“One doesn't lie down with a lion and get to act surprised if one finds oneself devoured.”
― Graham Moore
Though the Edison-Tesla feud is well-known among people interested in the history of science, I was mostly aware about it only in vague forms like the AC v/s DC debate or the war of the currents, without knowing the details. So when browsing books on historical fiction with science background, I could only laugh at my good luck when I found this piece. The presence of the great George Westinghouse added to my joy. If the book promised to be a good read, it didn't disappoint.
The story, as told though the eyes of attorney Paul Cravath, revolves around the patent battle between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse where the latter is sued for an historians estimate of billions of dollars for infringing the light bulb patent claimed by Edison. Paul enlists the help of Tesla, a known enemy of Edison to help him in this cause and starts a chain of events where each side puts out all stops to ensure victory. Paul is portrayed as a thoroughly likable character, in stark contrast from Edison, who is shown as a genius scoundrel from the set go. Fresh out of college and caught in a battle between the greatest minds of the 19th century and feeling almost overwhelmed, you feel a camaraderie with Paul almost instantly. Though initially out of his depth, he gradually starts finding clever ways to counter the cunning Edison, who is a perceived master at these arts. Legal subtleties, clever maneuvers and courtroom battles become the norm as both sides go out all guns blazing. Paul, along his adventures, falls in love with an enterprising singer Agnes Huntington who plays a pivotal role in helping him handle the enigmatic Tesla. The surprising and decisive involvement of the great businessman JP Morgan at the end lays the foundation for a great ending.
The contrasting personalities of the egocentric Edison, the unsociable genius Tesla and the great innovator Westinghouse all intertwined splendidly throughout the novel. The book has just the right amount of scientific nuances, drama and romance to keep you engaged. The author did a great job of taking a complex topic, breaking it down into simple, easy to digest pieces and weaving them into a completely absorbing story. The writing is lucid and fast-paced. Historical fiction of this sort can become dry and boring very easily leaving the reader bemused, but here there was no such problem. The fierce competitiveness that threatens to border on obsession and insanity, the moral dilemmas, and the drive to win at all costs are all emotions brought out very strongly in this novel.
Unless you know a lot about this stuff already, your scientific knowledge would also go up a notch (especially about light bulbs and patents!). It has been presented in such a way that even the uninitiated will find it simple to understand and enjoy.
One point I was struggling with while starting this novel (and also throughout) was how much to believe what was written given that it was historical fiction, a genre which generally has a dubious factual base. As I did not really know in detail about the past "battle of the currents" debate, I refrained from reading wiki etc. initially for the fear of spoiling the joy of reading the book. I had the wiki page ready to be clicked as soon as I had finished the novel but to my surprise there was a nice little author's note at the end which clarified a lot of the above points and was deeply satisfying to read. This alone was worth a star :)
Okay, I have to mention this. The only part I found a little irritating was that the length of most of the chapters was too small for my liking, as I usually prefer longer chapters to maintain the reading flow.
Overall, quite a solid and enlightening read. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.
My rating: 4/5 stars
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