Author: HCNewton Page 524 of 625

Guilty Minds by Joseph Finder

By

On June 7, 2016

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Guilty MindsGuilty Minds

by Joseph Finder
Series: Nick Heller, #3

eARC, 400 pg.
Dutton, 2016

Read: June 1-2, 2016

The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones:
               – Julius Caesar, Act 3, scene ii

Everyone’s favorite private spy, Nick Heller, is back. This Jack Reacher with a budget gets hired to head off a scandal that may threaten the career of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He’s not hired by the Justice, of course, but by a powerful friend. Washington, D.C. being Washington, D. C. not only does the Justice have powerful friends, he has powerful enemies. Heller assumes that they’re behind the scandal breaking on the gossip website, and sets his sites on not only stopping them but exposing them.

There’s more going on than even someone with Heller’s instincts expect — what seems like a pretty routine case (with high stakes) turns into something with life or death stakes. Not shocking, it’s why we read these things.

I love the way that Heller’s mind works — watching him prepare (even quickly) to break into an apartment, or take out a group of kidnappers is one of the highlights of these books. What’s even better is that his hacker can’t do everything. His buddies/colleagues make blunders. What’s more, Heller makes mistakes — errors in judgement, letting personal biases get in the way, bad assumptions. Sure, Heller’s super-human (it’s why we read him), but he’s not perfect. It’s his reaction to the mistakes, his recalculations, his new plans that separate Heller from a lot of these characters who are a little more perfect.

There’s a twist or two, people who aren’t what they seem (in good and bad ways for Heller), and some solid fight scenes (with and without weapons). Pretty much just what you want in a thriller. I’m not sure that I’m crazy about the resolution or the epilogue, but I don’t mind them and honestly I can’t think of a better way for things to play out (and before that, I had just that one complaint). So, I guess a great 380 or so pages, followed by a decent 20.

It took less than a page or two (hard to tell on my screen) to remember what I liked about the style of this series, Heller’s voice, and his crew (although this book relied less on his regular supporting cast than the previous two). If I quoted every snappy line from the first chapter, you’d stop reading this post as tl;dr (and the publisher would come after me) — and things got better from there. Great internal dialogue. Finder writes lean prose without an inch of fat, but it’s not dry, not lacking anything — it’s full of personality and intelligence. There was one thread that seemed pretty important that Finder just abandoned, which is odd for him. Still, anytime you get an action hero quipping about coffee, I’m going to pay attention.

I had coffee. I took one sip and put it down. It tasted like something brewed by someone who disapproved of coffee.

I appreciated the observation about airport/tarmac security, and just with that Heller had spent more time with that. Maybe in the fourth book?

Smooth prose, good action, well-paced, and just a fun story. A real pleasure to read from beginning to end.

I received this book from Net Galley in return for the above thoughts. Thanks to Net Galley and Dutton for the good read. As it was an ARC, there’s a chance that the quotation above might not be in the published version, I’ll try to confirm as soon as I can next month.

—–

4 Stars

United States of Books – The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington

By

On June 6, 2016

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, United States of Books

The Magnificent AmbersonsThe Magnificent Ambersons

by Booth Tarkington
Series: The Growth Trilogy, #2

Mass Market Paperback, 346 pg.
Tor Classics, 2001 (first published 1918)
Read: May 12 – 14, 2016

… the grandeur of the Amberson family was instantly conspicuous as a permanent thing: it was impossible to doubt that the Ambersons were entrenched, in their nobility and riches, behind polished and glittering barriers which were as solid as they were brilliant, and would last.

If only, if only . . .

How do you enjoy a 300+ page book with a protagonist who is an arrogant, petulant, jackwad with no obviously redeeming qualities for the first 300 pages? Well, it’s tough. But if it’s as well told as The Magnificent Ambersons, it’s possible.

Sure, that’s a little bit of a spoiler — George Amberson Minafer does develop a couple of redeeming qualities in the last 30 pages or so. But you know what? The book is almost a century old, you’ve had plenty of time to read it if you’re worried about spoilers.

The plot is straightforward: At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, an impossibly rich family produces an arrogant twit as the only heir. Unbeknownst to him, the economy is changing and the family is beginning to fall on hard times. Too proud to admit it, they continue living as if they have all the money in the world. Meanwhile, the twit falls for a girl who’s humble, kind, and wise. For some inexplicable reason, she falls for him, too. Things happen, they don’t get together and the bottom falls out on the Ambersons. There’s family drama, too — between the financial crisis, health problems, love, old flames, and scandal, there’s plenty to entertain a reader (if they can put up with younger George).

Most of the characters are pretty thin — there are exceptions (George’s mother, aunt and non-ambassador uncle, are the best) — but even the developed ones aren’t as fleshed out as we would have them today. But it fits with Tarkington’s overall style. It’s very, very difficult to like most of the people on these pages. So the ones you’d normally sort-of like, you end up really enjoying.

What makes this book work is Tarkington’s style. It’s hard to describe — highly detailed (for example, there’s so much attention paid to clothing and fashion that you’d almost think Gail Carriger had a hand in this), with a dry sense of humor, and plenty of cultural commentary. He changes his focus repeatedly: he’ll jusmp months or years at at time, and summarize events from those months in a paragraph or less and then cover a single evening in 15 pages, so he can highlight what matters and ignore the rest. But better than the plot (or characters), you get lines like this: “Some day the laws of glamour must be discovered, because they are so important that the world would be wiser now if Sir Isaac Newton had been hit on the head, not by an apple, but by a young lady.” How do you not keep reading for things like that?

Tarkington takes time out from the narrative to say

Youth cannot imagine romance apart from youth. That is why the roles of the heroes and heroines of plays are given by the managers to the most youthful actors they can find among the competent. Both middle-aged people and young people enjoy a play about young lovers; but only middle-aged people will tolerate a play about middle-aged lovers; young people will not come to see such a play, because, for them, middle-aged lovers are a joke–not a very funny one. Therefore, to bring both the middle-aged people and the young people into his house, the manager makes his romance as young as he can. Youth will indeed be served, and its profound instinct is to be not only scornfully amused but vaguely angered by middle-age romance.

I assume that captures the spirit of the late 19th/early 20th Century — if you take out the word “play” and put in “film” or “show,” it does a pretty good job of capturing the spirit of the early 21st Century, too. Which is a pretty nice achievement for a piece of writing.

The book isn’t a chronicle of the changes to the American culture/economy due to industrialization, it’s a family drama. But if you pay attention to what’s going around the lovebirds, cads and gossips, you can see those changes taking place. It’s a temptation for someone to cheat a little when writing historical fiction and make characters seem smarter than they are by knowing how predictions would actually turn out, Takington’s not above falling into that. Note what Eugene Morgan, early designer of automobiles says:

“With all their speed forward [automobiles] may be a step backward in civilization–that is, in spiritual civilization. It may be that they will not add to the beauty of the world, nor to the life of men’s souls. I am not sure. But automobiles have come, and they bring a greater change in our life than most of us suspect. They are here, and almost all outward things are going to be different because of what they bring. They are going to alter war, and they are going to alter peace. I think men’s minds are going to be changed in subtle ways because of automobiles; just how, though, I could hardly guess. But you can’t have the immense outward changes that they will cause without some inward ones, and it may be that George is right, and that the spiritual alteration will be bad for us. Perhaps, ten or twenty years from now, if we can see the inward change in men by that time, I shouldn’t be able to defend the gasoline engine, but would have to agree with him that automobiles ‘had no business to be invented.'”

That was 98 years ago, think what he’d say now about the automobile’s impact on culture (he’d probably cite James Howard Kunstler’s The Geography of Nowhere).

A dull(ish) story, full of unsympathetic characters acting foolishly (on the whole), with a quaint writing style that somehow makes it all work. I can’t explain it, I’m just glad I read it. You just might feel the same way, give it a shot.

—–

3.5 Stars

Saturday Miscellany – 6/4/16

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On June 4, 2016

In Books, News/Misc.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them (especially if you read BookRiot a lot), but just in case:

    This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:

  • The Cupid Reconciliation by Michael R. Underwood — The bestest
    Genrenaut     story yet. I hope you all are reading this series (or at least buying them).
  • We’re All Damaged by Matthew Norman — Norman’s follow-up to Domestic Violets is a strong candidate for my year-end list. Probably a stronger candidate if I ever get around to reading it. Still, it looks nice on my TBR shelf.
  • The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction by Neil Gaiman — do I really need to say more than just the author’s name?
  • Death by Cliché by Bob Defendi — “Death by Cliché is a heartwarming tale of catastrophic brain damage. Share it with someone you love. Or like. Or anyone at all. Buy the book.” The Big Idea about it.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and thanks to Sidney (in case you’re reading this) for the very nice and helpful email this week.

A Change of Heart by Mark Benjamin

By

On June 3, 2016

In Fiction, News/Misc., Urban Fantasy

A Change of HeartA Change of Heart

by Mark Benjamin
Series: The Royal Blood Chronicles, #1

Kindle Edition, 426 pg.
Mark Benjamin, 2016

Read: May 26 – 31, 2016

When I listen to/read interviews with authors, I hear frequent mentions of “Trunk Novels” (writers of other formats have similar labels for their scripts or whatever), the novels they wrote at the beginning of their careers that they don’t try to submit to agents/publishers, but use to learn their craft. Then they put them in a trunk (or a disused folder on their hard drive), and move on. In the age of digital publishing, there are (I fear) a lot of what would otherwise be Trunk Novels up for sale at various places online. I think ten years ago, A Change of Heart would probably have been that kind of learning experience for Mark Benjamin, instead, it went up for sale last weekend.

Don’t get me wrong — it’s not a bad book. Sure not a good book, either.

A Royal vampire is about to die, but he knows (based on a prophetic vision) that he will sire the most powerful vampire in history. Which means he’d better get to siring, and quick. Thankfully, a bullied bookworm stumbles upon him at just this point, and just before dawn, Gabriel Harper is turned into a vampire.

What follows for Gabe is a lot like the best part of the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movie, he stops wearing glasses, becomes muscular and coordinated, confident enough to take on bullies and talk to girls. Sure, he has a craving for raw meat — but you can’t get everything you want, right?

Gabe and his friends are out celebrating their graduation a couple of months later and are almost attacked by some vampires. This attack (and Gabe’s probable successful defense of his pals) is prevented by a group of paramilitary men. These are members of the Silver Legion — a group dedicated to hunting down vampires (see The Initiative from Buffy season 4). Because Gabe & co saw them, they are drafted into the Legion. Basically. It’s not really that well justified, honestly.

The Legionnaires are supposedly a well-oiled machine, but basically are on the verge of falling apart — petty rivalries, glory-hounds, secret initiatives and politics are about to tear everything apart. How supernaturally strong creatures haven’t destroyed them yet is just a sign that they’re not trying that hard. The Vampire Courts are just as rife with internal weaknesses and schemes, which probably explains why the Legion still has a chance.

Benjamin did pull off a late surprise — I’d sussed it out before he revealed it, but not long before. I’ve got to give him that (which sounds more begrudging than I intended). On the whole, the intertwining plots just make everything unnecessarily convoluted — he was going for complex, but missed. The last two chapters were clearly intended to spur readers on to the sequel, but I’m not sure they set the bait quite right — the last chapter in particular was more obscure than mysterious.

Weak plot elements can be forgiven and/or overlooked if you’re given characters you can care about. And there just aren’t that many of them here. There are a few characters I like, but just a bit — the way that Benjamin writes these people make it hard to like, empathize with, or care about.

There was a lot of talk about senility, occasionally involving people a decade or two away from it. Along the same lines, you’ve got a lot of college students (on the verge of graduation, no less) acting like high schoolers. For that matter, the back-biting, scheming, and jealousy displayed by both members of the Legionnaires and Vampires seems fit for Beverly Hills, 90210. Don’t get me started on discussions of virginity — I cannot believe adults carrying on that way.

I didn’t intend on writing a negative post here — I liked bits of it, and I’ve read worse things this year — mostly, I didn’t mind it and am pretty lukewarm about it. Benjamin was trying, he set his sights on the sky and tried to hit it. Sadly he didn’t.

In short, there are worse ways to spend some time than with this book — and underneath a lot of mis-directed ambition, there’s the makings of a good book.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for this post — sorry about that Mr. Benjamin.

—–

2 1/2 Stars

A Few Quick Questions With…Walt Hackman

By

On June 3, 2016

In (Auto)Biography, A Few Quick Questions With..., Non-Fiction, Writing

Late last year, I was approached by Walt Hackman to read and review his book, No Problem, Mr. Walt. Which was absolutely not my kind of book, but there was something about it that appealed to me. I’m glad I did, it was quite a tale. I reposted my take on it earlier today, in honor of the book launch tomorrow. Walt was kind enough to take part in a Q & A with me — which was enough to make me want to re-read the book. Hopefully, it convinces some of you to give it a first read.

I’m always interested in the writing process, why writers make the choices they make along the way — why did you decide to approach your story by mixing Chinese history with the story of your junk?
When I started to outline and write “No Problem, Mr. Walt” it was not in chronological order. As each Chapter unfolded, I found myself writing about subject matter that emerged along with my story – like the reference to caulking from Marco Polo’s journal or the Cultural Revolution – and it occurred to me that including snippets of Chinese history would assist the reader by providing context to make my story more relevant. So, at the beginning of Chapter Two I begin with “I think it is safe to say that the average American may suffer a bit of historical amnesia regarding China’s recent history. Therefore, I have decided to start in the next chapter with the last Emperor Pu Yi in the early 1900s, and present the reader with a brief history up to the present; these bits of history will be presented at the beginning of each chapter. If you understand China’s recent past, it will be easier to understand references to history in the story, and easier to understand present-day China.”
For that matter, why did you decide to Where there some anecdotes/memories that you wanted to put in the book, but couldn’t find a way to fit them into the narrative? Care to share any?
Yes, there are a few but these stand out: the initial draft included poetry that I wrote depicting experiences I had such as the bus ride in Chapter 23. However, the editor felt including them would take away from the story’s narrative so I kept the content they included but the poems themselves were removed.

More importantly, my journey began with the sudden death of my only son Wally, which is something I find very difficult to talk or write about even to this day. I feel there are no words adequate to explain the anguish, sadness and magnitude of our loss. Those parts of the story that dealt with “Rebuilding a (my) Life” were tough for me to write (and rewrite).  That being said, Wally’s death was the catalyst that propelled me on that improbable journey and is an important part of the story even though I only talk about it briefly in the Preface.  I did the best I could to address it but feel that in a future revision I might find a better way to tell that part of the story. My daughter Lynn is a writer and owned the Mei Wen Ti from 2000 to 2008, I think hers might be the voice that best explains that time in our lives and we’ve been discussing a collaboration.
What was the biggest surprise about the writing itself?
Steven King said in On Writing, “….I believe the first draft of a book – even a long one – should take no longer than three months, the length of a season.” For me, my biggest surprise was how long it took me to write the book. Not months but years!

I tell people it was easier to build a boat in China than it was to write a book about it.  Even though I approached my writing with discipline, I found it impossible for me to write a fixed amount daily or weekly like King suggested. I set a goal and really believed that I would get the book completed before the China Olympics in 2008. But looking back, I would still do it all over again because this project has never been about notoriety or money, I have always thought it could be a good story that people might enjoy.
A lot of what makes a writer are the books that he’s read — what books in particular do you think made you the writer you are/the book the book it is? (other than the books on Chinese history, etc.) .
Before starting the book, I read Steven King’s On Writing. One of his main points is that generally, if you want to be a good writer you must be a good reader. I’ve always been an avid reader but I began reading a lot more beginning with every book Steinbeck ever wrote. Somehow, knowing I was going to write a book caused me to notice writing subtleties and styles that I liked. After all the Steinbeck, I read Hemingway’s Boat, The Sun Also Risesand A Farewell to Arms, etc. Even though King’s On Writing is centered around writing fiction, it helped me and I often referenced it along the way.
You’ve lived quite a life — is there another book in you?
The answer is yes. I have given this more thought than you can imagine. I’d like to write a revision of No Problem, Mr. Walt that would meet approval for sale in China (i.e. tone down any reference to Communism that might be viewed as “unfavorable”) And similar to how I included Chinese history for western audiences, this version would be a juxtaposition that includes U.S. history and customs.

On my trips to China, people were fascinated about the junk (surprisingly, you don’t see a whole lot of them especially the size and style of the Mei Wen Ti) and the fact that I was even there building it. Junks (sail boats) have not been built in China now for many years since the introduction of modern engines. Many people I met wanted to know what I was doing in China, why I walked to the bus station and rode the bus, why I was wearing cowboy boots, if I liked the food, if I could tell them about California, why the U.S. was selling our latest jets to Taiwan, etc. Lastly, I believe the book is a simple story that the current generation of Chinese people would enjoy. The collaborative work with my daughter is also a possibility since No Problem, Mr. Walt ends with the delivery of the Mei Wen Ti on the docks in San Pedro. The story that proceeded to unfold after the Mei Wen Ti hit U.S. soil (or rather, water) is a unique one all its own!

No Problem, Mr. Walt by Walt Hackman

By

On June 3, 2016

In (Auto)Biography

Reposting this in honor of the book launch tomorrow. This’d make a great Father’s Day gift, for those looking for something that’s not a tie. . .

No Problem, Mr. WaltNo Problem, Mr. Walt: A Memoir of Loss, Building a Boat, Rebuilding a Life, & Discovering China

by Walt Hackman
ARC
Publish Authority, 2016
Read: February 18 – 26, 2016

Walt Hackman led an interesting life — sometimes, too interesting. At the age of 55, while trying to decide how to move forward from some major life changes and recover from a great tragedy, he decides to fulfill a long-held dream and move onto a boat. The question was only: what kind of boat?

He decides on a Chinese Junk. And then proceeds to figure out how to get one built for him — not a replica, not a used Junk — but an authentic, Chinese, made they way they’ve been made for centuries, built just for him.

As mid-life crises go, it’s a lot more creative and original than a red Porsche. *

The process was long, involved, troubled, and confusing. Which is works out well for the reader, because it makes for an interesting story for Walt to tell. He walks us through the process involving banks, embassies, multi-national shipping, translators (professional and not), engineers, trans-pacific flights, and a whole lot of tea.

But it’s not just a story about getting his Junk built — it’s a story about Hackman learning how to get things done in China, what he learned about the culture, and how he applied that. For me, this was the most appealing part (really, as interesting as it was, the boat portion of his tale was pretty straightforward).

Hackman did a lot of research into Chinese culture and history — and shares that with his reader. You could get a quick and dirty understanding of Chinese history just by reading the little his chapter introductions. But it’s not just about the big things like the Great Wall, the history of Chinese shipbuilding, various leaders, and whatnot — he talks about culture — the need to make sure everyone saves face in a discussion (and how to ensure that), and even Chinese singing and fighting (??) crickets — which are sometimes kept as pets, in tiny little boxes.

It wouldn’t be a book about international travel, business, and misunderstandings without some travel horror stories — but wow, he had some doozies. Which is probably why those kind of stories are so ubiquitous, they’re great bits of temporary drama that everyone can relate to. They’re also great reinforcement for those of us who aren’t that into travel to stay home.

Second only to travel horrors, are stories about food when it comes to narratives about other countries/cultures. Hackman described both restaurant and home-cooked meals. He gave a lot of detail about home-cooking — both by his Chinese-American friend and her family in China. Also, thanks to an encounter Hackman had walking around and talking to strangers, I learned more about the traditional way to prepare duck than I ever wanted/needed to know.

Most of us have seen enough travel shows, documentaries, etc. about China to get the idea just how foreign a land it is to Western eyes (even The Drew Carey Show sufficiently demonstrated that), and Hackman’s descriptions helped reinforce that. But more effective was his bringing things like coming home to the aftermath of the L. A. Riots (that he had no idea were happening) demonstrated the contrast with his time in China and underlined how otherworldly it can be over there (although in the age of 24-hour news cycles and smartphones, that might not be as stark now.).

It’d be easy to expect this book to be an exploration of Hackman’s dealing with the emotional and familial hardships in his life — but nope. It’s just what it promises: a story about a man trying to get a boat built. That other stuff happens, you can tell, but that’s not what this book is about — part of me would’ve like to see how his construction project helped him find the distance or whatever he needed — but I just found it refreshing that he didn’t use this story as an excuse to deal with all that in print.

Actually, now that I think of it — that’s pretty typical of Hackman — he doesn’t share his thought process (by and large) with the reader. We don’t really get an explanation for his choice of Chinese Junk, just that after some thought, he picked that. We see the results of his thinking, we see some of what his research (both via book and being around the culture) have taught him — but we get almost nothing of the process. Now, that’s a strange approach for this kind of book (at least by current standards), but it works.

The book’s subtitle is: “Building a Boat, Rebuilding a Life, & Discovering China.” Well, Walt Hackman does all three, but we really only get to see two of those. Building his boat and discovering China are enough to carry the book, and allow him to do the rebuilding. This is not the kind of book I normally read, but when Hackman contacted me about reading an ARC, something about it made me sign on — and I’m glad I did. It’s a fascinating book and an easy, rewarding read. Give it a shot, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Disclaimer: I was provided an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review – I still might end up getting a hard copy, just so I can have that cover to look at easily (can’t tell much from that thumbnail, but it’s great – click through to the website and check it out).

* I’m not trying to make light of everything Hackman was going for, his crises were a lot worse than most.

—–

3.5 Stars

The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron

By

On June 2, 2016

In Book Tour, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The CleanSweep ConspiracyThe CleanSweep Conspiracy

by Chuck Waldron
Series: Matt Tremain Technothriller, #1

Kindle Edition, 304 pg.
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016

Read: May 21 – 25, 2016


Matt Tremain is a man on the run — authorities are broadcasting his picture all over, the police are hunting for him. Not a typical reaction to a tech/privacy blogger (this blogger would like that amount, not kind, of attention) — but that’s the impact that his stories about CleanSweep are possibly having. At the very least, he’s got a few very influential people paying attention, and that’s enough for the powers behind CleanSweep to want him quieted.

Thankfully, he has some allies who have his back — both in Toronto, and around the world, so he’s able to escape the initial attempts to bring him in. Unsure who to trust, he’s living as off-of-the-grid as he possibly can (while maintaining his blog as much as he can — not easy).

Still, this just emboldens him, as well as showing him that the clock is running, and he won’t be able to do anything to prevent this from becoming permanent soon. So Matt, a couple of allies in the press, one in law enforcement, and a few he hasn’t met yet, get busier at exposing what they believe to be a conspiracy devoted to stamping out undesirable elements in society. Toronto will be ground zero, but it won’t be long before this Conspiracy moves to other parts of the world, destroying privacy, civil liberties and lives along the way. Dystopia looms large in these pages, not one decades or centuries away, either; this is a 15-minutes into the future dystopia.

I can’t talk much more about the plot — or most of the characters — without giving too much away. So I’ll just say there are a lot of well-drawn characters trying to do their best at work here. Without exception, everyone of Matt’s allies would be someone I’d like to have more of (not saying that we didn’t get sufficient time with them, just that they were interesting enough to have around more).

And then there are (for wont of a different phrase) the bad guys. With one exception (Claussen’s security chief, Angela Vaughn), these are not well drawn, or that interesting — they’re evil, and that’s about it. Which makes it easier to root against them, but harder to get invested in them as characters.

I’ve got a couple of minor quibbles, and one that’s pretty big. First, for people thus concerned with being spied on, Matt and his allies sure do use their smartphones a lot. Also, the timeline is sometimes too hard to track with, it’s unclear frequently when we’re getting a flashback — and how far back we’re flashing — or when we’re back to “the present.” Lastly, governmental agencies move a little too quickly at the end — probably the hardest part to believe.

My biggest problem with the book was, to me, fairly significant, and ended up toning down my enthusiasm for recommending it. There’s a chapter (maybe two, but I’m pretty sure it was one) wherein Claussen meets with the men with the money and government clout needed to fully implement his plan. A lot of what is revealed about the plan, we readers knew and/or surmised from what had been hinted at, suggested, etc. before. But before it had been shown to us, here it was told to us. And not in a very interesting way — it was basically the part of a James Bond flick where the villain tells Bond his plan just before he leaves him to die (which, of course, he doesn’t). This time there were no Bonds around, just the people who’d enable the villain’s plan. The evil was as plain as day here, and told in the kind of detail no one needed — the only thing missing from this were the conspirators twirling their mustaches. Seriously, you take out this chapter (or edit it a lot), and this book would’ve got a higher rating from me.

Add a little more gray to this, tone down the villains just a shade, and you’ve got yourself a knock out. As it is, it’s a pretty good read — and a chilling reminder of what could be around the corner. The tech feels real, the police state imposed doesn’t sound that far-fetched, the aims of the conspirators carry the feel of legitimacy. This rings entirely of something that could’ve been ripped from the headlines — but thankfully wasn’t (I think). You will keep turning pages, wanting to know what happens to Matt and the rest — you’ll appreciate some small flashes of humanity and the courage that resides in unlikely places.

Give this one a shot. Not only will you probably enjoy this, but like me, you’ll want to get your hands on more by Waldron.

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest thoughts.

—–

3.5 Stars

A Few Quick Questions With…Chuck Waldron

By

On June 2, 2016

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Book Tour, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

For part two of The CleanSweep Conspiracy tour, I got Chuck Waldron to A some Qs.

Why Canada? Is it because the U. S. would be the obvious and/or easy choice? Or is there something else going on?
Who would expect something like The CleanSweep Conspiracy can take place in a city known as “Toronto the Good?” After all, Toronto is part of a nation known and respected for civility, peace, and good government.

The story is completely a figment of my imagination. I could have used many places, but chose to keep it in Toronto. The setting in the original manuscript was a North American fictitious city. Since the inspiration for The CleanSweep Conspiracy was an event that took place in Toronto in 2010, I decided to rewrite my novel and let Toronto be the location.

I hope there are checks and balances in both Canada and the United States that will prevent something like this from ever happening. That said, I do believe there is an undercurrent in our society that keeps the thought of something like The CleanSweep Conspiracy a possibility.

Then again…
Clifford’s line: “Techies like you never think past high-tech solutions,” sounds like an oft-repeated aphorism. Is Clifford your cameo? If not, is there a Chuck Waldron-like character in this book?
Clifford my cameo? Maybe. According to research I’ve read, I’m of an age that should make me technologically phobic. Instead, I seem to embrace each new gadget, app, or program. At least I like to kick the tires. It may be an oft-repeated aphorism as you say, but as much as I like technology, I sometimes fear we give up part of our humanness when we reach for the high-tech cloud-world.

Part of Clifford’s role in the story was to really know Mattie. He was the link between her and Matt Tremain.

If Clifford is my cameo, I thank him for the honor.
How much of the plot (especially the conspiracy) did you have worked out before starting, and how much did you figure out mid-stream? Is this the way you normally go about things?
I lived with the idea for over two years before I started to think of an outline. I’m not sure where the conspiracy part came into it. I don’t jump on conspiracy theories like the FEMA trailers that will be turned into concentration camps. I don’t waste a lot of time thinking about Area 51.

My novel was simply a what-if idea that started to take shape as a story.

Writers talk about writing by plot or by the seat-of-the-pants. I usually have a rough outline, but I tend to be the latter. I like to let my characters dictate their story as I go along.

For me, if a character isn’t well developed it’s hard to carry a storyline.
Who are some of your major influences? (whether or not you think those influences can be seen in your work — you know they’re there)
I was a history major in college. Lawrence E. Gelfand, my professor, is an influence. Ironically he died the same year (2010) as the event that inspired my novel. I tip my hat to the memory of Henrietta Blake, my first writing teacher. She gave me permission to write and assured me I didn’t need a license to be a writer. Writers that have inspired me include Hemingway, John Le Carre, James Lee Burke, William Manchester and much, much more. Like most writers, I’m an avid reader.
What’s next for you? I’m assuming your next book is well underway, what can you tell us?
Two, actually. I’ve never tried it, but I’m working on two storylines that I can’t seem to let go. I like Matt Tremain, the protagonist in The CleanSweep Conspiracy. He just might hang around for another story. On a recent visit to Cuba, I couldn’t avoid thinking about Hemingway and the downward spiral at the end of his life. We all know he committed suicide in Idaho. But what if there is an alternative ending?

Just saying.

The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron Book Tour

By

On June 2, 2016

In Book Tour, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Welcome to our Book Tour stop for The CleanSweep Conspiracy. Along with this blurb about the book and author I’ve got a Q & A with the author, Chuck Waldron, and my 2¢ about the book.

Matt Tremain publishes Verité, a modest blog dedicated to writing about the truth and exposing scams. When he follows up on rumors concerning something called CleanSweep, a mysterious project in Toronto, Canada, Matt needs to decide if he’s going to take a stand and reveal the truth.

Book Details:

Book Title:  The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron
Category:  Adult fiction, 304 pages
Genre:  Thriller / dystopian
Publisher:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release date:  March 2016
Content Rating:  PG + M

Book Description:

Matt Tremain publishes Verité, a modest blog dedicated to writing about the truth and exposing scams. Currently, he’s following up on rumors concerning something called CleanSweep, a mysterious project in Toronto, Canada.

Matt gets his break when a whistleblower connects CleanSweep to billionaire Charles Claussen. Claussen plans to rid Toronto of undesirables, beginning with street people and extending to any citizens who don’t match Claussen’s restrictive screening matrix.

With the help of a high-ranking government official, Claussen plans to incite riots and violent unrest, conning Torontonians into sacrificing privacy and civil liberties for illusionary security and safety. Toronto will be reduced to a repressive city-state.

The information overwhelms Matt, who doubts he has the courage, skill, or readership to take on CleanSweep. But the murder of his source convinces the blogger to take a stand—although he’s too late to prevent chaos from gripping Toronto’s streets.

To get the word out, Matt’s going to need allies. He may have found some in a Toronto police detective and a local TV reporter pursuing the same story—presuming they aren’t allied with Claussen. If they are, Matt’s going to become yet another victim of CleanSweep, and the truth will be buried forever.

Meet the author:

Born in Iowa, Chuck Waldron lived in Ontario, Canada, before relocating to Florida’s Treasure Coast. Over the years, he’s held many jobs. The ones he can mention in print include US Army soldier, truck driver, office manager, mailman, real estate salesman, social worker, hardware store clerk, and shuttle driver.
Chuck Waldron
Fate played a crucial role when he walked into his first writing class, and he still honors the memory of the teacher, Henrietta. She gave him permission to write. That—along with countless writing groups, classes, seminars, and much sweat—has resulted in over fifty short stories and four novels.

Waldron often likes to pretend interest, lacks perseverance, and could generally use a good talking to—until it comes to his writing, that is. He and his wife Suzanne reside in Port St. Lucie, Florida. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and Burmese pythons, he’s busy writing his next novel

Connect with the author:

Website   Twitter   Facebook

May 2016 Report

By

On June 1, 2016

In Books, Calendar Items, Currently Reading, News/Misc.

So, here’s what happened here in May.

Books Read:

Still Reading:

Reformed Dogmatics, Volume 2 Revelation and Reason From the Finger of God

Reviews Posted:

How was your month?

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