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James W. Mercer works in the area of hydrogeology and has published numerous technical articles. In 1985, he was awarded the Wesley W. Horner Award of the American Society of Civil Engineers for work performed at Love Canal. In 1994, he received the American Institute of Hydrology’s Theis Award for contributions to groundwater hydrology. The Volcano is his second novel. He currently lives in the Washington, D.C., area.
James W. Mercer’s debut novel, The Scrolls The Missing Eighteen Years, was published in 2011 and is available at Lulu.com, Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Amazon.co.uk.
Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite
The Volcano That Changed the World, by James W. Mercer, is a fascinating amalgam of Geology, Archaeology, the legendary city of Atlantis, and World History. All this occurs within a milieu of attempted murder, marital infidelity, and the underhanded shenanigans of a Professor doing everything he can think of to undermine another Professor’s timely consideration for tenure. With so much going on, you might wonder how there was time enough to even mention a volcano, let alone its impact on today’s world. The answer to that quandary lies in the brilliant genius of the talented James W. Mercer. Mercer displays his masterful knowledge of ancient history, geological influences on Earth’s physical geography, and a passion for archaeology and the tales it tells to all who understand its language.
The Volcano That Changed the World specifically refers to the mega-eruption of Thera, on the Greek island of Santorini, some 2,600 years ago. Young Professor Mark Malloy has taught Geology at the prestigious Florida State University (FSU) for six years, and is now due for his tenure hearing. The overbearing, pretentious, arrogant and explosive Professor Sam Bolton harbors a deep-seated resentment against Malloy for essentially “showing him up” at a professional lecture years earlier, and thus will resort to any under-handed tactics he can dream up to blackball Malloy. This would essentially ruin Malloy’s chances of pursuing a teaching career. Bolton’s obsession contributes much to the story. However, it is Mercer’s intellectual appreciation of Thera’s impact on global history which provides the meat of this story. Mercer’s presentation will enrapture even readers who have never given a thought to such things. The Volcano That Changed the World will captivate and mesmerize its readers. Although the story is fiction, the events comprising the story are geologically accurate. Mercer has proved once again the old adage, “truth is stranger than fiction.” This is a must-read tale that will augment your own knowledge of such things, all the while delighting you in its intricacies.
