Doug Lewars's Blog, page 48

Nightwing

Nightwing by Martin Cruz Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

I quite enjoyed this book. It had action, adventure, a serious plague threatening a substantial part of the United States and probably beyond. The author kept the story moving right along and the characters were interesting. Villains weren't cut and dried. Some who seemed villainous weren't all that bad in the end. The protagonist was a bit of an anti-hero but not one who emoted page after page of angst so the tone never became maudlin. There were drug-induced hallucinations which may have been real and, in the end, a grand explosion.

The year of publication is 1977 which explains why people didn't pull their phones from their pockets and make calls that would have left the author without much in the way of a plot.

There were a couple of things I thought were a little questionable. In one scene the protagonist sends his two companions on a wild good chase because he needs to do a little exploring on his own. There's a physical separation between them yet suddenly on the next page they're talking to one another. I had to check to see if the book was missing a page but such was not the case. You would thing the author might have ended the one scene with something like, 'Turning, he left the mesa and started walking in the direction of the valley.' but no such bridge existed. Another thing I thought a little questionable was having a character freeze in a moment of panic. This character needed to turn a switch to connect a battery to some wires which would protect the team from danger. I can understand panic but I think it would more likely result in the battery being turned on too early rather than not at all. Still these were small things and the overall story was pretty good. I recommend it for those who like adventure with a dash of the supernatural.



View all my reviews

The Baron in the Trees

The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


*** Possible spoilers ***

Although I've finished the book I don't know whether I like it or not. Certainly I was about ready to give up after the first hundred pages because it seemed like nothing was happening. A young, rebellious son of the aristocracy has a falling out with his family, climbs a tree and stays there - for the rest of his life. It's an interesting premise, and at first seemed Kafkaesque, but nothing seemed to happen. He was innovative. He found ways of comping with a lifestyle above ground but so what? I read to the end only because I hate giving up but somewhere around page 150 I started becoming interested. True, there isn't so much a plot as a string of anecdotes tied together by that business of being up in the trees but gradually a theme began to emerge - a theme of being outside, and possibly above the world and yet wanting to connect to it. The protagonist is far from perfect. He has plenty of faults yet he is constantly engaging and trying to understand the world around him. In the end, I found myself quite enjoying the story but I have to admit, it took me a long while to get there and some of the twists and turns were either bizarre or I simply didn't understand them.

The author was born in 1923 and since this story was set in the very late 1700s and early 1800s, he couldn't have had personal experience of the history he relates yet does so in a pretty authoritative manner. At least he makes it believable.

Parts of the dialogue have not been translated into English. I could muddle my way through some of the French and even a tiny bit of the Italian and Spanish but when it came to Russian, I understood nothing. I may have missed out on some details but I think I understood enough to follow along or at least obtain a feeling of where the author was taking me as a reader.

Mixed into the story are bits of philosophy and any number of contradictions in many of the characters. They work as illustrations of the complexity of people and life in general. Over all, this might be a coming-of-old-age story.

I would NOT recommend this for young readers. I would not recommend this for those who lack patience. I think I can recommend it for those who are willing to accept very slow pacing and don't mind the lack of a cohesive plot. This isn't a page-turner nor is it reasonable to expect to read it in a few sittings.



View all my reviews

Stone Mattress: Nine Tales

Stone Mattress: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

Margaret Atwood is a superb author and this was an excellent collection of stories. She creates excellent characters, has an incredible eye for detail, and is able to keep her plots moving.

The stories deal with elderly, some more competent than others but all beginning to detect the various physical and mental failures that are initially minor but gradually become more severe over time. There is both humour and pathos among these tales but they are never maudlin.

In addition, she once again demonstrates and ability to write dystopian fiction. In the final story, Torching the Dusties, we enter a North American society where law-and-order have broken down and gangs of youths go around attacking the elderly in assisted living residences. We witness this through the eyes of an elderly couple who appear to escape the massacre although it's not clear how or if they will survive afterwards. The young thugs all wear baby masks - a symbolic indictment of certain hate-spewing Gen-Z and millenials who populate Reddit. It's a very powerful story but, so far, just fiction.

This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.



View all my reviews

School for Psychics

School for Psychics by K.C. Archer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

There seems to be a strong correlation between individuals receiving a free copy of this book in return for an honest review and negative reviews. I've often suspected that when individuals are coerced into reading something they're probably not going to like it. I was not coerced and I did enjoy it.

The pacing was very well done and the story moved quickly. I found it both interesting and exciting. The main character was a little abrasive at times but not so much as to put me right off. The author did a good job of building to her climax and provided a few surprises as the story advanced. I particularly liked the author's ability to create varying perceptions for the characters. One moment you think this or that person is a good guy and the next you're wondering if perhaps he's a villain. The main character has trust issues and the author successfully conveys that feeling to the reader.

Not everything was perfect. K.C. Archer has learned somewhere the importance of ending a chapter on something interesting to keep the reader moving to the next chapter but sometimes this results in prose that I found a little cringe worthy. So for example, 'Teddy shook her head, "No I've got stuff to do over break." Did she ever.' A good editor should have caught that.

Some people have criticized the concept of a school for supernatural ability thinking it too close to Harry Potter's Hogwarts but personally I think it's perfectly reasonable to use the idea. The author in no way plagiarizes material. This is police training for psychics and it's sufficiently far removed from Harry Potter to be valid in its own right.

Another criticism is that the book is miscatagorized and should have been YA. Yes it probably should have been although I think older readers can enjoy it. I did.

Overall I found it enjoyable and will certainly go on to read the second book in the series. If you like adventure, psychic phenomenon and a fast pace I think you'll enjoy this one. On the other hand, if you like character arcs, deep insightful observations, and sophisticated story telling then perhaps this one is not for you.



View all my reviews

Polarization

Polarization: What Everyone Needs to Know® by Nolan McCarty

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible spoilers ***

This book was well written and very well researched. The author accomplished what he set out to do.
For that reason I've awarded this 5 stars.

That said, the book was not altogether satisfying. The author backed up his assertions with statistical evidence; however, there are only so many statistics available and this book left me with more questions than answers. In addition, while passing reference was made to Canada, the author dealt primarily with the political system in the United States.

There were a number of surprises a few of which I found questionable. While considerable polarization and partisanship was observed in elected politicians, not nearly as much was found in the general public. To a large extent this was attributed to political disinterest. If people couldn't care less about politics, it's suggested they aren't polarized. I would treat that with suspicion. However, I'm not the one running the numbers.

Another thing I found a bit frustrating was the author's focus on trends. He spends a great deal of time and effort proving that polarization forms a 'U' curve peaking in the late 1800s, dipping to a low mid century and then rising to the present. Therefore if more people are polarized now than in the past he argues that polarization is increasing, but this fails to take into account the degree. Let's suppose that on some issue, x% of the population is supportive and y% is opposed and lets suppose both x and y are large. This indicates polarization on that issue. Unfortunately it doesn't entirely take into account the degree of polarization. So lets suppose that both x and y are small, but boy, do those groups hate one another - for example White Nationalists vs Antifa. There is no good way statistically of quantifying the hatred they have for one another, yet I think it's important, first because it frequently results in violence and second because the resulting media exposure drives up polarization in the rest of the public. This book didn't, and probably couldn't, cover that sort of thing.

In general I think it's worth reading this one but don't expect all your questions to be answered and in particular, don't expect to learn whether the USA is drifting inexorably down a path that will eventually lead to another civil war. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. You won't find the answer here.



View all my reviews

Beneath Montana Skies

Beneath Montana Skies by Mia Ross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

Whew, I made it. Every so often I think it's a good idea to read from a genre I'd not normally select and this was one of those times. I think it's important to understand what works and how these stories change. Of all the genres romance is my least favorite so it's probably been 20 years or more since I read one and I can't say it was easy.

I can't say I enjoyed this book but I was never intended to. This story was written for an entirely different demographic. I rated it a four, not because I like it but because I think the author succeeded in producing a story that would be well received by those who enjoy romance novels.

Things have changed over the years. The last time I read a romance novel, the plot outline might have been based on Pride and Prejudice. The male lead was austere, distant and, apparently, arrogant. I believe he was a surgeon. The female was a nurse, caring, compassionate and infuriated by this surgeon's high opinion of himself. Eventually things changed and they got together despite a third party who, as I recall, was either female, wealthy and trying for the good doctor. In Beneath Montana Skies the female lead is a strong woman, running a cattle ranch almost single-handedly and he is a former rodeo champion who had been pretty much disassembled by the bulls and comes home broken and filled with remorse. It's quite a change over the years.

If there was any more sweetness to the story I'd have a case of diabetes right now but for those who like this sort of thing I'd recommend it. The pacing was painfully slow for me. I just wanted it to be over but Mia Ross is a competent wordsmith and made her characters come to life.

There are strong feminist and environmental themes running through the book but in the end, there is a suggestion that family trumps everything else. For anyone who is reasonably young and enjoys romance novels I think you'd like this one.



View all my reviews

The Broken Sword

The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible spoilers ***

This is classic high fantasy and while I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's not for everyone. Mr. Anderson dipped into Norse Mythology and, to some extent, followed the cadence of that genre. As a result, the pacing is quite slow. I didn't find it unpleasant but for readers accustomed to modern works of fiction, it might not be optimal.

There are quite a few complex themes running through the book. A brother and sister who have been separated at birth discover one another without knowledge of their relationship and fall in love. A changeling discovers he is one-half elf, one-half troll but will never be allowed to claim his elven heritage. In his bitterness he turns to violence but even at his worst, he periodically has moments of introspection as he contemplates his situation and why he must exercise his frustration is such violence. There are also religious themes running through the book as emerging Christianity gradually supplants the older religion.

One thing I found frustrating was that Mr. Anderson set up plenty of material for a sequel but doesn't appear to have ever followed through. He wrote a lot of books so it may be hiding in there somewhere but if it is, I can't find it. Late in the book a child of incest is born to the sister. That child is then taken by Odin who suggests it is destined to one day save the world from the final battle. What happens with that child and it's destiny is never revealed.

This book is a trifle on the violent side but while trolls, elves and the occasional human are slain, sometimes in picturesque detail, I didn't find it nearly as bothersome as some books I've read so I think most people will be able to handle it.

If you like high fantasy with poetic language and fairly slow pacing then I highly recommend this one.



View all my reviews

French Exit

French Exit by Patrick deWitt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Potential Spoilers ***

This is black humour but not so much Nietzsche as Franz Kafka but without the ever-present bureaucracy. Frances, the protagonist is a woman who believes in style above all else. She seems quite eccentric and, although rich, is determined to squander every penny of her wealth and then die at the end as an artistic statement.

In some respects this reminded me of The Great Gatsby even though the time isn’t clear. It has, however, the feel of a bygone era. The characters aren’t exactly living in the past. It’s almost like they carry the past with them in the present. These are not individuals you will meet walking down the street. They are as far removed from conventional life as the moon is removed from the Earth.
Although I enjoyed it, this book is definitely NOT for everyone. If you like a nice crisp plot – and much of the time I do – this is not a book you want to read. In some respects it reads like a dream. The characters are more shadow than real.

One thing I enjoyed that I suspect many others won’t is the lack of empathy one feels for the characters. The author reminds me of a medical university professor carefully dissecting a corpse and explaining all the bits to fascinated students. I doubt real university medicine is taught that way but that image is consistent with the feel of this story. Each character is interesting in a clinical sense but beyond that makes his or her entrance on the stage, engages with the story and then moves away. There was no suspense, no excitement; just the sort of calm one might feel on a rainy afternoon watching water run down the window.

This was on the Giller price shortlist and since they like to choose offbeat stories I guess that makes sense. It is also competing for the Evergreen award. The latter seems puzzling but perhaps their criteria has changed over the past year. I doubt it will win but I think it may get my vote.





View all my reviews

No Country for Old Gnomes

No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S. Dawson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

This wasn't a bad book but it wasn't quite for me. If I was still in high-school or even university I might have been impressed by the various literary reference particularly those to LOTR but these days I find much of the humor too lacking in sophistication to reach me. I found myself smiling a couple of times at some witticism or other but for me, this was not a laugh out loud book. In addition, I found many of the sentiments cloying.

I think this would be great for a young reader but not so much for those who are older.



View all my reviews

Humans: A Brief History of How We F***ed It All Up

Humans: A Brief History of How We F*cked It All Up by Tom Phillips

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***
This is a humor book, not a history. Some of the events described are historical but the author was not prepared to let any lack of research stop a good story. I found myself smiling in a number of places and chuckling in a few but I can't say it was a knee-slapper. Still I enjoyed it and there are a number of good plot ideas hiding between the covers.

If you read this, be prepared for a bit of sermonizing among the anecdotes. The author's politics are on the far left and sometimes he gets preachy. In particular he doesn't care much for older white males but that doesn't matter. It's easy to just shrug and read on.

If you enjoy reading about mistakes on a grand scale, you'll find plenty of them here. The book is well written and overall I think it's worth reading. Just be aware that if your politics are right of center you'll encounter plenty of eye-rolls.



View all my reviews