The Son of Man

The Son of Man by Chris May is a very good read. Who would have thought that the mix of quantum physics, religion, disease and love could mix to make a page turner? It did for me! I found it difficult to put it down even though the themes running through the book cause you at times to stop and think deeply about the fragility of human existence, intrigue, and our desire to love and be loved, whilst wondering what on earth quantum physics has to do with anything! (Now I believe that I know a whole lot more about quantum physics.) Chris neatly puts these together in a credible and thought provoking story (I can't vouch for the accuracy of the quantum physics stuff!) and I really enjoyed it.

The Son of Man grips you from the very first page, plunging readers into a futuristic world struggling to unravel the mystery behind a devastating new virus, which cruelly targets young women with catastrophic consequences. With hope hanging by a thread, more people turn towards the almost defunct church in desperation. Meanwhile, the Vatican, secretly convinced that the Messiah has returned, is otherwise mystified by the actions of this miraculous yet mysterious figure and launch a covert surveillance operation. What truly makes this story captivating are the deeply woven friendships forged within Fermilab — a high-stakes laboratory racing to unlock the secrets of a mysterious fifth dimension. The individual relationships are as compelling as the overarching plot, each one drawing you in with genuine emotion and complexity. I devoured the book, eager to discover how these intertwined stories and mysteries would unfold. The plot twist was nothing short of brilliant, beautifully executed with eloquence and emotional depth. It stretched the boundaries of love and faith in a way that tugs at your heartstrings. Smart, gripping, and thought-provoking — The Son of Man is a masterful read that stays with you long after the final page.

I just finished reading The Son of Man by Chris May, and I can honestly say it’s one of those books that grips you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go until the very last page. It’s bold, intelligent, and deeply thought provoking an incredible blend of science fiction, theology, and human emotion that feels both futuristic and eerily relevant to our world right now. From the start, the premise is absolutely fascinating: a near future Earth powered by artificial and quantum intelligence, seemingly on the brink of perfection until a mysterious global disease begins to unravel everything. That setup alone had me hooked, but what makes this story special is how Chris May uses it to explore something much deeper than just technology or crisis. He dives into what it means to be human our fears, our faith, and the delicate balance between progress and morality. The scenes at Fermi lab 5 are some of the most intense and vividly written parts of the book. The way the author describes the rogue experiment is so cinematic that I could picture it unfolding like a high budget sci-fi thriller. But beneath the scientific tension lies a quiet, philosophical undertone an almost spiritual curiosity about creation, discovery, and the limits of human understanding. And then there’s the twist involving the Church and the possible return of the Messiah. May doesn’t treat it as a gimmick or shock value; he weaves it into the story in a way that feels meaningful and unnervingly plausible. It forces you to question where faith ends and science begins or whether the two are destined to collide. What really impressed me was how balanced the book is. It’s thrilling, yes, but it’s also beautifully written. The pacing is perfect fast enough to keep you turning pages, but reflective enough to make you stop and think. The characters are complex and human, especially those caught between belief and doubt. By the end, I felt both exhilarated and introspective, questioning my own understanding of truth and faith. The Son of Man isn’t just a story it’s an experience. It challenges your intellect and touches your heart at the same time. Chris May has crafted a masterful narrative that manages to combine science, religion, and mystery without losing its emotional core. If you enjoy books that make you think long after you’ve finished them stories like Contact, The Da Vinci Code, or Annihilation you’ll absolutely love this one. It’s haunting, visionary, and deeply human. A brilliant, unforgettable read.

An acutely clever and gripping novel. May deftly weaves complex physics and theology into a compelling story about what it means to be human. I am still turning it over in my mind - it is definitely a book I will go back to. The compelling plot driven by scientific exploration of the mysteries of the universe is reminiscent of Cixin Liu’s Three Body Problem.

There are very few science fiction books I have come across that are based around highly imaginative yet quite believable science content. In The Son of Man, Chris explores space and time in a way that requires the reader to wrap their head around mind-boggling concepts that leaves one entranced from beginning to end … and beyond. A truly masterful work that I believe could find a place alongside such greats as The 3 Body Problem and Hyperion.