Speculation

When I saw the premise for this book, I thought for sure this would be a fascinating story. I was completely wrong. It seemed like the author had a great idea, but that was it. Most of the book felt like filler that was needed to hit a mandatory word count just like many of my college papers. After all of the blustering and philosophizing, nothing happens in this story. I feel like I have wasted my time in reading it.

I liked the concept of this book. It had great potential. The author threw in too much boring stuff in the middle that made this difficult for me to get to the ending. I feel the main characters both male and female could have had more developed character and their lives be made more of the vented of this story. The dead guys weirdness was just too ongoing for me.

I was gripped by Speculation. The main character inherits three boxes of extremely miscellaneous papers and ten million dollars. As an alternative, he can give up the ten million dollars and take an envelope whose contents is unknown. He has his entire life to decide, and his wife begins to fear that he may take that long to make up his mind. I am trying very hard not to hint at the plot, because this is a book in which the uncertainty is key - I strongly recommend not asking anyone to explain the plot before you read it.

One of the things that adds tension beyond the actual events is that with such a premise, one cannot know where the author is going with the story. Perhaps he just going to take the money and read up on investments. Perhaps his wife is going to get fed up with his breaking his promises to finally decide and leave. Or, at any time, the character could take the envelope, find a map inside, and hire Long John Silver and company for a perilous trip to Treasure Island (if Stevenson hadn't already done that.) Reading on the Kindle added to the effect because, although I know what percentage of the book I've read, I don't really have a handle on how many "pages" are still left for a surprise. The papers are another source of alternate possibilities: do they contain clues, or are they just static?

One of the great strengths of the book is the ability of the author to develop characters. The husband and wife and their marriage are beautifully done. Two of the secondary characters, including the deceased, whom we meet in flashbacks, are rather irritating, and yet so interesting and well drawn that they add to the interest of the story rather than being off-putting.

Recommended for people who like intellectual puzzles.

Andrew Wrangles is content with the way his life is going. He has a beautiful wife named Cheryl, his job is going well, and he maintains a stable friendship with his friends, Buddy and Stanley Riordan. When Buddy goes missing, Andrew can't help but wonder as to what has happened to him. Something tells him, Stanley might know, but he sure isn't saying. Granted, reports of Buddy surface from all around the globe, but there's something about the entire situation that he can't quite put his finger on.

Stanley unexpectedly dies to cancer, a fact that takes Andrew by surprise. He's thrown for another loop when he's named in Stanley's will as the recipient to ten million dollars, a large sum of money Andrew never truly knew his friend had amassed. The solicitor reveals to Andrew that Stanley has also left him a sealed envelope, one which piques his curiosity. He's soon given the choice of either accepting the money or taking the envelope, a decision that is quite hard for Andrew to make.

Bringing the situation to his wife's attention, Cheryl clearly tells him there's only one true decision to make. He should take the money, she says. Andrew, on the hand, can't help but wonder as to the reason behind Stanley's having left him the sealed envelope. Pleading for time before making his ultimate decision, he decides to delve into the small clues Stanley has left behind for him to find.

Striving to find a hint as to what he should look for, Andrew is transported into the past in order to discover Stanley's secrets. The further he digs, the more questions surface. Nevertheless, he trudges on, knowing that the clarity he seeks is just around the corner.

His speculations about the entire affair leave him wondering as to whether he's doing the right thing. Part him also wonders if he should let his speculations go and just accept the money with no questions asked. Yet one thing is certain, no matter what happens or what he discovers, he will get to the bottom of things, if only to set his mind at ease about the situation he's now found himself in.

The book definitely lives up to its title. Immersed in a world of speculation surrounding his friends, we find Andrew involved in vivid philosophical recollections of his past as he strives to discover his friend's secrets. This story is quite thought-provoking and leaves the reader pondering about the subjects of infinity and God that the author has included throughout the book. Beautifully written, it's definitely a great read. I enjoyed it very much.

If you are a thinker and love a debate this book is especially designed for you. The author will challenge your beliefs, emotions and ask questions about your own existence.

The story is brilliantly written and in following the quest for the clues in order to make the correct decision, the author causes intrigue and keeps the reader on his toes in the way he uses the philosophic questions to reach or solve the problem.

When one of his friends has gone missing and the other one is dead, the dead friend leaves two envelopes marked A and B. Envelope A contains $10 million but we are unaware of what is in envelope B, if he takes envelope A then envelope B is destroyed and he will never know what is in it, if he takes envelope B he will lose the $10 million, so his quest begins.

Trying to use his dead friends logic to find out what is in envelope B, the author starts to challenge your own judgement, why and how did we get here, what do we believe in and what would your decision be. The use of examples on how we think and react to the question posed shows us as humans why we are all individuals and think differently.

Being interested in thinking outside the box, this book was a dream for me to read and when I asked my family what they would do I received different answers which then sparked an interesting debate. So this book is not only a good read but stimulates a lot of provoking thoughts and conversations. A well thought out read for you to enjoy.

As anyone would, upon hearing that the Law Offices of X, Y and Z were calling, philosophy professor Andy Wrangles suspects he's the recipient of a prank call. He soon learns that not only is the law firm real, but that he is a beneficiary in the will of a long-time friend.

Still determined that there is some mistake, he arrives at the office to receive the news that he's been left not so much a bequest, as a choice. Andy may choose to receive ten million dollars, or a sealed envelope, the contents of which the lawyer, Mr. X, affirms is unknown even to him. If Andy chooses the sealed envelope, the money will be shared among charities specified by the deceased. If he chooses the money, the sealed envelope will be destroyed. Whatever his choice, there are also three large boxes of paper that now belong to Andy.

Andy's relationship with Stanley Riordan, known as Sothum, dates back to college. With a third friend, Buddy Johnston, they formed the Three Wise Fools philosophy club. Buddy, an author both famous and infamous for his two books, and long missing, is presumed to have committed suicide. Now Sothum is suddenly gone, never having shared with Andy the knowledge of his own imminent death from brain cancer.

To the puzzlement of his wife, Cheryl, Andy is unable to make what she sees as the only logical choice. She has observed the dynamics of the relationship between the three friends for years, and now feels free to reveal her thoughts. She agrees to allow him time to process what he has begun to discover about his friend.

At first, he can make no sense of the death of this larger than life man whose brilliant mind Andy not so secretly envied. Dazzled from the very first word he read in a philosophical dialogue pseudonymously penned by the man who would become his closest friend, Andy believes Sothum wasted his philosophical genius on a career in finance. He's never felt truly equal to the brilliant mind of Sothum, or to the patronizing Buddy, handsome and privileged in his position as heir to a family fortune.

Sorting through the jumbled mess in the boxes, Andy is convinced Sothum has left a clue to the contents of the mysterious envelope. When he becomes frustrated with his lack of success in discovering some hidden cipher or key, Cheryl digs into Sothum's finances, discovering the first real clue to his secrets.

Coming face to face with the consequences of Sothums' secret obsession, Andy realizes the true extent of how little he knew his friend. Presented with the last words of Sothum, Andy is forced to admit he might not have loved Sothum so well had he been aware of the layers of secrets woven by the friend he believed he understood better than anyone did.

Reflecting on their years of friendship, Andy realizes that in a life of choices, he has been the chosen, rather than the chooser. Sothum and Buddy chose to invite him to join their sophomore society. Cheryl chose him, seeking his company after observing his fascination with an overheard conversation. Buddy chose Andy's company as a refuge from detractors as his life appeared to fall apart. Finally, his trusted friend Sothum chose him to unravel the puzzle concealed within his uncommon bequest.

In the end, Andy makes the only decision he can live with, the only decision that makes sense of his own life. He chooses to make a choice.

Readers who enjoy stretching their minds are sure to enjoy this first novel. It's as engrossing on the second read as it was on the first. I hold very few books to be worthy of five stars, but this makes the cut.

A copy of this book was provided to me by the author. A version of this review appeared on my blog at Transformational Editor.

While this book sounded great on preview, once I started reading it, I got a little worried, as the characters are VERY intellectual and discuss Philosophy at length, and keeping up (especially late at night) sorta taxed my brain. But then by about chapter 5, I realized the author was giving you enough info to keep up, and you didn't have to remember all those college classes (though that helps). BUT it DID make your brain work- think of it like SMART fiction!

The author does a good job of making unlikable characters likable and understandable. he swings you back and forth- wanting to find out the riddle, yet wanting Andrew to make the right decision. He does a good job at showing us how little we truly know about our friends at times. The basic premise of the riddle that must be solved is echoed in the book repeatedly- "once you have solved a puzzle it is broken and cannot be put back together, It will never fascinate or delight you again."

How he brings God into this puzzle is interesting. You will find yourself racing, yet stopping repeatedly through the last section. Philosophy meets God 101. I had to stop and reread the section that explained God's perfection, and how miracles are really when he cannot hold himself back, allowing us free will, but cannot overcome the urge to intervene! It's a great image of a happy God!

This was a intellectual book that makes you think, but is a great little fiction book as well. Take your time reading this book and you'll enjoy this book! PICK UP YOUR COPY TODAY!

Complimentary copy provided by author, via Novel Publicity, in exchange for an honest review

Andrew Wrangles has a decision to make. His best friend Sothum, a philosophical and financial genius, has just died and left him a choice in his will: ten million dollars or a sealed envelope.

Andrew's wife Cheryl doesn't see this as much of a choice. She wants Andrew to take the money, and what little patience she has for his speculating about what could be worth more than ten million dollars is wearing thin very quickly.

But as Andrew digs deeper into the secret life that Sothum lived, he finds more questions than answers. Does the envelope contain the fate of a vanished mutual friend? The answer to a terrible cosmic riddle? The confession to a crime? Is Sothum just playing a final private joke? Or has Andrew become a pawn in a game -- a game that Sothum died playing against a bigger opponent than Andrew can imagine?

What Stephanie Thinks: Genius is madness. Brilliance is insanity. Before I rave about this one (caution: my review may be slightly, just slightly messy, flooded, enthusiastic to the point of irritation, hazardous, et cetera, et cetera), let me just say: Speculation is an absolute work of literary genius. I'm still baffled and scratching my head about how Jorgensen has managed to package a mystery and intellectual thriller into carefully-coined novel surrounded by intense allure and philosophy, but whatever his secret is, I'm not complaining.

Philosophy is a topic I thought I'd always want to stay away from. I'm a fairly logical and distinctly passionate person -- it's hard to win an argument with me if you really get my blood flowing, if I do say so myself -- and math and reason have always been my forte, but when I took my first philosophy class in high school, I discovered I simply could not stand that feeling of being unsettled, of not being able to solve everything and anything like I could in Algebra. Philosophy was something I thought I could really enjoy, but it ended up being one of the hardest courses I ever took, because it was the one I could never, for the life of me, wrap my head around. It's something I, even to this day, consider a field that only prodigies like Plato, Socrates, and Sothum (unseen and only heard from, yet still the most important character in the book; more on him later) can truly be successful at. I don't know if it's eternal patience or some sort of gene in their DNA that makes them able to figure out such wonders of the world or what, but I guess that difference is what associates me with Andrew, our other main character, a professor of philosophy, and separates me from Sothum, who would identify as a legitimate philosopher.

Like Andrew, I experience cheap thrills when I talk about philosophy, but am not so gifted as to actually be able to found it. Sothum as a character, and the valuable points he presents, impress me to the point of awe. I can't even begin to tell you how eerily accurate and just staggering his mindful contributions are. Had we a character like him in real life, I feel he'd be the modern Einstein. Which brings me to think, what does that make Jorgensen? The creator of a fictional genius -- is he a genius himself? A freaking god? I don't know. But that's the vibe I'm getting right now.

Anyway. More about the book. The structure is pretty leisurely, drawing out scenes heavy with dialogue and weak in action over a span of a few weeks, yet it is complex because multiple perspectives come into play to constitute it, and it isn't just Andrew's that seems to matter. Mostly I would say this book is composed of flashbacks and random (but brilliantly remarkably genius) musings, and I love that about it.

Jorgensen's definitely a way with words; while his style isn't phenomenal, it's good enough to keep me reading and the story in tact. He's quite a few amazing moments -- it was hard for me to pick just one quote in my Stephanie Loves section!

Some other random stuff I love about this book (bear with me, most of this is what I furiously jotted down onto the title page while reading because I couldn't bear to put it down, nor could I risk forgetting all my thoughts, because after such a mind-blowing read, it was bound to happen): the secondary characters. Cheryl, Andrew's immensely grounded wife, is a dynamic character I enjoyed getting to know, who's all of kickass and lovable. Buddy, one of Andrew and Sothum's acquaintances (the third of their Three Wise Fools, as they call themselves) exudes a natural but so very real dislikability, which, go figure, made me like him (a little). Jorgensen certainly displays his ability to bring a story to life in Speculation, down to the last illumination of the senses and tug of the heart. Complete with jarring revelations of Sothum's death, of Andrew's present, swirling, nostalgic recollections of a developmental and significant past, Speculation is a meandering dissertation on not only philosophy, but also on logic, emotions, and arguments between religion and mathematics.

Andrew's decision on deciding to take the money or the sealed envelope (and SPOILER SPOILER There IS a decision, this isn't one of those dumb books where it's open-ended and the author says 'it's up to you to decide what our protagonist does next') isn't even what is most important in Speculation. Rather, Jorgensen's contemplations of, through the resonating characters of Sothum and Andrew, the essence of money, the implications of interpersonal relationships, secret lives, time, and ultimately, in life, what truly matters most, are most expressive.

I certainly would read this one again, but I think the story and plot would be ruined for me, just because I know how it ends, and because I know how significant it is. That's the only reason why I'm not giving it my special crème de la crème award (aka 10 hearts puahaha). There's nothing Jorgensen could have done to better it, because it's just the nature of the book; unfortunately, for me, it might thus be a dull second-read. But seriously, everything else about it is absolute perfection, at least in my philosophy-philic mind. I'd reread it solely for the purpose of inspecting and overanalyzing (again) the pure written prowess of Edmund Jorgensen through Sothum's ability to completely screw my brain over. Maybe as a piece of fiction, it could fade out, but as an utter paragon for philosophy, I'd say it's a keeper.

Stephanie Loves: "Habit and routine are what make my life possible here. My stepfather used to say that the difference between the two was that routines were hard to get into and habits were hard to break. He may have been right, but these days I can't notice much that distinguishes them. I would sooner break my leg than one of my routines, and my days are so fully planned that they leave little room for new habits to creep in."

Radical Rating: 9 hearts- One of my all-time favorites!

When I was in college, 38 years ago, I discovered philosophy and loved it. I've since gone on to other interests, but part of my enjoyment of this book was the philosophical musings that are such an intrinsic part of the story. The mystery isn't really even the point unless the point is that there is always mystery. I'm sure some people will find the ending unsatisfying, but it worked for me.

Speculation was another Kindle freebie I came across. The main character, Andy, had two close friends from college. One has gone missing and the other recently died of brain cancer. The character that recently died, Stanley (known since their college days as Sothum)leaves Andy in his will a choice between 10 million dollars and a sealed, unmarked business envelope.

Andy goes on a journey to try to unravel the mystery as to what is in the envelope. As the journey unfolds, the story flashbacks a little at a time to reveal the past as it leads up to the future.

I wasn't sure what to make of the book at first. The main characters are academics, and they write and talk like academics. That was difficult to relate to at first. As the story goes on, it begins to delve into philosophy which I have been studying for the last several years. I came to enjoy the philosophical discussions. I read at one point what I thought was a very profound discussion of infinity, but it fell apart when I tried to explain it to a friend.

At a few points, the flashback/move forward sequence confused me, but after a page or two I was able to recover and figure out where we were going.

In the end, I enjoyed the story, I enjoyed the thought experiments, and I recommend this book to others who enjoy the idea of philosophy mixed with suspense.