Phenomena

A Neuroscience Thriller

By: Douglas Phillips

Narrated by: Natasha Soudek

Phenomena is a story of intrigue, psychological distress, and one scientist's quest to untangle the mysteries of human consciousness....

Amelia Charron is a neuroscientist researching brain disorders. She routinely uses astonishing mind-linking technology that allows her to enter the dream world of patients. Each night, Amelia acts as a guide through the bizarre wonderland of the mind-an assisted lucid dream. It's a technique that reroutes neural pathways to heal the brain, but it's not without psychological dangers for both the patient and the guide.

Orlando Kwon will do anything to keep the frightening voices at bay. Alien voices, he's sure, but he has no idea what they are saying. The medical diagnosis: early stage schizophrenia. With his life in tatters, a referral to a specialized neuroscience team might be his last chance.

Amelia is startled by what she sees in her newest patient's mind. Frightening dreams of an unknown world are accompanied by knowledge the man couldn't possibly have invented and a language no one has heard. In a race against time, Amelia must uncover the deep implications for her patient, herself, and humankind - before Orlando inserts the final component into a strange device he feels compelled to construct.

©2020 Douglas Phillips (P)2020 Tantor

My new fav author!

Wow! I really appreciate the amount of science facts in this. You are really putting the science back into sci-fi

Great hard science book

I really liked this book and was invested throughout. The performance of the book was mostly good except for some vocal fry in her narrator voice.

Great entertainment with mind expansion and spiritual challenge

Interesting how sci-fi authors like Jules Verne, George Orwell, Michael Crichton and Douglas Phillips turn out to be forecasters of our futures. This was a wonderful mind trip. I struggled through the first 30 minutes with the narrator but in the end I found her awesome and look forward to her performance on other books. I hope Mr. Phillips keeps nurturing his gift… all his books are great.

Blown away by a great story

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I bought this book. There were a lot of good reviews, which is not always the case for science-fiction. I think that the author did an amazing job of delving into neuroscience in a way that does justice to science-fiction, as well as high-level concepts. This book really went above and beyond what I was thinking and would really recommend it to anyone who is a science fiction nut and enjoys learning about and the mysteries of the brain and consciousness.

Amazing fast-paced neuroscience fiction

You're going to learn some neuroscience if you pay attention.
Specifically most discussions are light, consciousness-based discussions rather than the often complex jargon filled functional neuroscience.

Great sci-fi story

Nice sci-fi story that is not about war. By the middle of the story I had a hard time stopping.

Another great story

This is another great story by a great near science technology author. I my makes you think and really wonder.

One tangent in the book that I don’t know why it was added. It contains a spoiler so not going to say which but overall a great story.

Would love a follow up book like 25 years later, where are we now!

Another awesome story by an articulate writer.

I love being engulfed in a story that bends non-fiction slightly with supposed facts that sound as they are true. Neuroscience is advancing each year and this could easily be a documentary in the future.

Pleasantly Surprised

My first time reading a book in this genre. I was encouraged by a male friend to give it a try. I did so, reluctantly, but I was pleasantly surprised. Once I got used to the scientific jargon, I could focus more on the characters of which I thought the author did a nice job of developing.

Some reviewers complained about the narrator. I thought she was good although a little slow. One of the beauties of Audible is you can increase or decrease the speed at which the book is read. I cranked it up to 1.2…problem solved.

Hard science aspects of the story

I enjoy the character development of the two main characters. Plus the overall positive outlook of the story.