The Codist by Eric Walker is a suspense novel on par with those made into blockbuster movies. From the moment I opened the book, I could not put it down. I found myself, at 3:30 in the morning, in awe at this story’s conclusion and anxiously waiting the next installment of The Mystery Behind Aaron’s Robe.
Summary
The plot begins to unfold through the lives of two extraordinary teens—sons of diplomats, talented, destined for top-ranking careers—who are the most unlikely of roommates. Jake is Jewish. Hakeem is a radical Muslim. While each harbors his own secrets, they forge a friendship and a bond that will haunt them later in life.
As the story races across parts of the US, Turkey, Israel, and other parts of the Middle East, we watch as the boys become men, experts in their respective fields. Jake’s path leads him to uncover the truth behind the 3,000 year-old legends that tie his family to Aaron of the Bible and to ancient Jewish traditions. Meanwhile, Hakeem becomes a world-renowned geneticist with a “pet project” to annihilate the Jewish people via distinguishing genetic markers.
Eventually, the two meet face-to-face as Hakeem’s plans are discovered and Jake is deployed to stop him. As the thrill-ride of the novel’s pages come to a close, the unexpected plot twists and surprise ending keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Main Characters
Jake Aaronson, readers learn, is a man to be reckoned with. He distinguished himself, both academically and in the Israeli intelligence community, before returning to the United States to join the National Security Agency. Walker deftly leads readers through Jake’s young adult life and into the heat of the present moment, sparing us the teenage angst, but providing plenty of depth and empathy.
Jake’s frenemy Hakeem Baba is treated with no less skill or style. Hakeem, too, is a rich, complex, and dynamic character. He gained the respect of the scientific community with his breakthrough doctorate thesis at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. From there he went directly to the National Research Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Tehran.
While winning accolades for developing cures for diseases at the cellular level, Hakeem was secretly waging a campaign to use DNA as a weapon for ridding the world of the Jews—the sworn enemy of Islam.
Technical Aspects
I was a bit surprised at some of the dialog early in the novel. In particular, dialog between Jake and Hakeem as teens at boarding school seemed too clean, too free of teenspeak and contractions, to seem plausible. My awareness of this quickly faded, however, because it actually worked in the plot’s favor. The novel’s fast pace doesn’t allow for development through dialog so much as through the characters’ actions. Overall, I found Walker’s prose to flow smoothly and to keep the reader turning the pages quickly.
Conclusion
I give this book a 5-star rating because it was fun to read and kept me engaged from the first word to the very last. I felt as though I was right beside the characters in all of their travels, and I was as emotionally engaged in their conflicts as they were. The novel strikes a chord with current events and challenges in the world. As Walker notes in an interview with me, “Truth hidden in fiction is a way to inform and entertain at the same time.”
I highly recommend reading The Codist, but be prepared to be hooked and ready for the next book in the series.
