Author: Ian Moran
Genre: Science Fiction
Year Published: 2024
Nerdection Rating:
“Nerdection Worth to Read”
In his gripping and thought-provoking novel, The Gemini Project, author Ian Moran takes readers on an exhilarating journey through a dystopian future and the fascinating world of neurology. Set in a meticulously crafted world, this enthralling coming-of-age story follows the gripping saga of Jan Ericson as he uncovers a perilous secret that may alter the course of his life.
Spoiler-free Plot
Jan Ericson spends his days on the campus of the Corpo Academy participating in sports and playing games. He looks forward to moving to New London, where he will live with his father and start his career. Dr. William Osler works at the Academy and considers himself an amateur philosopher and would-be comedian. The doctor knows that the plan for the 17-year-old boy will see him dead in less than two weeks.
When Jan discovers a tunnel that runs under the school, he initiates a chain of events that might save his life! “The Gemini Project” is a must-read coming-of-age novel that deals with a dystopian future and the world of neurology. The story of Jan Ericson will take you to unpredictable places in a battle of life and death.
My take on The Gemini Project
A lot has been said regarding how everything has been written, and there are no original premises in fiction anymore. While that might seem harsh to a lot of people, the truth of the matter is that a lot has been done in literature, and it is difficult to surprise readers with something truly unique. That is when personality and a creative identity come into play. Writer Ian Moran has a lot of that with The Gemini Project.
Part of what makes this book work so well is Moran’s unique sense of humor and how he tends to use references without making them feel tiresome or repetitive. There is a small portion where he mentions the news of how Black Sabbath reunited in 2034 again, which, being honest, got a laugh out of me as a fan of that band. It has that little understanding of certain real-life events that a lot of writers tend to struggle with when it comes to making references.
Furthermore, and without giving much away in terms of the plot, despite this being a dystopian book, I saw a lot of Stephen King influences in the way Moran structures his stories. The interview sections with Dr. Osler were a clear example of that King approach to adding information through formats of that ilk, which directly reminded me of the latter’s The Dark Half book from the early 90s. In many ways, the book has a very hilarious and cynical approach to storytelling, which made me think that Moran was British, since I could see some of that influence in his writing, and it turns out he is Scottish, so I got that one correctly.
The story is fairly serious, and Jan’s struggles are definitely felt by the reader as the plot progresses, but you can tell that the author is having fun with this and is exploring different concepts. Perhaps the only issue for some readers is going to be that some portions of the story move too fast, and others move too slow. It gives the story a sort of aimless feel at times, which makes reading the half-point of the book a bit more difficult to follow.
From a personal perspective, it didn’t affect me, but I can definitely see some people struggling with this element. However, that pales in comparison with the positives of the story as a whole. A lot of dystopian stories tend to have the YA approach of the early 2010s or maintain the classic totalitarian, nihilistic approach that spawned the genre decades ago, but The Gemini Project has influences of the latter with a greater emphasis on comedic timing and cynic jabs from time to time. It is a book with a lot of considerable strengths and also has a strong personality from the author, which is perhaps one of the hardest things a writer can achieve. The story perhaps meanders a bit in the middle section, but it has enough positive attributes to be a very good read, and people should definitely check it out.
About The Author Of The Gemini Project
Ian Moran is a Scottish-Canadian. He is a double Masters holder in Law and Business Administration, with undergraduate degrees in Computer Science, History, and Commerce. In his work career, he has held a wide range of positions from full-time musician to Senior Vice-President of Finance for a major financial institution. With such a varied educational background and professional experience, it’s no wonder that his books cover a multitude of subjects spanning both fact and fiction.
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