Black Order: A Sigma Force Novel

I heard rumblings from several colleagues in the field of evolutionary biology (one of my studies in college). All know my personal stand that evolution is well supported and a real force in nature. As a veterinarian, trained in the anatomy and physiology of a wide range of animals, from tarantulas to horses, I’ve had my hands deep in the stuff of life. To me, evolution was as plain as the difference between a Chihuahua and a Great Dane. In fact, one of the reasons I began formulating this novel was an objection against the trend to stifle scientific thought, specifically the banning at certain IMAX theaters of films that portray evolution in a positive light.

So it has come as a shock to many at the conclusions I’ve reached in Black Order, employing some of the cutting edges of scientific thought, specifically along the lines of quantum physics. And I welcome any debate on the matter. It is only through such deliberations – heated and otherwise – that new ideas can be forged.

From my research into both sides of the debate, I came across a unique theory: one advocating how the study of subatomic particles sheds new light on the mechanism of evolution, a mechanism beyond natural selection. It delves into the little-explored border between solid reality that we can touch and see and the fuzzy paradoxical world of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Which begs the question:where is the line between chemistry and life itself?

At its simplest (and for further details and elaboration my source material is listed at the back of the novel), new support has arisen that it is the environment itself that draws order out of chaos – first a replicating protein out of the primordial soup, then life from chemistry, then even human consciousness out of the darkness. But in Black Order, I take this theory – that basically supports evolution – one step further and reveal the possible true face of God.

I hope with an open mind. When it comes to scientific progress, debate is healthy for the generation of new ideas. It must not be stifled – either by those who hold deeply religious beliefs or those who latch onto scientific dogma to the exclusion of all else. Both are equally as damaging to the process.

And when it comes to human consciousness, science still struggles to discover its full secret. Is our brain really some form of quantum computer? Where is the line between the gray matter of our brain and the human soul? And why did it form? The theory proposed within the pages of Black Order offers a possible solution, one that is already gaining credence among neurologists and other scientists. Within the pages, I offer a way to explain scientifically how prayer works – and in such a way, I can think of no better way of balancing faith and science.

I think this goes back to the debate about evolution. We don’t understand it fully – and what we don’t understand, we try to control. Some of the newest research suggests that human evolution is still continuing that the human species already shows marked changes at the genetic level. This is both a hopeful and vaguely frightening thought. If we are not done evolving, where might it lead? Such questions are also discussed inBlack Order- along with possible answers.

Well, with my background as a veterinarian and animal advocate, that’s probably not difficult to guess. I think our own humanity can be judged by how well we care for those who depend on us.

As with all my books, I offer readers a chance to pursue further research on their own.  I lay out what’s true and what’s fiction in my novel.  I list my sources, so others can follow in the same footsteps, to delve deeper and to seek their own truths on these matters

This came about from an article about developing quantum computers. Only lately – in the past decade – have practical applications been drawn from the fields of quantum physics. Yet, the initial theories arose back at the turn of the century, from the work of Max Planck, the father of quantum theory. Almost simultaneously, Einstein was formulating his theory of relativity. So why did Einstein’s theories lead so quickly to the first atomic bomb, yet it’s taken until today to seek out practical, real-world applications for quantum theory?

One answer is the Nazis.

During WWII, the Nazis were late at developing any atomic weaponry because they placed less credence on the theories of Einstein – as he was a Jew. Instead, they pursued a different track, one supported by someone with solid roots in the German Fatherland: Max Planck’s quantum theory. And some of the newest historical research suggests that the Nazis, buried in secret bunkers, had achieved some significant and amazing successes. But to reveal those now would ruin many of the surprises in Black Order.

For decades, the male action hero has dominated the domain of adventure thrillers. The role of women was relegated to the damsel in distress or the romantic foil. In my novels, I’ve always attempted to even the playing field, to create strong female characters that are as integral to the resolution of the central conflict as any of the men. Yet, at the same time, I don’t ignore the dynamism of such a relationship, both physically and emotionally. What is an adventure without a thread of romantic conflict? It’s the stuff of great story!

While I certainly would like to claim to be some adventurous novelist in the tradition of Hemingway, in reality my adventures can be best described as misadventures.  Whether it’s getting trapped in a cave, or coming close to stabbing myself on one of the most venomous spiny fishes in the world, or swimming accidentally in a pool shared by a crocodile, all these “adventures” eventually become incorporated in one of my novels.  Just a couple months ago, a shark researcher invited me to dive at his facility in the Caribbean.  I’m still debating whether to take him up—mostly for his sake and safety.

If you recall, one of the main characters in Black Order is Lisa Cummings, who you first met in Deep Fathom. Joe Kowalski was a minor character in Ice Hunt. Turns out, he was the perfect character for a short story in Thriller, an anthology which James Patterson edited. (The story is called “Kowalski’s in Love.”) Imagine my surprise when he showed up to help out in The Last Oracle. I have a track record of reprising good characters. All I can say about Fiona is … keep reading.

I think it goes back to my pulp roots. Those old scientific adventures blended mystery, cutting-edge technology, and wild action. And that’s what I’m doing today, just putting a modern spin and polish on those old pulp adventures.

It’s hard to write adventure without some violence. And yes, sometimes it does take fire to fight a fire. But what I also like to do in my novels is to get into the heads of the villains of the piece, to explore their own justifications. Because even a villain is a hero in his or her own mind. I love to take a reader on an arc from hating the villains, to understanding them, to perhaps being even upset when they’re killed. If I can pull that off, I’ve done my job well.

Yes. I was an exchange student in Germany during high school. I spent a summer in southern Germany (around Freiburg) and in northern Germany (in Jever). And I had a chance to explore several cities in between. I’ve been back several times since.

I was raised Roman Catholic and attended Catholic school until my high school years. While fundamentalist Christians seem to have a problem balancing faith and science, especially when it comes to the debate concerning Evolution and Creationism (or Intelligent Design), the Vatican has never seen a problem balancing these two extremes. Evolution is advocated and taught at all Catholic schools and universities as a biological and real force, leaving the creation of the soul to God.

It is this balance I’ve always tried to maintain in my life and endeavors, including the debates waged in Black Order. And while I personally believe that morality must be balanced with the pursuit of science – whether it be regulations against animal cruelty or such atrocities as human experimentation by the Nazis – I firmly abhor the present attempts to shackle scientific thought and research on the basis of religious belief. To declare certain lines of research as to be sacrosanct because of religious dogma will only stifle what makes America great – and that’s our continual pursuit of new frontiers, both geographically and scientifically. To strangle that is to cripple progress.

I believe, like many scientists, both now and through the ages, that balance can be achieved. It was even Einstein who said “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

I have already heard rumblings from several colleagues in the field of evolutionary biology (one of my studies in college).  All know my personal stand that evolution is well supported and a real force in nature.  As a veterinarian, trained in the anatomy and physiology of a wide range of animals, from tarantulas to horses, I’ve had my hands deep in the stuff of life.  To me, evolution was as plain as the difference between a Chihuahua and a Great Dane.  In fact, one of the reasons I began formulating this novel was an objection against the trend to stifle scientific thought, specifically the banning at certain IMAX theaters of films that portray evolution in a positive light.

So it has come as a shock to many at the conclusions I’ve reached in BLACK ORDER, employing some of the cutting edges of scientific thought, specifically along the lines of quantum physics.  And I welcome any debate on the matter.  It is only through such deliberations—heated and otherwise—that new ideas can be forged.

I don’t think progress can ever be truly stopped – it is as inexorable as evolution itself. As I mentioned above, our exploration of quantum theories is beginning to open doorways leading to new advances. Like the quantum computer, for one. But more than that, it’s opening doorways deep into the past, going back to the origin of life, to the first spark of all. And as much as this is a journey inward, it’s equally a journey outward, toward the universe as a whole. I think we’re heading into one of the most exciting times – where science will push boundaries, where our humanity will be tested, and where new frontiers will open.

Into an adventure like no other!  But of course to tell more, I’d have to kill you.