Absolute Proof – Peter James (2018)
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 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?
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…
My Review of Absolute Proof
(2.8 / 5)
I’m not entirely sure where I begin while reviewing this one. The premise originally turned me off it because I don’t really like reading anything to do with religion. I was afraid that It was going to be a very pro-religion, anti-atheist book, or vice versa. But it didn’t really feel like it had an agenda in the end, and all of the uber religious/atheist characters were nut-jobs regardless of their religious orientation. I guess that was the point to the whole thing, the extreme sides.
Journalist extraordinaire Ross Hunter receives a phone call from what he believes to be a crack-pot stating that he has the ultimate proof of gods existence. After initially dismissing the old man, Ross starts to look more into it, and so begins a bit of a cat and mouse game between poor Ross and a bunch of extreme religious and atheist groups wanting to get the proof before he does. And trying to get rid of him in the process. 
I find this one really difficult to review. It had parts about it that I really enjoyed, and then others that I really didn’t.
I really enjoyed the structure of the book. I LOVED the short chapters. Because I have two small children, reading time is extremely limited and I really appreciated the short chapters. It made it a lot easier to read than it could have been. And it really could have been! It’s a BIG book!
But being so big has its drawbacks. There was too much. Too many words, too many characters to keep track of, not enough to keep you gripped for almost 600 pages. I almost feel that a good third of the book could have been removed. It was really hard to read at times because it dragged on. Too many chapters where he wasn’t doing very much. It took me a lot longer to read than usual. He checked his email, he made phone calls and walked the dog a lot.
And Ross himself. I had major issues with Ross. For a smart guy, he made some incredibly silly decisions. His relationship with his wife… Whatever that was going on with Sally… His decisions and naivety through 99% of the book floored me and I got so frustrated with him. I enjoy a book with romance, I don’t enjoy a romance when the man is married to someone who is NOT the love interest. It felt like his wife’s behaviour in the beginning of the book was used as an excuse to why he was behaving like he was later on, even though years had passed and he had “forgiven” her.
I also wasn’t a fan of the ending. It felt unresolved and I was angry about where his relationships went.
Ok, back to things that I enjoyed. I really enjoyed the genetics and scientific information and research that went into these components of the book. Even though the plot was far-fetched at times, the science was sound and fascinating. Obviously a meticulous amount of research went into it and it shows.
I liked the extreme characters who were so determined to get what Ross had, even though they all had very different reasons for doing so.
Would I recommend Absolute Proof?
If this sounds like your cup of tea then give it a go. I have heard it being compared to the Da Vinci Code. I actually really enjoyed the Da Vinci Code… Not the movie, but the book… And in a lot of ways I can see the comparison. So if you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code and want a similar themed book, this one might be right up your alley.
Unfortunately I liked Robert Langdon a lot more than Ross Hunter.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for an advanced copy of Absolute Proof to review.
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