The Fold by Peter Clines

The Fold by Peter Clines
Narrator: Ray Porter
Published by Audible Studios on June 2, 2015
Source: Purchased
Genres: Science Fiction
Length: 10 hrs 52 mins
Format: Audiobook
Purchase at Bookshop.org or Audible
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Step into the fold. It's perfectly safe.

The folks in Mike Erikson's small New England town would say he's just your average, everyday guy. And that's exactly how Mike likes it. Sure, the life he's chosen isn't much of a challenge to someone with his unique gifts, but he's content with his quiet and peaceful existence. That is until an old friend presents him with an irresistible mystery, one that Mike is uniquely qualified to solve.

Far out in the California desert, a team of DARPA scientists has invented a device they affectionately call the Albuquerque Door. Using a cryptic computer equation and magnetic fields to "fold" dimensions, it shrinks distances so a traveler can travel hundreds of feet with a single step. The invention promises to make mankind's dreams of teleportation a reality. And, the scientists insist, traveling through the door is completely safe. Yet evidence is mounting that this miraculous machine isn't quite what it seems - and that its creators are harboring a dangerous secret.

As his investigations draw him deeper into the puzzle, Mike begins to fear there's only one answer that makes sense. And if he's right, it may be only a matter of time before the project destroys...everything.

Around my house, the common knowledge is I don’t like sci-fi. Amber and David watch sci-fi movies without me, I avoid sci-fi tv shows and rarely read books that fall solidly into the sci-fi genre. I’m not saying all sci-fi sucks; in general it’s just not my cup of tea. But, The Fold came up on the list of recommendations when I logged into my Audible account so I decided to give it a shot – turned out it was a good choice.

This has been described as Sherlock meets sci-fi and I think that rings true. Mike is a full-out genius with a photographic memory who has been trying to be normal, until he can’t pass up his friend’s proposition that he head out to California to investigate the Albuquerque door. Turns out he’s the perfect person for the job, brilliant, curious, observant but with some common sense. I really liked him.

It’s no surprise that “folding dimensions” turns out to not be as safe as the team is claiming. The story grabbed my attention and it kept moving, kept going, kept throwing out new clues and new dangers. And it wasn’t too tech happy, for good reason as it turns out. The narrator did a great job, just got lost in the story for me. I like when I don’t really notice a narrator, just the story and the characters, and this was one of those for me.

There was one plot point that was a bit disappointing – and that David saw coming just from me talking about the book. It wasn’t a deal breaker for me, but the rest of the book was creative and surprising and this part just wasn’t. That’s a small quibble and didn’t ruin the book for me – even those scenes were exciting, I just feel like it could have gone in a better, maybe a little more unique, direction.

Overall a solid summer read – entertaining, fast-paced.