THE LATECOMER

5 stars out of 5

At not far from 500 pages, this book isn't a quick read. But if you choose to read it - and I highly recommend that you do - set aside even more time because you don't want to skim over a single word of the exquisitely woven story and amazingly detailed character development. The author blew me away last year with the first of her books I've read - The Plot - and this one is no less impressive.

Born thru in vitro fertilization back when the procedure was relatively in its infancy, the story focuses on triplets - Harrison, Lewyn and Sally - and Phoebe, who arrived via the same means by way of a single leftover unused but still viable egg 20 years or so later (making them all, in scientific fact, quadruplets). Needless to say, the first three have a tough time wrapping their heads around that - as did I - but therein lies the intriguing story of the "latecomer" and what happens in and to the rest of the family thereafter.

I'd describe it as a coming of age tale, except to me, the initial three, at least, seemed to behave (or misbehave) like old souls pretty much from the beginning. Whether or not that can be attributed to their acknowledged but rarely practiced Jewish heritage, parents who may or may not actually have loved them, or their Petri dish origins, I'm not sure. All I know is that from the beginning, the triplets were at loggerheads with each other; even on their once-a-year birthday when their mother, Joanna, insisted that they pretend to coexist peaceably, they (as my late mother was fond of saying) held hands to keep from fighting.

Phoebe's birth, obviously, throws a bit of a monkey wrench into their disdain for each other and Phoebe (do we like her? Hate her? Refuse to acknowledge her existence?) That said, the story weaves into and out of each character's thoughts, behaviors and interactions with the others (to the extent that there were any), mostly leading up to Phoebe's rather untimely birth - with an explanation, of course, as to why she happened when she happened. It touches on infidelity, deception, wealth, religion (or the lack thereof) and, perhaps most importantly, Phoebe's efforts to bring them all back to some semblance of a real family. You'll have to read it to find out the extent of her success - which comes with some unexpected twists and turns that made me shake my head in awe of how anyone could possibly come up with such an intricate plot. In short, this is a winner in my book - and I thank the publisher for the privilege of reading a pre-release copy. Outstanding!

The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Celadon Books, May 2022); 368 pp.

A BOOK OF BONES

4 stars out of 5

Up front and personal opinion: This is a tough book to read - even for series fans like me. First, it's long (just shy of 700 pages); second, it draws from past books so heavily that, unless you've read and remembered all those that preceded it, you're likely to be at least a little bit lost. Although this one picks up on loose ends from 2018's series entry "The Woman in the Woods" (which, fortunately, I've read) and private detective Charlie Parker's search for a very nasty character named Quayle and potentially even nastier female partner Pallida Mors, it extends backward to other books which, unfortunately, I have not.

To be sure, I had trouble following the story early on, actually considering calling it quits at a couple of points. But honestly, great writing won out; the author is so skillful that even if I didn't always "get" where some of the extensive historical background came from, I was able to enjoy the story in the moment even if many of those moments took place a very long time in the past. The series does touch heavily on otherworldly things; Charlie himself has experienced death three times, always (so far) returning to the land of the living but with an even greater understanding of the dark supernatural that exists to threaten the hearts of man. And therein lies another issue for me: for the most part, Charlie's presence here is notable by his absence. Other familiar characters like his close friends Louis and Angel play major roles, but it's Charlie who most fascinates me - and I just didn't get enough of him here. 

Still, the intricacy of the story here is nothing short of amazing - much as I always say after finishing a Stephen King novel, I simply cannot imagine a mind capable of concocting such complex and intriguing plots. As this one begins, Parker is continuing his quest for Quayle, who in turn is questing for pages that are missing from an ancient "atlas" that allegedly has supernatural powers; it can, for instance, alter itself at will. Bringing all the pages together, it seems, could alter the course of history - and definitely not the the better.

Murders also are the order of the day, most related to locations of ancient religious cults. Figuring out if, and how, they all tie together won't be an easy task, but failure to do so could condemn the world to unimaginable evil. Needless to say, I'm not about to explain more other than it's a wild ride to the finish. Many thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

A Book of Bones by John Connolly (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, October 2019); 683 pp.

ORIGIN

5 stars out of 5

Perhaps I say this because when I got within a couple of hours of finishing this book nothing short of an act of God could have pried my hands off my Kindle, but I truly believe that of all the author's books I've read, I enjoyed this one the most. His always extensive research is borderline awesome here, and the plot was totally engrossing. While I might not call the action nonstop, there was more than enough to hold my attention right from the git-go.

A couple of other pluses: The central theme - the age-old questions of where human life came from and where it is headed - is thought-provoking (though I'm pretty sure Bible literalists will disagree). Both the plot and the action seemed more within the realm of possibility than in previous books - meaning I wasn't saying, "Oh, c'mon, get real!" throughout. As usual, the settings provided a ton of learning opportunities, all so well written that a devout non-lover of history like me enjoyed every word. One of those settings, in fact, was of special interest: the still-unfinished Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain - a structure that fascinated me as the subject of a CBS "60 Minutes" segment a while back.

The story begins as Robert Langdon, professor of symbology and religious iconology at Harvard University, is at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (Spain) at the request of former student, billionnaire scientist and self-proclaimed athiest Edmond Kirsch. Here, Kirsch has promised, he will reveal a scientific breakthrough that will, by answering those two fundamental questions, render moot all organized religions. The event, with a guest list of hundreds, was coordinated by the beautiful Ambra Vidal, the museum director who just happens to be engaged to marry the future king of Spain.

But just as Kirsch is about to make his big pronouncement, something unthinkable happens; the crowd is thrown into a panic, Robert lands next to Ambra, and suddenly, the two of them are on the run. They don't know who to trust nor the real significance of Kirsch's botched presentation, but they're certain they must find the password that will unlock and release the program he intended to bring to the world before someone else finds and destroys it. 

Meanwhile, the man responsible for creating the panic is found to have ties to the Palmarian Church, an ultra-conservative offshoot of the Roman Catholic Church. That in turn brings up questions as to whether that group's arms extend into the Vatican and the Spanish government - and if they do, to whom. As a result, the issue of who can be trusted takes a few even more sinister turns that threaten the lives of Robert and Ambra. Unfortunately, their search of Kirsch's almost unbelievably high-tech Barcelona home yields only vague clues as to where the password may be, prompting the pair to set off once again - guided in large part by Robert's noted eidetic memory and the assistance of a very unusual "friend."

But can they find the password before someone finds them? Who, really, is behind the efforts to stop them? And what, if anything, is the significance of Kirsch's discovery? All I'll say is that it's a neck-and-neck race from the starting gate to the finish line - and you won't want to miss a second of it. Outstanding!

Origin by Dan Brown (Doubleday, October 2017); 480 pp.

REVIVAL

5 stars out of 5

Few writers can weave a tale any better than Stephen King; it's a tribute to his talent that I - one who has the patience of a flea - am willing to dive in to his books even when they're 600-plus pages long. In this case, that wasn't an issue; it's a very reasonable 417 pages - almost a novella by King standards. And by golly, it's a good one.

It starts in a small town about 50 years ago, when new preacher Charles Jacobs takes over the smallish Methodist Church (bringing back memories of my own childhood that included great times in the little country Methodist Church I attended). Jacobs is charismatic, his wife is beautiful, and they have a young son; quickly, he wins parishioners over and makes friends with young Jamie Morton and his family. He and Jamie form a special bond when he shares a secret passion - electricity - which he uses to  "cure" a serious health condition of Jamie's brother.

Soon, though, tragedy strikes Jacobs hard when his wife and child are killed in a horrific traffic accident. One Sunday morning not long after, Jacobs goes on a tirade against God from his pulpit, ranting and raging and angering parishioners to the extent that he loses his job and leaves town. Jamie and his family have their own problems, and Jamie - who plays a mean guitar - begins to play in bands as he roams around the country. When he reaches his mid-30s, he's a heroin addict and nearly destitute - the perfect time to meet up with his old friend Jacobs once again. 

Then again, maybe not. The rest of the book follows Jamie's rather tumultuous life and his here-and-there encounters with the one-time minister, whose passion has turned to obsession - all leading to a dark and stormy ending. 

 I've read several reviews that bandied about the word "classic," but I'm not sure I totally agree. Even as the ending came fast and furious, I never felt anything close to fearful. Most of it, in fact, just seemed to be a really good old-fashioned story that offers an in-depth look into the lives of two main characters - although it can be said that neither has followed the beaten path. A word of caution is in order, though: The theme, one of finding out what happens after we humans leave this life, may be off-putting, blasphemous, frightening, or just strange, depending on your degree of religiosity (I thought I'd made up a new word here, but no cigar - it already exists and yes, refers to aspects of religious activity). As for me, I'll just call it a great story - and another winner for the King.

Revival by Stephen King (Scribner, November 2014); 417 pp.

THE SECOND COMING: A LOVE STORY

4 stars out of 5

If I had to pick two fiction genres that are of virtually no interest to me, it would be religion and romance. So what the devil am I doing with a book like this? Well, it's mostly because I didn't say no: The author asked me to read it and give it a review (and it was available free through my Kindle

Unlimited membership). When I read the basic description - knowing that I do like to take a break from my usual crime/legal/medical thrillers every once in a while - I reckoned there's no time like the present.

There's plenty of religion here, but of course the "love" in the title doesn't refer to your typical smushy-face will-she-put-out-or-not tommyrot. While there is an either-or component, it's two men who claim to be the second coming of Christ. Needless to say, they don't feel the love for each other, with each insisting he's the one telling the truth as he travels around trying to gather followers. So which one is the real deal, and which will emerge triumphant in the battle for souls?

Personally, I wouldn't have been swayed by either one; I do unto others because to me it's the right thing to do, not because I'm trying to earn a place in some afterlife utopia (or, conversely, trying to avoid going to a place with a hell of a reputation). So in that sense, it was virtually impossible for me to relate to either character. On the other hand, if history has taught us anything, it's that it is all too easy for masses of people - particularly those who are unhappy with some or all of their lots in life - to latch blindly onto a charismatic someone who speaks what they want or need to hear. Reading the book with that in mind - combined with awareness that with effective marketing (which includes everything from packaging to public speaking) all things are possible - gave me a different perspective.

The philosophies espoused by the two are easy to understand. One says no one shall have access to the Kingdom of Heaven without unconditionally accepting the returned Savior (thus cutting anyone of a different faith out of the action). The other maintains that the only true Golden Rule is to "Render my creations more holy than whence they were found." Nothing else matters, leaving the Pearly Gates pretty much wide open otherwise. 

As the race to the finish heats up - culminating in a political candidate-style debate - a number of interesting characters make an appearance, from an attractive female attorney who specializes in defending nasty folks who deserve to be behind bars to a scraggly homeless man to a gay couple (one of whom earns a more-than-decent living as a political speechwriter). The characters' names, though, are worthy of note: David Shepherd (the speechwriter), Margaret Magdela (the attorney), Thomas Acostes (a reporter), Rev. Philip Pharis and Jabez Gethsemane, to name a few. The biblical associations are obvious, making me smile.

The book isn't very long, but it's not one to be breezed through; everything has a meaning (often, more than one) that's not to be missed. As with the characters' names, humor is interspersed throughout. At one point, I laughed out loud - bringing to mind one of my favorite (and funniest) books of all time, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore.

I found less than a handful of grammatical errors, but no more than I typically find in top-selling books these days (the notion of someone "peaking" down a woman's blouse, however, did elicit a giggle). That aside, it's very well written and is, perhaps sadly, an on-the-money commentary of what ails society today. Definitely worth reading!

The Second Coming: A Love Story by Scott Pinsker (Scott Pinsker Publishing, June 2014); 238 pp.