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July 03
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Kevin
gave  to:
Shimmer
by
Eric Barnes (Goodreads author)
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Kevin said:
"In essence what Barnes has attempted is to get inside the mind of high tech con man. What type of person does this sort of thing? What would it be like to be at the center of such a scheme? Robbie Case is his attempt at flushing this out; an answe...more
In essence what Barnes has attempted is to get inside the mind of high tech con man. What type of person does this sort of thing? What would it be like to be at the center of such a scheme? Robbie Case is his attempt at flushing this out; an answer in the form of a character.
I found Shimmer to be unlike almost any other book I have read. It was interesting and entertaining but there was something about it that didn’t quite click.
The book is a techno thriller in a sense (plot focused on suspense with technology at the heart, etc.) but it is also a deeply psychological book and it lacks the action one usually associates with a thriller. The entire book takes place in one building for the most part and concerns the daily operations of a technology company.
There are basically two intertwined plot threads. One is the central hook of Core Communications being based on technological fraud and Case’s frantic efforts to keep it from collapsing. This is what gives the book its drive and provides the suspense. It also gives what seems like an accurate portrayal of the never ending pressure that prevails at such a company; the never ending stream of communication, meetings, to do lists, crises to avert, etc.
The secondary thread deals with the psychology behind Case or his internal life: his unhealthy relationship with his cousin Trevor; his addiction to high end prostitutes; his relationships with the senior managers at Core; and his own exploration of why he agreed with this giant deception and whether he wants it to end.
The first part is well done. Barnes drops you in on this ticking time bomb and allows the reader to experience the pressure as the con-man tries to play out the con for as long as he can. As the pressure escalates you get almost a claustrophobic feeling as events begin to close in on Case and you wonder how long he can keep his secret.
Barnes adds in to the mix a nice collection of secondary characters at Core. And as noted, it provides an interesting portrait of the high-tech high pressure business world; people who feed off the adrenaline and lure of money that comes from these jobs even as they realize it is eating up their families and preventing them from living a life approaching normalcy.
The second aspect I found more problematic. Perhaps it is just my prudish nature, but I found the sections dealing with Case’s engagement with high end call girls off-putting. Maybe it was Barnes intention but they were creepy and often downright disturbing. Other than further indicating that Case’s life had gone off the rails, I am not sure what they added to the plot.
There is definitely a contrast going on between the hard work, dedication,a nd talent on display at Core and the underlying deception involved and Cases fragile mental state. Case ends up spending four months without leaving the building (he lives on a separate floor at Core headquarters) and sleeps only a few hours at a time; mostly on his office couch. His entire live becomes subsumed into the need to keep the company, and the giant lie at its heart, going.
But the darker side of Case is often hard to reconcile with the friendship, loyalty, and success that seems to be at the heart of Core’s senior managers. Barnes also provides little explanation on how someone as troubled and off-kilter as Case manages to function at such a high level for so long with very little sleep. This stretches belief at times.
The book’s ambiance if you will was creepy and tense. Sometimes this worked others it just felt jarring.
And these two threads come together in the conclusion. From a purely structural stand point the conclusion “works” in that it brings the plot to a resolution. But in light of the larger psychological thrust of the book, I found the ending a bit of a cop-out.
I won’t spoil it for you but, while it wasn’t exactly a happily-ever-after type ending, it was a little too neat for me. Barnes seems to be offering a larger cultural commentary on the nature of business and work but it wasn’t a particularly satisfying character – emotionally or psychologically – resolution for me.
But credit Barnes for taking a creative idea and exploring it in an interesting way. Shimmer is an entertaining suspenseful read and a unique fictional look at the world of high tech bubbles and corporate fraud.(less)
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Kevin
gave  to:
The Vanishing Sculptor: A Novel (Paperback)
by
Donita K. Paul (Goodreads author)
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Kevin said:
"I have not read the Dragon Keeper books nor was I aware of Paul’s writing before reading Vanishing Sculptor. For some reason it didn’t register that this book is set in the same world but in a different country and time. Although, this is a stan...more
I have not read the Dragon Keeper books nor was I aware of Paul’s writing before reading Vanishing Sculptor. For some reason it didn’t register that this book is set in the same world but in a different country and time. Although, this is a stand alone book I have a feeling reading the earlier series would provide a lot of helpful background and ease the reader into the universe Paul has created.
I am not sure if it was a result of this misunderstanding or background but I found Vanishing hard to get into. Paul just drops you into this world with no real background or introduction. You meet Sir Beccaroon the parrot guardian and Tipper the “emerlindian” and the story slowly unfolds. But the fictional universe is never really explained or flushed out. You just have to try and figure it out as you go along. There is an appendix with a cast of characters and a glossary, but this doesn’t help to “set the scene”.
My suspicion is that if you are familiar with the larger DKP universe than getting your bearings in this latest book is a lot easier. The story is a classic quest adventure. Tipper, her father – the vanishing sculptor of the title – and a collection of interesting characters are seeking to reunite three sculptures that have caused upheaval in the structure of her country. Their adventure involves small dragons with healing powers as well as more traditional riding dragons; magical wizards; the help of a the Paladin; and some evil henchmen determined to stop them. In the end, the quest will involve no only healing the rift that is causing Tipper’s father to disappear but also the family rift that has kept her family banished from the royal court.
The ingredients for this adventure make for an interesting story and the world of Chiril is an intriguing setting. Paul introduces some good characters as well. The wizard Fenworth and his librarian assistant are mysterious, comical, and philosophical; which make for an entertaining blend. And the concept of the dragon keeper as paladin ads a sense of mystery.
But to me the story seemed a bit thin at times. The last third is by far the strongest section as the action comes to a head. But for the first two thirds the quest lacks the kind of rising action or suspense that pulls the reader forward. It alternates between travel, action, and character development but never really builds on the various parts but instead meanders.
I also found both Beccaroon and Tipper to be fairly irritating characters; Bec haughty and easily offended while Tipper seems prone to pout and whine. Perhaps this is shallow on my part, but I tend to struggle with characters like this even as I understand that it might be an accurate portrayal of a girl her age and in her circumstances.
Lastly – finally, I hear you saying – the book didn’t really have the impact implied by the publishers blurb: “Through Tipper’s breathtaking story, readers will discover the beauty of knowing and serving God.”
Although there is subtle notion of this in the Wulder thread, I am not sure the theme comes through as clearly as that. Again, I can’t help but wonder if knowing the Dragon Keeper series would make this element more clear. But if you picked this book up looking for a sort of Christian allegory or fable I think you would be disappointed.
So. What to make of all this? My recommendation would be to read the Dragon Keepers Chronicles first. If you enjoy the world and style they offer then you can move on to The Vanishing Sculptor. While I found it intriguing, and entertaining in parts, this book felt too disconnected and thin without a larger context in which to put it. I am assuming that context is The Dragon Chronicles.(less)
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Kevin
gave  to:
Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament (Paperback)
by
Peter Enns
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Kevin said:
"I don't even know how to being to get into the deep issues involved in this short book. It has created quite a controversy that has had large reverberations.
I am not of the Reformed persuasion, although Iam generally conservative in my t...more
I don't even know how to being to get into the deep issues involved in this short book. It has created quite a controversy that has had large reverberations.
I am not of the Reformed persuasion, although Iam generally conservative in my theology, but I didn't find anything Enns wrote heretical or blasphemous.
I thought it was a thought provoking and interesting introduction to an important issue. It is not systematic theology but rather an exploration of a subject with a proposal of how to conceptualize the issue in useful ways.
If I can get my thoughts together perhaps I will write more.(less)
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Kevin
gave to:
Monster's Proof (Hardcover)
by
Richard Lewis
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my rating:
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read in July, 2009
Kevin said:
"I have never done well with math, and have a very limited knowledge of the subject, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this imaginative young adult novel.
Lewis uses math as a creative plot hook for a supernatural adventure. But he al...more
I have never done well with math, and have a very limited knowledge of the subject, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this imaginative young adult novel.
Lewis uses math as a creative plot hook for a supernatural adventure. But he also does a great job of capturing the challenges of gifted children and their families, divorce, and other issues; and does so with well drawn characters and crisp dialog.
I also like the fact that he incorporates the battle of good and evil in interesting and thought provoking ways.(less)
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June 25
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June 20
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Kevin
gave to:
Saints in Limbo (Paperback)
by
River Jordan
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Kevin said:
"Flashes of inspiration and talent in this one. Interesting concept and some good characters, but it takes too long to play out when the outcome is rather predictable. And at times the prose gets in the way; too much flourish and too much tell inste...more
Flashes of inspiration and talent in this one. Interesting concept and some good characters, but it takes too long to play out when the outcome is rather predictable. And at times the prose gets in the way; too much flourish and too much tell instead of show. But still an interesting read.
fuller review here.
(less)
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Kevin
gave to:
The Magician's Book: A Skeptic's Adventures in Narnia (Hardcover)
by
Laura Miller
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my rating:
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read in December, 2008
Kevin said:
"I guess you would have to put Magician’s Book into the category of creative non-fiction. Good thing too, because otherwise it would be hard to categorize. Part memoir, literary criticism, biography, and current events reporting it frequently slid...more
I guess you would have to put Magician’s Book into the category of creative non-fiction. Good thing too, because otherwise it would be hard to categorize. Part memoir, literary criticism, biography, and current events reporting it frequently slides between childhood memories, academic criticism, Freudian analysis, personal opinion, and interviews with other authors.
Sometimes this manages to flow and hold together in a coherent way and at others the transitions are a little rough. I found the sections dealing with Lewis’s faith and politics were the least convincing – but perhaps that is my bias – but the book as a whole remains an insightful and engaging look at Lewis and Narnia.
My review here(less)
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Kevin
is currently reading:
Genesis (Hardcover)
by
Bernard Beckett
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
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progress:
(page 25 of 160)
— 13 days ago, 05:46AM
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Kevin is on page 25 of 160 of Genesis
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