himself to draw the obvious conclusion -- if "bad" behavior is a disease, then a "medicine" could be developed to correct the problem. However, in order to do that, the author would have to turn to pharmaceutical companies for the solution, which certainly have to be on the author's ideological blacklist. So he's painted himself into a corner on that one. Finally, the author makes the following statement on his web site: "Recent advances in neurology, neurochemistry, and cognitive neuroscience are rapidly changing our view of self, family, society, behavior, belief, values, good and evil, and personal responsibility." www.danielhecht.com. This statement, like its author, is wearing blinders. No, these things are not changing our view. They may be helping to form the views of a certain intellectual elite (the "blue states" from the last Presidential election come to mind). But the folks in the "red states" still have their old-fashioned moral and religious values. Mr. Hecht obviously pities these folks for clinging to their primitive beliefs, which, as all policy wonks know, fly in the face of "true" science. The pity is perhaps misplaced.
Rating:
Summary: Michael Crichton, move over.
Review: This is an astonishing book, a truly serious work. The story is fascinating, with powerful suspense and a beautiful love, a deep partnership, between the two protagonists. It explores the crucial question of what causes human violence. For me, The Babel Effect ultimately reconciles science and religion. After making me wonder at first if we are more than just vehicles for genetic material, the story left me with a renewed optimism. The author obviously did a great deal of research in order to write this. If I were a teacher of anthropology, psychology, bioneurology, ethics, or religion, I'd assign the book to my classes and discuss it at length. Nevertheless, this is an exciting book to read, like Daniel Hecht's Skull Session that came out a couple of years ago. I'm going to read it again.
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