"A good book with an underlying serious theme"
A veteran of the worst atrocities of World War I including
poison gas, Ray "Fos" Foster travels the American
countryside carrying the scientific marvel, X-ray
equipment. Fos claims to be an expert "Phenomenologist".
Visiting the Carolina's Outer Banks for a meteor show, Fos
meets and falls in love with Opal. The duo marries as they share more than attraction. Both
love everything scientific. Opal accompanies Fos on his
circuit where he displays his X-ray machine at county
fairs. He demonstrates the capabilities of x-rays to
penetrate the skin by irradiating Opal's foot. Fos'
scientific knowledge reputation grows until the Feds hire
him to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority and
ultimately during World War II at Site X in Oak Ridge.
However, his idyllic life hits a major detour when Opal
falls mysteriously ill. Science fails to help Fos, as he
and the doctors know not why or what she suffers from. The lead couple and a lad that they adopt are strong
characters but the link to science seems farfetched, even
with the character names loosely connected to science. The
story line vividly describes the years between the great
wars especially achievements that come across as homage to
scientific accomplishment yet also carries a warning of
beware what you create. It is this dual sword inside a
deep look back at the twentieth century that makes this
epic
worth reading. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted May 30, 2003
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