The Torah Codes

By: Ezra Barany

Narrated by: Bryan Reid

A reclusive computer programmer, Nathan Yirmorshy, pounds out ones and zeros in the quiet of his home while his landlord secretly watches from behind a two-way mirror. When an intercepted note connects the landlord to a secret society, and a detective ends up dead, Nathan must abandon his home and everything familiar to him, open his heart to a tarot reader he has never met, and trust her with his life - just as the ancient scriptures have foretold.

An appendix of essays by rabbis, doctors, and physicists discuss the themes of the book, specifically, the Bible codes and the Shekinah, the female aspect of God.

©2011 Ezra Barany (P)2014 Ezra Barany

Pretty good

It's a thought provoking story that moves pretty fast. I wanted to find out what happened for sure. interesting theories.

Interesting read!

This was a good story. Brought about a nice intro to the Torah Codes if you didn't know about them before. There was a review comment suggesting that Dan Brown needed to step aside to make room for Barany. Someday, perhaps, but not quite yet. I will be sure to read your next book.

Intriguing Thriller

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

For the most part, yes. The story was intricate enough, I had to listen carefully to catch the details. The author is skilled in developing the action and revealing details in the plot on an "as needed basis", therefore keeping the suspense alive. And adding in the red herring was a nice touch.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I really liked Mr. Reid's character voices. I was never in doubt which character was speaking and his delivery made the characters very real. I found his narration style a little confusing, though. I believe he was going for a dry delivery, such as in noir, but at times it came across as a little dehumanized and more like a computer. A storyteller will have an emotional reaction to the action of the story which helps guide the listener, and I believe this should come across even in a dry read. However, this was MINOR distraction and didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book..

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked when Nathan realized that asymmetry can be beautiful, too.

Any additional comments?

I thought it was interesting the author included the essays about the real-life theory of the Bible Codes at the end. I listened to all. Some were very interesting and others didn't really hold much information that I was interested in, but they're there if you want to listen. I like having that option.

Interesting and Entertaining

Would you listen to The Torah Codes again? Why?

No,but that is not to say that I did not find it interesting and compelling. I felt that the complex dissection of faith and science was fascinating and yet the the story moved forward. This story that would have been "so so" except for the complexity of the plot juxtaposed against fascinating theoretical research. All sides are presented but also this is a really great detective drama!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Torah Codes?

I loved the characters. They allowed the information and story line to evolve in a very entertaining way. At first I found Brian Reid's characterization of Nathan to be somewhat stilted but advise anyone listening to continue. He does in fact create the perfect foil for some great characters to follow. As soon as there is dialogue this narrator takes off!

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the scene with Captain Kors, the inventor of the MEG and also with the kid when Nathan broke into the high school. There are a lot of good moments in this book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed at the clever way the writer and also narrator humanized these really complicated people. The descriptions and details were really good. Interestingly enough the main character was often emotionless and stuck with the narrative but because of this the emotional qualities of a lot of the other characters shone through.

Any additional comments?

I really like Bryan Reid's narration. I felt he was really up to the task to deliver both great characters and religious theory (especially Hebrew pronunciations) really authentically. I was sorry that there were so many acknowledgements etc in the end. I would have gotten more by being left with the story.

The torah codes

Any additional comments?

Flowed well and it was full of suspensel I couldn't pause it until I was almost finished. Lots of humor throughout the audiobook. This can be made into a movie, I would love to see how the characters on screen. Good narration too.