Category: Fiction Page 275 of 348

The Highwayman by Craig Johnson

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On June 9, 2016

In Authors, Craig Johnson, F-J, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Walt Longmire

The Highwayman The Highwayman

by Craig Johnson
Series: Walt Longmire, #11.5

Hardcover, 190 pg.
Viking, 2016

Read: June 7 -8, 2016

We’re taught to work independently, but nothing strikes you quite like a 10-78 [Officer Needs Assistance], the urgency to reach a fellow officer in need. It’s instinctual to individuals who are trained to respond and risk their lives for each other and complete strangers.”

Having been in Wyoming Law Enforcement for so long, he knows pretty much every officer in the state. One such person is Rosey Wayman, a Highway patrolman who’s having some problems. She’s taken a new assignment, a jurisdiction once patrolled by a (literally) legendary officer. Since then, well, strange things have been happening. Walt and Henry (as a favor to her and her C.O.) have dropped by to act as sort of independent witnesses — basically to determine if her imagination is getting the best of her, or if there are strange things underfoot.

One of the best parts of this series is the way that Johnson writes about things that can’t be readily and easily explained (generally) without spelling things out for the reader. Yes, a character may be having a psychological problem, a physical problem, or there might be a spiritual dimension to what they experience — maybe all of the above — but what Johnson won’t do is tell you what happened. Henry, Walt, Ruby, Lucian or any number of others just might express their thoughts/opinions/beliefs, but the author won’t.

Which means that when Johnson tells a ghost story? You’re in for a good one. One where you have no idea if the ghost in question is a manifestation of someone’s (or multiple someones’) subconscious.

I will admit I was confused when I saw this was advertised as a novella. The last Longmire novel, Dry Bones was 306 pages long, and this was listed at 200 (190 is my count). How did that qualify as a novella (which is a fairly slippery term, anyway)? And then I picked up a copy. This one measured at 5.3″ x 7.4″ (Dry Bones was 6.2″ x 9.2″). Which explained everything. Reading it made it clear that it wasn’t a novel — one story, no personal drama, no ongoing story/character arcs — just Walt, Henry and Rosey on a ghost hunt.

Lean prose, great characters, a setting that means more than just the place where the action takes place (and is described thusly) — everything you want in a Longmire story.

One other thing that I have to mention — the elderly Arapaho sha-woman that Henry introduces Walt to is a real hoot. Her teasing/harassment of Walt was a needed dash of fun in this book, I can only hope that Johnson finds an excuse to use her again.

If this was a novel, it’d be 3-3 ½ stars, but since it’s supposed to be a novella, I’ll give it a 4. Just what the doctor ordered to tide you over until the next full book.

—–

4 Stars

The Ghost Rebellion by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

By

On June 8, 2016

In Steampunk

The Ghost RebellionThe Ghost Rebellion

by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
Series: Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, #5

eARC/Kindle Edition/Trade Paperback, 268 pg.
Imagine That! Studios, 2016

Read: June 3 – 7, 2016

A little house cleaning first. For the 4 of you who read that bit, you’ll notice the part where I describe what format I read is a little more crowded than usual. When I was sent the eARC, I asked when they’d like me to post this, and was told somewhere around the 10th to be close to the release date, so I glanced at it, but didn’t start reading. Then the Kickstarter copy of the ebook came out before I could start it, and then the (very nice!) paperback arrived in time for me to read the last 80 pages or so. So, yeah, it’s not my normal M.O.

But who cares about that, really? Let’s get on with the book…

“Well then,” Wellington began, “the House of Usher is apparently supplying rebels with inferior, supernatural technology, India is on the brink of war with Mother England, all while a madman possessing the ability to turn ordinary people into ten feet monsters is on the loose.”

Eliza bobbed her head, her lips bent in a smirk. “Just another day at the Ministry.”

“Shall I go put the kettle on?”

“Please.”

Just in case you thought things were going to settle down for the Ministry following the events around the Diamond Jubilee, well, forget it. The Agency is recruiting and training new members, reassigning others, and sending their experienced agents all over to help get things back under control
The somewhat unlikely pairing of Agent Bruce Campbell (and seriously, what a great character/tribute) and Brandon Hill is turning out to be a great combination (even if Hill spent too much time with Kellogg and his kooky health theories last time he was in the States). The two go off to Russia in search of an artifact needed by the Ministry, and find themselves in the middle of something big. Potentially very big. Thankfully, there’s plenty of vodka on hand to help.

Things aren’t going swimmingly for the House of Usher and Jeckyll at the moment, either — there’s some internal shakeups/restructuring with the House which should prove to be important for the Ministry. And Jeckyll’s, well, he’s not taking the loss of his royal patient (and everything else that happened in the last book) too well.

Sophia del Morte, of course, makes her presence known as only she can. When she’s not trying to kill Books and Braun, she’s really one of their most reliable allies. This time she has a vital piece of intelligence or two, that’ll not only impact this book, but (I wager) the next. Also, she brings all the right sorts of weapons to every occasion . . .

Meanwhile, while the Ministry rebuilds, Agents Books and Braun are off trying to take care of Jekyll’s remaining and scattered associates. This brings them to India, where they encounter an old friend, an old acquaintance and some ghosts — literal and figurative. Before they know it, they find themselves in the middle of struggles between the British army and assorted groups of Indian rebels wanting to be rid of said Army (and the rest of the government). The links between Jeckyll and this conflict are surprising, and may put a strain on our protagonists’ relationships with various entities.

One thing that isn’t strained, is the relationship between Books and Braun — their young love is still going strong, and is a pleasure to read. Well, okay, there’s one little strain — Wellington Books himself. We’ve seen hints — signs — of what Usher and his father had done to Wellington, but now we see more than just signs — we see almost the full-fledged results of what they did. These results are both frightening and astonishing (which is pretty much what Eliza and Wellington felt).

I bet I’ve somehow neglected to talk about the chapter titles in any of the previous novels — shame on me. And if I have mentioned them, they need to be mentioned again. They’re easily something overlooked as one reads — because, really, who cares? — these are not to be missed. Witty, understated and full of Steampunk sensibilities. I don’t know if I’ve ever wondered about this before with any book, but I do wonder how much time they spend crafting these. My guess is that it’s harder than it looks.

I enjoyed the new characters (Bruce’s new pal in particular), and getting to see a couple of old ones in new ways. And it’s always fun to see Eliza, Wellington, Bruce, Brandon and Sophia. I just had such a good time with this. In many ways, this book was just setting the table for the next, and final, installment in the series. But the character development, revelations, and overall entertainment value of the book kept this from just being a way to move pieces around. There was real excitement, good character moments (even from an Usher member or two), and a whole lotta fun, with an ending that leaves you really wanting the next installment.. I really can’t wait to see what the authors have in store for us next — it’ll be great.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC copy from the authors in exchange for an honest review. Also, I backed the Kickstarter for this book. Also, I liked every other book in this series, so I wasn’t exactly an objective reader going in. Not that I ever am.

—–

4 Stars

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

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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

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

The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron

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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

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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

Condominium by Daniel Falatko

By

On May 31, 2016

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Revised for clarification thanks to a helpful comment from Bookstooge.

CondominiumCondominium

by Daniel Falatko

Kindle Edition, 264 pg.
CCLaP Press, 2015

Read: May 17 – 18, 2016


Okay, we have Charles — a worker bee in finance in some NYC firm, on the verge of a drug problem (well, maybe past the verge) — and Sarah — a worker bee in a small press, on the verge of actually working. Charles is making pretty good money, so they decide to buy a condo. They’ve been together for a few years now, and seem to be getting along okay, this seems like a good next step — Sarah has dreams of a ring in the near future, and leaving workforce not too long after that (maybe even before her employer realizes that she doesn’t do much).

The book follows them in the week following them “moving on up.” Somehow, they seem to think that changing their address is going to change their lives. I mean, really, they’re obsessed with this place. They can’t stop talking or thinking about it.

I guess I should mention Charles’ druggie friends, his co-worker that he’s madly in lust with, the people at Sarah’s work and her friends that she almost keeps in touch with, but…well, that’s enough of them, really.

The most intriguing character is their creepy neighbor, Raymond. He’s always around, he knows way too much about them, is possibly a peeping Tom, is a little too militant at cleaning the smoking area and claims to be a day trader (hard to tell how he fits all of that in, but it’s explained eventually). He seems to have a thing for Sarah, which is pretty inexplicable.

The only one who seems less likely to be into Sarah is Charles. And you’d think that’d be an issue, but neither of them seems to think of that much.

Charles seems to have a healthy case of acrophobia, yet insisted on getting an apartment with a balcony and a great view. He can barely stand to be out there, and spends a lot of time working on overcoming it. He has a phobic attack on the balcony early on. Probably the best part of the book. It was enough to make you feel the same, and yet funny as you know what he’s doing to himself. I’d have reacted the very same way – worse, actually — no way would I have loved into that place.

At the same time, I spent a lot of time wishing he’d fall off the balcony and stop the mess.

Day by day things get worse as they unpack, get high, miss work, fight, and try to organize a housewarming party. Because, how else do you get to show off your flooring, your high ceilings, and your view?

The writing was good enough, the characters seemed pretty real — I just couldn’t understand why Falatko spent his time and ability on either.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for this post, which probably didn’t work out the way he’d prefer.

—–

2 1/2 Stars

United States of Books – Drown by Junot Diaz

By

On May 30, 2016

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

DrownDrown

by Junot Díaz

Author: Serena Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit

Drown by Junot Díaz, which Entertainment Weekly selected to represent New York, is not set in New York. It is set in New Jersey. In most cases, the neighborhoods in New Jersey can be transposed over those in New York City. However, given that the young boy views a trip across the bridge as a trip to another world, these New Jersey neighborhoods are unique in terms of how many residents are Dominican and how those residents interact with other minorities. EW said that the “book of stories stands out for its depiction of immigrants striving for their own versions of the American dream,” which is an accurate description.

There are 10 stories in this collection, and Díaz never shies away from the darkness that can envelop an immigrant’s life, especially when jobs and money are scarce and discrimination is around many corners. A young immigrant boy must come to terms with his new life in the United States, after spending his early years feeling abandoned by his father. Living an impoverished life with his mother and brother in the Dominican Republic, waiting for money from their father or even word from him, was somewhat easier because of its familiarity. In the United States, these children must learn to live with a father they barely know, and it is a jarring experience.

The uniforms Mami could do nothing about but with the mascotas she improvised, sewing together sheets of loose paper she had collected from her friends. We each had one pencil and if we lost that pencil, like I once did, we had to stay home from school until Mami could borrow another one for us. (pg. 71, “Aguantando”)

The immigrants in these stories are from the Dominican Republic, but even that does not summarize the power of these tales. A family is fractured by a man with big dreams, but even those dreams are not enough to keep his focus most of the time. One day after pledging his devotion to his wife and children, he takes his family’s money and flies to the United States, leaving his wife and two sons behind. They live a squalid life to say the least, and while they make the best of it with the girls and the friends they have on the dirty streets, they know that there is something missing, and in some cases even blame themselves for the empty space.
Drown by Junot Díaz is gritty. There are dark alleys, drug deals, fights, and sexual promiscuity, but there also is a desolation as these immigrants find that they are without an anchor in American but unable to return comfortably to their former lives. Immigration can provide opportunity, but it also can provide paths that are unsavory and dark, leading to loss and hardship, similar to those left behind in their home countries. These stories seek to shed light on the darker side of immigration and the breakup of families in search of an American dream.
Rating: Quatrain

About the Author:
Junot Díaz was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Drown; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award; and This Is How You Lose Her, a New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist. He is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, PEN/Malamud Award, Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, and PEN/O. Henry Award. A graduate of Rutgers College, Díaz is currently the fiction editor at Boston Review and the Rudge and Nancy Allen Professor of Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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