Strange-Attractors-GN-CoverSTRANGE ATTRACTORS
Charles Soule/Greg Scott
2013
Archaia

Every now and again I read something that when I finish sticks with me for days and keeps rolling around my head. STRANGE ATTRACTORS is one of those books, in this case a graphic novel.
Heller Wilson is working on finishing his thesis, he’s a mathematics student in New York and just needs one perfect idea. His adviser is steering him one way, his friends just want him to finish. He manages to find the whereabouts of a Dr. Spencer Brownfield, a man who in his heyday was truly brilliant and respected. But Brownfield dropped off the radar years ago under kind of mysterious circumstances. Heller meets up with the reclusive Doctor and asks to work with him, the doctor agrees. But the work is strange and Heller has trouble wrapping his head around what they are doing and how it relates to math.
Things slowly come clear as Heller begins to realize that Brownfield is actually manipulating events using math. He is in reality keeping New York City safe. Remove all the diet soda from 12 bodegas, extra trucks roll into the city, traffic patterns change. Little things making little changes. But a large event is coming and coming fast. Brownfield has a plan to save the city but can’t do it alone. His only hope is to convince Heller he is right.
I found this truly fascinating and I actually think there might be some merit to some of this. I really can’t stop thinking about this book. The artwork was also beautiful, a true love letter to the city of New York.
Jon Jordan