14. Lock Ness Leap 1997 (Sandy Schofield)

[alsplacebartender]

Discuss "Loch Ness Leap" here!

Al's Place Novel Section: Loch Ness Leap

It’s March of 1986 when Sam leaps into Harding, who has come to Loch Ness, where his son is attempting to prove to him the existence of the fabled monster. Ziggy says that there is a fifty percent chance that Sam is there to keep the two from becoming permanently estranged. But Sam suspects that...

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[Darlan]

Description

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)

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Sam Beckett leaps into the body of Dr. Donald Harding, a theoretical physicist, who has come to Loch Ness where his son is trying to prove the existence of the fabled Nessie and where Sam encounters a strangely familiar young woman who holds the key to Sam's own future.

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[NYCSciFiFan]

Publishing Information:

Quantum Leap : Loch Ness Leap, Vol. 14
by Sandy Schofield Donald P. Bellisario
Paperback | Berkley | 1997-07-01 | listprice: $5.99
ISBN-10: 1572972319 | ISBN-13: 9781572972315

 

[MichelleD]

I'm finished with this one and liked it a lot. It's well written. The writer (actually a husband and wife team) have the characters down pretty well. I liked the story line with Sammie Jo and the chance for Sam to get to interact with her when she was older, but then I'm a sucker for the Trilogy. I believe it's kind of a tribute to the Trilogy as well as The Beast Within (only in this case it's the Loch Ness Monster, not Bigfoot).

Elizabeth Storm's books are still my favorites so far though. Sigh. So I'm sentimental.

 

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Quite possibly I am a minority in the fandom in not being able to stand Abigail both child and adult in the trilogy episodes of the television series. At both ages she was a total brat and in the child episode even a bit of a creeper with the way she would suddenly appear on the scene. Honestly I try my best not to let this opinion rub off on Sammy-Jo since though she was born to Abigail she is not Abigail. Hence my not quitting on this novel when she's introduced as the 'familiar face' the back cover references.

As for this novel it is clear that I am again the minority, at least on Amazon as it did not impress me. If this portrayal of Sammy-Jo were an attempt to get me to see the possibility of a likable, strong character it got the opposite result. Particularly her attitude following Al's appearance to her made it very difficult for me to separate her from Abigail as she had become the same brat. Sure the appearance was scary and the story insane but to believe that even the most rotten of people would get so fancy (advanced technology and such) with a trick and to throw the childish tantrum she did was in my opinion unnecessary. Apologies but I wanted to slap her.

On a more positive note the notion that her society had treated her intelligence as a Catholic does one who is believed to be possessed by a demon was quite a unique angle and contrast against Sam's upbringing and did induce some sympathy from me. My heart certainly went out to Sam when she attacked him for trying to reveal himself. It saddened me how that got me thinking that he can never truly be a father. He deserves to be, he'd be an amazing one. Honestly it escapes my understanding why the project believes she shouldn't be able to know that Sam is her natural father. At least in this instance Sam may have gotten some comfort from that. Though another thing that doesn't add up for me is how with her off the charts IQ could she not on her own put together the Dr. Beckett she works for with her grandmother's 'Walk-in named Sam'. Obviously this author suggests that her academic intelligence doesn't also translate to faith. That's the way it tends to be with scientists, and so she got something of Sam's besides his IQ.

Looking at the project portrayal in this novel, the theory the leapee was spewing about how he as well as all other of the leapees there have been could in fact be Sam in some extreme form of Dissociative Identify Disorder absolutely chilled me. Very intriguing viewpoint. ***hole though, he was supposed to be helping them locate Sam and determine what his assignment was not arguing for the damn committee!

And that brief ending moment, I won't give it away, was predictable. Totally saw that coming after television episodes like 'Starlight, Starbright' and 'Beast Within'.

Still however, despite some interesting concepts I was not impressed enough to own my own copy as I do most of the novel series(borrowed it from my best friend) nor convinced me to embrace Sammy-Jo.