The History of Things to Come (The Dark Horizon Trilogy Book 1)

I've reached 65% and I'm giving up. I'm vaguely aware that I've read this before, in paperback, some time ago so little bits of the plot keep coming back to me. But I'm not really enjoying it. The plot is complex but has yet to engage me. I don't care for the main character and there's no sense of tension or suspense.**SPOILER ALERT**There are the little niggling issues with how lax the security is. At the point I'm at there have been several violent thefts of various of Newton's belongings and yet an art theft "expert" is walking around with Newton's pocket watch...in his pocket. It just doesn't feel plausible that (1) he would be allowed to walk away with it or (2) that he'd treat it so carelessly, bearing in mind what's going on.I suppose the main issue is I've still not built up any sort of interest in the outcome. Clever as the idea for the plot is...I'm bored. Sorry.

Definite similarities with the Lisa Emmer trilogy by Rob Swigart – fanatical churchpeople and sadists driven by historical writings to kill with ultra-modern weapons.Not really sure that I want to know about the rifling in a Dragunov, or what velocity the bullet achieves; however Duncan Simpson does manage to build up some tension at times but then it collapses as the story-line switches to something else; and the transcriptions of Newton get a bit tedious at times to a non-researcher.I got a bit lost at the end how the stray dog who left the crime scene with the vagrant still managed to guide the police there, and why the vagrant who featured so prominently seemed to remain a loose end.Can't see myself searching for answers in the next books in this trilogy.

I enjoyed this mystery fantasy. If you like merging the modern day and ancient history, then you will enjoy this.It centers around the writings of Sir Issac Newton and a religious mystery that he uncovered. A powerful religious artifact was hidden in London and now an agent of Satan is looking for it. Vincent Blake gets involved in the hunt for the artifact because of his work with the police in recovering stolen goods of historical value. Unfortunately, he pays a heavy price when he is pitted against an implacable foe.

I find this a difficult book to review. It's a good story although it tends to go off on tangents a little bit. This is one of these annoying books where the author names every chapter after a date - such as Monday 1 December - and so whenever you start a new chapter; i.e. Saturday 13 December, it means absolutely nothing to the reader because he's forgotten what date the last chapter was. In fact, as soon as you start reading you've forgotten the date already!The book goes backwards and forwards to Isaac Newton's time and covers quite a bit of his writing. It's a good book, well researched but it didn't quite grab me, and I couldn't really relate to all the characters.If you like a book with a well-researched plot, Duncan Simpson has put a lot of work into this, and this is perhaps why I find it difficult to review, but there are some good twists in the end, so it's worth completing

This book gripped me from the first chapter. Thrillers aren't my usual cup of tea, but the subject matter had me hooked. Blake, a leading stolen art collector, hunts down The Drakon - a mysterious figure who is stealing items linked to Isaac Newton and who has had a devastating effect on Blake personally.The book is fast paced, rather brutally violent in some parts, and has a really interesting plot with some good characters. The author has obviously done a lot of research into Isaac Newton and 17th century London which is reflected in the detail of the plot. He manages to slot all this information seamlessly into the story without making it feel like a history lesson.I love Vincent Blake. He goes from a man who has everything to a total mess and the author creates a very real, likeable character. I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth to some of the other characters such as Carla and Milton but I'm sure we'll be meeting them again. And the Drakon...I was a little frustrated at the beginning of the book as I couldn't "see" the character. When I read I like to picture the characters in my head but I couldn't get a sense of who/what the Drakon was. However there is a reason for this and all becomes clear towards the end of the book!I'm looking forward to meeting Vincent Blake again in Duncan's next book in the trilogy. Hope we won't be waiting too long!

I loved this book - bought it after seeing a note about the author on Facebook and I am very glad that I did. The book took me a couple of chapters before I was really gripped and then I just had to keep reading until the end! I was actually already halfway through another book but it was abandoned for this one! Fast paced - sometimes had to flick back a page or two to keep up (but perhaps I was reading too fast!) Kept my interest the whole way through. Would recommend to all - a great read for winter evenings or on the beach - just about anytime really. Well done Duncan Simpson, looking forward to the Devil's Architect!!!! Bring it on 😀

What a great surprise!! Hold on to your chair as this book is going to take you for a great ride. What a pleasant breath of fresh air. From the first page I couldn't put it down, It's one of those books that you don't want to end but the good thing was I knew there was another to follow which didn't let me down. Well done Mr Simpson.

I think this genre of book is like Marmite. You either love it or hate it. The writing is of a high quality particularly the descriptive passages. Yet, sometimes taking a page to describe the opening of a door can seem a little unnecessary. When you go into such detail the pace stalls, which leads this reader into spells of skipping paragraphs in order to get to the next piece of vital dialogue or dramatic action. I made it through to the conclusion of this story unlike several others. On reflection, it didn't quite match the expectations in the blurb, but the writer is certainly a talented wordsmith. maybe another book will work its magic and get me hooked. Who knows?

This thriller is a free download from Amazon. I had it on my Kindle for at least six months, but – perhaps due to how I perceived the original cover – I didn’t bother to open it. Receiving an email from the author, which really grabbed my attention, prompted me to contact him and respond to the content of his email and to give the book a try.I am biased to suggest that fans of Dan Brown, who are used to a writing style depending mainly on sensationalism in terms of symbols and action, are not going to give this one a lot of consideration. A History of Things to Come is a carefully crafted story, well-researched, and with a descriptive style that discourages the reader from skimming pages. And the parts devoted to Sir Robert Newton are as gripping as the novel events that take place 400 years after his death.This is the first book in a trilogy. I initially thought it was a one-off, and worked very well as a stand-alone. I am actually excited at the prospect of digging into the other two. I do recommend you purchase the box set, as its price is less than the total of purchasing books two and three separately.

I wasn't sure about this novel because it started as a somewhat ponderous read - boring even. But without being aware of it, this read became more and more interesting, making hard solid sense all the way, and before I knew it I had become completely engrossed in it. It is so profoundly logical and so well laid out, with factual references that are continuously cropping up, you gain the feeling there has been an enormous amount of research put in here. One superlative novel full os twists, turns, murder, dead ends, tantalizing clues, and a superb and varied cast going in all directions, it is an absolute gem. Especially when you realize the core object being sought is really believed to exist, with many biblical references that say so. But don't misunderstand here, this is not a religious yarn by any means. Just one of the most profound thrillers I've read in the last few years. PERIOD. This book is absolutely too good to pass up. Download it right here, right now.and get caught up in a real web of a story - while the price is still outstanding.

I've read the full trilogy, book 1 and 2 twice, and joined the newsletter list. I like how the author wove a story around some of the obscure and esoteric histories and sites around London. The 3 novels, free e-book companion, and newsletters are full of places and/or odd facts for the curious to check out further. The author's careful prose presents clear action, and makes for an easy and compelling read.During my initial reading of The History of Things to Come, I was struck by its realism, more than I'd expected for this genre: such as the protagonist's need to heal over time, and his slow initiation into the world of an esoteric obsession. I enjoyed the second reading more because I'd figured out that what I thought was from the author's imagination was actually historical fact, and it paid off to read the italicized parts more carefully. In the following books, the protagonist is understandably wiser, and the wealth of detail is even more fun to read.I read The Devil's Architect twice too. My first response to this 2nd book was the unsettling feeling that came from learning about the hidden history and sites of a darker London. During the second reading of this book, I already knew the plot and the settings, and so it was just fun to read the interesting details again. Shortly afterward, while watching one of the Sherlock Holmes movies (starring Robert Downey, Jr.), a villain made a comment about London, and I understood that comment far more because of this book.I also enjoyed reading the final book, The Logos, and was satisfied with the outcome of the trilogy overall. I would read more stories by the author, mostly because it would mean that the characters would find themselves in more of the mysterious lore the author has uncovered and is sharing. In the meantime, I look forward to more newsletters; there's always something new to learn about the history and sites around London.

Solid read, lots of interesting characters with some great plot twists. This book has lots of historical facts twisted into the plot. It seems to me a lot of time and research has gone into the writing of the book.It was a really good read, enjoyable, quick read.Check it out.

An extremely well-written novel with likeable protagonists and villainous villains (perhaps, at times, a little too unbelievably villainous). While the plot, associated with Isaac Newton and Christopher Wren, was similar in many ways to the plots of other novels of this genre (think The Da Vinci Code etc), the pace was thrilling and the suspense maintained throughout.