Nazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended.
Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed—until the day he’s shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy.
When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success—but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn’t aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn’t Captain America—just a lousy existence only made passable by a newfound faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger’s sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there’s no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It’s 2015—and the world has become an unrecognizable place.
Katherine Mueller—crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle—offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he’s trying to flee?
Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The Methuselah Project is a wild ride through WWII and modern American history. You’ll fall in love with Captain Roger Greene on Page One and you’ll cheer him on through every twist and turn after that. He’s determined, brave, and funny; you can’t help but admire his spirit.
Katherine is just as likeable. She’s a bit naïve but is determined to start steering the ship of her own life – against her domineering uncle’s wishes. She’s loyal to family, smart, and doesn’t let life get her down. I admire the way that she jumps into life full force.
The plot itself is reminiscent of Forever Young. Since that’s one of my favorite movies, this plot structure was fascinating to me. I love the time travel idea – or, living longer than usual and experiencing another era for the first time. Actually getting Roger from his capture to 2015 took a much bigger chunk of the book than I expected, and since the re-entry aspect is so exciting to me, I would have liked more detail about this part of Roger’s life. The succession of the Nazi regime and Roger’s relationship with his captors was interesting, although it moved a bit more slowly thank I would have liked at times. Still, the detail described in this portion of the book played a large part later and was important.
Before reading, I expected this story to be one of great interest to teens. I still think that could be true, although because much of Katherine’s early thoughts are related to romance and love, I think it best suited for older teens and adults. The violence is minimal for a WWII story, but the true historical atrocities are alluded to, particularly in reference to Dr. Josef Mengele. That harshness only ups the realistic quality of the story.
The Methuselah Project was a great read. I look forward to reading more of Rick Barry.
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Rick Barry is the author of Gunner’s Run, another World War II novel, Kiriath’s Quest, and over 200 articles and fiction stories. In addition to being a World War II buff, he is the director of church planting ministries at BIEM, a Christian ministry operating in Eastern Europe. He holds a degree in foreign languages, speaks Russian, and has visited Europe more than fifty times. Rick lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Connect with Rick online: website, Twitter, Facebook
I received a free copy of The Methuselah Project from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
