Currently Browsing: Book of the Month Mar 13, 2012 Posted by Indie Books List on Mar 13, 2012 in February 2012, Finalists Yes, it is mid-March. Yes, I realize I am just finishing the nominees for February. Today, I will be reviewing “Diary of a Small Fish” by Pete Morin.
Potential Bias:
I’ve never enjoyed the culinary delight known as Osso Bucco and don’t care for golf. The latter is an unpardonable sin to power-lunching social climbers everywhere.
My opinion of state legislators is colored by the situations I encountered while serving as a legislative page during my high school years.
I know plenty of, and am related to quite a few lawyers. I’ve read my share of contracts, wills, and titles.
As usual, feel free to read any book you like, while completely disregarding my opinion.
The Hook:
When Paul Forte is indicted by a federal grand jury, everyone suspects prosecutor Bernard Kilroy has more on his mind than justice. The FBI agent in charge of Paul’s case gives him a clue to the mystery: Kilroy is bent on settling an old family score, and he’s not above breaking the law to do it.
Paul is already dealing with the death of his parents and divorce from a woman he still loves. Now, with the support of an alluring grand juror, Paul must expose the vindictive prosecutor’s own corruption before the jury renders a verdict on his Osso Buco.
My Review:
I like this book. It’s an enjoyable read, with a well thought out plot. Very few books defy categorization. Usually, those books end under the all-encompassing label of “literary fiction”.
Small Fish is technically in the Thriller/Suspense genre. If I had to chose, it would probably end up on the Suspense side of the fence. The problem — if you can call it that — is the fact that there are two strong love stories woven throughout, along with a healthy helping of drama.
If it were a movie, it would be closer to my wife’s favorite (City Island) than Pelican Brief. This story has plenty of interesting people who you grow to enjoy more as the book moves on. Sure, there’s an interesting plot, but that’s a backdrop to what is taking place in the daily lives of the characters.
My one sticking point for this book is the character of Paul Forte. Your opinions of this book as a whole will hinge entirely on how much you like him.
Paul’s a pretty good guy. He looks out for the best interests of the taxpayers. People consider him the life of the party, even if he can’t do that much for them. He’s a great golfer, who has a respect for the game. In fact, golf is a sort of religion to him: Green fees and country club dues serve as his monthly offerings to the church that Arnold Palmer built.
He has a cushy, government job. He lives in a better-than-decent neighborhood. The family he comes from is politically well-connected. He has what upwardly-mobile parents from Manhattan strive to give their children : Good connections. Good school. Good jobs. Good life.
Frequently, he has champagne for breakfast, or opens a bottle of exquisite wine. He’s a subset of the overbearing legion of foodies who let you know everything they ate, with a bit of hipster-esque relish. Lamb, duck and veal are present on a regular basis. He imbibes alcohol with the frequency and relish of the polished gentlemen of the ’60s: Don Draper made flesh.
I don’t dislike Paul for the life he leads. Rather, I dislike him because he is privileged, and refuses to admit it. In the beginning of the book, he infers that he barely qualifies as upper class, despite being a member of the club where JFK played a round of 18, or the fact that he has $3M in the bank.
Paul Forte: Master of the HumbleBrag.
As his love interest points out, it wouldn’t be hard for the prosecution to paint him as a “spoiled white boy”. She isn’t that far off.
He drives drunk and plays more than a little dirty, yet he still has the nerve to argue shades of grey when it comes to influence peddling.
So why did I keep reading?
Because the rest of the characters were likable. Rex and Amelia, the Assistant Prosecutor, Cruddy, and the remaining cast were likable. Lovable, even.
The city of Boston, the grace of Kate, and the quirky nature of a certain juror/artist/lover make this a story worth hearing the end of.
Final Verdict
Diary of a Small Fish is worth the read. You may love or dislike Paul Forte, but you won’t want to leave the city or the people that make up his daily life.
This book receives four stars.
Read an excerpt from Diary of a Small Fish
Buy Diary of a Small Fish at: Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble
About the Reviewer:
One time I had a friend who asked me if I’d like to play the piccolo, but I said “No.”
Mar 5, 2012 Posted by Indie Books List on Mar 5, 2012 in February 2012, Finalists Welcome to the review I’ve looked forward to writing. I’ve been cruelly detained from my task by other labors.
Today, we’ll be looking at The Philanthropist’s Danse by Paul Wornham.
Potential Bias:
I love mystery, mansions, and mid-sized groups of people with deep, unspeakable secrets. In addition, I have a working, practical knowledge of estates and how the super-rich seek to control their empires from beyond the grave.
The Hook:
Twelve people. Five days. One fortune.
Johnston Thurwell, one of the world’s richest men, dies unexpectedly. His family expects to inherit his wealth, but instead discover the dying philanthropist has spent his last days planning something called The Danse. The twelve most important people in his life are brought together to decide the most important question at the end of it. Who will inherit his fortune?
The family is sequestered in the philanthropist’s remote country mansion with a group that includes his best friend, his most loyal servants, and his greatest rival. They must agree who among them will share the fortune, but they must do it against the clock. Every twenty-four hours, the fortune is reduced. In just five days, it will all be gone.
The thin veneer of civility among the twelve is ripped away by naked greed as their lust for money drives them into betrayal, blackmail and violence.
The desperate family will do anything to save their inheritance. Except share it.
My Review:
People like stories about wealthy people. My particular affinity for lifestyles the super-rich is not based on the things they own, or the power they possess. I am more interested in the psychology of the rich: The mindset and choices that brought them to, and kept them at the top.
The Philanthropist’s Danse delivers smart, psychological drama of the type I haven’t seen in quite some time.
Take “12 Angry Men”, the psychological gymnastics of ”The Game”, add a little sexual innuendo, and tie it all together with 12 personalities that clash incessantly. Then, let an impartial lawyer lay out and enforce the ground rules with the assistance of a highly skilled majordomo.
With that, the Danse is off to a smashing start, full of arguments, tantrums, and a fair bit of grousing about who “deserves” the money. The question is a legitimate one, as many in the room don’t even know why Mr. Thurwell summoned them posthumously.
The Billionaire
Johnston Thurwell continues to assert his control through carefully planned contingencies that give us some insight as to why he was so wealthy to begin with. All of his commands are executed with swift and exact justice. His wishes are honored exactly.
People may dismiss this scenario as far-fetched. They would be wrong. One of the things I find engaging about this book is its realistic portrayal of the ultra wealthy.
Individuals who possess a great deal of money, respect, and power attempt to keep that once they are dead. The Pharoahs did it? Why should this aspiration be beneath your common, modern-day billionaire?
The author gives us ample detail as to Thurwell’s motivations and machinations. Every twist is worth the wait.
The 12
The crew assembled in the mansion is textured and diverse, with a spattering of family, business associates, servants, and those of indefinite categorization.
Familiar jealousies and tenuous alliances form quickly, as money forges and breaks the most fragile of bonds. Fraternal rivalries soon surface, along with marital quibbles and relationship issues.
This turmoil, along with the pressures of time keep the situation quite fluid. Just when you think you have the motives and arc of a character nailed, a deft twist comes along to destroy your theory entirely.
These people all have secrets. Some are sinister, others are pleasant. It will be your pleasure to uncover most of them.
The Help
William Bird is Thurwell’s handsomely paid lawyer with an equitable disposition. The fascinating bit is that he’s in the dark as to what is taking place. Some of his instructions are activated quickly, other scenarios make you wonder “What if?”.
He’s part referee and part player, except he has no stake in the game.
Jeremy, the majordomo is well used throughout. He displays noble character, and the utmost in humility and kindness. He restores balance and order in the middle of raging, emotional tempests.
A Perfect Blend
I personally haven’t read a better book in this genre. It’s an atypical “whodunnit” containing characters with realistic flaws and virtues. All are adequately exposed for scrutiny.
Page-turner is a cliche I happily give to this particular novel, although “button-masher” may soon take its place.
Caveats:
The language in this novel is realistic, and one particularly hot-tempered misogynist in the bunch uses the full vocabulary of profanity when proffering his opinions. It fits the character, and the situation.
My only complaint with regard to this novel is that Mr. Wornham didn’t have second novel that I could purchase. Hopefully, he will remedy that situation quickly.
Final Verdict
The Philanthropist’s Danse is a brilliant mystery, chock full of smart dialogue and plot twists that will keep you intrigued until the last page.
Because of this, I happily award “The Philanthropist’s Danse” five stars. Buy it or borrow it(if you are a Prime Member). If you can’t afford that, email me, and I’ll happily use the single lend Amazon has given me so I can loan it to you. First come, first served.
About the Reviewer:
Jack Martin is a renowned lover of the game “Foodie Clue”. ‘Twas he who killed off the remaining Roast Pork with Mango Chutney, at midnight, in the kitchen, with a spork.
When he isn’t updating this blog, he also serves as the co-owner of Gossamer Publishing.
Read an excerpt from “The Philanthropist’s Danse”
Buy The Philanthropist’s Danse at Amazon
Music you should listen to while reading this book:
Money, by Pink Floyd
Related books you might find intriguing:
Disintegration, by Scott Nicholson
Feb 28, 2012 Posted by Indie Books List on Feb 28, 2012 in February 2012, Finalists, Susan Kaye Quinn Thought I wasn’t going to hit my end-of-the-month deadline, didn’t ya? Yes, things are a bit close for comfort. Thankfully, February has 29 days this year, so I can get these reviews in, and take my sweet time doing so.
The book in question is Open Minds, by Susan Kaye Quinn.
Potential Bias:
YA is one of my favorite genres. During the ages of 10-15, I would disappear with stacks of Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and a myriad of other novels, only emerging when it was time for dinner.
Some of my favorite books are in YA: The Phantom Tollbooth, Through the Looking Glass, The Giver, The Car…all of these are safely in YA territory. Well, maybe not The Car. If it wasn’t written by Gary Paulsen, and was properly named “Teenaged Grifter Runs Around With a Hard Living, Sexually Ambiguous Vietnam Vet“ I doubt it would be published.
Come to think of it, The Giver managed to handle some interesting adult themes as well: Euthanasia, infanticide, censorship…it pretty much ran the gamut. That Lois Lowry, she knows how to slip stuff in there.
At any rate, I love the genre, and can tell you when something is really awful…after all, that’s pretty much what critics do. Then again, art is subjective. Please feel free to ignore my opinion at any point. Read or ignore anything you please.
The Hook:
When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.
Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where being forced to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.
My Review:
Ok, so the protagonist of this book is a mutant. Cue the comparison to X-Men, Spiderman, random-superhero-who-is now-superhuman-because-of-some-random-freak-event. What’s that? Our heroine is a mutant because she lacks something. She’s defective. She’s able to hear, and yet hearing impaired? Tell me more.
She did. I read this book straight through, in a single sitting. It was late, I kept reading ’til dawn.
I’m guessing that I’m not the first person to do this, and I won’t be the last.
If you’re a teenage girl, you’ll love it because of the attractive guys Kira is torn between, and her brave struggle as an outsider. If you’re an adult, you’ll like it because of the subtle ethical propositions, and intelligent dialogue (more on that in a minute). If you are a Sci-Fi fan, you’ll be right at home in a believable, futuristic world that is plausible and immersive. If you’re a teenage guy, you’ll like it because…well who wouldn’t love to wreak a little havoc by controlling the mind of another person. Sure, you might enjoy the romance a little bit more than you should, but you’ll never admit it to another soul.
The World
What I enjoyed the most about this book was Mrs. Quinn’s assumption that readers are intelligent, but not omniscient. This doesn’t always happen when someone is dealing with world-building. Generally an author will:
1.) Explain every single new term or linguistic phrase like they are writing an encyclopedia entry, or
2.) Assume you’ll figure out what they mean by inference
Both approaches are equally exasperating. In Open Minds, the author chooses to drop a term, then wait a page or two before casually explaining the meaning, in a context that doesn’t shout “BEHOLD, THE MEANING OF LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND EVERYTHING! ” (last I checked, it was 42) , or interrupt the flow of the book.
Mrs. Quinn also communicates dilaogue in a clear tone, free from emulated teen-speak. She found no use for the words “Not.” or “Duh.”, and “cool” has been replaced with “mesh”. It may be because humanity switched to Latin in 2090. As a reader and post-teen who remembers his parents awkward usage of outdated “cool” phrases, I am grateful for the respite, regardless of the reason.
The author also manages to tackle biothethics, transhumanism,the ethical use of data, and racism without getting heavy handed. She gives a brilliant ethics lecture, without the lecture or a term paper due at the end of the semester. It’s almost like she designed the story that way. After all, Mrs. Quinn is an engineer, and a rocket scientist at that. Design is something she is finitely familiar with. (*Sheldon Cooper gives a nod of approval.*)
The Heroine
I loved Kira. I almost forgot she was a girl, but in a good way. She simply does the right thing. There’s no preachiness about how great she is. There’s always the temptation in YA to overcompensate for the fact that a character is a girl. Suddenly, if a girl throws litter away, she becomes Joan of Arc. Mrs. Quinn handles her character differently. Things happen, Kira responds in the right way. There’s no praise for “doing the right thing.” She just does it, and leaves the accolades for someone else.
I think the word I am searching for here is “noble,” and the definition is “Kira.”
What about the plot?
This book was remarkably hard to review, in the sense that their are spoilers everywhere. It’s not your typical book where you get the pledge, the turn, and the prestige. It’s all interwoven…it’s basically a minefield for any reviewer, because the book moves through so much ground.
It suffices to say that the plot was superb, the tension was unrelenting, and that this a fantastic book. Your teenager will love it…after you finish reading it, of course.
Final Verdict
Open Minds receives my highest award of 5 stars. It’s a Young Adult book, with an emphasis on “adult,” as in “The author treated me like an adult.” It’s fiction that doesn’t talk down to its audience, with a heroine worthy of emulation, and a story that will leave them hanging on by their fingernails.
About the Reviewer:
Jack Martin loves the three R’s: Reading, monkeys, and non-sequiturs.
When he isn’t updating this blog, he also serves as the co-owner of Gossamer Publishing.
Read an excerpt of Open Minds
Buy Open Minds at: Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, iBookstore
Music you should listen to while reading this book:
Concrete Girl, by Switchfoot
Related books you might find intriguing:
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Feb 7, 2012 Posted by Indie Books List on Feb 7, 2012 in February 2012, Finalists, Reviews It is now time to announce February’s “Book of the Month” finalists.
This month, I am keeping my word, by picking some excerpts that were submitted a fair while before we announced book reviews.
Without any further fanfare, the Finalists are, in no particular order:
Pete Morin: Diary of a Small Fish
Genre: Thriller and Suspense
Description:
When Paul Forte is indicted by a federal grand jury, everyone suspects prosecutor Bernard Kilroy has more on his mind than justice. The FBI agent in charge of Paul’s case gives him a clue to the mystery: Kilroy is bent on settling an old family score, and he’s not above breaking the law to do it.
Paul is already dealing with the death of his parents and divorce from a woman he still loves. Now, with the support of an alluring grand juror, Paul must expose the vindictive prosecutor’s own corruption before the jury renders a verdict on his Osso Buco.
Read an excerpt from Diary of a Small Fish
Paul Wornham: The Philanthropist’s Danse
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery
Description:
Twelve people. Five days. One fortune.
Johnston Thurwell, one of the world’s richest men, dies unexpectedly. His family expects to inherit his wealth, but instead discover the dying philanthropist has spent his last days planning something called The Danse. The twelve most important people in his life are brought together to decide the most important question at the end of it. Who will inherit his fortune?
The family is sequestered in the philanthropists’ remote country mansion with a group that includes his best friend, his most loyal servants, and his greatest rival. They must agree who among them will share the fortune, but they must do it against the clock. Every twenty-four hours, the fortune is reduced. In just five days, it will all be gone.
The thin veneer of civility among the twelve is ripped away by naked greed as their lust for money drives them into betrayal, blackmail and violence.
The desperate family will do anything to save their inheritance. Except share it.
Read an excerpt from The Philanthropist’s Danse
Susan Kaye Quinn: Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy)
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Description:
When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.
Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where being forced to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.
Read an excerpt from Open Minds
I hope you will take the time to read the excerpts for these books (and buy them) in advance of the reviews. Look for the reviews to appear throughout the month of February. My current hope is to have these out during a Fri-Sun. window for those of you who don’t have much time to read otherwise.
~Jack
Feb 3, 2012 Posted by Indie Books List on Feb 3, 2012 in Book of the Month, Finalists, January 2012, Reviews 
Well, I’m back again with yet another review, this time for Jonathan Grant’s “Chang Gang Elementary.” We have plenty of ground to cover, so let’s get to it.
Potential Bias:
Not aware of any bias, unless a traditional Southern upbringing has anything to do with my prejudices, or lack thereof.
The Hook:
A tale of war between parents and principals, with casualties. It’s funny. It’s not so funny.
After a murder at Bonaire Elementary, Richard and Anna Lee Gray seek a good school for their son Nick in a safe neighborhood. Their search leads them to Malliford, a ”school of excellence.” When redistricting sends scores of minority students to Malliford, iron-willed Principal Estelle Rutherford declares war on kids to raise test scores and save her reputation. Dissident parents revolt, electing Richard to head the Parent-Teacher Organization, and tensions explode.
Welcome to Chain Gang Elementary, home to vast right-wing conspiracies, 3rd-grade gangsters, and bake sale embezzlers–where toxic childhood secrets boil over, reformers go stark raving mad, and culture wars escalate into armed conflict.
My Review:
What can I say about Richard Gray? He’s a flawed, kind, well-meaning man who calls meetings to order with the “rap-tap-tap” of a Duncan yo-yo. As the protagonist in Jonathan Grant’s “Chain Gang Elementary”, he’s pitch perfect. Gray possesses a conflicted social conscience, a sharp tongue, and has the cojones to be an unapologetic, stay at home father. He’s a Southern male that isn’t a simpleton, a redneck, or a dandy…I mean…Charlestonian.
When Richard is drafted to be head of the Parent Teacher Organization at Malliford Elementary, he is aware that his presidency will face obstacles. The aging Miz Rutherford is at once Principal, non-benevolent dictator, and Nurse Ratched to the children and parents who inhabit Malliford. She’s not fond of Gray’s impudent questions, or the changes he would make in student life.
Rutherford is intent on making her school a “five-star school of excellence”. The only people standing in the way are Richard Gray, agent provocateur Rita Malloy, and the academic pariahs that inhabit the Chantilly Arms apartment complex. Of course, the school isn’t racist for wanting to reassign them to another school. It’s strictly an issue of test scores and property values.
This is where the war begins. This war will be won not through frontal assaults, but from good old-fashioned skulduggery and passive-aggressive behavior. This book is the show “Desperate Housewives” wishes it could be, and has the scathing social satire “Suburgatory” pretends to provide.
Gray’s personal life is hopelessly endangered by his success as PTO President, with his son Nicholas providing an unbiased look at the effects of his professional achievements. Richard’s frosty wife, Anna Lee is alternately unimpressed with, and angry about Richard’s “accomplishments”.
Her emotional indifference creates a situation ripe for extramarital excursions. These aren’t too difficult to initiate when you are a powerful, stay-at-home dad, surrounded by bored housewives. The question Gray finds himself asking is “Will it be worth it?”
The answer is “Yes.”, but only in response to the question “Should I read this book?” Chain Gang Elementary has a massive cast of characters that are all fully developed, with sub-plots that weave in and out of the main storyline gracefully. It’s rare to look at a book and say “This was crafted.” This book combines loving attention to detail, page-turning tension, with a wry humor that stops short of meanness.
This is a long read. A lesser story would make the length of ”Chain Gang” unbearable. As things stand, it’s a satisfying experience, worth far more than the price of admission.
Buy it already.
Rating:
Chain Gang Elementary receives my highest rating of 5 stars, and is Indie Books List’s “Book of the Month” for January, 2012.
Read an excerpt.
About the Reviewer:
Jack Martin loves the three R’s: Reading, monkeys, and non-sequiturs.
When he isn’t updating this blog, he also serves as the co-owner of Gossamer Publishing.
Buy Chain Gang Elementary:
Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Noble
Related books you may find intriguing:
Teacher Man, by Frank McCourt
Music you should listen to while reading this book:
Black River Killer, by Blitzen Trapper
