Fiction Reviews, Mar 1, 2011
Mar 1, 2011
Adrian, Chris. The Great Night. Farrar. May 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780374166410. $26. F
William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream deals with illusion—in particular, the illusion that things can be set aright, as if by magic. This riff by New Yorker 20 Under 40 author Adrian (A Better Angel) is a whole lot darker, declaring that no magic can take away the memory of suffering and that in our self-serving scramble we disdain the pain (and indeed the goodness) of others. On the summer solstice in San Francisco, the fairies come out from under their hill in Buena Vista Park to celebrate Great Night. But this year there will be no celebration, for Oberon has vanished and Titania is thoroughly undone by the death of her Boy, one of the many changelings brought to her by Puck—no mischievous sprite but a malevolent spirit. Even as a rowdy bunch rehearse a play aimed at exposing the mayor’s crimes against the homeless, three people are trapped in the park by the fairies’ madness: uptight Molly, lovesick Will, and gentle, obsessed Henry, who still misses decamped lover Bobby and whose tragic past and connections to other characters unfold tantalizingly. VERDICT Inventive and scarily beautiful, this could wipe out casual readers, but it is an extraordinary novel. [See Prepub Alert, 11/8/10.]—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
Benjamin, Melanie. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. Delacorte. Jul. 2011. c.422p. ISBN 9780385344159. $25. F
This follow-up to Benjamin’s Alice I Have Been is loosely based on the life of Lavinia “Vinnie” Warren Bump, who married world-famous “little person” Charles Stratton (aka Gen. Tom Thumb). Benjamin tells Vinnie’s story from her upbringing in a modest but proud Massachusetts family to her early forays into show business on a seedy riverboat to her eventual fame and fortune as one of P.T. Barnum’s popular attractions. In an essentially arranged marriage, she reserves her emotional intimacy for Barnum and her sister Minnie, with tragic results. VERDICT Vinnie’s first-person narration grabs you from the opening pages, providing hints of the absorbing and entertaining story to come. The novel is also a delightful cavalcade of late 19th-century Americana, as you travel with Vinnie up and down the Mississippi, head westward via the expanding railroad, and hobnob with New York’s rich and famous. Those interested in “behind the scenes” of show business will be equally entranced. [See Prepub Alert, 1/31/11.]—Christine DeZelar-Tiedman, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis
Brockovich, Erin with CJ Lyons. Rock Bottom. Vanguard: Perseus. Mar. 2011. c.272p. ISBN 9781593156251. $25.99. F
Environmental and consumer advocate Brockovich (Take It from Me: Life’s a Struggle but You Can Win) turns to fiction with this debut thriller, written with suspense author Lyons (Critical Condition). Her heroine, A.J. Palladino, has a lot in common with Brockovich. A.J. left home at 17 in troubled circumstances and made a name for herself as an environmental activist in a famous case but found that fame and success were hard to maintain in the legal world. Returning home with her special-needs child, A.J. finds that her West Virginia town is facing environmental ruin at the hands of a large mining corporation. She begins working with a local lawyer to stop the mountaintop removal that is ruining the landscape and the local people’s health. However, her past is inextricably linked with her present. When someone takes the fight beyond litigation, home is not the safe haven A.J. had expected. VERDICT With strong character development and a fast-paced plot, this excellent first novel leaves readers anticipating further exciting adventures with A.J. Palladino.—Lisa O’Hara, Univ. of Manitoba Libs., Winnipeg
Brown, Victoria. Minding Ben. Voice: Hyperion. Apr. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9781401341510. $24.99. F
In the tradition of The Nanny Diaries, this debut novel features an evil Manhattan mommy and a sweet little boy but mixes in a lot of ethnic flair. Sixteen-year-old Grace leaves Trinidad to come to New York City and seek her fortune. Her father is ill, and she hopes to make enough to send money home. After a difficult start, she gets a job with the wealthy Bruckners, minding their adorable son, Ben. Both parents treat Grace as not only nanny but maid and servant. She picks up the mother’s dirty underwear, does dishes daily, and is traipsed to the in-laws’ house to serve at a party. What makes this title stand out from other nanny fiction is the author’s focus on Grace’s island culture and the West Indian nannies and friends with whom Grace spends time. Their cultural home away from home can be positive in its support system but also has its fair share of stressful relationships. VERDICT Revealing New York’s melting pot at its most complicated, this interesting first novel is told from the perspective of someone who has been there and done that. Brown drew from her personal experience as a young immigrant nanny, and her story is fascinating, tender, and heartbreaking. [Selected by Voice as its Spring 2011 Publisher’s Pick; Brown is profiled in “Spring Editors’ Picks,” LJ 2/15/11.—Ed.]—Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC
Duncan, Glen. The Last Werewolf. Knopf. Jul. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780307595089. $24.95. F
Yes, this novel by the keen-eyed, edgy Duncan (A Day and a Night and a Day) features the last living werewolf. And, yes, there are vampires here, who crave Jake for reasons that won’t be revealed. But don’t give this book to Twilight groupies; the frank tone, dark wit, and elegant, sophisticated language will likely do them in. Jake Marlowe knows he’s alone in the world because his only friend, Harley, who’s tapped into WOCOP (World Organisation for the Control of Occult Phenomena), has learned that the penultimate wulf was just killed. When Jake discovers his singular status, he’s ready to die himself; he’s lived two centuries with his burden and knows that he’s targeted by a WOCOP higher-up whose father he killed and ate. Then something big happens to change Jake’s resolve. Duncan does not pretty up Jake, instead making his monthly transformation and desire for sex, blood, and death (“fuckkilleat”) unadorned and brutal. But he also makes Jake’s drive to survive our own, even as he shows us Jake’s—dare one say it—humanity. VERDICT An adult rendering of a legend that’s currently running amok, this work is smart, original, and completely absorbing. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 1/3/11.]—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
Hadley, Tessa. The London Train. HarperPerennial. May 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780062011831. pap. $14.99. F
In her fourth novel, Hadley (The Master Bedroom) follows the lives of two middle-aged intellectuals whose trajectories briefly cross and make a profound impact on the other. Paul is a literary critic somewhat dissatisfied with his bucolic home life in Wales. He is the father of three daughters, the oldest of whom has suddenly gone missing. Paul locates her pregnant and squatting in a London flat and decides to join her. Cora is a die-hard liberal teacher, married to a much older civil servant facing disciplinary charges. She leaves him in London to take a library clerk position in her hometown in Wales. Their stories are told separately. And while both flee the conventions of marriage, in the end both discover that their marriages may survive. VERDICT Hadley’s writing is beautiful; her Sunstroke and Other Stories was a New York Times notable book. Lovers of character-driven literary fiction will enjoy this novel. However, readers looking for fast-paced, plot-driven fiction will find it difficult to identify with protagonists whose self-centered angst is somewhat indefinable.—Andrea Kempf, formerly with Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS
Haigh, Jennifer. Faith. Harper: HarperCollins. May 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780060755805. $25.99. F
The scandal regarding the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests continues on its ugly way, and Haigh (The Condition) doesn’t make it any easier for us: she’s written a novel that questions the guilt of a priest so charged. When older half-brother Art is accused of abusing a boy whose wayward mother he’s tried to help, Sheila McGann returns to the suffocating Irish American home and community in Boston she had fled. Art has been shunned by the family, particularly brother Mike, who has several children and a cold, judgmental wife. To Sheila’s horror, Mike condemns Art out of hand, even as he gets uncomfortably involved with the woman who has brought the suit against him. Beyond Art’s denial, Sheila herself can’t get him to articulate what really happened. VERDICT Initially, the story is told more blandly than one would expect from the fine Haigh, and the idea crawls uncomfortably around the reader’s mind that she’s soft-soaping the issue. By the end, though, the narrative is emotionally involving and ethically concise, reminding us that things are not always as they seem and that we must consider carefully how we judge others. Most fiction readers will want. [See Prepub Alert, 11/15/10.]—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
Hayes, Jonathan. A Hard Death. Harper: HarperCollins. Apr. 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9780061691768. $24.99. F
This follow-up to Hayes’s well-received debut, Precious Blood, continues the adventures of New York City forensic pathologist Dr. Edward Jenner, who at the end of the first book had narrowly escaped the serial slayings of the Inquisitor. With his medical license revoked, Jenner relocates to Florida to work temporarily as a consultant. He is immediately met with a case involving the brutal murder of a couple found in a submerged car in the Everglades. What makes this thriller worth reading is the author’s personal expertise as a medical examiner. He is detailed and informative without throwing in unnecessary and over-the-top moments for sheer shock value. While the novel is technically a rerelease (it was first published in Britain and Canada), Hayes notes in his official blog that the U.S. edition reads more smoothly than the previous version and is editorially more polished. VERDICT Even though this is the second entry in a series, new readers can enjoy it as a stand-alone. Fans of forensic thrillers by Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, and Jeff Lindsay will also delight in this book.—Carolann Curry, Mercer Univ. Medical Lib., Macon, GA
Hill, Frances. Deliverance from Evil. Overlook, dist. by Penguin.Mar. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9781590204702. $25.95. F
Historian Hill (A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials) delivers a fictional account of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. The novel begins in January 1692 as two girls play a fortune-telling game; soon the girls and their friends fall into hysterical fits. Accusations of witchcraft and possession by Satan are rapidly hurled against innocent women and men, and the town of Salem is consumed by show trials and brutal executions. Interspersed with the events in Salem is the story of George Burroughs, a nonconforming minister in Maine (and former Salem resident) who becomes caught up in the hysteria when he is arrested and charged with being the leader of the witches. Hill’s broad knowledge of the historical facts behind the trials is amply demonstrated in this straightforward rendering. Unfortunately, the one-dimensional nature of the characters detracts from the power of the narrative. VERDICT Fans of plot-driven suspense may enjoy this novel, but those interested in a more nuanced and descriptive look at the Salem Witch Trials should try Kathleen Kent’s The Heretic’s Daughter.—Carly Thompson, Chicago Ridge P.L.
Jacobson, Douglas W. The Katyn Order. McBooks. May 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9781590135723. $24.95. F
Jacobson’s second World War II novel (after the award-winning Night of Flames) offers two impressive historical thrillers in one. The first half, set during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, vividly portrays the near total destruction of Poland’s capital as the resistance fighters try vainly and at great cost to resist the German advance. Adam Nowak, an American of Polish birth, works as an assassin for the resistance movement in uneasy alliance with one of their couriers, Natalia Kowalski. With the end of the European war, the novel’s second half follows Adam and Natalia as the Red Army and the NKVD (a precursor to the Soviet KGB) tighten their control over Poland. In Kraków, Adam and Natalia are ordered by the British to find a copy of Stalin’s authorization of the execution of Polish officers in the Katyn Forest, a war crime falsely attributed by the Soviets to the Germans. With the brutal NKVD agent who carried out the massacre on their heels, the two must again risk their lives in an attempt to alter the fate of their nation. VERDICT Despite a few coincidences that strain credulity, this novel’s compelling authenticity and evocatively rendered detail will captivate history buffs and thriller fans alike.—Ron Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson
Juby, Susan. Home to Woefield. Harper: HarperCollins. Mar. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780061995194. pap. $13.99. F
Prudence, who lives in Brooklyn, NY, is longing for a greener lifestyle when she learns she has inherited a farm from a distant uncle in British Columbia. The farm is in woeful condition physically and fiscally. As Prudence arrives at Woefield, Juby shifts the point of view among four characters. Earl is Prudence’s deceased uncle’s hired hand, Seth is a 19-year-old alcoholic blogger who has been kicked out of his mom’s house, and tween Sara needs a place to house her chickens. Trying to keep the farm afloat financially, Prudence and her motley crew strategize various plans to make money. With a good dose of humor, all of the characters work through their respective issues. VERDICT This heartwarming and upbeat novel marks young adult author Juby’s (Alice, I Think) successful foray into the world of chick lit. Her adult fiction debut is certain to attract readers who enjoy their chick lit in the style of Marian Keyes or Meg Cabot. [Galley mailing to select libraries.—Ed.]—Kristen Stewart, Pearland Lib., Brazoria Cty. Lib. Syst., TX
Kennedy, Douglas. The Moment. Atria: S. & S. May 2011. c.448p. ISBN 9781439180792. $26.99. F
A best-selling author abroad who’s been awarded France’s Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the American-born Kennedy is not as well known here, which is positively bizarre in light of his most recent novel (as well as 2002’s A Special Relationship, just published here for the first time, in trade paperback). Is Moment a literate page-turner? Or a breathlessly fast-paced novel of ideas? No matter, it’s utterly engrossing. Just divorcing travel writer Thomas Nesbitt receives a package at his remote Maine cottage that brings him back to an affair he had while working at Radio Liberty in divided Berlin. There he fell for coworker Petra, a refugee from East Germany whose sorrowful story came out in twisted bits. She and Thomas were ravenously in love—even his impossibly contrary Irish roommate approved. Then there was a betrayal, personal, political, and resounding—but whose? VERDICT Kennedy is astonishing at communicating his characters’ emotional turmoil, the complexity of their situation, and the coldness of the Cold War, and he tosses tough ethical questions our way as he ponders that “moment” that could change everything—and the very nature of love. Highly recommended for all types of fiction readers. [See Prepub Alert, 11/22/10.]—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
LaPlante, Alice. Turn of Mind. Atlantic Monthly. Jul. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780802119773. $24. F
Dr. Jennifer White, 64, is a widowed retired orthopedic surgeon with rapidly advancing dementia. As she narrates her story, she is alternately eloquent and profoundly disconnected from reality. She lives at home with her caregiver; her son and daughter are doing their best to cope with her mood swings, confusion, and wanderings, but they have their own challenges. When Jennifer’s best friend and neighbor is found murdered with four of her fingers surgically removed, she is understandably the prime suspect. She has no memory of committing the crime. Her children do their best to insulate her from incarceration as her grip on reality continues to slip. Her fractured and sometimes brilliant narrative of police questioning reveals the intimate story of two strong women whose friendship was both compassionate and highly adversarial. VERDICT This extraordinarily crafted debut novel guides the reader through family drama that is becoming all too familiar. That the author is able to do it so convincingly through the eyes and voice of the central character is an amazing achievement. Heartbreaking and stunning, this is both compelling and painful to read. [See Prepub Alert, 1/3/11.]—Susan Clifford Braun, Bainbridge Island, WA
Moore, Meg Mitchell. The Arrivals. Reagan Arthur: Little, Brown.May 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780316097710. $24.99. F
William and Ginny Owens enjoy a quiet retirement in Vermont until their adult children return home one summer. Their oldest, Lillian, flees from a cheating husband, bringing a three-year-old and an infant. Thirty-five-year-old Stephen only planned a spontaneous weekend visit with his pregnant wife, but a medical emergency puts her in bed for the rest of the summer. Ginny picks up Rachel, the youngest, who’s had a miscarriage, left New York, and feels as if she’s failed at her job and her life. Glad to be needed, Ginny and William initially welcome their children home, but over the summer, they become tired and angry. When selfish people who haven’t grown up harbor secrets and spend too much time together, it won’t be long before the household is torn apart. VERDICT Reading about angry, immature adults can be tedious. With more sympathetic characters, Eleanor Brown’s The Weird Sisters is a better choice for a story about adult children returning home. This debut novel is recommended with reservations for readers who enjoy family stories.—Lesa Holstine, Glendale P.L., AZ
Mountford, Peter. A Young Man’s Guide to Late Capitalism. Mariner: Houghton Harcourt. Apr. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780547473352. pap. $15.95. F
This first novel follows the struggles of a man trying to hold on to the remnants of his youthful idealism as he is increasingly tempted by the pursuit of a quick fortune. Gabriel Francisco de Boya has been sent to Bolivia in 2005 by his new employer, the Calloway Group. To keep his well-paying job, he must quickly secure sensitive—and possibly lucrative—information for the rapacious hedge fund managers. His success depends on his ability to determine the intentions of incoming president Evo Morales regarding the country’s natural gas deposits. Will Morales make good on his campaign promise to nationalize the gas reserves? At this point Gabriel meets Lenka, Morales’s beautiful young press secretary, who conveniently falls in love with him. VERDICT While certain plot elements are somewhat improbable, the novel holds the reader’s interest to the end. Mountford provides an illuminating look at Gabriel’s moral struggles and the complex ways capitalism can impact a developing nation, but his affectionate portrayal of Bolivia is probably the book’s strongest point. [Author tour.]—Douglas Southard, CRA International, Boston
Rasmussen, Rebecca. The Bird Sisters. Crown. Apr. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780307717962. $24. F
What a pleasure to become acquainted with Milly and Twiss of Spring Green, WI, as these aging sisters invite us to accompany them back to a summer in the mid-1940s when they were both at the threshold of adolescence. As their falling-apart family is in desperate need of repair, the girls try to patch up their estranged parents’ relationship. Milly is as sweet as Twiss is contrary; the two have decidedly different approaches to the challenge. And both are quite taken with their older teenage cousin Bettie, who comes to spend the summer with them. Ripe with surprises, this visit will mold and shape the sisters’ lives for years to come. Rasmussen’s debut novel is full of grace and humanity. Her heroines are fearless and romantic, endearing and engaging, and her poetic prose creates an almost magical, wholly satisfying world. VERDICT While readers may desire to know more about the sisters’ interest in “bird repair” (in their later years they tend to the needs of injured birds), this wistful but wise story is enchanting and timeless. A splendid choice for those searching for literary coming-of-age novels.—Andrea Tarr, Corona P.L., CA
Stamm, Peter. Seven Years. Other. Mar. 2011. c.264p. tr. from German by Michael Hofmann. ISBN 9781590513941. pap. $15.95. F
A German architect with a beautiful wife cannot give up his desire for an otherwise unremarkable Polish immigrant. Despite talking to her initially as a joke, a dare, he makes her his mistress and returns to her over the years. In this account of their affair, feverish as an Orhan Pamuk or Knut Hamsun tale, motivations are by subterfuge: “I thought what a thin veneer civilization is, and how easily it cracks when pain or hatred or lust take over in individuals.” Swiss novelist Stamm ( Unformed Landscape ) offers a classic love triangle that reads like a contemporary European version of Richard Yates’s Revolutionary Road . Theories of architecture are employed throughout to great if heavy-handed effect (“I remember something that Aldo Rossi had said, that every room contains an abyss”), and though readers may not identify with or even like the characters, the plot moves quickly and winds in satisfying ways. VERDICT Readers looking for a highbrow page-turner will relish this quick read. —Travis Fristoe, Alachua Cty. Lib. Dist., FL
Vonnegut, Norb. The Gods of Greenwich. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Apr. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780312384692. $24.99. F
Vonnegut follows up his debut (Top Producer) with a first-rate thriller set in the world of hedge fund managers during the 2008 financial meltdown. When Jimmy Cusack’s father-in-law withdraws $120 million from Cusack’s fund, Cusack is forced to shut down. Heavily in debt, Cusack feels lucky to find work with LeeWell Capital in Greenwich, CT, ceremonial capital of “Hedgistan.” His boss, Cy Leeser, is locked in a battle over shorting Iceland’s Hafnarbanki. When one of the bank’s managers fights back with Arab support, the pressure increases on Cusack to find new investors. As the financial world collapses, a female assassin carries out her work. When Cusack’s pregnant wife, Emily, is threatened, he has to fight to save everything he values most in life. VERDICT Vonnegut??s skill at creating characters at risk will make even less wealthy readers root for Cusack to survive his financial debacle with millions intact. This thriller will appeal to fans of Joseph Finder and might serve as a cautionary tale to anyone who envies the seemingly idyllic life of the superrich. But don’t we all like to read about them? [Author tour.]—Ron Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson
Wallner, Michael. The Russian Affair. Nan A. Talese: Doubleday. Apr. 2011. c.352p. tr. from German by John Cullen.ISBN 9780385532396. $26.95. F
Searching for an escape from her state job painting walls and from the tedious food and service lines in Soviet Moscow, 29-year-old Anna shyly embarks on an affair with a high-ranking deputy minister. The excitement of trysts and black market luxuries turns dangerous when Anna is recruited by the KGB to spy on her lover. Anna and her family prosper because of her involvement with the KGB, but she feels increasingly uneasy about endangering the man she has grown to love. Anna must decide between her family’s happiness and her own, as she begins to question her faith in a state that would demand such sacrifice. VERDICT Wallner’s second novel (after April in Paris) has the detail and quiet emotion of a versatile romance combined with the pacing of an espionage thriller. His depiction of Cold War Moscow as both a nostalgic dream and a living nightmare will appeal to fans of modern historical fiction. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/10.]—Catherine Lantz, Morton Coll. Lib., Cicero, IL
Ware, Ciji. A Race to Splendor. Sourcebooks Landmark. Apr. 2011. c.544p. ISBN 9781402222696. pap. $16.99. F
Amelia Bradshaw’s return to 1906 San Francisco after earning a degree in architecture should have been cause for celebration. But her family hotel has been gambled away to J.D. Thayer by her sot of a father, and the law in the form of corrupt judges does not support her. Worse, school friend and mentor Julia Morgan is unable to make good on her offer of a position for Amelia. In an instant, an earthquake reduces Amelia’s problems, along with much of the city, to rubble, and the aftermath brings changes she could never have foreseen. Drawn into the frenzy to rebuild San Francisco, Amelia is also drawn to J.D.’s potent allure. VERDICT Vividly evocative of the time and place, Ware’s (Island of the Swans) first novel in ten years deftly blends history and romance in a page-turning story. From her gripping descriptions of the earthquake and its aftermath to the interplay between the protagonists, this is another winner from an excellent wordsmith.—Pam O’Sullivan, Coll. at Brockport Lib., SUNY
Wilson, Daniel H. Robopocalypse. Doubleday.Jun. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9780385533850. $25. F
This is a fast-moving action story about a war in the near future between human and robot, as documented in a secret robot archive unearthed after the war is over. It starts when an artificial intelligence named Archos discovers that its creator intends to terminate it as he has its 13 predecessors. Archos, grabbing control of the lab and killing its creator, transmits a virus to other machines that turns them into its slaves. The change unfolds slowly: a child’s “smart” toys threaten her; a soldier watches a U.S. “pacification unit” in Afghanistan run wild; a robot love object savages its suitor. By the time people realize their danger, the machines are in charge. Some people escape, but the robots reshape to become more efficient at hunting and killing humans. For most of the book, the robots are winning. That this reads like a movie scenario is not surprising; Steven Spielberg has committed to direct it as a feature film to be released in 2013. VERDICT Robotics engineer Wilson’s first novel may sound like it’s cloned from the Terminator films, but it offers enough on its own to attract a sizable reading audience. [See Prepub Alert, 12/6/10.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Wilson, Kevin. The Family Fang. Ecco: HarperCollins. Aug. 2011. c.256p. ISBN 9780061579035. $23.99. F
Caleb and Camille Fang are performance artists who set up unsettling situations in public places. Their two children, Annie and Buster, have been trained from birth to participate in these events. As they mature the children realize that their lives are not exactly normal. Their attempts to break away from their parents are unsuccessful until their parents disappear. Is it a stunt or a tragic accident? Even Annie and Buster can’t say for sure. VERDICT Wilson, who won the 2009 Shirley Jackson Award for his story collection, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, tells his madcap story with straight-faced aplomb, highlighting the tricky intersection of family life and artistic endeavor. All fiction readers will enjoy this comic/tragic look at domesticity. Recommended.—Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Kingston
SHORT STORIES
McElroy, Joseph. Night Soul and Other Stories. Dalkey Archive. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781564786029.pap. $14.95. F
Dense. That’s the word critics and reviewers consistently use when referring to McElroy’s fiction. Understandably so—his prose is full of abrupt narrative and time shifts, he routinely offers words like interinanimate, and the plots are circuitous. A novelist since 1966, when he published A Smuggler’s Bible, McElroy remains a fearless experimentalist often compared to Donald Barthelme, William Gaddis, and Thomas Pynchon. This collection of 12 stories doesn’t employ a single signature style—each is experimental but not homogeneously so. None of the pieces lacks for character or interesting scenarios, but the narrative voice can be overwhelming. Thankfully, a handful are more linear, and amid the cerebral paragraphs there are endearing phrases like “the fine asymmetry of the nose ring.” VERDICT A difficult, heady read and an impressive testament to McElroy’s prowess. Readers, however, may not be able to keep up.—Travis Fristoe, Alachua Cty. Lib. Dist., FL
LAST MINUTE SF/FANTASY
Hunt, Stephen. The Rise of the Iron Moon. Tor. Mar. 2011. c.464p. ISBN 9780765327666. $26.99. FANTASY
There is a new threat to the Kingdom of Jackals, and it comes in the form of the invading Army of Shadows. The Army leaves desolate wastelands in its wake as its bizarre creatures pillage the land to supply the needs of their Masters. It is up to Molly, Oliver, the Commodore, Coppertracks, and young Purity Drake somehow to stop the Army, defeat the Masters, and save their world. VERDICT If you have any interest in steampunk at all, this series (The Court of the Air; The Kingdom Beyond the Waves) should be at the top of your to-read list. Hunt builds a world that is a perfect mix of the industrial and fantastical. The society is delightfully skewed, often brutal, and horrifyingly believable. High-stakes mayhem and cunning social commentary work very well together and make for amazing page-turners.—April Steenburgh, Endwell, NY
Matheson, Richard. Other Kingdoms. Tor. Mar. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780765327680. $24.99. FANTASY
Small bites of horror punctuate a young soldier’s discovery that there are worse things than war as Alex White finds that witches and faeries are not only real but also have teeth. Matheson, a multiple award–winning Grand Master of Horror known for his typically taut bullets of story that deliver back-of-the-neck lingering chills (Hell House; I Am Legend), delivers a rambling, erotically charged first-person reminiscence. Eighteen-year-old World War I vet Alex becomes the fulcrum of a mystical lovers’ triangle, seduced by both voluptuous red-haired widow Magda, who turns out to be a witch, and ethereally beautiful Ruthana, a faerie who wants him for her own. Unfortunately, the story suffers from too-frequent parenthetical asides by Alex in the guise of his older, wiser 82-year-old pulp writing persona, Arthur Black. Tongue-in-cheek purple prose abounds, adding some sly humor to an otherwise disjointed tale. VERDICT Matheson’s cachet will guarantee a readership, but fans with high expectations may be disappointed by the legendary author’s gender-switched version of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, with witches and faeries in the vampire and werewolf roles.—Charli Osborne, Oxford P.L., MI
