Friday, November 1, 2013

REVIEW - The Pegasus Project by Daphne Olivier

REVIEW: The Pegasus Project
Synopsis: (From Goodreads)

The Pegasus Project

When Jack Randal lands a job with Bells Biological Research Centre, he sets off for the remote South African farm, unaware of the dangers lurking behind the high, electrified fence.

It doesn't take long for him to uncover a top-secret project.

When a fellow scientist dies under mysterious circumstances, Jack zeros in on the Pegasus Project. Tension mounts as he probes the dark secret surrounding the genetically modified bio-fuel, and the time comes when he must decide whether to risk his life in order to prevent a global catastrophe.


I was privileged enough to be asked by the author to read and review her book. It took me some time, sorry guys, a bit busy with exams at the moment.

I really enjoyed the book. It is well written and a quick read and kept my attention throughout. I do have to admit that again I had my doubts as the book is set in South Africa and deals with some illegal type things which I’m not partial to. I prefer books that are set in another country and that don’t really focus too much on the History of South Africa.

But the book surprised me.

The story is about Jack Randal, a young man who is looking for a well-paying job in order to save his family farm after his father dies. He has some experience with farming and plants, but not much. So he applies for a job at Bells, not really thinking that he would get the job. He messes up in the interview and after that really thinks he’s done for. But to his surprise, he lands the job, which will have him live at the Research Facility which is set up like a bit of a small town with houses, clubhouse, clinic and grocery store.

It’s only when he gets to the Research Facility that he realises that there might be some illegal activities going about. At his first encounter at the grocery store he hears about some untimely deaths of some of the employees that worked in The Zone, the mysterious part of the research facility where he isn’t allowed to enter yet. This of course peeks his interest and he digs a bit deeper, finding out that Mr Ruben Brandt, the head of Bells, is working on a special project, The Pegasus Project, presumably some type of Bio Fuel that will change the world.

Then Jack befriends his neighbour, Ben Ferguson, and the neighbour’s daughter, the beautiful Maggie, and he eventually falls in love with Maggie (a bit too soon I would say, but still it makes for a bit of distraction from the more serious topic going on in the book). Ben is a long-time friend of Arthur Bell, the founder or the Bells Research Centre, and the things that Ben starts telling Jack of course makes Jack even more curious about this new place he is living and working at. It’s when Ben dies in a bit of a mysterious car accident and when strange cases are seen at the Clinic where Maggie is the head nurse, that Jack and Maggie really start digging around, and what they find is horribly shocking.


There is a bit more to the whole research farm too, like the fact that Ruben Brandt married Mr Arthur Bell’s daughter, Ruth, just to get the chance to be the head of the firm and to create this extraordinary Bio Fuel that will make him rich and famous. The relationship they have is tumultuous and I really started feeling sorry for Ruth, until she showed that she had some balls to get back at her husband. There’s also the story of Arnold Mason, second in command, but treated more like a minion in the firm by Brandt. He has a daughter, who is severely mentally challenged, and you really feel sorry for this man, he seems to have no self-worth, but he also surprises everyone in the end.

The characters were well written, described well, which I always like as I love to imagine what each person looks like, the sound of their voice, the colour of their skin, hair, clothing etc. it wasn’t a dull description at all.

So I won’t give away the whole story there. Just know that it really captures your imagination. I’ve mentioned before that it was a quick read, because the story really flows well. I can’t really think that there were any dull parts in the book, and also no storylines that didn’t really make a lot of sense. Everything gelled together well.

I enjoyed the book very much and will give it a 3.5 stars


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