From the back of the book-
In the ruins of a medieval monastery in Dorset, the diary of an 11th century monk is uncovered-and the murders have already begun...
Cybersleuth Gil Pearson and expert translator Sabbie Karaim are thrown together to decipher the ancient text, rumoured to contain the location of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls-and unimaginable riches.
But what they discover is far more shocking. In their hands lies a document written by Jesus's fabled '13th apostle' which could rewrite history iteslf, sparking international terror.
Pursued by those intent on controlling the past, their frantic quest takes them across the globe as they stop at nothing to expose a two-thousand -year-old conspiracy.
Just who can you trust when you hold the fate of mankind in your hands?
I have a well-documented delight in stories based around conspiracy theory, particularly those with a religious focus. So whenever one comes my way I anticipate a great read. Since the publication of the Da Vinci Code and the lowering of standards therein entailed, I have been consistantly disappointed with the quality of the books on offer. Here I think we have hit a new low.
Every genre has its standards and expectations but that is a long way from the overt, shall I say homage, this title does to its mediocre predecessor. That is crime enough on its own but add in flat characters, poor pacing and possibly the worst dialogue ever and you have that new low I spoke of earlier.
The book opens with way too much back story and continues to, paradoxically, give too much detail and yet not enough. I could go on but the problems I had with it almost read like a beginners' guide as to what not to do and there are plenty of book on the market that go there. I was expecting much better from authors the front of the book claims are New York Times No. 1 bestsellers. I should have turned to their biography hidden in the back of the book where it clarifies that their previous work has been nonfiction dieting guides.
I understand the urge of authors who read a badly written book and think they could do better, I really do. But this pair should have stuck with what they know and left fiction well alone.-Lynn
Showing posts with label badly written. Show all posts
Showing posts with label badly written. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 6
Wednesday, May 18
PC and Kristin Cast: Betrayed
From the back of the book-
The first 50 or so pages are basically a recap of events from the first novel, which was nice for those of us with poor memories-putting my hand up to that on-but that's about the best thing I can say for this story
The little things that irritated me in the first book have not been ironed out in the second. In fact, they have been magnified and placed centre stage. It would be easy to sit and list every tiny thing that didn't work but I'll limit myself to what I found to be tied for worst.
Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night finishing school. She finally feels like she belongs, even gets chosen as the Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, she actually has a boyfriend...or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey's old life, she begins to realilze that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.I had high hopes for this series. The first book, Marked, was great. A fresh, new twist on the young adult dark fantasy genre, it had great promise. Sadly with this second instalment it fails to deliver.
The first 50 or so pages are basically a recap of events from the first novel, which was nice for those of us with poor memories-putting my hand up to that on-but that's about the best thing I can say for this story
The little things that irritated me in the first book have not been ironed out in the second. In fact, they have been magnified and placed centre stage. It would be easy to sit and list every tiny thing that didn't work but I'll limit myself to what I found to be tied for worst.
1. The "twins" that aren't related. I get it. It's like they're the same person only not, oh yeah, and one's black and the other's white. These two don't need names because they refer to each other as "twin" constantly. The most attached of real twins don't even do thatWhat a waste of potential! At least the book was well named. Betrayed is exactly how I felt.-Lynn
2. The "vampyre" rituals that are basically lifted from witchcraft. Fom the casting of circles to the use of "merry meet" and "blessed be" there's a very strong homage to wicca. It just feels lazy. If you want this lot to be witches then make them witches, otherwise make up some original rites.
3. Add to this the lack of character development, the three
(unbelievable and innappropriate) love interests and quite possibly the worst dialogue ever written and you've lost a keen reader.
Tuesday, December 14
Show No Fear - Marliss Melton
Ten months after an intelligence mission in the Middle East went bad, CIA operative Lucy Donovan is delighted to be assigned to rescue hostages held by Colombian rebels. She's undaunted by the risk and the threat of harm; the only thing that troubles Lucy about the mission is her co-operative, Gus Atwater. Then known as James, he was the only man she ever loved, but Lucy left him when the aftermath of a bomb explosion left her unable to reconcile her terror with the promise of happiness.
Now a very buff Navy SEAL, and going by his abbreviated middle name of Angus, Gus rescued her from her most recent mission, searching for vital information in an elite Guard warehouse after freeing herself from restraints. Though convinced she'd have managed to rescue herself, thank you very much, her boss is wedded to the idea of a joint operation, and the insulting notion that she needs assistance - and that she and James need to play a married couple as their cover. Or something. I quit at the top of page 28, so I have no idea how the story played out. The plot is clearly far-fetched, but I'm prepared to suspend my disbelief quite high if the writing and characterisation promise a worthwhile payoff. And perhaps the brief insights into Gus and Lucy's personalities fail to do them justice - certainly the SmartBitches forum recommendation brought me to it, and those bitches are usually on the money. On the other hand, it was multiple recommendations there than caused me to read Naked in Death, so I knew going in that I don't see eye to eye with every member of the community (or even great swathes of members - do people come in swathes?).
My point is that the plot, or at least as much of it as I managed, was ridiculous but genre-appropriate. The characterisation was superficial, but again I didn't get very far. I warmed not at all to the heroine, who seemed mired in an unattractive combination of PTSD denial and unfocused shittyness, while the hero was something of a cipher.
what caused me to put the book down before I was 10% through, though, was the overblown, florid writing. In the first three pages, as 'seconds drain[ed] away like sand through an hourglass', Lucy is 'awash in a cold sweat' and then
Okay, I've never been rescued from a terrorist warehouse, my cargo pants pockets stuffed with CD's full of important intel, by an old boyfriend. I have, however, been in an emergency situation and surprised by the appearance of an ex-lover. I'm not aware of a type of recollection that's not mental, but I'll ignore that tautology to point out that I, a non-combat trained person, responded with a brief nod, a frisson of surprise, and an immediate return to the emergency before me; Lucy, not quite so quick.
The writing's all tell, not show - not a facial expression nor a feeling goes unmentioned, from stabs of of suspicion to expressions "both guarded and disapproving.
As that brief extract demonstrated, the writing's a little... florid. As they're escaping, "thoughts shifted across [Gus's] face, too quickly for her to gauge." Really? Perhaps too quickly to decipher, or to read, but to gauge?
And, in common with poor writing, the characters rarely just say anything - in one scene alone Lucy amends, brazens, insists, quips with sarcasm and archly demands (in consecutive statements), explains, assures, protests, retorts twice, adds, cries in disbelief, counters, admits, answers and asks ("remembering with a pang the tenderness he used to show her"), while Gus counters, counters softly, quietly reminds twice, retorts, growls, grates, continues, repeats, articulates ("with a tremor in his voice") and actually both asks and says (the latter with a scathing look). He also "rake[s] her with another look, this one reflecting honest fear and concern." That's a lot to fit into four pages. In the interim, nobody looks - Lucy regards while Gus gazes. It was reading the line:
Now a very buff Navy SEAL, and going by his abbreviated middle name of Angus, Gus rescued her from her most recent mission, searching for vital information in an elite Guard warehouse after freeing herself from restraints. Though convinced she'd have managed to rescue herself, thank you very much, her boss is wedded to the idea of a joint operation, and the insulting notion that she needs assistance - and that she and James need to play a married couple as their cover. Or something. I quit at the top of page 28, so I have no idea how the story played out. The plot is clearly far-fetched, but I'm prepared to suspend my disbelief quite high if the writing and characterisation promise a worthwhile payoff. And perhaps the brief insights into Gus and Lucy's personalities fail to do them justice - certainly the SmartBitches forum recommendation brought me to it, and those bitches are usually on the money. On the other hand, it was multiple recommendations there than caused me to read Naked in Death, so I knew going in that I don't see eye to eye with every member of the community (or even great swathes of members - do people come in swathes?).
My point is that the plot, or at least as much of it as I managed, was ridiculous but genre-appropriate. The characterisation was superficial, but again I didn't get very far. I warmed not at all to the heroine, who seemed mired in an unattractive combination of PTSD denial and unfocused shittyness, while the hero was something of a cipher.
what caused me to put the book down before I was 10% through, though, was the overblown, florid writing. In the first three pages, as 'seconds drain[ed] away like sand through an hourglass', Lucy is 'awash in a cold sweat' and then
Lucy's heart stopped.
It had to be the greasepaint that made him look exactly like her college boyfriend, James, The athletic body didn't jibe with her mental recollection. But as she took a curious step closer, his expression of horror confirmed her observation.
Okay, I've never been rescued from a terrorist warehouse, my cargo pants pockets stuffed with CD's full of important intel, by an old boyfriend. I have, however, been in an emergency situation and surprised by the appearance of an ex-lover. I'm not aware of a type of recollection that's not mental, but I'll ignore that tautology to point out that I, a non-combat trained person, responded with a brief nod, a frisson of surprise, and an immediate return to the emergency before me; Lucy, not quite so quick.
The writing's all tell, not show - not a facial expression nor a feeling goes unmentioned, from stabs of of suspicion to expressions "both guarded and disapproving.
As that brief extract demonstrated, the writing's a little... florid. As they're escaping, "thoughts shifted across [Gus's] face, too quickly for her to gauge." Really? Perhaps too quickly to decipher, or to read, but to gauge?
And, in common with poor writing, the characters rarely just say anything - in one scene alone Lucy amends, brazens, insists, quips with sarcasm and archly demands (in consecutive statements), explains, assures, protests, retorts twice, adds, cries in disbelief, counters, admits, answers and asks ("remembering with a pang the tenderness he used to show her"), while Gus counters, counters softly, quietly reminds twice, retorts, growls, grates, continues, repeats, articulates ("with a tremor in his voice") and actually both asks and says (the latter with a scathing look). He also "rake[s] her with another look, this one reflecting honest fear and concern." That's a lot to fit into four pages. In the interim, nobody looks - Lucy regards while Gus gazes. It was reading the line:
Lucy shook two Advil tablets into her hand and regarded them in her palm, lit up by the bright sunlight streaming through the airplane window...that I decided I'd had enough. Next time I'll stick with Brockmann. - Alex
Monday, June 21
The Gates of Zion - Bodie Thoene
American Ellie Warne is still finding Palestine overwhelming - she's hoping that her work for her archaeologist uncle will lead to a professional career in photography, and is enjoying a flirtation with her uncle's assistant Moshe, despite his disinterest in wider global issues. And they're hard to avoid, because it's 1947: the aftermath of the Second World War is still settling, Jews are being forbidden entry to Britain, and the British army - spearheaded by its politicians - is closing its eyes to egregious acts from the increasingly militant Muslim population in Palestine. Fomented by Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini, the previous harmony between Jewish, Muslim and Christian inhabitants of the ancient city is being torn apart. For those wise and astute, the coming Partition Resolution, dividing Palestine into Jewish and Arabic states, is not a cause for celebration of the creation of Zion but the trigger for what would become civil war.
Ellie is unaware of any of these tensions, and is instead focused on opportunities for career-making photographs. The first of these is a scroll, brought to her uncle's home by an elderly Bedouin tribesman and his grandson. Though she suspects the antikas are not particularly valuable, she is somehow drawn to the ancient writings and the story that the boy found them in clay pots in a cave while herding goats in the desert. She convinces the men to leave the scroll with her for a few days, and photographs them carefully - an act that contributes to her being embroiled in people smuggling, arms smuggling, and at the forefront of seething political unrest.
I hadn't previously heard of Thoene or her husband and researcher Brock. Though not at all New Agey, I did feel as though I was lead to reading something Judaic, as my eyes fell in quick succession on several Jewish-themed novels at the library, before landing on the Zion Chronicles, of which this is the first. And it includes several elements that I am drawn to, including the era, theology, comparative religion in general, Judaism in particular, the opportunity to learn more about Islamic beliefs and practices, and the impact of the Second World War of American feminism.
The Gates of Zion is necessarily complicated - the setting is convoluted to begin with, and Thoene has done a capable job of combining historical events with a fictional narrative that includes real people, places and events. The work is clearly well sited and researched. But I found reading The Gates of Zion a real slog, for two reasons. The first was that the writing tilted strongly to the hyperbolic, with overwrought portrayals of emotion - crumpling into silent sobs, uneasiness transforming into brutal awareness, fighting off feelings of horror, That, I realise as I write this, is indicative of a larger issue I had: the writing style is a little heavy on telling over showing, which I found undermined the emotional impact many of the scenes would have otherwise had.
The second problem for me was the heaviness of the religious themes. The Gates of Zion is clearly, in retrospect, a strongly Christian Message text, which I didn't realise when I began reading it. There is a very hefty dose of unsubtle theological preaching at alongside the larger plot, and a strong sprinkling of deus ex machina-like coincidences that I might have been prepared to suspend disbelief for in the absence of other glaring flaws.
With one exception, a high-profile rabbi who collaborates with the enemy, the Jewish characters come out well, including the rather large percentage of neo-Christian Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah but his message has been co-opted by Christianity:
It's not just religion that determines personality, though - race, too, plays a strong part. Brits (or Britishers, in the text) are biased, myopic and anti-Semitic, while Americans are either sympathetic and intelligent but often naive, or anti-Semitic and cruel. This simplification of a really complex issue does little to serve the book or engage the reader.
And that's a real shame, because the era and the story are fascinating. A glossary would also have been useful, rather than having to try to infer meaning from context alone, and a brief overview of actual events in which this was set would also have been useful for readers unfamiliar with the history and consequence of these events.As I wrote at the beginning, there are many elements in The Gates of Zion that appeal to me, not least of which is a mildly distorted version of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. But, thought this is the first in a series of five (followed by the six-part Zion Legacy series), I doubt I'll be returning to the Thoene fold any time soon. - Alex
Ellie is unaware of any of these tensions, and is instead focused on opportunities for career-making photographs. The first of these is a scroll, brought to her uncle's home by an elderly Bedouin tribesman and his grandson. Though she suspects the antikas are not particularly valuable, she is somehow drawn to the ancient writings and the story that the boy found them in clay pots in a cave while herding goats in the desert. She convinces the men to leave the scroll with her for a few days, and photographs them carefully - an act that contributes to her being embroiled in people smuggling, arms smuggling, and at the forefront of seething political unrest.
I hadn't previously heard of Thoene or her husband and researcher Brock. Though not at all New Agey, I did feel as though I was lead to reading something Judaic, as my eyes fell in quick succession on several Jewish-themed novels at the library, before landing on the Zion Chronicles, of which this is the first. And it includes several elements that I am drawn to, including the era, theology, comparative religion in general, Judaism in particular, the opportunity to learn more about Islamic beliefs and practices, and the impact of the Second World War of American feminism.
The Gates of Zion is necessarily complicated - the setting is convoluted to begin with, and Thoene has done a capable job of combining historical events with a fictional narrative that includes real people, places and events. The work is clearly well sited and researched. But I found reading The Gates of Zion a real slog, for two reasons. The first was that the writing tilted strongly to the hyperbolic, with overwrought portrayals of emotion - crumpling into silent sobs, uneasiness transforming into brutal awareness, fighting off feelings of horror, That, I realise as I write this, is indicative of a larger issue I had: the writing style is a little heavy on telling over showing, which I found undermined the emotional impact many of the scenes would have otherwise had.
The second problem for me was the heaviness of the religious themes. The Gates of Zion is clearly, in retrospect, a strongly Christian Message text, which I didn't realise when I began reading it. There is a very hefty dose of unsubtle theological preaching at alongside the larger plot, and a strong sprinkling of deus ex machina-like coincidences that I might have been prepared to suspend disbelief for in the absence of other glaring flaws.
With one exception, a high-profile rabbi who collaborates with the enemy, the Jewish characters come out well, including the rather large percentage of neo-Christian Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah but his message has been co-opted by Christianity:
"I am Moshe Sachar, and I am a Jew who believes that the one we call Yeshua is the Messiah. In this I hope with a hope that knows the truth; He will come again to my people and they will know Him for who He is and find pardon and the joy of knowing Him as a loving and merciful Savior. And for you, dear Ellie, I hope that you will reach out to Him. For I know He cares so much for you." His face was full of emotion as he stepped toward Ellie and wrapped his arms around her.Muslims, on the other hand, are uniformly treacherous, malevolent, unreasonable and sadistic. They are also portrayed without depth or other motivation, and I found this weakened their impact, making them cardboard villains.
"What do I do, Moshe? How can I know Him too and have hope?"
He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "Just talk to Him, my love. Just ask Him to make you everything you can be. Give Him your heart."
"But it's broken, Moshe; my heart is broken." She buried her face against him.
"He knows all about broken hearts, Ellie. And our King David writes that your broken heart is just the kind of sacrifice He will accept."
It's not just religion that determines personality, though - race, too, plays a strong part. Brits (or Britishers, in the text) are biased, myopic and anti-Semitic, while Americans are either sympathetic and intelligent but often naive, or anti-Semitic and cruel. This simplification of a really complex issue does little to serve the book or engage the reader.
And that's a real shame, because the era and the story are fascinating. A glossary would also have been useful, rather than having to try to infer meaning from context alone, and a brief overview of actual events in which this was set would also have been useful for readers unfamiliar with the history and consequence of these events.As I wrote at the beginning, there are many elements in The Gates of Zion that appeal to me, not least of which is a mildly distorted version of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. But, thought this is the first in a series of five (followed by the six-part Zion Legacy series), I doubt I'll be returning to the Thoene fold any time soon. - Alex
Tuesday, May 11
JJ Lumsden: The Hidden Whisper
A parapsychologist visiting a small town for his grandfather’s funeral is asked to investigate a series of unexplained events at a neighbour’s house. The neighbours, recently advised that their house sits on an ancient Indian burial site (no, really), are attributing the events to the supernatural. And the events certainly demonstrate stereotypical poltergeist phenomena. But why have things started now after over twenty years of habitation, and can it be stopped?
With only a week to get to the bottom of the haunting the parapsychologist throws himself into the case. But the more he investigates, the less likely a paranormal explanation becomes. Are the events really of ghostly origin or are they the work of a much more mundane nuisance? Either way, he will have his work cut out for him to prove the case. Though, needless to say, he manages to do just that.
I strongly suspect (though don’t know for sure) that this is a self published work and so I was a little reticent about reading it. In my experience there is usually good reason why publishing houses reject manuscripts and as a reader I have seen those reasons made flesh in self published works. However, given the niche this story is aimed at, I gave it the benefit of the doubt-after all market forces play their part as well.
What drew me to the work in spite of my misgivings? The inclusion of an extensive reference list (14 pages) and detailed end notes (68 pages). The author is an academic who obviously knows their stuff and is able to present it well. Indeed, I found the end notes to be of greater interest than the story itself. Perhaps, given my suspicions, I was being overly critical as I read, but the story, to me, seemed to be the enthusiastic work of a competent amateur.
It appeared the author wanted to include every aspect of paranormal research they could think of. To that end the story is riddled with expository dialogue (of exceptionally poor quality) the only purpose of which is to introduce subjects that are then addressed in the end notes. This gave the work a disjointed feeling.
The characters are two dimensional and the hero is not a particularly likable (or believable) guy.
There is a decided lack of atmosphere throughout. For example, I got absolutely no sense of unease from the victims of the haunting, let alone fear.
The pacing was off, the plot simplistic and the surprise twist ending flagged so far in advance as to be redundant. Though I did like the ending, even if I saw it coming.
This would be a solid first draft of a story. But it needs a good editing and extensive rewrite before I would recommend it. A great idea poorly executed, skip the story and go straight to the end notes-that’s where the value lies-Lynn.
With only a week to get to the bottom of the haunting the parapsychologist throws himself into the case. But the more he investigates, the less likely a paranormal explanation becomes. Are the events really of ghostly origin or are they the work of a much more mundane nuisance? Either way, he will have his work cut out for him to prove the case. Though, needless to say, he manages to do just that.
I strongly suspect (though don’t know for sure) that this is a self published work and so I was a little reticent about reading it. In my experience there is usually good reason why publishing houses reject manuscripts and as a reader I have seen those reasons made flesh in self published works. However, given the niche this story is aimed at, I gave it the benefit of the doubt-after all market forces play their part as well.
What drew me to the work in spite of my misgivings? The inclusion of an extensive reference list (14 pages) and detailed end notes (68 pages). The author is an academic who obviously knows their stuff and is able to present it well. Indeed, I found the end notes to be of greater interest than the story itself. Perhaps, given my suspicions, I was being overly critical as I read, but the story, to me, seemed to be the enthusiastic work of a competent amateur.
It appeared the author wanted to include every aspect of paranormal research they could think of. To that end the story is riddled with expository dialogue (of exceptionally poor quality) the only purpose of which is to introduce subjects that are then addressed in the end notes. This gave the work a disjointed feeling.
The characters are two dimensional and the hero is not a particularly likable (or believable) guy.
There is a decided lack of atmosphere throughout. For example, I got absolutely no sense of unease from the victims of the haunting, let alone fear.
The pacing was off, the plot simplistic and the surprise twist ending flagged so far in advance as to be redundant. Though I did like the ending, even if I saw it coming.
This would be a solid first draft of a story. But it needs a good editing and extensive rewrite before I would recommend it. A great idea poorly executed, skip the story and go straight to the end notes-that’s where the value lies-Lynn.
Thursday, April 15
Dan Brown: The Lost Symbol
When a prominent freemason is kidnapped, his friend’s only hope of saving him is to find and unravel the code on an ancient Masonic icon, which the kidnapper believes will provide him with a map that identifies the location of a tool of magnificent power.
Though he is a firm sceptic as to the existence of this map he undertakes the task which leads him on a frantic quest through Washington D C, from its most public buildings to its hidden chambers and secret tunnels. His steps are dogged the entire way by powerful government agencies that are willing to sacrifice his friend’s life in order to maintain national security.
It will come as no surprise that he succeeds in breaking the code, the kidnapper is eventually foiled, the ancient Masonic secret is revealed and the tool of power left safely in place.
There has been enormous criticism of Dan Brown’s literary ability and I think I can safely say that I would agree with most of it. His writing is pedestrian, the characters are walking clichés and the ultimate solution to the puzzle is an anticlimactic disappointment. This is a shame because his ideas are great and, in the hands of a more accomplished writer, could become true works of art.
Plot twists are so heavily foreshadowed that even a reader skimming the pages (which I did not) would be able to predict where the story is heading. And for a world leader in symbology the hero is remarkably obtuse. But perhaps I am missing the point. Maybe the clues and plot twists are supposed to be obvious to the reader so that they can feel insightful and intelligent by deciphering them before the expert character does.
The inclusion of a map of the relevant parts of Washing DC would have been helpful to those readers with no first hand knowledge of the city.
My assessment, in a nutshell, this is a nice idea ruined by amateurish execution. But, let’s be honest, he’s not the first mediocre author whose career has flourished due to unaccountable popular acclaim. I just wish he would collaborate with somebody of more advanced writing skills. I’m sure the result would be the fun clue solving adventure he envisions his work as.-Lynn
Though he is a firm sceptic as to the existence of this map he undertakes the task which leads him on a frantic quest through Washington D C, from its most public buildings to its hidden chambers and secret tunnels. His steps are dogged the entire way by powerful government agencies that are willing to sacrifice his friend’s life in order to maintain national security.
It will come as no surprise that he succeeds in breaking the code, the kidnapper is eventually foiled, the ancient Masonic secret is revealed and the tool of power left safely in place.
There has been enormous criticism of Dan Brown’s literary ability and I think I can safely say that I would agree with most of it. His writing is pedestrian, the characters are walking clichés and the ultimate solution to the puzzle is an anticlimactic disappointment. This is a shame because his ideas are great and, in the hands of a more accomplished writer, could become true works of art.
Plot twists are so heavily foreshadowed that even a reader skimming the pages (which I did not) would be able to predict where the story is heading. And for a world leader in symbology the hero is remarkably obtuse. But perhaps I am missing the point. Maybe the clues and plot twists are supposed to be obvious to the reader so that they can feel insightful and intelligent by deciphering them before the expert character does.
The inclusion of a map of the relevant parts of Washing DC would have been helpful to those readers with no first hand knowledge of the city.
My assessment, in a nutshell, this is a nice idea ruined by amateurish execution. But, let’s be honest, he’s not the first mediocre author whose career has flourished due to unaccountable popular acclaim. I just wish he would collaborate with somebody of more advanced writing skills. I’m sure the result would be the fun clue solving adventure he envisions his work as.-Lynn
Thursday, February 18
D.L. Wilson: Unholy Grail-A Novel
While researching for her latest book a biblical scholar is shown part of a document supposedly written by James, brother of Jesus, shortly after the crucifixion. Her attempts to authenticate the document lead her to a secret sect within the Jesuit community. But no sooner has she uncovered these guardians of the secret gospel than they start turning up murdered bearing the marks of the stigmata.
Afraid for her life, and those of her informants, she rushes across Europe, accompanied by a Jesuit priest, in a race against time, hoping to find the proof she needs to authenticate the document before the crusading murderer catches up with her.
A series of convoluted coincidences lead her to the very heart of a secret so huge it could smash the foundations of Christianity entirely-if she can prove it to be true.
It is probably unfair to compare this book to the Da Vinci Code but such a comparison is inevitable. Not only does this book have a similar plot (an academic and a researcher racing to stay one step ahead of a fanatical religious assassin while unravelling clues that may prove a blood line of Christ) but it also has similar format (very short chapters, action happening on a number of different fronts, big on tell rather than show) and similar faults (wooden dialogue, two dimensional characters, info dumps).
It also had a few problems all of its own. One stand out is the equal emphasis given to every event in the story. What the characters had for lunch is presented with the same amount of detail as is the murderer planning his next hit. The main characters have the same disagreement (though differently worded) almost every time they speak about the document. And don’t get me started on the idea that a Christian who questions the literality of the Bible is mistaken in their beliefs.
But it would be shooting fish in a barrel to point out the problems with this work, much harder is to pin down why I finished it when I’ve walked away from others of similar quality. I think the thing this book does successfully is keep the reader from getting bored. The short chapters allow for rapid switching of action fronts, information is dumped in spoonfuls rather than by the bucket load and red herrings abound.
Had this book been published before Dan Brown’s breakout novel, it may very well have captured the imagination of religious conspiracy theorists with the same success as his work. Had the author taken time to develop his characters or concepts more they may have stood out from the crowd. As it is this has all been done before, a problem with the entire genre rather than just with this particular book.
Overall this book has a big bang of an opening that didn’t fulfil its promise.-Lynn
Afraid for her life, and those of her informants, she rushes across Europe, accompanied by a Jesuit priest, in a race against time, hoping to find the proof she needs to authenticate the document before the crusading murderer catches up with her.
A series of convoluted coincidences lead her to the very heart of a secret so huge it could smash the foundations of Christianity entirely-if she can prove it to be true.
It is probably unfair to compare this book to the Da Vinci Code but such a comparison is inevitable. Not only does this book have a similar plot (an academic and a researcher racing to stay one step ahead of a fanatical religious assassin while unravelling clues that may prove a blood line of Christ) but it also has similar format (very short chapters, action happening on a number of different fronts, big on tell rather than show) and similar faults (wooden dialogue, two dimensional characters, info dumps).
It also had a few problems all of its own. One stand out is the equal emphasis given to every event in the story. What the characters had for lunch is presented with the same amount of detail as is the murderer planning his next hit. The main characters have the same disagreement (though differently worded) almost every time they speak about the document. And don’t get me started on the idea that a Christian who questions the literality of the Bible is mistaken in their beliefs.
But it would be shooting fish in a barrel to point out the problems with this work, much harder is to pin down why I finished it when I’ve walked away from others of similar quality. I think the thing this book does successfully is keep the reader from getting bored. The short chapters allow for rapid switching of action fronts, information is dumped in spoonfuls rather than by the bucket load and red herrings abound.
Had this book been published before Dan Brown’s breakout novel, it may very well have captured the imagination of religious conspiracy theorists with the same success as his work. Had the author taken time to develop his characters or concepts more they may have stood out from the crowd. As it is this has all been done before, a problem with the entire genre rather than just with this particular book.
Overall this book has a big bang of an opening that didn’t fulfil its promise.-Lynn
Sunday, November 15
Sold – Patricia McCormick
Lakshmi’s Nepalese family is struggling to survive, thanks in no small part to her step-father – unable to work because of an arm that was fractured and not set in childhood, he instead spends all day gambling. Lakshmi is the star pupil at her small school, and helps her mother with growing the meagre crops they need to survive. She hopes her baby brother will live long enough to have a name, unlike the sons who died. She is promised in marriage to a boy her own age, and though they don’t talk she from time to time glances shyly at him and thinks he looks at her, too.
When a glamorous woman comes to her small village, Lakshmi’s step-father sends her off to work in the city in exchange for enough money to repay their debts, buy a new outfit for her mother, and maybe even a tin roof that won’t leak. Lakshmi is sad to leave behind her mother, brother and baby goat, but pleased to be able to help her family. She hopes to return home to visit at festival time, but very soon learns that she’s been sold for a very different purpose than she imagined, and will never see her home again.
This story of child slavery and forced prostitution is powerful and clearly well researched. Lakshmi has a clear voice, and her narration is consistent (at least as far as I can tell) with her age, experiences and background. The cultural mores are reflected without comment –
Yet for some reason I didn’t really connect with Sold, and though I’ve spent some time thinking about it I can’t work out why that is. Part of the reason probably lies in the close reading proximity of this to Identical, which deals with related, powerful themes in a way I connected strongly too. Perhaps, too, though abhorrent and though I contribute money to organizations fighting this practice, there were no surprising revelations that struck me when reading Sold.
The novel concludes with factual information about human trafficking and child prostitution in the developing world, with a note specifically about Australia (where some three hundred women a year are trafficked too, and an estimated 1,000 are currently sex slaves) and some information about Nepal. I can see Sold being used as a set text in schools, and as an aid for workers in the field. But, despite its strong and important message, it just didn’t resonate with me. - Alex
When a glamorous woman comes to her small village, Lakshmi’s step-father sends her off to work in the city in exchange for enough money to repay their debts, buy a new outfit for her mother, and maybe even a tin roof that won’t leak. Lakshmi is sad to leave behind her mother, brother and baby goat, but pleased to be able to help her family. She hopes to return home to visit at festival time, but very soon learns that she’s been sold for a very different purpose than she imagined, and will never see her home again.
This story of child slavery and forced prostitution is powerful and clearly well researched. Lakshmi has a clear voice, and her narration is consistent (at least as far as I can tell) with her age, experiences and background. The cultural mores are reflected without comment –
a son will always be a son... But a girl is like a goat. Good as long as she gives you milk and butter. But not worth crying over when it’s time to make a stewand
even a man who gambles away what little we have… is better than no man at all– which just increases their impact on a Western reader. The various strategies for keeping child prostitutes from fleeing are described from the perspective of the enslaved children, and the bleakness and depression of the situation are intelligently portrayed in a fist person narrative.
Yet for some reason I didn’t really connect with Sold, and though I’ve spent some time thinking about it I can’t work out why that is. Part of the reason probably lies in the close reading proximity of this to Identical, which deals with related, powerful themes in a way I connected strongly too. Perhaps, too, though abhorrent and though I contribute money to organizations fighting this practice, there were no surprising revelations that struck me when reading Sold.
The novel concludes with factual information about human trafficking and child prostitution in the developing world, with a note specifically about Australia (where some three hundred women a year are trafficked too, and an estimated 1,000 are currently sex slaves) and some information about Nepal. I can see Sold being used as a set text in schools, and as an aid for workers in the field. But, despite its strong and important message, it just didn’t resonate with me. - Alex
Monday, October 26
Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
After the events of New Moon Bella and Edward are back in Forks, under the watchful eye of her distrustful father. The sheriff is adamant that she must see people other than Edward, as he is increasingly concerned about the relationship. Bella is living in the future - after graduation Carlisle has promised to turn her, and Edward has not only agreed but will do it himself if she agrees to marry him. She's torn, though, by her friendship for Jacob, and by the enmity between his kind and the family she plans to join.
That's about all I can say about the plot - I made it to page 95 and just couldn't take any more of the fervent, fevered emotion and blind adoration. What tipped me over the edge was a note from Edward to Bella that ended "Look after my heart - I've left it with you" in an elegant cursive script. But there was no shortage of similarly sugary and overwrought sentiment ("black eyes, wild with their craving for my death") leading up to this point, and the writing is predominantly tell over show.
As with my previous experiences of the series, I found the naked adoration disquieting to read, particularly:
That's about all I can say about the plot - I made it to page 95 and just couldn't take any more of the fervent, fevered emotion and blind adoration. What tipped me over the edge was a note from Edward to Bella that ended "Look after my heart - I've left it with you" in an elegant cursive script. But there was no shortage of similarly sugary and overwrought sentiment ("black eyes, wild with their craving for my death") leading up to this point, and the writing is predominantly tell over show.
As with my previous experiences of the series, I found the naked adoration disquieting to read, particularly:
I appreciate this series has a vast and appreciative audience. I don't get it myself, and unquestionably think there's better work in the genre available, but if we all thought alike the world would be a far duller place. I do finally feel as though I've taken enough of a silver bullet for the team, so don't expect to be reading a review of the final installment - AlexMy eyes traced over his pale white features: the hard square of his jaw, the softer curve of his full lips - twisted up into a smile now, the straight line of his nose, the sharp angle of his cheekbones, the smooth marble span of his forehead - partially obscured by a tangle of rain-darkened bronze hair...
I saved his eyes for last, knowing that when I looked in them I was likely to loose my train of thought. They were wide, warm with liquid gold, and framed by a thick fringe of dark lashes. Staring into his eyes always made me feel extraordinary - sort of like my bones were turning spongy. I was also a little light-headed, but that could have been because I'd forgotten to keep breathing. Again.
Thursday, September 17
J G Sandom: The God Machine
Blurb from the back of the book:
I’m quite fond of the conspiracy theory/thriller/mystery combination so when I discovered this on the recommended reading rack at my library I was delighted. I thought the plot sounded great, if a little Dan Brown-esque. At the point I stopped reading most of the usual suspects had been introduced or strongly foreshadowed: the wounded hero, the morally ambiguous Mason, the sinister Catholic sect, the hypocritical evangelist and the sexy intellectual woman were all there. The plot was only just being set up but it promised to be action packed. So why did I put it down with no intention to ever pick it up again?
Sadly, I quickly discovered that this writer’s voice wasn’t for me. They’d done their research, quite thoroughly too, and they were intent on sharing everything they knew. Not in a discrete seamlessly blended manner that enriches the story but more in a style reminiscent of the recorded lectures you can listen to on self guided tours of historic places.
For example:
It was the home of the Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta, commonly known as the Knight Hopitaller. The Knights of Malta.
Founded in Jerusalem in 1080 by the Blessed Gerard, the order was originally launched to provide care and relief for the poor pilgrims..etc, etc.
It goes on in this vein for another three pages. At which point I stopped reading. I could have overlooked it if it had been a one off. It wasn’t.
I love history but this kind of pace dragging info dump has no place in an action thriller. Particularly in one that is already disjointed by jumping about in time.
Dan Brown’s literary efforts may have all the intellectual merit of my grocery list but at least they’re page turners. Disappointingly, The God Machine doesn’t even offer that.-Lynn
The coded journal of Benjamin Franklin. A hidden map. A legendary gospel. These are the first pieces to an ancient puzzle so powerful, it could destroy the very foundation of Christianity… in a world of secret societies, ancient conspiracies, and Masonic puzzles, locating the prize is one thing-staying alive, another.And so it goes on. I can only assume that the hero solves the puzzles, saves the world and gets the girl but I will never know for sure because I gave up on this one at page 86 (of 468).
I’m quite fond of the conspiracy theory/thriller/mystery combination so when I discovered this on the recommended reading rack at my library I was delighted. I thought the plot sounded great, if a little Dan Brown-esque. At the point I stopped reading most of the usual suspects had been introduced or strongly foreshadowed: the wounded hero, the morally ambiguous Mason, the sinister Catholic sect, the hypocritical evangelist and the sexy intellectual woman were all there. The plot was only just being set up but it promised to be action packed. So why did I put it down with no intention to ever pick it up again?
Sadly, I quickly discovered that this writer’s voice wasn’t for me. They’d done their research, quite thoroughly too, and they were intent on sharing everything they knew. Not in a discrete seamlessly blended manner that enriches the story but more in a style reminiscent of the recorded lectures you can listen to on self guided tours of historic places.
For example:
It was the home of the Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta, commonly known as the Knight Hopitaller. The Knights of Malta.
Founded in Jerusalem in 1080 by the Blessed Gerard, the order was originally launched to provide care and relief for the poor pilgrims..etc, etc.
It goes on in this vein for another three pages. At which point I stopped reading. I could have overlooked it if it had been a one off. It wasn’t.
I love history but this kind of pace dragging info dump has no place in an action thriller. Particularly in one that is already disjointed by jumping about in time.
Dan Brown’s literary efforts may have all the intellectual merit of my grocery list but at least they’re page turners. Disappointingly, The God Machine doesn’t even offer that.-Lynn
Thursday, April 30
Madam - Jenny Angell
When Abby graduated college she drifted from job to job until she began work as a receptionist at a brothel. Surprised she discovered that she really enjoyed the work, until her employer (who also rented her space to live) sent a punter down to her wile she was sleeping. Deciding she could run a call out service better than Laura, Abby chose a new name, a new location and a business title. Within a short time Avanti became Boston's premiere escort agency and Peach was known to provide excellent girls with one phone call.
Madam is Peach's story, as told to Angell, a former call girl who worked at Avanti. She's written her own story, an extract of which is included at the end of Madam - Callgirl is by far the superior work. It is coherent and interesting. Madam, on the other hand, is choppy and leaves out details that would enhance the story.
We learn about a variety of problems, like the call girl whose client expired mid act, or the client who decided to withdraw from his sex addiction and asked Peach to cut him off. But then the story ends, leaving this reader at least wondering what happened next. The most annoying of these was Jill - after several months of apparently promising work Peach learned Jill had been intimidating clients into giving her extra things (from tips to tickets to games). The story ends with Peach reassuring the client who finally revealed this to her that Jill would never know it was him who told, and organising a new girl for him. What did she do next? How did Jill react? Did this affect business with other clients? Was it something Jill had done with all if them? We'll never know. I also wanted to know about how Peach paid her taxes (prostitution being illegal in the US), tested new girls, and more about how she kept her public and private personas separate, particularly after becoming pregnant.
I finished the book but was unsatisfied. I should really have known better, as most memoirs in this vein tend to be sold more on their titillation factor than good writing. As I said, Jenny Angell's own story may be more compelling, though it won't reveal much about the day to day running of an escort agency as much as the day to day life of a high end prostitute. I'll keep you posted. - Alex
Madam is Peach's story, as told to Angell, a former call girl who worked at Avanti. She's written her own story, an extract of which is included at the end of Madam - Callgirl is by far the superior work. It is coherent and interesting. Madam, on the other hand, is choppy and leaves out details that would enhance the story.
We learn about a variety of problems, like the call girl whose client expired mid act, or the client who decided to withdraw from his sex addiction and asked Peach to cut him off. But then the story ends, leaving this reader at least wondering what happened next. The most annoying of these was Jill - after several months of apparently promising work Peach learned Jill had been intimidating clients into giving her extra things (from tips to tickets to games). The story ends with Peach reassuring the client who finally revealed this to her that Jill would never know it was him who told, and organising a new girl for him. What did she do next? How did Jill react? Did this affect business with other clients? Was it something Jill had done with all if them? We'll never know. I also wanted to know about how Peach paid her taxes (prostitution being illegal in the US), tested new girls, and more about how she kept her public and private personas separate, particularly after becoming pregnant.
I finished the book but was unsatisfied. I should really have known better, as most memoirs in this vein tend to be sold more on their titillation factor than good writing. As I said, Jenny Angell's own story may be more compelling, though it won't reveal much about the day to day running of an escort agency as much as the day to day life of a high end prostitute. I'll keep you posted. - Alex
Thursday, March 26
Katherine Neville: The Eight
For centuries the nuns of Montglane Abbey have protected a mystical chess set said to have belonged to Charlemagne, the pieces of which contain a code that if deciphered offers its possessor unlimited power.
With France set on an inevitable path toward revolution and a number of dangerous players seeking the mythical set and the power it can endow them with, the Abbess fears for the safety of the pieces. She removes them from their hiding place and disperses them around the world in the care of her displaced nuns.
But nothing can stay hidden forever and centuries later a young woman dragged unwittingly into the dangerous hunt for and protection of the chess pieces finds herself in possession of the key to the puzzle encoded in the chess set.
Having deduced the answer to the timeless puzzle, she must decide what to do with her newfound knowledge. She and her supporters decide against using the power only they could wield-for now.
A twist on the old grail quest theme, this story is told from both an historical perspective (beginning in 1793) and a modern-ish perspective (encompassing most of 1973).
Several things irritated me to the point of almost giving up on the story a number of times. The biggest issues I had revolved around pivotal plot points upon which the premise was based.
It is never really satisfactorily explained why the chess set must be moved in the first instance. It has remained hidden where it is for centuries-there is no substantial reason to believe that it won’t remain so. It is its removal that brings its existence out of the realm of myth and into that of reality. I am able to believe that a paranoid abbess might panic and exhume the set but I then ask myself why she doesn’t then destroy it if it is as dangerous as everyone is led to believe.
If the chess set is indestructible (and at no time is this suggested as the case) then why are the pieces sent abroad to places where it is conceivable that they will eventually be found (churches, palaces etc)? Why are the pieces not dropped into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean or tossed into an active volcano or something else that would protect humanity from them for a considerable time to come?
Another thing that is never satisfactorily explained is who limits the number of hunters to 32 and calls people into the hunt/game to replace those that die? Why is this real life chess game not over when the king dies? Continuing the hunt for the sake of it I can understand but keeping within the constraints of a game seems singularly pointless in the real world. And we are supposed to believe that this takes place in the real world.
And that’s just the plot.
Then there’s the writing itself.
Poor character development, flimsy motivation, wooden dialogue, unlikable heroine, unbelievable romantic interest and constant historical name dropping do nothing to enhance a plot built on shaky ground already. I’d give more detail as to the things I had problems with but I might risk going on for more than the 700 pages the book did.
The Eight certainly weighed heavily on the cons but I did finish it. I’m still not sure why. Obviously for all it’s faults it must have had something going for it. Though damned if I could tell you what.
If you think you can suspend disbelief for the duration, are not too fussy about plot cohesion and explanation and can put up with a lot of mediocre writing then the story is possibly worth the effort. For me it just scrapped through-but one more reference to an historical figure’s obsession with this chess set and it would have been a wall banger.-Lynn
With France set on an inevitable path toward revolution and a number of dangerous players seeking the mythical set and the power it can endow them with, the Abbess fears for the safety of the pieces. She removes them from their hiding place and disperses them around the world in the care of her displaced nuns.
But nothing can stay hidden forever and centuries later a young woman dragged unwittingly into the dangerous hunt for and protection of the chess pieces finds herself in possession of the key to the puzzle encoded in the chess set.
Having deduced the answer to the timeless puzzle, she must decide what to do with her newfound knowledge. She and her supporters decide against using the power only they could wield-for now.
A twist on the old grail quest theme, this story is told from both an historical perspective (beginning in 1793) and a modern-ish perspective (encompassing most of 1973).
Several things irritated me to the point of almost giving up on the story a number of times. The biggest issues I had revolved around pivotal plot points upon which the premise was based.
It is never really satisfactorily explained why the chess set must be moved in the first instance. It has remained hidden where it is for centuries-there is no substantial reason to believe that it won’t remain so. It is its removal that brings its existence out of the realm of myth and into that of reality. I am able to believe that a paranoid abbess might panic and exhume the set but I then ask myself why she doesn’t then destroy it if it is as dangerous as everyone is led to believe.
If the chess set is indestructible (and at no time is this suggested as the case) then why are the pieces sent abroad to places where it is conceivable that they will eventually be found (churches, palaces etc)? Why are the pieces not dropped into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean or tossed into an active volcano or something else that would protect humanity from them for a considerable time to come?
Another thing that is never satisfactorily explained is who limits the number of hunters to 32 and calls people into the hunt/game to replace those that die? Why is this real life chess game not over when the king dies? Continuing the hunt for the sake of it I can understand but keeping within the constraints of a game seems singularly pointless in the real world. And we are supposed to believe that this takes place in the real world.
And that’s just the plot.
Then there’s the writing itself.
Poor character development, flimsy motivation, wooden dialogue, unlikable heroine, unbelievable romantic interest and constant historical name dropping do nothing to enhance a plot built on shaky ground already. I’d give more detail as to the things I had problems with but I might risk going on for more than the 700 pages the book did.
The Eight certainly weighed heavily on the cons but I did finish it. I’m still not sure why. Obviously for all it’s faults it must have had something going for it. Though damned if I could tell you what.
If you think you can suspend disbelief for the duration, are not too fussy about plot cohesion and explanation and can put up with a lot of mediocre writing then the story is possibly worth the effort. For me it just scrapped through-but one more reference to an historical figure’s obsession with this chess set and it would have been a wall banger.-Lynn
Tuesday, March 10
My Best Friend Has Issues - Laura Marney
Alison, Scottish and friendless, has moved to Barcelona to change her life. Still recovering from a severe bout of glandular fever that not only left her organs vulnerable but also caused a dramatic and attractive weight loss, Alison casts the events around her as imaginary postcards to her former 'best' friends, who are lumpen, hateful, and trapped in dead-end lives back home in Cumbernauld, near Glasgow.
Alison hopes for glamour, and an end to her virginity. When her initial search for accommodation that is neither ludicrously expensive or disgustingly filthy is aborted by the discovery of a blood-covered body on a flight of stairs, Alison flees, certain (for some unknown reason) that she'll be charged with the murder of a man she'd never met. Rescued by American heiress Chloe, Alison discovers a very different life - Chloe allows her to stay, rent-free, is generous with her possessions, and asks only that Alison water maria (her colony of dope plants) and tend to her dog Gita (and her eight new puppies).
Leaving aside the medical inaccuracies (long-term liver impairment is not a complication of mononucleosis/Epstein-Barr virus/glandular fever, a fact easily checked), My Best Friend Has Issues is a very odd book. The cover portrays not only a pair of tanned legs with ankle floaties and high heels against a blue-skies-and-green-water backdrop, but also the tag line "If you suffer from giggle incontinence, beware!" I grant you this is something on a par with 'romp' as an indicator that no humour lies within, and in that I was not betrayed. However I think I could be forgiven for believing that My Best Friend Has Issues was at least a fairly light hearted holiday read.
It's not, though it's hard to say what it actually is, as Marney seems unsure about her target genre. Certainly not light (or any) comedy, chick lit or romance, there are elements of coming of age (that don't come off), an interesting but half-hearted revenge, shades of SWF in the unequal and increasingly bizarre relationship between the women, and a really unexpected, disjointed and shocking (not in a positive way) epilogue that made no sense to me at all. The epilogue reverses several aspects of both Alison and Chloe but, unlike well-crafted twists, there was no 'a-ha!' moment wherein puzzling pieces fell in to place. I found no hint of the twist in the preceding novel, and it served merely to add to my dissatisfaction with the novel as a whole.
And if you think I'm being too harsh, try this sample from the text on for size:
Need I say more? - Alex
Alison hopes for glamour, and an end to her virginity. When her initial search for accommodation that is neither ludicrously expensive or disgustingly filthy is aborted by the discovery of a blood-covered body on a flight of stairs, Alison flees, certain (for some unknown reason) that she'll be charged with the murder of a man she'd never met. Rescued by American heiress Chloe, Alison discovers a very different life - Chloe allows her to stay, rent-free, is generous with her possessions, and asks only that Alison water maria (her colony of dope plants) and tend to her dog Gita (and her eight new puppies).
Leaving aside the medical inaccuracies (long-term liver impairment is not a complication of mononucleosis/Epstein-Barr virus/glandular fever, a fact easily checked), My Best Friend Has Issues is a very odd book. The cover portrays not only a pair of tanned legs with ankle floaties and high heels against a blue-skies-and-green-water backdrop, but also the tag line "If you suffer from giggle incontinence, beware!" I grant you this is something on a par with 'romp' as an indicator that no humour lies within, and in that I was not betrayed. However I think I could be forgiven for believing that My Best Friend Has Issues was at least a fairly light hearted holiday read.
It's not, though it's hard to say what it actually is, as Marney seems unsure about her target genre. Certainly not light (or any) comedy, chick lit or romance, there are elements of coming of age (that don't come off), an interesting but half-hearted revenge, shades of SWF in the unequal and increasingly bizarre relationship between the women, and a really unexpected, disjointed and shocking (not in a positive way) epilogue that made no sense to me at all. The epilogue reverses several aspects of both Alison and Chloe but, unlike well-crafted twists, there was no 'a-ha!' moment wherein puzzling pieces fell in to place. I found no hint of the twist in the preceding novel, and it served merely to add to my dissatisfaction with the novel as a whole.
And if you think I'm being too harsh, try this sample from the text on for size:
Weeks ago, resisting the temptation to invite the buck-toothed Frank into my hospital bed, I'd decided that the first man I slept with would be gorgeous and sexy. Was Ewan a worthy recipient of my favours? The criterion, like my gloriously intact hymen, was tight.
Need I say more? - Alex
Tuesday, February 17
Nathan Burrage: Fivefold
A group of friends out hiking stumble across the ruins of a thirteen century cathedral. After exploring the site they suddenly start to manifest unusual gifts-and find themselves the subjects of unwanted supernatural attention. Confused about what is happening to them, they seek out the only group who seem to have any answers-the mysterious and secret Order of the Brightening Dawn.
They soon come to understand that the future direction of human development will rely upon the choices they make both individually and as a group. They must put aside their petty grievances and long held alliances in order to hold together for the good of mankind. Easier said than done when supernatural forces are holding back nothing in their efforts to split the group asunder and reclaim the earth from humanity.
Conspiracy theories, angels, demons, secret sects: this book had the potential to be a real page turner. Instead it turned out to be a combination of the The Da Vinci Code and The Celestine Prophesy, with all the credibility and literary merit as those two works.
After a sparkling prologue the main story settles down with a much more mundane style. Large info dumps slowed the pace several times. The equal emphasis given to all characters made for only the most superficial development of any of them, leaving it difficult for the reader to identify with any one. The frequent point of view shifts (almost every chapter is told from the perspective of a different character) gave the story a cobbled together feeling.
There is a decent story hidden in this book but it is presented in a stilted and amateurish manner worthy of an early draft rather than a published piece. This debut novel took on a premise the author does not yet have the skill to execute. It was only the promise made by the outstanding quality of the prologue that kept me reading until the end.
This author can write. I can’t help but lament the loss of the book this could have been if the editors had insisted the rest of the story came up to the mark set by the prologue.
Publishers please note: sometimes a book isn’t ready for print no matter how good its potential or how hot its topic at the time. This was, unfortunately, one of those books.-Lynn
They soon come to understand that the future direction of human development will rely upon the choices they make both individually and as a group. They must put aside their petty grievances and long held alliances in order to hold together for the good of mankind. Easier said than done when supernatural forces are holding back nothing in their efforts to split the group asunder and reclaim the earth from humanity.
Conspiracy theories, angels, demons, secret sects: this book had the potential to be a real page turner. Instead it turned out to be a combination of the The Da Vinci Code and The Celestine Prophesy, with all the credibility and literary merit as those two works.
After a sparkling prologue the main story settles down with a much more mundane style. Large info dumps slowed the pace several times. The equal emphasis given to all characters made for only the most superficial development of any of them, leaving it difficult for the reader to identify with any one. The frequent point of view shifts (almost every chapter is told from the perspective of a different character) gave the story a cobbled together feeling.
There is a decent story hidden in this book but it is presented in a stilted and amateurish manner worthy of an early draft rather than a published piece. This debut novel took on a premise the author does not yet have the skill to execute. It was only the promise made by the outstanding quality of the prologue that kept me reading until the end.
This author can write. I can’t help but lament the loss of the book this could have been if the editors had insisted the rest of the story came up to the mark set by the prologue.
Publishers please note: sometimes a book isn’t ready for print no matter how good its potential or how hot its topic at the time. This was, unfortunately, one of those books.-Lynn
Sunday, November 9
L A Banks: Minion
Best selling spoken word artist by day, vampire hunter by night, this young woman was born with a calling and together with her group of guardians she’s on a mission to keep the streets demon free for us all.
That’s not easy when a lot of the evil in the world is aided and abetted by men seeking a fast route to power and glory, especially when you’ve got a burning passion for one such man and under no circumstances can you tell him of the evil at the heart of what he seeks or that you’re the millennium slayer.
Any of this sounding familiar?
Minion read like bad Buffy fanfic with a black cast and a liberal splattering of ‘90s street slang.
It’s difficult to write dialect well, it’s even harder when applied to stilted dialogue-the result was clunky at best; difficult to understand at times, and somewhat dated.
I would expect that the first book in a series to spend time world building and developing characters and I would have forgiven the thin plot if this had been the case but it was not. The reader is dumped into a world without explanation, the heroine is a whiney arsed brat, her support cast cardboard cut-outs and the large slabs of exposition that substitute for plot fail dismally.
But the greatest sin of this book, and there were plenty to choose from (the heavy right wing Christian elements, the aforesaid large slabs of exposition, the complete lack of action through most of the story, the excess of introspection, a heroine few people could relate to), was simply that it was boring.
The horror scenes lacked horror-I’ve seen scarier things in the bottom of my veggie crisper. The erotic scenes (no sex please-the slayer must be pure) had all the sensuality of those scary things I found in the bottom of my veggie crisper. This book was dull, dull, dull. The only reason I finished it was because I thought it might just pick up once it settled into itself. I was disappointed. Very disappointed. Not recommended.-Lynn
That’s not easy when a lot of the evil in the world is aided and abetted by men seeking a fast route to power and glory, especially when you’ve got a burning passion for one such man and under no circumstances can you tell him of the evil at the heart of what he seeks or that you’re the millennium slayer.
Any of this sounding familiar?
Minion read like bad Buffy fanfic with a black cast and a liberal splattering of ‘90s street slang.
It’s difficult to write dialect well, it’s even harder when applied to stilted dialogue-the result was clunky at best; difficult to understand at times, and somewhat dated.
I would expect that the first book in a series to spend time world building and developing characters and I would have forgiven the thin plot if this had been the case but it was not. The reader is dumped into a world without explanation, the heroine is a whiney arsed brat, her support cast cardboard cut-outs and the large slabs of exposition that substitute for plot fail dismally.
But the greatest sin of this book, and there were plenty to choose from (the heavy right wing Christian elements, the aforesaid large slabs of exposition, the complete lack of action through most of the story, the excess of introspection, a heroine few people could relate to), was simply that it was boring.
The horror scenes lacked horror-I’ve seen scarier things in the bottom of my veggie crisper. The erotic scenes (no sex please-the slayer must be pure) had all the sensuality of those scary things I found in the bottom of my veggie crisper. This book was dull, dull, dull. The only reason I finished it was because I thought it might just pick up once it settled into itself. I was disappointed. Very disappointed. Not recommended.-Lynn
Saturday, October 11
A Rumor of Bones - Beverly Connor
When forensic anthropologist Lindsay Chamberlain signed on for a dig, she expected a little angst - the site of ancient American Indian remains was scheduled for flooding, she was conflicted about her feelings for two men on the dig, and supervising students always throws up more problems than you anticipate. What she didn't see coming was not only in the discovery of bones that, though over fifty years old, were much more recent than those the group were intending to uncover, but also becoming embroiled in the hunt for a paedophile serial killer.
I found it really difficult to judge A Rumor of Bones (a title that doesn't even make much sense - there are no rumours about bones anywhere in the novel) on its own merits because I so recently read the very well written and involving Carved in Bone that I kept comparing this (unfavourably) to it. The biggest issue I had was the relationships - I never got a clear picture of how Lindsay felt about either Frank or Derrick, or what her relationship with either of them was. Both men have another woman interested in them, and Lindsay's clearly stringing them both along but when one of the women calls her on it she not only expresses complete surprise to her but also seems taken aback herself - "At first she was angry, but by the time she got to the lab, she was wondering if there wasn't some truth in Michelle's accusation. Come on, she said to herself, Frank and Derrick are adults,. They can choose for themselves."
This didn't exactly warm me to her, but I could overlook it if she were otherwise interesting. She is, however, Too Dumb To Live - after a series of attempted sabotage, a serial killer on the loose, and a stalker fixated on Lindsay, she goes meandering along a deserted forest edge at dawn, alone. When she detected "the smell of something out of place, vaguely familiar," and is then chloroformed and abducted I was far from shocked. Although I did wonder where she came across chloroform previously, in order to recognise it, and where the abductor got his hands on it. Picky, perhaps, but the book was written only twelve years ago, and not when chloroform was in wide use.
Then there was the stilted dialogue. I know people don't always use contractions, but in casual conversation this is most often to emphasise an aspect of the usually contracted compound, so that phrases like "Let us ID this box of mammal bones," "Come on, Lindsay, it is almost lunch time!" and "Have you seen it? It is a very neat place," jolted me out of the novel (as much as I was immersed in it, at any rate).
This may sound petty, though I flagged it early in the book, before I was thoroughly over it - I also didn't like Lindsay's dress sense: she "wore the one suit she had packed, an off-white linen pant suit with an emerald green silk blouse." Well, it could have been the other way around, I suppose, but ick. Especially as she was wearing it when going to inform a woman that the bones of her missing five year old daughter had been found, one leg so savagely disarticulated from the pelvis that - even without flesh - it was clear she'd been brutally molested.
Anything else? Well, each chapter opens with a quote that references bones. There wasn't any great connection with the contents of the chapter, or the progress of the novel as a whole, even where this could have been the case - it feels as though someone just searched for bone quotes and slotted them in at random.
The characterisation's clumsy, and the following exchange jumped out at me as a combination of an (unnecessary) data dump and unwarranted supposition:
"What does your father do?"
"He teaches Shakespeare at a community college in Kentucky. My mother trains and breeds Arabian horses."
"Not thoroughbreds?"
"No. They are quite expensive."
"Sounds like you have a nice family."
Well, sounds like you have an educated (though bizarrely narrowly specialised, especially for a community college lecturer) father and a horse breeding mother. There isn't anything there about what kind of people they are...
Okay, enough. I did finish A Rumor of Bones, so it wasn't all bad - the story gripped me in spite of the many (many) issues I had with the style and the protagonist, and even though not only the identity of the mystery body and the killer of it (with a flag so obvious is was practically neon) were so little a surprise that I ended up feeling flat over all, I'm thinking about giving the second Lindsay Chamberlain mystery a go. - Alex
I found it really difficult to judge A Rumor of Bones (a title that doesn't even make much sense - there are no rumours about bones anywhere in the novel) on its own merits because I so recently read the very well written and involving Carved in Bone that I kept comparing this (unfavourably) to it. The biggest issue I had was the relationships - I never got a clear picture of how Lindsay felt about either Frank or Derrick, or what her relationship with either of them was. Both men have another woman interested in them, and Lindsay's clearly stringing them both along but when one of the women calls her on it she not only expresses complete surprise to her but also seems taken aback herself - "At first she was angry, but by the time she got to the lab, she was wondering if there wasn't some truth in Michelle's accusation. Come on, she said to herself, Frank and Derrick are adults,. They can choose for themselves."
This didn't exactly warm me to her, but I could overlook it if she were otherwise interesting. She is, however, Too Dumb To Live - after a series of attempted sabotage, a serial killer on the loose, and a stalker fixated on Lindsay, she goes meandering along a deserted forest edge at dawn, alone. When she detected "the smell of something out of place, vaguely familiar," and is then chloroformed and abducted I was far from shocked. Although I did wonder where she came across chloroform previously, in order to recognise it, and where the abductor got his hands on it. Picky, perhaps, but the book was written only twelve years ago, and not when chloroform was in wide use.
Then there was the stilted dialogue. I know people don't always use contractions, but in casual conversation this is most often to emphasise an aspect of the usually contracted compound, so that phrases like "Let us ID this box of mammal bones," "Come on, Lindsay, it is almost lunch time!" and "Have you seen it? It is a very neat place," jolted me out of the novel (as much as I was immersed in it, at any rate).
This may sound petty, though I flagged it early in the book, before I was thoroughly over it - I also didn't like Lindsay's dress sense: she "wore the one suit she had packed, an off-white linen pant suit with an emerald green silk blouse." Well, it could have been the other way around, I suppose, but ick. Especially as she was wearing it when going to inform a woman that the bones of her missing five year old daughter had been found, one leg so savagely disarticulated from the pelvis that - even without flesh - it was clear she'd been brutally molested.
Anything else? Well, each chapter opens with a quote that references bones. There wasn't any great connection with the contents of the chapter, or the progress of the novel as a whole, even where this could have been the case - it feels as though someone just searched for bone quotes and slotted them in at random.
The characterisation's clumsy, and the following exchange jumped out at me as a combination of an (unnecessary) data dump and unwarranted supposition:
"What does your father do?"
"He teaches Shakespeare at a community college in Kentucky. My mother trains and breeds Arabian horses."
"Not thoroughbreds?"
"No. They are quite expensive."
"Sounds like you have a nice family."
Well, sounds like you have an educated (though bizarrely narrowly specialised, especially for a community college lecturer) father and a horse breeding mother. There isn't anything there about what kind of people they are...
Okay, enough. I did finish A Rumor of Bones, so it wasn't all bad - the story gripped me in spite of the many (many) issues I had with the style and the protagonist, and even though not only the identity of the mystery body and the killer of it (with a flag so obvious is was practically neon) were so little a surprise that I ended up feeling flat over all, I'm thinking about giving the second Lindsay Chamberlain mystery a go. - Alex
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