sorry for going off-message (well, a little sorry) — but this kind of thing is important.
Category: Uncategorized
How It All Began by Penelope Lively
Hardcover, 240 pg.
Viking Adult, 2012
Read: May 2-3, 2012
Humbug. What a poorly-written, pretentious little thought-experiment disguised as a novel. In case you haven’t been beaten over the head with it in books, TV and film there’s this thing called Chaos Theory–usually explained by the Butterfly Effect; Lively starts off with one event and then examines how the butterfly of an elderly woman’s mugging effects the lives of 20 or so others.
As far as that goes…a decent setup. But we have to keep revisiting the conceit, every few chapters we have to have a recap that all of the things going on are because of this mugging. Over and over again. And about halfway through (minor spoiler), we get this big lecture about Chaos Theory. Juuuust in case we haven’t got it yet.
When she’s not browbeating us with that, Lively tells some okay stories. With the stress on “tells”, rarely, if ever, showing.
The best thing I can say is that at least Lively doesn’t interrupt really appealing characters in the middle of fun, compelling stories with this application of Chaos Theory.
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Changeling
by Kelly Meding
Paperback, 384 pg.
Pocket Books, 2012
I’ll be honest — when I saw that this sequel would have a different narrator/central character than Trance, I lost a lot of interest in it, and really only started the thing since I’d already spent the $$ and had a mild dose of curiosity. Within 20 pages, though, I was in–hook, line, sinker, and probably even rod and reel.
The same fun, excitement and heart that characterized Trance, are fully present and accounted for in this installment. This is a great world that Meding has created for us, and I can’t wait to get back to it.
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Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum, #11
Mass Market Paperback, 321 pg.
St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 2006
So here in number eleven, Evanovich shakes things up a bit. Stephanie’s had enough of the way things are going and quits the bounty hunter biz. This leads her to the first of a series of ridiculous and embarrassing jobs (and one great one). Great, funny stuff there.
But, of course, the bounty hunter biz isn’t done with Stephanie–someone from her past wants to settle a score, so the book’s more than just a montage of crappy jobs.
The more things change, the more they stay the same: Despite her best efforts, Stephanie gets her man; the family and relationship stuff are at their usual goofy levels; and once again, car insurance premiums in the Burg are jacked up.
I have no doubt that there will be a return to the status quo, but I’m hoping we keep the current setup for another book or two.
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The Affair
by Lee Child
Series: Jack Reacher, #16
Hardcover, 405 pg.
Delacorte Press, 2011
“You want me to impersonate a civilian?” [Reacher said]
“It’s not that hard. we’re all members of the same species, more our less. You’ll figure it out.”
Thus begins the sixteenth Jack Reacher novel. Taking place in 1997, he’s still an MP, and is being sent undercover into a small town near an army base, while another investigator is being sent into the base it self to investigate a murder possibly tied to base personnel.
His undercover disguise looks pretty much like the post-discharge Jack Reacher we know — no job, good pair of boots, a toothbrush and one shirt. He wanders into town, finds an ally or two and gets to work.
It takes very little time for Reacher to find himself at odds with some locals (I didn’t think this storyline was all that satisfying, but it gave Reacher a chance to bash in a few heads). Not that he’s ever short of ego, but he seems cockier than I’m used to — I’m assuming that comes from the inherent authority of an MP as opposed to a loan wanderer. Regardless, it was a kick to read his encounters, with this extended family:
He said, “Is there a reason I don’t get out of this truck and kick your butt?”
I said, “Two hundred and six reasons.”
He said, “What?”
“That’s how many bones you got in your body. I could break them all before you put a glove on me.”
Which got his buddy going. Hist instinct was to stick up for his friend and face down a challenge. He leaned further out his own window and said, “You think?”
I said, “Often all day long. It’s a good habit to have.”
The local county sheriff is a former Marine MP, and it takes her no time at all to suss out Reacher’s purpose and to recruit him to help her investigation into this — and related — murders. Yes, her — that particular plotline is self-evident (although this is a bit . . . more explicit than Child’s norm).
There’s little suspense in this — 1. It takes place before Killing Floor, so you know Reacher’s not killed, 2. how seriously worried are you ever that Reacher will survive? Sure, you wonder what will happen to those around him — what the collateral damage is going to be, but that’s about it. Nevertheless — the final hundred pages or so of this is an edge of your seat ride. Which is par for the course for Child, doesn’t make it any less fun.
Beyond the murder investigation — or more properly, around it — are politics (federal, local and military), discussion of the role (and shape) of the military, the future of the U. S. Army (contrasted with some other branches). In the end, the identity of the murder is pretty obvious — but the twisty path that Reacher and the others travel to find it, what obstacles they overcome, and the fallout — that’s what makes this a very satisfying read.
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Trying to get a review up today, but my typical caffeine dose just didn’t cut it this morning, so I’m running behind. Maybe I can tide ya over with a couple of ratings from some reviews that are in progress:
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey 5 out of 5 stars
The Last Word by Lisa Lutz 4 out of 5 stars
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 5 out of 5 stars
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan 4 out of 5 stars (this one might turn into 5 by the time I’m done writing the review)
Yeah, I’m in the middle of a good streak right now. Won’t last forever, but I’m enjoying the ride.
Big News: I may have secured an interview with the author of one of my favorite books of 2012 — and I’m sure the sequel will be in the running this year, too — I just have to read it. I’ll let you know more as details arise. Super-excited about this.