5 stars out of 5
Eloquent. Thought-provoking. Simple. Complex.
How do I love thee? Those are just some of the ways. Without doubt, this is one of the best, most beautifully written books I've ever read. I couldn't wait for it to end, yet I kept clinging to the hope that it wouldn't.
To be sure, it's a story of good versus evil; it's full of fantasy, mysticism, hope and love interspersed with plenty of thrills and chills. It's Romeo and Juliet against the world, though not necessarily the world as we know it (but then again, it's exactly the world as we know it. It is narrated by Addison Goodheart (an allegorical name if ever there was one), who was born with a countenance so abhorrent to the "real" world that a mere look at him brings out an instant killer instinct. He lives in the shadows of society - the very bowels of the city, in fact - venturing forth only in darkness with his adopted father who shares his disfigurement. Then on one fateful night he meets Gwyneth, a young woman who herself is a fugitive from normal life. Totally unlike him yet totally like him, she, too, tries to make her way through a world that would destroy her if given half a chance.
Throughout, the writing is nothing short of exquisite. Every word is a treasure, creating sentences and pages that almost dazzled my mind. Mr. Koontz, I've always enjoyed your books. But for the life of me, I don't know how in the hell you're ever gonna top this one.
Innocence: A Novel by Dean Koontz (Bantam, December 2013); 352 pp.
4 stars (out of 5)
Any time someone new "takes over" a series of books after an author has passed away, I'm a bit skeptical that the new guy (or gal) will do the original author up proud. In the case of Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, perhaps my all-time favorite character, it seems to me an almost insurmountable challenge. Since Fleming's death in 1964, I believe six authors have taken on the task, including such well-known writers as Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Jeffery Deaver. Most did a passable job; in 2011, in fact, I gave Deaver's Carte Blanche 4 stars for coming up with an interesting story and doing a pretty good job following Fleming's style.
Now comes William Boyd, also an award-winning author in his own right, who may be the best of the lot. No, he's not Fleming, but he manages to keep the "flavor" of Bond intact while writing a story that is intriguing, filled with surprises and, of course, plenty of action.
This one is set in 1969 just as British special agent 007 Bond reaches his 45th year. He's summoned to headquarters by his boss, M, who assigns him to go to Zanzarim. The West African country is in the throes of a civil war, and Bond is charged with the difficult task of stopping the rebels, thus ensuring that the established regime remains in place.
The difficulty, though, becomes nearly impossible once Bond gets to his destination and realizes that nothing is as it seems (and certainly not as he was told). The uprising is far from straightforward, and almost from the start, he learns no one can be trusted. A conspiracy is afoot, and Bond must figure out the real reasons behind all the violence and who's really responsible - hopefully without losing his own life in the process. This one's a page-turner that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
Solo: A James Bond Novel by William Boyd (HarperCollins Publishers, October 2013); 341 pp.
5 stars (out of 5)
Quick: When was the last time you read a book from finish to start?
Well, this one gives you that chance. The October List takes place over a three-day weekend, starting on Sunday with a frenzied investment firm office manager named Gabriela whose young daughter has been kidnapped. A relatively new friend and venture capital fund manager has left her to go deal with the kidnapper, who's demanded a $500,000 ransom plus a mysterious document called the "October List" that belongs to her boss, who's gone missing (along with most of the firm's money) and is being sought by police. From there, everything moves backward in time, with each chapter revealing new clues as to how the first chapter (which really is the last) came about.
Honestly, if I were judging this one on the plot alone, I'd probably stick with a four-star rating; it's a good story, but not that good. But the creativity of writing a whodunit starting with the last chapter first - and pulling it off in great style - is worth the extra star and then some.
I'll also admit to two other things: First, it's not all that easy to read; for at least the first half-dozen chapters, in fact, I was pretty sure this wasn't my cup of tea. But mostly, I think, that happened because our minds just aren't trained to see and do things in reverse order - just try writing a sentence backward. So as the chapters moved along, I had to work at remembering the who's who and what's what that happened before (or more accurately, after). The second admission is that when I finished the book, yes, I went back and read the first (last) chapter once again to make sure all the ends were properly tied in my mind.
Despite my five-star rating, I don't think this book is for everyone - certainly not anyone who enjoys a tried-and-true approach to writing (and reading). I also hope this bit of nonconformity doesn't start a trend, because no matter how well written I think this book is, I'm not chomping at the bit to read another one like it. But for those who like a bit of a challenge - and a pretty darned good mystery - I say it's definitely worth a try.
The October List by Jeffery Deaver (Grand Central Publishing, October 2013); 320 pp.
4 stars (out of 5)
The late Dick Francis, a former British steeplechase jockey, was a prolific writer of crime novels that center on the Sport of Kings (somewhere around 40, or so I've heard). On some, he collaborated with his wife, Mary; more recently, it was with their son, Felix. After Dick Francis died in 2010, he son maintained the tradition by writing on his own (albeit with his father's name in the title, as with this one).
I've been a fan for some time, although I thought the books co-authored by Felix were a bit lacking. Here, Felix brings back a protagonist familiar to many readers, former jockey and private detective Sid Halley. Honestly, he's not a character I recall - it's just been too long - so I can't compare Felix's version with that of his father. I will say, however, that I enjoyed this one immensely.
One reason for that, I admit, is that over the past year or so I've nearly overdosed on knock 'em down, bang 'em up thrillers in which the head games and action happen almost nonstop and the language can get a bit gritty (not that there's anything wrong with that). The minute I'd finished the first chapter of this book, though, I actually smiled and breathed a sigh of relief at the well-crafted and almost understated sentences - quite civilised (intentionally spelled with an "s" as a nod to the British).
Here's the low-down: Halley retired as a P.I. six years ago after being physically beaten so many times (even losing his hand, now replaced by a prosthetic model) that his wife demanded that he quit. Since he's now the father of a young daughter, he agreed. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions, so when a friend high placed in the racing industry asks him to investigate possible race fixing he declines - until that friend is found dead, an apparent (but unlikely) suicide. Then, after Halley interrogates a couple of jockeys, he gets a threatening call from an unidentified man with an Irish accent demanding that he not only cease and desist his investigation, but fabricate a report to the racing commission stating that he found nothing amiss.
Halley balks, of course - only to have the man demonstrate that he wasn't making idle threats. Now, Halley's family is in danger, forcing Halley rethink his refusal and pull out all the stops and ferret out the details of the alleged racing scandal as well as bring the person or persons responsible to justice.
Dick Francis's Refusal by Felix Francis (Putnam Adult September 2013); 384 pp.
As I've mentioned in other book reviews, I am so not a fan of history in any size, shape or form. Museums? You've got my attention for half an hour, max. Books? Fuhgettiboutit! So when I say that Hidden Order not only taught me a few things about history but made it interesting in the process, you can be sure that's a compliment to the author's considerable talents.
This book marks, if I'm not mistaken, the 12th in the series featuring Scot Harvath, a covert counter-terrorism operative and former Navy SEAL. The private firm he now works for has been called in to investigate the sudden disappearance of five candidates under consideration to head the U.S. Federal Reserve Board. When the candidates start to turn up dead, the situation takes a more urgent turn in an effort to prevent all from being slaughtered in horrific fashion. Clearly, someone is sending a message, and solving the case means finding out who's doing it and why.
The chase leads Harvath to match wits with CIA officers and Boston detectives, one of whom proves to be a "match" for Harvath in more ways than one. The action moves along quickly and, for the most part, believably - with only a few instances of super-human efforts - and my suspicion of the whodunit didn't come until fairly close to the end. For the record, yes, I was right, but as the TV commercials say, wait, there's more.
I was also happy that the "rants" the author is fond of making (and which, in his last couple of novels, were a bit over the top), were kept to a mild roar. It's obvious he wants the public to be aware of the absolute power of the Federal Reserve - which, as he points out, is neither federal nor has any reserves yet has almost total and unchallenged control of U.S. monetary policy. But this time the facts, figures and warnings are worked into the plot on a more subtle basis - I didn't feel as if I were being hit over the head with a two-by-four.
Hidden Order: A Thriller by Brad Thor (Stria/Emily Bestler Books, July 2013); 374 pp.
4 stars (out of 5)
It was the setting - St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the United States - that made me take a closer look at this book, which, when I got it, was free on the Kindle. My husband and I have friends in the Sunshine State who have taken many beautiful photos of the attractions there, like the historic lighthouse and the Alligator Farm, so I was hoping I'd be getting an enjoyable bargain.
And that I did. The first in a series featuring private investigator Quint Mitchell (the second, Bringing Down the Furies, has been published as well), it's very well written and held my interest right to the very last page. And to my special delight, some of the action actually takes place at those two landmarks I mentioned earlier.
The story begins as Mitchell is helping at an archaeological dig, where a more recent and gruesome find turns up. When the lead archaeologist and Mitchell's personal friend is charged with the murder, the PI sets out to find the real killer. In the process, he runs afoul of local law enforcement, city leaders and politicians who have irons in fires that have yet to start burning.
If I'm honest, I must say I suspected how this one would end. But at no point did I know for sure until the author (whose real name is Victor DiGenti, by the way), put it in writing. All in all, I very much enjoyed Quint Mitchell's debut - and I look forward to reading the next one (which takes place in South Carolina).
Matanzas Bay by Parker Francis (Windrusher Hall Press, March 2011); 258 pp.
