Homer Hickam is my favorite modern-day writer. I think the three most important elements of a great novel are:
1) theme - the plot needs to lead up to and demonstrate a message. Great books add up to more than the sum of their parts.
2) characters worth caring about - as far as I know, these are characters that are passionate valuers who act to achieve their values
3) suspense - a plot which keeps the story moving and keeps the reader turning pages
I really liked the characters in this book. This is Homer Hickam's strong suit. The plot was also entertaining, and the middle portion where they were trying to solve a mystery was suspenseful. The book fell short for me on the theme, which was apparently something about destiny, a supernatural idea for which I don't care. For two-thirds of the book, the theme appeared to be the conflict between balancing two great passions: a passion for one's work and for one's soul-mate. This is a great theme, but Homer shifted gears at the end, and I was disappointed.
(If you want a book on your idea of a great theme, why don't you write it yourself, wise-guy!)
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