The Antidote


Fiction - Thriller - General
Kindle Edition
Reviewed on 10/27/2022
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Readers’ Favorite has awarded 5 stars to all of his novels, calling Raptor Canyon “a hoot of an adventure novel… most highly recommended.” An avid backcountry hiker, canoer, and whitewater enthusiast, the author takes his readers on adventures in ancient lands that shape the motives and spirits of his characters.
A.W. Baldwin has written five thrillers featuring “Relic,” a moonshining hermit living deep in the remote canyons of Utah. Raptor Canyon received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award and was a finalist in the 2019-2020 Screen Craft Cinematic Book Contest. Wings Over Ghost Creek received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award and the Global Book Awards Silver Medal. Broken Inn received the Grand Master Adventure Writers’ Finalist Award, the Global Book Awards Silver Medal, and the New York City Big Book Award Featured Favorite Award. Each have received rave reviews from #1 New York Times Bestselling author Dirk Cussler. Onlinebookclub calls the plot of his latest thriller, The Antidote, “phenomenal” (can a botany student, a couple of old-timers, and genetically modified seeds provide the antidote for climate change?) An avid backcountry hiker, canoer, and whitewater enthusiast, the author takes his readers on adventures in ancient lands that shape the motives and spirits of his characters. You can learn more about his novels at awbaldwin.com.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Essien Asian for Readers' Favorite

Lila's work with Professor Blackstone on genetics is sidetracked when she is threatened with deportation from the United States for violating the terms of her student visa. Before she can rectify that problem, the professor is murdered. What makes it worse is that she may have unwittingly stumbled upon the professor's murderer while in the act. Lila is now on the run from the police who want to question her, and the killer who wants to tie up loose ends. A timely meeting with two war veterans may be the only hope for Lila if she is to carry out the professor's final wish and save the planet in the process. Time is of the essence and shocks aplenty abound in A.W. Baldwin's thrilling new book, The Antidote.

The Antidote is a suspense-filled novel by A.W. Baldwin. The action is an end-to-end affair as the pace kicks in from the opening chapter right up to the final page. The initial introduction of the principal character's backstory feels a bit rushed but as I delved deeper into the story it becomes evident that this is Baldwin's style of endearing Lila, the heroine, to readers. The chemistry between Harry and Keaton is electrifying; their conversations are fluid and make for some entertaining reading. I did not expect an environmentally oriented storyline to be as exciting as this one, garnished with quotes from Sun Tzu and other ancient masters. The overall quality is impressive.

Stefan Vucak

Dr. Blackstone genetically modifies a chokecherry tree to absorb 1000 times the amount of CO2 of any other plant. The discovery can be a boon for mankind to help control climate change. He sends a sample of seeds to Dr. Knox for validation, with a promise of more. Lila shows up for work, retrieves a bag of seeds, finds Blackstone dead in the greenhouse, and makes a run for it. She meets Keaton and Harry and tells them someone is after her. They decide to help her deliver the seeds to Knox, with crooks chasing them across the country. Lila reveals to them why the seeds are so valuable, but she does not trust the government with the discovery, fearing they would bury it. What follows are harrowing adventures for the three of them, culminating in a final encounter.

With The Antidote, A.W. Baldwin distills all the elements of an intricate book into a succinct and eminently entertaining novella. The pace will keep readers interested, and the plot twists don’t reveal anything until the final encounter between Lila and the bad guys. The work necessarily relies on action to keep it moving, but A.W. Baldwin injects sufficient personality into the main characters for readers to connect and sympathize with their plight. However, the bad guys are not so well rounded, which leaves them somewhat bland. Because The Antidote is a novella, the work lacks the depth and scope otherwise present in a full-length novel. Although a satisfying work, readers will be left wishing for much more. However, it is very well written with crisp dialogue and prose, so this novella will find an appreciative audience.

Adanna Ora

Lila, a Canadian immigrant who violated one of the conditions of her student visa, believed that her impending deportation was the biggest issue she had at the moment. She proceeds to ask her boss, Dr. Blackstone, an excellent scientist, for his assistance in fixing the error, only to discover him dead in cold-blooded murder. When she realizes that the killer is still at the scene and also determined to kill her, she flees while carrying a bag of seeds intended for delivery. What she does not know is that that bag of seeds is Dr. Blackstone's landmark discovery that has the potential to stem the tide of climate change. This discovery has caught the attention of desperate individuals who will stop at nothing to have that bag in their possession. Will Lila withstand this organized attack on her life and keep the bag safe? Find out in The Antidote by A.W. Baldwin!

From a third-person point of view, the author points out various themes of The Antidote such as survival, desperation, betrayal, friendship, generosity, sacrifice, and love for humanity. I love how A.W. Baldwin uses suspense and imagery to make sure there is never a dull moment while reading. Additionally, I picked up some new words, which helped me expand my vocabulary. The Antidote also includes words from botany that botanists studying the subject could find useful. Everyone can benefit from learning the deep life lessons revealed in The Antidote. There is no confusion at any point in The Antidote as the author makes sure the background story of every character and event is perfectly explained. I applaud A.W. Baldwin for his efforts in making The Antidote a gripping novel.