The Yin & Yang of an Electrical Conductor (ePub)

EXCERPTS FROM REVIEW BY John Staughton for Self Publishing Review (SPR)

A wild, mind-bending tale, The Yin and Yang of an Electrical Conductor proposes a fascinating world where one can have a chat with an eminent scholar from the Age of Reason, or a holy man from thousands of years ago. While the title of the novel might sound like it belongs to a daunting textbook, this is actually a wildly imaginative sci-fi novella that eliminates the boundaries of space and time in search of existential truth, and shares a good bit of knowledge about physics along the way….

If you have been looking for a whimsical refresher course in the nature of the universe and the workings of physics, this book will certainly deliver some valuable lessons.

Despite the relative brevity of the book, if you want to fully immerse yourself in this story, a good amount of side research will be necessary, provided you aren't already a physics buff, so the novel does require some advanced knowledge, though it can certainly be enjoyed on its own terms. There are many moments that are reminiscent of Pirsig, who so masterfully blended philosophic musings, simple speech, and practical, physical realities in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance….

Scaramanga has an imagination most authors can only dream of, and he put in clear research effort to lend authenticity and credibility to his science fiction storytelling. With discussions ranging from population dynamics and the speed of light to the anthropocentric theory of the universe, this book is an invigorating and mind-expanding trip, and one that is definitely worth the effort.

****

EXCERPTS FROM REVIEW BY Paige Lovitt for Reader Views

"The Yin & Yang of an Electrical Conductor" by Jose Scaramanga weaves scientific theories into an absorbing speculative sci-fi novella alive with characters and a storyline that will both engross readers and stimulate contemplation long after the book is finished….

In each interaction, lively discussions revolving around science, especially physics, ensue. Each "teacher" that the narrator encounters has something to share from their perspectives, which makes for some lively discussions.

The book truly made my mind whirl. In spite of being novella-sized, it is not a fast read because there are many layers to this story. So many forgotten scientific terms reemerged into my existence. Not having had a science class in twenty-five years had me Googling some terms and names to refresh my memory, including wave particle duality; Newtonian Law; velocity-spatial distribution of time; the speed of light; Minkowski space time; Michelson-Morley experiment; Max Planck and Andre Ampere who features heavily in the story. Fresh out of Physics in college would have been an advantage for reading this, but I must admit, I enjoyed refreshing my brain. I feel much smarter now and less intimidated about sitting at lunch with my colleagues who are physics professors!

Jose Scaramanga has a gift for being able to create scenes in his story that will enable the reader to feel like they are seeing the story rather than reading it. In fact, I will remember "The Yin & Yang of an Electrical Conductor" as a movie, rather than a book. In spite of the heavy scientific jargon, the scenes are well described and the characters incredibly unique and enjoyable. The author does a great job of blending science into a science fiction story. I also am really intrigued how the author manages to tie physics in with the philosophy of Yin and Yang. Readers who are fans of both science and science fiction, especially stories with humor, will really appreciate this creative work of fiction.