The Unknowns

The Unknowns is the first novel by American author, journalist and software developer, Gabriel Roth. Eric Muller is the quintessential computer nerd trying really hard not to be a dork. At school he never quite managed to fit in, stumbling from one social disaster to another; as an adult, despite being a Silicon Valley millionaire, he goes to great lengths to not appear socially awkward, and his ultimate solace is still writing computer code. Enter journalist Maya Marcom. Eric finds himself in love with this enigmatic woman, but will their relationship survive the dark secret she carries from her past? Roth does a brilliant job of portraying a teenager with a dysfunctional childhood trying to understand how the world works and his place in it. The teen angst, self-centredness and confusion are skilfully conveyed. Even as the reader laughs, cringes, gasps and groans at his decisions, Eric’s adult thoughts are a revealing look at the analytical mind of the computer nerd. Because the story is told as a first person narrative, the reader never gets to know the other major characters really well, but this is entirely appropriate, as they are just some of the unknowns that Eric spends his time trying to allow for as he calculates (and sometimes grossly miscalculates) the best possible action to take to optimise his chances in life. Roth manages to inject plenty of humour (the Ecstasy episode is particularly hilarious), and handles certain dark topics in a sensitive and insightful manner. An inspired debut novel.