TerrO.R. (***)

A CHILLINGLY PLAUSIBLE SCENARIO!

In his first outing, Neuschatz has done himself proud and written a novel that bodes well for more work to come! But "TerrO.R." is a debut novel that is not without its flaws.

The good news is that the plot premise is imaginative (dare I say unique), compelling and frightening.

As an anesthesiologist, Dr Philip Newman is all too aware that tragic, sudden, unexplained deaths sometimes occur on the operating table. So when James Walker, a young man in perfect health, succumbs to cardiac arrest during a routine cosmetic surgical tattoo removal, Newman is devastated but not unduly surprised. But when an autopsy is forbidden by the family on religious grounds and a massive malpractice suit is served with such blinding speed that Walker’s body has barely had a chance to cool, Newman begins to question events more closely. Eerie similarities between Walker’s operating room death and other similar unexplained fatalities have Newman balking at what would otherwise be an automatic out of court settlement of the malpractice suit. With the cooperation of hospitals, surgeons and anesthesiologists from across the country, Newman conducts an Internet based epidemiological investigation that uncovers a plot so frighteningly plausible you’ll find the hairs on the back of your neck tingling with horror.

The even better news is that Neuschatz writes well! The daily life and work of an anesthesiologist are included with a wealth of arcane minutiae and technical detail that could easily blow right over the heads of lay readers or simply bore them to death as the plot bogs down and fails to move forward. But Neuschatz seems to have deftly avoided these problems. His writing educates, informs, entertains and manages to keep a compelling plot firmly on track.

Now here’s the bad news.

It is clear that Neuschatz has serious criticism to level at the US legal system, the liability insurance system, the overwhelming litigiousness of US society and the fact that many malpractice suits are settled automatically out of court (regardless of actual fault) with the resulting costs being passed on to medical practitioners in the form of increased liability premiums. In fact, it is these very problems that form the quite plausible basis for Neuschatz’ ingenious plot premise.

However, Neuschatz let his emotions get in the way of his writing and the resulting ending was a serious letdown for this reader. He forgot that the criminals in his thriller were the perpetrators of an enormous fraud that got discovered. The hospitals, the doctors AND the insurance industry were the victims - I repeat - the victims. But once the plot had been uncovered and revealed for the fraud it was, Neuschatz simply dropped the thriller plotline like a day old hot potato now gone cold and swiveled his gun sights to the insurance industry.

Instead of offering constructive criticism as to how the insurance and legal industry might make changes to prevent the real occurrence of a fictional story like this one, he ended his novel with an epilogue that was pure vitriol and sarcasm directed at judges, medical malpractice lawyers, juries and HMOs. As a result, I was left with the final sour thought that perhaps Neuschatz considered the cons as simple users of a flawed system and the system itself to be the criminal. Neuschatz is entitled to his opinion, of course, but … purely from the point of view of reviewing “TerrO.R.”, the ending flattened the entire reading experience and dragged what might easily have been a 4 or 5 star exciting debut down to a 3-star overall impression at best.

Paul Weiss

TBR CHALLENGE 2007

SO FAR SO GOOD (4 MONTHS AND STILL ON TRACK!)

It's the middle of April and I seem to be one title ahead of the curve. Amazing! Here's the list as it currently stands with completed titles italicized and highlighted in red:

1. Strange Cargo – Jeffrey Barlough (fantasy)
2. The World is Flat – Thomas L Friedman (non-fiction, sociology)
3. Angels and Demons – Dan Brown (thriller)
4. The Angel of Darkness – Caleb Carr (historical fiction)
5. Vancouver – David Cruise and Alison Griffiths (historical fiction)
6. Dreaming the Eagle – Manda Scott (historical fiction)
7. Rite of Passage – Alexei Panshin (classic sci-fi)
8. The Man Who Mapped the Arctic – Peter Steele (history)
9. The Historian – Elizabeth Kostova (fantasy)
10. Dark Fire – CJ Sansom (historical fiction
11. Backbeat – J Frederick Arment (sci-fi)
12. The Lions of Al-Rassan – Guy Gavriel Kay (fantasy)

Alternates:

1. Colonization: Aftershocks – Harry Turtledove (sci-fi)
2. War of the Flowers – Tad Williams (fantasy)
3. Clothar the Frank – Jack Whyte (historical fiction)
4. West of Eden – Harry Harrison (sci-fi)

The Man Who Mapped the Arctic (*****)

THE INTREPID LIFE OF GEORGE BACK, FRANKLIN'S LIEUTENANT

It takes considerable flair and panache to write history in a way that makes it read like a novel and not very many authors have that ability. Canada’s Pierre Berton has it! Dava Sobel and Simon Winchester are certainly up to the task!

In “The Man Who Mapped the Arctic”, Peter Steele demonstrated his rightful claim to membership on that short list. Steele, a physician who has spent most of his life in the North and an arctic adventurer and mountaineer in his own right, has eloquently told us the astonishing tale of George Back, Franklin’s undeservedly obscure and unsung Lieutenant and his astonishing exploits in exploration that rival Samuel Hearne’s or Lewis and Clark’s in their extraordinary scope and difficulty.

Steele’s prose has painted a vivid picture of Back’s working life as a Navy Lieutenant and explorer and the compelling setting in which the story takes place – endless waterfalls and rapids; excruciating clouds of mosquitoes or black flies; extreme temperature swings; backbreaking 90 to 100 pound loads hauled over strenuous ankle-breaking portages; the open water of Lake Winnipeg, Lake Superior and Great Bear and Great Slave Lake that might better be described as inland oceans when observed from the perspective of a canoe; changeable unpredictable weather; the dumb-founding athleticism of ten to twelve men paddling in perfect synchrony at 50 strokes per minute for hours on end singing, if you please, to provide a rhythm and take their minds off the numbing pain in their backs and shoulders; lost rations, near starvation and cannibalism; the stinging cold and near endless dark of sub-arctic winter camps; the political struggles, bickering, corporate fighting and espionage that occurred as a matter of course in the conflict between the Hudson Bay Company and the Northwest Company; and much, much more.

Of Back’s cultural indoctrination by fire upon his arrival in Canada, for example, Steele wrote:

“He knew nothing of the rival fur companies’ years of bitter forest skirmishes, sniping from riverbanks at each others’ canoes, occasionally taking prisoners, and resorting in extremis to arson and theft, kidnapping and murder – tantamount to open warfare.” “Neither did he understand the cultural differences that might arise between himself and a disparate group of French Canadian voyageur canoemen, Indian hunters and Eskimo guides, who he expected would guide them through the most barren and inhospitable land anyone could imagine, among people utterly ignorant of intrusive Westerners and their strange ways.”

Of Back's almost supernatural skills in the art of mapmaking and navigation, Steele writes:

"Since both chronometers had frozen and broken during the previous winter, he relied on dead reckoning - courses and distances checked by compass bearings each time they changed direction. By the much more complicated method of lunar observation, he estimated latitude and longitude every week or so - weather, clear skies, and moon permitting. Nevertheless he produced a map that was out by only twenty seconds over a thousand miles of uncharted coastline."

In other words, Steele has provided us with an exciting biography of a talented naval officer, artist, scientist, explorer, mapmaker, outdoorsman and survivor who has languished for too long under the shadow of Franklin, his considerably less talented superior. The Yukon News praises “The Man Who Mapped the Arctic” by suggesting that it is destined to become a classic story of Canadian Arctic exploration. I concur.

Paul Weiss

Classic Sci-Fi New Author Challenge - 2

I'm awestruck, blown away, entranced, gobsmacked, utterly shaken!

By definition, one can have the thrill of reading a classic author for the very first time only once in a lifetime. Well, I just had that rare privilege! My first experience with AE van Vogt has left me at a loss for words. Give me a few days to let the experience sink in so I can prepare a more literate review and I'll post it here.

But, in the meantime, suffice it to say, that if you are a lover of classic sci-fi, I would strongly encourage you to join me in this challenge and seek out new authors. I can hardly wait to see what the other eight have got to say for themselves. God knows, my reading friends from the Classic Sci-Fi group have showered them with endless praise.

Here's my list with the first completed title marked in red italics:


1. Lest Darkness Fall - L Sprague de Camp
2. The Voyage of the Space Beagle - AE van Vogt
3. A Mirror for Observers - Edgar Pangborn
4. The Best of Stanley Weinbaum - Stanley Weinbaum
5. Earthman's Burden - Poul Anderson and Gordon Dickson
6. Triplanetary - EE "Doc" Smith
7. Dying Inside - Robert Silverberg
8. Tales of the Dying Earth - Jack Vance
9. Cities in Flight - James Blish

A Guide to the Royal Observatory Greenwich (*****)

A MUST BUY SOUVENIR OR ADVANCE GUIDE TO A TOUR!

If you are lucky enough to travel to London, England, you MUST take in The Royal Observatory at Greenwich and the nearby National Maritime Museum. At the conclusion of your tour, you'll be offered an opportunity to purchase "A Guide to the Royal Observatory Greenwich: The Story of Time and Space". Don't pass that opportunity by!

A magnificent piece of adult brain and eye candy, this magnificent booklet not only serves as a wonderful souvenir of an exciting tourist attraction but would also act as a stand alone collection of short introductory stories and photographic essays on a wide variety of scientific topics relating to measurement of time and space on our planet - the historical basis for the establishment of Greenwich as the location for the prime meridian and the use of GMT as the basis for the International Time Zone System; the crucial search for longitude; the historical foundation of the observatory by King Charles II and the appointment of John Flamsteed as the first Astronomer Royal; the story of John Harrison's painstaking construction of his prize-winning chronometer; the creation of standard time and the life and work at the observatory as it exists today.

For those privileged to attend at either the Royal Observatory or the related displays in the adjacent National Maritime Museum, this book is an inexpensive memento that should not be missed. As a stand-alone read, even for those not so lucky to see the real McCoy on a trip through London, England, it represents an enjoyable half hour's reading and gawking at some thoroughly delicious photographs. If you know you're going to have a chance to see the Observatory in the future, try to get a copy of this book in advance. It will make your visit infinitely more informative and enjoyable.

Highly recommended.

The Skewed Throne (***)

A GRITTY DEBUT FANTASY!

Like Jim C Hines, Joshua Palmatier is also a valued member of our Fantasy Favorites reading group! And, as a result, I was just as nervous about posting a review for "The Skewed Throne" as I was for "Goblin Quest". Perhaps even more so ... because, frankly, I found myself slightly on edge over the unresolved ending. It was definitely a tougher book to like - grittier in its approach, even harsh and violent to what I thought were unnecessary extremes at times. I can but hope that I voiced my thoughts in a positive and constructive fashion. Here's the review I posted on Amazon:

Varis is a young urchin, “gutterscum” by her own admission, a street smart thief who manages to survive on the margin by her own wits, resorting to violence when the circumstances are forced upon her. Living from hand to mouth in “The Dredge”, a shanty town and slum beyond the borders of Amenkor, her developing abilities for murder and thievery attract the attention of Erick, a royal guardsman and assassin who seeks out and kills any marks the ruling Mistress has judged must be eliminated. Under Erick’s tutelage her abilities are honed to a ruthless edge but Varis has another skill she has not disclosed to anyone – an innate magic she calls “The River”, a supernatural flow into which she can submerge herself. In “The River” she sees evil in shades of red and innocence in shades of gray.

When Erick assigns her to kill a mark that Varis knows to be innocent, their ways part and Varis retreats back to the core of Amenkor proper. Once again, her agility, her survival skills and her murderous ability with knives bring her under scrutiny. Borund, a local merchant, hires her as a bodyguard and Varis finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy among the Amenkor merchants, an attempt to seize monopolistic control of trade at a time when the survival of the city itself seems in question. The First Mistress seems to be losing her sanity and is issuing nonsensical orders. The pitiless unfolding of events places Varis in the position of being the only one who can save Amenkor!

A fine plot line with much promise, to be sure! And, in his debut outing, Palmatier has certainly crafted his story with enviable writing skills in the development of his characters, in the clever narration of exciting action sequences, and in the layout of easy-flowing natural dialogue. Varis’ own brief and lucid description of her young life seems brutal in its crystalline clarity but totally natural in its presentation:

“I decided I’d be better off on my own. So I left. I ran away, moved deeper into the slums beyond the Dredge. I lived like an animal there, scrounging in garbage heaps, eating anything I could find, scraps you and Borund wouldn’t even feed to a dog. I was dying and I didn’t even know it.”

But I also felt that Palmatier was tip-toeing across a knife edged ridge far too narrow for my liking - the difficult decision an author must make about how much to introduce, how much to disclose, how much to resolve and how much to leave for explanation and completion in future works! Oh sure, there is obviously a sequel in the works. But there are only two plot devices which move “The Skewed Throne” from normal medieval fiction into the realm of fantasy – the magic of “The River” and “The White Fire”, some sort of bizarre, powerful event that sweeps through Amenkor from time to time! Even Varis owns up to having no idea about the meaning of The Fire:

“I felt its purpose. Nothing to do with Amenkor, nothing to do with me. It was residual energy, the remains of an event so powerful it had stretched across the ocean, burned across the sea from a distant land. The consequence of a magic that no one in the throne knew the intent of, that was totally unfamiliar. It was nothing to us.”

Personally, I’d need more resolution in this introductory novel to move it to a higher rating as a stand alone novel. But (and this is a fervent hope), in the belief that all will come clear in future novels, I’ll certainly move on to the second novel in the trilogy “The Cracked Throne” and recommend it to other fantasy lovers as well.

Well, fellow bloggers, what do you think? Did I achieve the right tone?

"By the Decade" Reading Challenge

What a pushover I am!

My bookshelves groan under their own weight. My budget positively squeals with protest when I log on to Amazon or walk into the local book store. Mt TBR grows ever higher at an astonishing rate and threatens to bury me, my reading chair and my computer desk under an avalanche of as yet unread paper.

But I see a new reading challenge and I still rise to the bait. 3M posted the challenge on her blog and I simply couldn't resist. The idea was to experience time and literature by reading an example of a novel from as many consecutive decades as possible. What a great concept! Thank goodness, she had the courtesy to set the rules to allow books that we'd already read this year and to let cross-over titles from other challenges count as well.

Here's the link to her blog for the detailed explanation of the rules and a list of participants.


And, of course, here's my tentative list. Completed titles appear in red italics.

1870 The Law and the Lady - Wilkie Collins
1880 A Study in Scarlet - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
1890 The Well at World's End - William Morris
1900 First Men in the Moon - HG Wells
1910 The Poison Belt - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
1920 The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
1930 Burmese Days - George Orwell
1940 The Robe - Lloyd C Douglas
1950 The Voyage of the Space Beagle - AE van Vogt
1960 The Chrysalids – John Wyndham
1970 Mission of Gravity – Hal Clement
1980 West of Eden – Harry Harrison
1990 Plum Island – Nelson DeMille
2000 Ptolemy's Gate – Jonathan Stroud

Classic Sci-Fi New Author Challenge 2007

It would be almost impossible to quantify what my ownership of the Yahoo reading group, Classic Sci-Fi, has meant to me in terms of the exponential growth of the breadth and quality of my reading in this particular genre.

Oh sure ... when I was a young boy, I cut my teeth on the core mainstream authors of the genre - Isaac Asimov, Robert A Heinlein, Arthur C Clarke and Frank Herbert! And, I'm grateful to them. I loved sci-fi from the very get-go and I never looked back. But odd as it may sound to more widely read afficionados, until very recently I had never read some of the other sci-fi giants - Clifford D Simak, Andre Norton and Ray Bradbury. Heck ... I'd never even heard of Hal Clement (Mission of Gravity and Starlight!)

So, after almost 3 years of watching these wonderful nominations for group reads come and go and reading the ravings of the members about how wonderful all of these authors are, I've decided to set myself a challenge (as if I needed another reading challenge)!

Over the 12 months beginning May 1, 2007, I've set myself the task of reading six examples of classic sci-fi novels from authors that I have never read before. Culled from the suggestions and the discussions on the reading group, here's my selected list:


1. Lest Darkness Fall - L Sprague de Camp
2. The Voyage of the Space Beagle - AE van Vogt
3. A Mirror for Observers - Edgar Pangborn
4. The Best of Stanley Weinbaum - Stanley Weinbaum
5. Earthman's Burden - Poul Anderson and Gordon Dickson
6. Triplanetary - EE "Doc" Smith

and three alternates to accomodate that miserable ol' DNF possibility because of personal taste:

7. Dying Inside - Robert Silverberg
8. Tales of the Dying Earth - Jack Vance
9. Cities in Flight - James Blish

Does anyone out there care to join me?

Switzerland, Here I Come!

Having just returned from an enjoyable week's stay at the Grand Timeo Hotel in Taormina, Sicily, courtesy of Edward Jones travel program, I confess I was thrilled to learn that I had also qualified for the next trip. So it's off to Switzerland I go at the end of July - 3 days in St Moritz, 3 days in Lucerne and then 3 days in Interlaken and Grindelwald. Wow!

The guided portion of the trip will be in St Moritz and Lucerne so there will likely be plenty of laid on advice, day tours and sight-seeing provided by the travel agency that works for Edward Jones. But I've chosen to extend the trip by three days to focus a little more on the scenery and the out of doors in central Switzerland in the Interlaken and Grindelwald area.

If anyone reading this has any experience in Switzerland, any words of wisdom, any hints or ideas, lay 'em on me! Please! I'm all ears.

The Closers (*****)

ANOTHER HUGE NOTCH IN CONNELLY'S SUCCESS BELT!

After three years off the force, Harry Bosch opens “The Closers” re-instated to the LAPD. His experience has earned him a plum posting with his old partner, Kizmin Rider, to the “Open Unsolved Unit” but the chief has made it clear that Bosch is under probation as the oldest “boot” on the force. Perhaps smarter, more matured, more mellow and definitely more introspective and cautious, Bosch realizes that his future with the force is contingent on staying out of trouble and sticking rigorously to the letter of the law and regimented procedure according to the book. But trouble has a way of seeking out Harry Bosch and getting under his skin.

Bosch is handed his first case, supposedly a slam dunk with new evidence. Rebecca Verloren was murdered 17 years ago. Rebecca’s white mother is hopelessly mired in the past and mourns her death to this day. Her black father, formerly a successful restauranteur, fell into the bottle and vanished into LA’s homeless community. DNA analysis, that didn’t exist at the time of the murder, leads Bosch and Ryder toward Roland Mackey, a tow truck driver with connections to a radical fascist white supremacy group. But Bosch and Rider aren’t satisfied. While the DNA ties Mackey to the murder weapon, there doesn’t seem to be any way to tie Mackey to the murder or to a relationship with the victim. Further investigation into the racial aspect of the case begins to point Bosch into that most treacherous territory of “high jingo” – internal police wrongdoing and cover-ups related to the LA race riots that were happening at the time of Rebecca’s murder.

“The Closers” is considerably less character driven than previous Harry Bosch novels but Bosch’s character is still an important consideration. It’s clear throughout the novel that Bosch wrestles internally with his old demons - the compulsion to lapse back into unorthodoxy, the drive to get the job done at all costs, his inability to deal compassionately with those around him. I will admit, however, that it was probably more clear to me as a confirmed lover of Harry Bosch novels than it would be to a new fan choosing to pick up “The Closers” as a first Harry Bosch entrée. Kiz Rider, by contrast to Bosch, matures and strengthens as an understanding partner and a highly competent female investigator in a primarily male world. She has the ability, the courage and the compassion necessary to let Bosch know about his shortcomings and to hold him firmly in check when it’s necessary. Her innovative, insightful and independent thinking seems unhampered by a much more strict “by the book” approach.

The plot – well, what can one say about Michael Connelly’s mastery of the police procedural that hasn’t already been said? The textbook layout of the clues and the investigation is impeccable and compelling in its intensity. And the twist at the end is worthy of the finest thriller. Five stars, two thumbs up and a bonus of two big toes as well!

Highly recommended.

Goblin Quest (****)

A HIGHLY ENTERTAINING COMEDIC FANTASY ROMP!

When I first undertook to read and review Jim's book, "Goblin Quest", I have to admit I was nervous! Jim's a regular and valued participating member in your Yahoo reading group Fantasy Favorites. I felt more than a little conflicted. I was pleased to share space and chat with a published author. I was, truth be told, a little jealous that Jim had reached that lofty goal of completing and publishing a complete novel (a goal which I hesitantly admit to sharing but - ah, never mind, that's another story!). I was even a little star struck but more than anything else I was nervous as hell about reading and reviewing his book. Shoot ... just what the hell would I say if I didn't care for the book? How could I be honest to myself and my reviewing if I didn't like it and yet be charitable to a member of my own reading group?

Whew ... all the worries were groundless! Here's my review:

In Hines’ typical fantasy world populated with elves and dwarves, princes and wizards, goblins are definitely at the bottom of the fantasy food chain. But in this apparently quite typical fantasy world, Jig is not your typical fantasy hero. In fact, Jig is an introverted runty little near-sighted goblin with self esteem issues and, as Rodney Dangerfield would quip, he definitely gets no respect.

When a routine Goblin patrol is attacked, Jig and his perpetually nervous pet fire spider Smudge are astonished to find themselves hijacked and pressed into guide duty by a group of adventurers. A human prince dealing with his own set of esteem issues and who feels he has something to prove, his older brother (a wizard still learning his craft), a dwarf warrior and an elven thief who doesn’t seem particularly skilled in the fine art of thievery, need his guidance through the dark maze of goblin tunnels to make their way past The Necromancer and to obtain The Rod of Creation, thought to be carefully guarded by the dragon Straum.

Thus is the scene set for readers, young and old alike, to enjoy a light, easy-reading entertaining comedic adventure romp, the plights and perils of a ragtag little group as they stumble their way from one sticky wicket into another! Jig’s witty dialogue and Hines’ clever jokes and puns, which pile on top of one another with almost dizzying frequency, will elicit reader reaction ranging from wry grins to out loud belly laughs.

But Jig’s philosophizing and deeply probing self-examination also show that Hines’ possesses deeper ability as a writer, to use the device of comedy as a means to probe more serious, more difficult issues – the nature of religious faith, the worship of gods and the form of prayer; loyalty to one’s comrades in arms; the juxtaposition of fear and courage in the heat of a battle; the overwhelming love that one can feel for a pet, even one as off-the-wall weird as a fire spider; and the destructive results of unseemly pride and overwhelming greed; to name only a few. That is not to suggest that “Goblin Quest” is a moralizing epistle in any fashion. Far from it, indeed! This is only to suggest that Hines’ book goes significantly further than a mere collection of goblin runt jokes!

Well done, Jim. I’ve now got my eyes peeled and my breath baited anticipating the arrival of the sequel “Goblin Hero”.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

The Planets (*****)

If John Lennon were alive today to read Dava Sobel’s “The Planets”, I’ve no doubt he would be pleased to call it “a magical mystery tour”

I’ve always enjoyed reading popular science but, frankly, some of it is turgid, dry-as-dust commentary that is far more soporific than informative. By contrast, Sobel’s “The Planets”, a whirlwind tour of some of the most fascinating features of our very own solar system, waxes lyrical, indeed, almost poetic at times with the compelling beauty of its prose.

Each chapter, written from a unique imaginative perspective, takes what might otherwise be difficult scientific concepts and weaves them into a narrative that will draw in even the most science-phobic reader with an irresistible urgency and fascination. Sci-Fi, for example, the chapter that lucidly tells us the story of Mars, uses the extraordinarily clever device of narration from the point of view of a Martian meteorite, a piece of Martian rock blasted loose from Mars’ surface by an asteroid impact that found its way to earth, landing in an Antarctic icefield over sixteen million years ago.

I don’t think I could improve on Newsweek’s comment … “a guided tour so imaginative that we forget we’re being educated while we’re being entertained.”

“The Planets” is highly recommended and adds to a growing body of work that includes the equally entertaining “Longitude” and “Galileo’s Daughter”.

Paul Weiss

TBR Challenge 2007 - Progress To Date

Whoopee ... on track and actually one month ahead. Here's where we stand so far this year! Completed titles are in italics!

1. Strange Cargo – Jeffrey Barlough (fantasy)
2. The World is Flat – Thomas L Friedman (non-fiction, sociology)
3. Angels and Demons – Dan Brown (thriller)
4. The Angel of Darkness – Caleb Carr (historical fiction)
5. Vancouver – David Cruise and Alison Griffiths (historical fiction)
6. Dreaming the Eagle – Manda Scott (historical fiction)
7. Rite of Passage – Alexei Panshin (classic sci-fi)
8. The Man Who Mapped the Arctic – Peter Steele (history)
9. The Historian – Elizabeth Kostova (fantasy)
10. Dark Fire – CJ Sansom (historical fiction
11. Backbeat – J Frederick Arment (sci-fi)
12. The Lions of Al-Rassan – Guy Gavriel Kay (fantasy)

Alternates:

1. Colonization: Aftershocks – Harry Turtledove (sci-fi)
2. War of the Flowers – Tad Williams (fantasy)
3. Clothar the Frank – Jack Whyte (historical fiction)
4. West of Eden – Harry Harrison (sci-fi)

Twisted (*****)

In his introduction to “Twisted”, Deaver acknowledges his personal delight with the experience of writing short stories. He suggests that because readers don’t invest the same time or have the same emotional involvement in a short story as they would with a full length novel, the author is free to play an entirely different game – to hit like a sniper’s bullet, to make the story fast and shocking, to make good bad or to make bad badder. But, Deaver says the most fun he had was to make really good really bad.

But - make no mistake - Deaver brings to the short story all the sophisticated skills that have been the foundation of his success as a novelist. He has a gift for dialogue, vivid characterization and suspense and his stories show deep insight into the emotions, the motivations, the fears and the love and happiness of his widely varied cast of characters. Despite its fundamentally gritty nature, his writing shows uncommonly refreshing humour and a capacity to convey deep feeling.

Doubtless everyone will come away from reading “Twisted” with their own personal set of favourites. I was fond of “Lesser-Included Offense”, a crafty tale of shifty, cut-throat legal maneuvers during the capital trial of an accused murderer; “Gone Fishing” in which a daughter begs her loving father not to go fishing in an area which has been the site of a series of brutal killings; and, finally, “Nocturne” which begins with the theft of a priceless Stradivarius violin at gunpoint and ends with a … well, you’re going to have to read it yourself!

The dust jacket reviews liken Deaver’s mastery of the short story twist to O. Henry and Edgar Allen Poe. I was reminded of Jeffrey Archer’s “A Twist in the Tale” and Roald Dahl’s “Tales of the Unexpected”. For some easy going but compelling, rapid-fire, high quality toilet or beach reading that you can pick up and put down without losing the thread, “Twisted” will be your cup of tea!

Definitely recommended.

Paul Weiss

The Time Tunnel (****)

I would NEVER have found this book were it not for the wonderful recommendations that arise from my fortunate ownership of Yahoo's reading group "Classic Sci-Fi". If you enjoy that old time stuff from the pulp era, you might like to check us out. Here's a link to our home page and here's my review:

From the very birth of the conception of time travel, sci-fi authors and scientists alike have wrestled with the difficulties of time travel paradoxes most commonly expressed in the question of what would happen if you killed your grandfather during your trip to the past. In “Time Tunnel”, Murray Leinster has treated his readers to what was probably the first (and quite possibly the best) instance of the infuriating mental tangles that one can encounter when the immutability of the progression of real time collides with the flexibility of time travel.

Leinster has crafted a positively ingenious combination of characters into a fascinating novel of high adventure that will both delight and fascinate his fans – a scientist who felt compelled to change the past in order to rescue the future from an impending atomic war between China and the US; young lovers who, fearing for their lives in a war-torn modern world, felt compelled to flee to a safer past; a 20th century burglar and con artist who realized the early 19th century was ripe for the plucking; and a playboy who was horrified to watch his grandfather die unmarried and childless.

The story begins in 1964 when Harrison, completing research for his PhD thesis in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, discovers long-buried correspondence showing that, in 1805, a gentleman named de Bassompierre had written to certain scientists handing out modern knowledge long before its acknowledged discovery. In one case, for example,

“He wrote to Laplace, the astronomer, assuring him that Mars had two moons, very small and very close to its surface. He also said that there were three planets beyond Saturn, and that the one next out had a period of eighty-four years and two moons, one retrograde. He suggested that it should be called Uranus. He added that in the year 1808 there would be a nova in Persis, (which there was!) and he signed himself very respectfully, de Bassompierre.”

When Harrison and his friend, Pepe Ybarra, reach the conclusion that de Bassompierre was a time traveler who is attempting to change the future by handing out modern ideas before their time, the high jinks begin in earnest and the time travel conundrums drop into the readers’ laps at a dizzying pace.

And the ending … sigh! What a wonderfully clever simultaneous resolution of both the adventure plot-lines and the time travel paradoxes.

Recommended as a scintillating addition to the library of any reader who savours classic sci-fi from the pulp era.

Paul Weiss

Sicily 2007 with Edward Jones

Entrance to the Grand Timeo Hotel, Taormina, Sicily

Floating like a jewel in the Mediterranean Sea just off the toe of the Italian boot, Sicily's relaxed atmosphere and attitude are a world apart from the bustling cities on the Italian mainlaind (and, frankly, an apt reward for the hard work and stress needed to win the darn thing in the first place). I was privileged to reach the production levels necessary and this March I found myself en route to Catania airport for a week long stay at the Grand Timeo Hotel in Taormina.

For centuries, visitors have been entranced with Sicily's temperate climate, deep blue skies and lush vegetation. Architecturally, the wondrous sights include massive Romanesque cathedrals, well preserved Greek temples, Roman ampitheaters and magnificent Baroque palaces. Then, of course, there's Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcanoes overlooking ribbons of solidified lava that cascade down the side of the mountain.

What a week ... day trips to Mount Etna, the world famous Murgo Winery, the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna in Tindari and the site of a significant portion of the filming of The Godfather in the mountainous village of Savoca.

And what can one say about the accommodations - the true spirit of Sicily is revealed in the Grand Hotel Timeo, an Orient Express property, in Taormina. Built in 1873, the elegant hotel sits adjacent to an ancient Greek theater amid a park filled with olive, citrus and cypress trees.

The entire album of 458 photographs can be viewed either one at a time or in a captivating slide show format courtesy of Webshots. (If you like the website, you can even use their software to dowload photographs for your computer's wallpaper). Check out this link.

Where were those editors? (***)

A biographical novel re-creating the entire life of an enigmatic, yet colourful, ambitious, conniving and flamboyant character such as Cleopatra embellished and fleshed out with fictional anecdotes and details to bring an enormous cast of characters to life cannot help but be long in the telling. The problem is compounded, of course, when the cast includes a list of players such as Julius Caesar, Marc Antony, Octavian and Herod, King of Judea, each of whom is larger than life and worthy of a biography in their own right. Now, any lover of books knows that long need not of necessity be tedious but, frankly, even George's first-rate story telling abilities were simply not consistent enough or compelling enough to render this novel enjoyable for its excessive 1000 page length.

Oh, it had its exciting moments, to be sure – the high speed running sea battle with the Mediterranean pirates off the coast of Sicily; the final epic confrontation with Octavian at Actium; Cleopatra’s heart-rending grief and the conflicting surge of her searing anger and dismay at the moment of Caesar’s assassination; the crystal clear depiction of her character as a strong-willed, self-centered woman who was willing to risk all to further her ambitions and to protect the birthright of her son - but these moments were separated by intervals that were so wide as to render the book a tedious, difficult novel to complete with only sporadic rewards for those who persevered.

On the plus side, George injected her story with plenty of entertaining and informative historical aside raising questions that would certainly serve as fodder for interesting, thought-provoking discussion on a wide variety of topics germane even to this very day. Two examples in particular stood out for me.

This excerpt on the religious beliefs of the Egyptians of the day:

"Together Osiris, Isis, and Horus live as the holy family, a blessed three. The birth-chapel commemorated the miraculous birth of the child. Across the water from Philae, on the neighboring island of Biggeh, part of Osiris lay buried, and every ten days a golden statue of Isis was ferried over in a sacred barque to visit her divine spouse.",

would probably cause a modern Christian to pause, scratch his head and muse at the common appearance of the concept of Trinity.

As Cleopatra waited for news of Antony's exploits in Parthia, she thought:

"The Queen in me yearned for his victory, and prayed for that; the wife feared he would not return alive, and begged Isis only for his life. I was both the Spartan wife, saying, 'Return with your shield or on it,' and the Egyptian wife saying, 'Only return – even without the shield.'"

It occurred to me to wonder what the modern spouse says about their partner who has chosen a career in the military. Are they thinking in terms of honour, valour, career, survival, service to their country??

“The Memoirs of Cleopatra” was a rewarding, informative and interesting novel but an intimidating, time-consuming, slog of a read that took will-power and dedication to complete. Recommended for those that enjoy ancient history, but only just!

Paul Weiss

A satisfying conclusion to an exciting trilogy (****)

"Ptolemy's Gate", the final novel of The Bartimaeus Trilogy - introduced in "The Amulet of Samarkand" and continued with "The Golem's Eye" - completes the tale of John Mandrake, the magician and now Information Minister in the corrupt government of a downtrodden, dystopian England.

The dominant theme of "The Golem's Eye" - the corrupting influences of power, ambition and greed - left the reader mourning a flawed Mandrake's fall from grace and wondering whether he could find the moral strength and intestinal fortitude to re-assert himself as the fine young man left far behind in "The Amulet of Samarkand". His one-time resistance foe, Kitty Jones, narrowly escaped from her encounter with the Golem three years earlier, has slipped under the radar entirely and is quietly learning the craft of magic herself. Bartimaeus, the witty motor-mouth djinni, is feeling weak, wan, sickly and near death as his essence or spirit has badly deteriorated as a result of his almost non-stop presence in the human's world subservient to his summoner, John Mandrake.

If "The Amulet of Samarkand" was a light-hearted, childlike (and definitely hilarious) romp through Mandrake's early education as a young magician and if "The Golem's Eye" was a richer, more gothic telling of Mandrake's succumbing to the siren calls of power, corruption and wealth as a member of England's ruling government, then "Ptolemy's Gate" is certainly the darkest of the three novels. Mandrake, Kitty and Bartimaeus, each with their own ambitions and motives, are all on a desperate life-or-death hunt for the perpetrators of a coup that threatens to topple the government and throw their world into a dark demon-ruled chaos.

In "Ptolemy's Gate", Stroud has treated us to a much more sophisticated, adult examination of motives such as cruelty and selfishness along with their mirror images, kindness and altruistic selflessness. The ending feels good, warm, cozy and satisfying in a way that is not entirely unexpected for a young adult novel but Stroud has also added the much more adult elements of sadness, death and loss.

Despite this darker approach to the story than its predecessor, readers need not worry that Stroud has lost his flair for comedy. Footnotes, while not quite as plentiful as in the first two novels, are still a veritable fountain of wit. They also introduce the character of Ptolemy and take us 5000 years into the past to build the character of Bartimaeus and provide the readers with an understanding of what it means to be a djinni painfully subservient to the beck and call of a summoning magician.

A highly recommended addition to the bookshelves of fantasy lovers and young adult readers.

Paul Weiss

Suspend your disbelief ... sit back and enjoy! (***)

“Chill of Fear”, the second installment in Hooper’s new series of mysteries with a paranormal twist, details the continuing adventures of Noah Bishop’s FBI Special Crimes Unit (SCU) – a unique hand-selected team of mediums, seers, clairvoyants, telepaths, empaths and others with an abnormally high ability in the psychic arts willing to devote their abilities to police work.

Quentin Hayes is a member of the team. His abilities received a kick start at age 12 with the abduction and murder of his young friend, Missy, as they both vacationed with their parents at a mountain lodge in Tennessee. Haunted by the experience and driven by a persistent unreasonable feeling of guilt that he ought to have done something as a 12 year old youngster to prevent the murder, he has returned to the lodge every few years during his tenure with the SCU to have another crack at solving the now 25 year old case.

His latest stay at “The Lodge” crosses paths with Diana Brisco, a soft-spoken, introverted lady with an apparent life long history of mental illness, who is attending a therapeutic art class. Hayes quickly realizes that Brisco’s periodic episodes – misdiagnosed and misunderstood throughout her life by her family and doctors – have actually been manifestations of psychic ability. When Brisco weans herself from a chronic blurry haze of sedatives and drugs, her abilities flourish and she blossoms into a medium of astonishing strength and ability. Hayes’ long foiled search for Missy’s elusive killer finds new legs as Brisco provides clues and guidance through her ability to communicate with the victims as they await final peace in “the gray time”.

It seems likely that Hooper’s “Fear” novels will only be enjoyed by either those with a solid belief in the paranormal or those willing to suspend their disbelief and simply sit back and enjoy the ride. Members of either of these two groups will be rewarded with a lightweight but enjoyable novel that is a compelling combination of mystery, police procedural and paranormal horror thriller. The identity of the real killer will come as a pleasant surprise in a climax and dénouement that is well disguised with a suitable collection of red herrings and false trails. The relationship between Hayes and Brisco is nicely developed and the care that Hayes takes in nurturing Brisco’s newly found psychic abilities is warmly tinged with just the merest soupçon of romance.

With a significantly heavier focus on the paranormal than its predecessor, “Chill of Fear” threatened at times to lapse into melodrama but, I think, on balance managed to avoid that failing. A somewhat weaker novel than “Hunting for Fear”, Hooper’s second in the series can still be recommended as a pleasurable way to while away a few of the wee hours reading by candlelight in a cozy, dark corner of your favourite reading room.

Paul Weiss

The Iceman Cometh!

For reasons that escape me completely, my very erudite and most literate good reading buddy, Jenny from Canberra, has saddled me inescapably with the moniker "Iceman". As I couldn't imagine where that might have come from (other than her joking about my Canadian heritage), I decided that I had better live up to the pre-established reputation that came with such a nickname.

So here it comes ... a few shots from my camping vacation in our local "hot spot", Algonquin Park - a wilderness setting of no small international renown that is a textbook example of Canadian boreal forest.

For those of you not familiar with this particular type of winter camping accommodation, it's called a "quinsee". The basic process involves tossing the snow into a pile about the size you see (when it is hollowed out it will provide a very spacious sleeping area for one person ... two or more people would require a pile of snow considerably larger). After the snow is piled up like that, it should be allowed to set or "sinter" for at least 3 to 4 hours. Typically, to make sure that it is completely set, I sleep in my tent for the first night and only complete the construction of the quinsee the following morning.

As you can see, the hollowed out interior is warm, cozy and intensely sheltered from the elements outside. As difficult as this may be to believe, the exterior weather could be a howling blizzard with raging winds at -40 degrees and inside the quinsee, I'll be snug as a bug in a rug, oblivious to the cold at a comfortable -2 or -3 degrees with a profound quiet stillness that completely belies the external conditions.




Of course, every once in a while, one MUST commune more closely with the weather ... otherwise, one could not lay claim to one's nickname properly! Right?