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The Omega Theory, Mark Alpert鈥檚 Einstein-exploiting thriller, is an entertaining but formulaic parable of the perils of having a theory of everything

WHAT if Einstein had discovered the 鈥渢heory of everything鈥� but decided to bury the ultimate equations forever, having seen the atomic horrors wrought by his earlier discoveries? This intriguing premise opens Mark Alpert鈥檚 new novel The Omega Theory, the sequel to his debut physics thriller, The Final Theory.

In reality, of course, Einstein was missing fundamental pieces of the cosmic puzzle, including two forces of nature (the strong and weak nuclear forces) that were discovered after his death 鈥� but nevertheless it is a fun counterfactual idea.

As The Omega Theory opens, Einstein鈥檚 great-great-grandson, an autistic teenager named Michael, has been kidnapped by religious zealots who believe they can use the lost equations etched into Michael鈥檚 remarkable memory to bring on the end of days and their entrance to God鈥檚 eternal kingdom.

Michael鈥檚 adoptive parents, the hapless science historian David Swift and his quantum physicist wife Monique, both of whom starred in Alpert鈥檚 earlier novel, must figure out the nature of reality to rescue Michael and save the universe. It鈥檚 a mission that takes them from quantum computing labs to the tunnels beneath Jerusalem鈥檚 Wailing Wall in Israel, and from secret Kabbalist meeting grounds to army bases on the borders of Iran.

Readers who enjoy Dan Brown鈥檚 academic mystery thrillers will find The Omega Theory similarly entertaining. But like a Dan Brown novel, this book has all the flaws of formulaic fiction: it is entirely plot-driven; has zero character development; employs stilted, expository dialogue to drive the plot; its pace is monotonously relentless; and it relies on every last clich茅, short of a typical Hollywood love story sub-plot. Those who enjoy high-brow literature should steer clear.

Still, book poses an important ethical question: should scientists ever conceal the truth for fear of how it might be used? The book also paints an interesting portrait of the science-religion divide by taking aim at an unusual brand of zealot. Alpert鈥檚 bad guys, a religious cult dubbed 鈥淭he True Believers鈥�, don鈥檛 as you might expect shun science and logic in the name of blind faith. Rather, they study advanced physics in order to understand and, they hope, to manipulate God鈥檚 creation to cataclysmic ends. The Omega Theory is a fun read, while simultaneously reminding us that even the most abstract truths can have substantial consequences.