Little Brother / Cory Doctorow

Little Brother

category: science fiction, subadult, thriller, author:

Cory Doctorow

original copyright 2008

read in September 2012

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10, well worth reading

Well worth reading? Really? For its paranoid conspiracy message, perhaps. For the quality of writing, no.

Little Brother is subadult. It aims at the teenage -- boy -- market. At least, I guess it does. The style gives the distinct impression that the book is written by an older adult, pretending to know how a teenage boy would speak and act. The style rings false... Or, perhaps, it's me that has never spoken with a teenager :-)

It is also a thriller, in that there is a major -- adult -- conspiracy that the hero must battle. No matter which way he turns, the villains are there, watching, waiting for him to slip. Standard thriller scenario.

The book is also -- and this is its main thrust -- science fiction. Set just slightly ahead of our time. With Big Brother taking over. (Still, could be worse. The city could have been taken over by Big Brother the tv show.)

The author's message is slathered on like marmalade, thick and heavy. Complete with the Heinlein touch, of classroom discussions, where hero and villain discuss politics and philosophy. The author's view is clearly the winner, though the villain then uses positional power to shout down the author... sorry... hero.

The whole subadult writing style is... laboured, overdone, contradictory. While reading, it did seem obvious, but I did check: the author is well past 25 years old. Yet his good guys are urged to not trust anyone over 25... Urged, in one major scene, by someone aged (if I remember correctly) 32. The hero's final success is driven by a reporter -- who is as old as his parents.

And what about the hero's under-25 supporters? Well... the hero does not trust them. He forms a "ring of trust", to keep out the treacherous under-25s. A teenage personal enemy wants to turn him in to the thought police. Another teenager has been acting as a police informer.

There are two messages about trust: do not trust anyone over 25 (shouted loud and clear) and, do not trust anyone 25 or under (this is shown by act and attitude). Which perhaps adds up to a perfectly valid message: if you are fighting the thought police -- do not trust anyone.

This book is rather poorly written. Easy to read, a touch of suspense, unbelievable action. (But then it is science fiction, so that's okay!) Contradictory, with heavy-handed authorial lecturing.

But perhaps the authorial lecturing is valid. Perhaps the conspiracy theory is correct. Perhaps we do need to protect our privacy, to protect our freedom. Perhaps there are people in power who like to keep us in perpetual fear, in order to control us. Little Brother is extreme -- but the conspiracy theory may have some basis in reality.

At the very least, we need to consider the possibility that the conspiracy theory could grow into absolute truth. That the people who are -- in reality -- prepared to do anything to maintain power, could be trying hard to destroy our freedom to think.

The message is slathered on with no subtlety. Still, a novel is easier to read -- and more likely to be read -- than a political treatise. And the message is worth our consideration.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

PissWeakly: the Index

Alternative 3 / Ken Mitchell

Alternative 3

category: thriller, author:

Ken Mitchell

original copyright 2003

read in December 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

The book began slowly.

Oh dear, I though, another Nazi-who-survived-the-war thriller. Not that I can remember reading any others... but it does seem that the top Nazis were really tough to kill. Like zombies, really: they seem to be... ended, yet as soon as you turn your back -- they're back.

Anyway, Alternative 3 is not another Nazi-who-survived-the-war thriller.

After a somewhat boring introduction -- the backstory -- we meet the hero of this book. And then the fun begins!

A nerd hero, with extreme hacker skills. Watched by his parole officer. Watching as several friends and acquaintances are destroyed by the group behind a major conspiracy... By that I mean, destroyed by the people who want their existence to be hidden behind a wild conspiracy "theory"...

The hero is not a true nerd. Sure, he can hack into any system... Just give him a safety pin to short-circuit a public phone line and within minutes he'll have cracked into the NORAD site and be using NORAD radar to track the real Santa... Yet despite these skills, he gets the girl. He could have had the other girl. And he can pedal mutant bikes across deserts and security fences.

This is the hero that we all want to be... smart, sneaky and successful with women. (Feel free to replace "women" with "men", as appropriate.)

Once Alternative hits its stride, it is non-stop fun. About as believable as any over-the-top conspiracy theory. (In an end-of-book author's note, Mitchell writes that he used conspiracies straight from the internet. It's not just "the truth" that's out there...) Although, interestingly enough...

By the end of the book, we still don't know -- for sure -- how much of the conspiracy theory is "true". Sure, there's a cover-up. Sure, there's advanced technology. But is the entire "theory" correct? We never find out...

As with any conspiracy-based thriller, the story is in the battle for survival. So as not to strain the reader's willing suspension of disbelief, thrillers end with a valid reason why the unmasked conspiracy is still not widely known... The usual method is, to destroy all evidence.

Was it Michael Crichton who spent an entire book discovering a tribe of intelligent apes -- only to have every single one of them destroyed in the final chapter? With every trace of their homes also -- conveniently -- destroyed? That's the typical, weak, wrap-up of the major conspiracy uncovered / major discovery made style of book. And it's weak as water.

It's like a standard old style sit-com. It doesn't matter what happens during the episode. As long as the visible situation at the end is exactly the same as the situation at the start.

With Alternative 3, Mitchell avoids that weak ending.

Not that I'm entirely happy with the ending!

The book ends well. Loose ends wrapped up, plot twists satisfactorily explained. It's just that I would have liked the hero to make a more positive statement!

The first few chapters -- backstory to the conspiracy -- are hardly necessary. Then the hero successfully survives all that the baddies can throw at him. But really, his efforts have not changed the conspiracy status quo. At the end of this book -- we have returned to the start of the episode.

For my own satisfaction I like to think that... soon after the final chapter of this book... the hacker hero will get further into Alternative 3. Perhaps he will take it over. And steer it from the path of evil, to the path of niceness and good...

Apart from that... apart from my desire for the hero to do more that survive... it's a good book. (Perhaps I want the hero to do more that just survive, simply because I like him?!) Really quite a good book.

Just a tiny bit unbelievable (btw, that's intended as humourous irony). A few weaknesses... A previous reader of my copy of the book has circled the sentence where petrol is used to refuel a diesel vehicle... A question as to how many people are knowingly involved in the secondary conspiracy... and how was it all funded.

All that is nit-picking.

Read it, enjoy it.

And wonder what all those indestructible Nazis will get up to next...

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

PissWeakly: the Index

The Doomsday Prophecy / Scott Mariani

The Doomsday Prophecy

category: action, thriller, author:

Scott Mariani

book 2 of Ben Hope
original copyright 2009

read in November 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

There's a real problem with religious-themed thrillers: if you are not religious then the suspense is often rather weak. I mean, if you're not worried about a second coming then you won't be worried about whether it's this week or next... The Ninth Circle suffers badly from that loss of relevance issue...

So why am I so impressed by Mariani's thriller? I mean, it's just a book about "the end times", and whether they will be this week or next week or... never.

The Doomsday Prophecy is grounded in a reality that is believable -- whether or not you are a doomsday believer. Even the most cynical reader cannot dismiss the power struggle over doomsday-influencing relics. There is no need to believe that angels and demons are battling it out in our backyard. The conflict is very, very human.

The characters and the plot, though... well...

The hero is soooo heroic! No worries, it's a work of fiction :-)

The hero is also heroically nice... He is ethical. He is incorruptible. He is loyal to his friends and kind to passing strangers. He probably sends Christmas gifts to orphans...

All of which, I like.

So what about the plot? Well... It's a bit weak.

Doomsday is action. There is a solid plot, but simple. Twists and turns -- but simple in that the hero just has to follow his nose. Or, at least, to follow the clear leads, from one twist to the next turn.

There is one point though...

The hero has finally reached the end of a massive red herring. He has nowhere to go. No leads left to follow. So what happens?

The villains decide, This man is dangerous, he must be captured. Alive. Which, of course, brings the hero back on the villains' trail!

If only the baddies had kept their heads down, they would be safe. Ah! if only...

That little bit of silliness aside, the plot flows well. Simply, but well enough.

Clear plot, realistic motives, almost-super hero, all good!

This is a good thriller. With tension that does not depend on religious belief.

Well worth the read!

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

Blood / Joseph Glass

Blood

category: thriller, author:

Joseph Glass

book 2 of Dr Susan Shader
original copyright 2000,
read in Jul 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

The library has categorised this book as "horror". Perhaps it does have "the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror." Perhaps I'm just too blase...

There are rapes, murders, mutilations, combinations of all three. Plus various other nasties. There is some detail -- but far less than in the gore-porn of tv shows such as Silent Witness.

On the other hand -- there is never any real threat to the heroine. Not after she's already survived a previous book! Though one character seemed pointless until she became a final victim.

All in all, I felt neither horror nor terror. Perhaps some sympathy for the victims, some disgust at the baddies -- including the legal baddies.

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest / Stieg Larsson

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

category: thriller, author:

Stieg Larsson

book 3 of Millennium
original copyright 2009,
read in February 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

"The most original heroine to emerge in crime fiction for many years". That's what it says on the cover. Okay, probably true. Except for that bit about "heroine".

Lisbeth Salander is a protagonist.

In a novel the hero or heroine is a larger-than-life character who takes action and moves the plot along. A protagonist is the central person about whom the plot revolves. In Hornet's Nest, Salander is the central character about whom the entire plot revolves.

That said,

Vitals / Greg Bear

Vitals

category: science thriller, author:

Greg Bear

original copyright 2002,
read in December 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

When I wrote my first review for a thriller I did not really know what a "thriller" was. I categorised Criminal Conversation as action and thought, near enough... But now I am writing my eleventh thriller review and I have a better understanding of the genre.

In my defence, I had not read many thrillers even before I began PissWeakly Reviews. With Vitals I believe that I am beginning to understand the genre. Here's how it works:

• Hero notices that people around him die suddenly and violently. Yes, always him, never her.
  
• Despite being a very ordinary guy / genius / scientist / ex-marine / test-pilot / husband... the hero escapes one or more attempts on his life.
  
• Hero discovers the (possible) existence of a super-secret, all-powerful organisation (SSAPO-1) which rules the world using money, influence, violence and some ancient yet all-powerful secret. Conspiracy theory... to the max.
  
• Hero is helped by life-long best friends who betray him because they are secret organisation plants.
  
• Hero gains support from quiet people who were always there but seemed to be so very, very ordinary.
  
• At least one very ordinary quiet person turns out to be a member of a super-secret, all-powerful organisation (SSAPO-2) which is dedicated, in secret, to defeating SSAPO-1.
  
• Hero is weakened beyond human endurance yet he endures. He then gets isolated from SSAPO-2 and single-handedly defeats SSAPO-1.
  
• In a final, post-climactic chapter the hero -- or perhaps just the reader -- realises that SSAPO-1 was not completely defeated.
  

And there you have the plot of Vitals. And of The Tenth Chamber. And of The Husband... and most of the others. (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo misses one or two steps; The Girl who Played with Fire is closer to the genre.)

Vitals does up the ante in terms of unbelievability. It's a "scientific" thriller -- so I've categorised it as both thriller and science fiction. And it's the scientific unbelievability which is way up there... If you find that the "science" is just too fantastic, feel free to label this book as fantasy thriller.

It is an entertaining book. Read it to happily pass the time. Just don't expect it to be a really good book. Oh, and while you read it, enjoy some of the stylistic essentials of the thriller genre...

• Brand names will be dropped. Regularly.
  
• The author will make several statements which highlight what's wrong with the world. What's wrong as well as the existence of SSAPO-1, that is.
  
• The plot must be complex.
  

Did Ian Fleming start the trend? James Bond was always driving brand-name cars, drinking brand-name drinks, eating at always expensive and now-famous-by-association restaurants... Now it's an essential element of the thriller. Including Vitals.

Then there are the statements of author opinion. Highlighting a problem which has nothing to do with the plot. A statement which simply emphasises the cleverness of the author.

For example:

White America, with so shallow a history, was always looking for affirmation from more rooted cultures.

Wow! So Black America never looks to Africa, Yellow America never looks to Asia, Red America never refers to its previous life in tepees? Goodness, what a clever insight! A clever insight into the unthinking blandness of Bear's analysis, anyway.

And then, there's the requisite of plot complexity... And Bear has outdone himself.

There are twists and turns. Gradual revelations. Even more hidden secrets. Traitors and turncoats at every twist and turn...

'How do you know whether or not they'll be [traitors],' I asked...
'I appreciate your concern...' [replies the SSAPO-2 agent]...

... and he changes the subject. Having built up a complex and all-pervasive system of SSAPO-1 treachery -- Bear has no answer to the way in which SSAPO-2 will detect traitors.

Oh well.

For those who like to know what the book is about, turn to the Epilogue. In an open admission that the plot is difficult to follow, Bear allows his hero to explain what just happened. Although there are still gaps, in both plot and explanation.

Perhaps you should save time. Just read the Epilogue. It's about as clear as the rest of the book. Quicker to read. And with less unbelievable science.

An entertaining book. Switch off your good sense, and maybe enjoy it.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

The Tenth Chamber / Glenn Cooper

The Tenth Chamber

category: thriller, author:

Glenn Cooper

original copyright 2010,
read in October 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10

I enjoyed this book's "environment": France, cave paintings, archaeology... Something a bit different. I also appreciated the way that "France" was the country it was set in -- and not some cutesy foreign setting where we were expected to appreciate the exciting French-ness of it all... It's just a good story which happens to be set (mostly) in France.

Also an enjoyable idea, with a realistic portrayal of what could happen to fairly ordinary people who gain the benefits of... the mysterious secrets of The Tenth Chamber.

Then there's the government involvement... How many books expect us to believe that no-one in power has ever discovered the secrets right under their noses? The Tenth Chamber is far more realistic. I like it!

It's just a bit surprising when -- suddenly -- mass murders occur. Still, it suits the story and the characters. And -- speaking of mass murder! -- the grand finale is rather satisfying!

It's a good book, well worth reading. Not a great book. Solid story, great background. Keeps you reading... Just doesn't quite grab you with ... whatever it is with which great books grab you...

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

The Husband / Dean Koontz

The Husband

category: thriller, author:

Dean Koontz

original copyright 2004,
read in September 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10

This book began with a very confronting situation... No need for me to spoil it, just read the front cover of the book. The setup was enough to make me almost afraid to read on... I do not like "nasty" books.

Still, this is Dean Koontz. I enjoy Dean Koontz books. Though I never did finish reading Intensity... it was too intense for me.

The Husband sets up a very -- potentially -- nasty situation. Within a few chapters I realised, The Husband is unbeatable: there will be a happy ending!

With a sigh of relief, I read on...

Despite the nasty setup this is, I believe, a story of the strengths and weaknesses of family. The hero had an awful family upbringing -- yet he survived, with the strength to be a hero when the need arose. We can all overcome our childhood trauma... not everyone does.

This book is about the strengths -- and weaknesses -- of families and of individuals. The hero will triumph, there is no doubt (after the first few chapters) of that. What obstacles will he overcome? How will he overcome them? Those are the questions which kept me reading, almost non-stop, to the very satisfying conclusion.

Koontz presents a very positive view of the world. Yes, there is evil. Yes, niceness will overcome that evil. I may have my doubts -- but Koontz' view of the world makes for a very enjoyable book.

Put aside your doubts. Cheer for the hero, cheer as the villain gets his comeuppance... The message may or may not be believable. So what?! This is a book to be enjoyed.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

The Girl who Played with Fire / Stieg Larsson

The Girl who Played with Fire

category: thriller, author:

Stieg Larsson

translated from Swedish by Reg Keeland
book 2 of Millennium
published by Maclehose Press,
original copyright 2006, read in August 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

This book begins in a similar fashion to the first: slow, plodding, detailed. Then the excitement cranks up a notch... then the book reverts to its detailed plodding. But with a sharp edge of suspense because the threat has suddenly become more real.

Am I trying to say that this is a boring book?

No way!

Sure, it's written in a unique style. The author was an investigative journalist, the book is about an investigative journalist, the style is of detailed investigation. Nevertheless, the book is a thriller. Yet the enjoyment of this book is not just in it's "thriller" nature...

This needs an aside: "Thrillers are mostly characterised by an atmosphere of menace, violence, crime and murder by showing society as dark, corrupt and dangerous, though they often feature a happy ending in which the villains are killed or arrested" (from Wikipedia.) The Girl who Played with Fire is definitely a thriller. At times, a thriller in slow motion...

I enjoyed the book as a thriller. I also enjoyed it as a fictional expose of man's inhumanity to, well, women and girls. And I like the characters.

The good guys and gals are nice. There are people supposedly on the side of good who are really bad but, because they are on the side of good... they are just troublemakers. Only the nominated baddies are really evil. The Girl and her hero friend are both nice and sympathetic. The Girl, in particular is troubled but -- because her troubles are explained, and she does have a strong moral code -- she is extremely easy to cheer for.

Aside: In the front of the book are a number of excerpts from reviews of this book. One excerpt says, "Larsson's writing managed to make [Salander] intriguing, admirable, even sympathetic..." Even sympathetic?! Did that reviewer even read the book?!

To me, Salander (the heroine, the Girl) is wholly sympathetic. There is no way that you can read her history -- as revealed in this book -- and not be sympathetic to her character. Or is there?

Perhaps because Salander is a girl -- a woman, actually -- and has some power, and a willingness to use it... Perhaps that is threatening to some readers. Salander is highly intelligent, highly independent and has been punished for both of these. Perhaps her resilience and intelligence and strength is a threat, to at least one book reviewer. Perhaps the social message of the book is very, very necessary.

Perhaps -- I hope -- I am reading too much meaning into one word in a review.

One minor drawback to Fire -- which I actually liked -- was the existence of a third book. With a third book already published, there was no way that the heroine could be killed. For some, that would remove suspense. For me -- I like the solid expectation of a happy ending!

Fire is interesting for another reason: it is Swedish. Not many Swedish books published in English! It's interesting to read about a culture which is different enough from my own to be distinct.

Where else would a character spend all day shopping -- to completely furnish a new flat -- in Ikea?! Where else would a vicious thug drive a Volvo? Where else would an author name every street that his characters drive along -- and they nearly all end with 'vagan?! (Or something; I can't find a page to check my memory.) It all adds interest to a great story!

Fire has far more characters -- and story points of view -- than the first Millennium book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. After a while I almost gave up trying to follow the various characters. Still, the main plot was clear even if I was often confused by the variety of people. Many with strange Swedish names, too... though "Jerker" sounded almost Australian :-)

Fire unfolded several layers of plot, some so unexpected (perhaps only to me?) that they seemed almost deus ex machina. These were not related to the action, more to the motives. Hmmm... I do wonder... Were some of these revelations unexpected simply because I missed clues that would be obvious to someone who knew more about Sweden? Possibly... or possibly not.

And one further point where I am unsure: Is there a theme to the Millennium series?

Yes, books one and two are thrillers. With great characters. But is that the true point of the books?

As I was reading Fire I began to wonder, Did Larsson write these as thrillers? Or did he really write them as exposes of social injustice...

Either way, great books. I'm looking forward to the third.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

category: thriller, author:

Stieg Larsson

translated from Swedish by Reg Keeland
book 1 of Millennium
published by Maclehose Press, original copyright 2005,
read in Jun 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

That... is a very good book. Not perfect. Very good.

The writing style is almost clinical: straightforward, factual, detailed. It's easy to believe that Larsson wrote factual articles on difficult topics -- topics where there could be strong feelings with differing opinions. The main male character is in a similar role and the writing style reflects this background.

You're reading this story, watching a complex web of crime and deceit being meticulously uncovered. Suddenly -- there is rape, violence, family skeletons leaping out of closets... Yet even that is written in a straightforward fashion. No tricks of fancy phrasing. Just a factual account. Larsson lets the facts speak for themselves.

The facts are complex: unexpected twists unexpectedly uncovered. This is not plots within plots, it is a more believable discovery of unexpected depths and related nastiness. Each strand is simple in itself, it is the unexpected discovery of the new strand which provides the complexity of the story.

Even so, the unravelling is ordered: close off one crime, move on to the next. It's like a climb down into a dark pit via a set of deep and murky stairs -- where the climb out, is also via a set of stairs. One by one, safely up one step before attempting the next. Which all makes for a complex set of plots being dealt with in a very orderly manner.

It's a book that is hard to put down. You want to read on, to see what will happen next. The interest, though, is in the story rather than in the way that the story is presented. Nothing wrong with that! I mean, that this is an excellent story and that the author has written an excellent book. With no need to resort to "tricks" in an attempt to build up artificial excitement.

And you know what else is fascinating about this book? It's Swedish!

The prison system is, well, unique. The places, shops, general background, all emphasise that this is not Australia / US / England. Something different! (Unless, of course, you're Swedish.) The weather, the people, even the clothes... Just wait till you read what is worn by the rich & powerful industry magnate when he appears on TV!

There are also some comments which appear to be author's opinion and not essential to the plot: the lack of investigation by "investigative journalists" and the role of the stock market, for example. The first made me think. The second surprised me; I thought I was alone in my view. All add depth and interest to the book.

On the other hand, I would question the use of statistics to emphasis the theme of each section of the book.

"18% of the women in Sweden have at one time been threatened by a man." It may be true. Written like that, it has a strong impact. To be valid -- it needs to be set in context. What sort of threat? Was this a difference in power, or a difference of opinion? How many men were threatened? Statistics are based on fact. To understand the statistics, we need to know the factual basis.

Read the book. Enjoy it. Take away whatever message you will, about crime, punishment, and the potential misuse of differences in personal power.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

State of Fear / Michael Crichton

State of Fear

category: science fiction, author:

Michael Crichton

published by HarperCollins, original copyright 2004, read in April 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

Is this really -- as I have categorised it -- science fiction? The blurb on the back calls it a "techno-thriller"... According to Macquarie dictionary, a thriller deals with crime (etc) "in an exciting or sensational manner." State of Fear certainly does that. Wikipedia references another website to state that, "A thriller is villain driven plot, whereby he presents obstacles the hero must overcome." With the added criteria that the hero, "must thwart the plans of more powerful and better equipped villains."

Yes, it's exciting. Yes, it's sensational. But there is no "hero"; the story revolves around a "protagonist", who barely knows what's going on and, mostly, just follows instructions from stronger characters. Speaking of whom... the villains are powerful and well equipped -- but the good guys are even more so! The good guys are able to call on money, technology and knowledge which, frankly, makes the villains look like second-rate wimps.

Loosely speaking, this book could be a "thriller". I prefer to label it as "action".

Then there's science fiction: "which draws imaginatively on scientific knowledge and speculation in its plot, setting, theme, etc" (Macquarie). With, as Wikipedia adds, "a considerable degree of suspension of disbelief", where the reader reads for enjoyment and does not question the science. (Although in "hard" science fiction the science should, at least, be plausible if viewed at some not-too-distant period into the future.)

State of Fear is definitely science fiction. The science is central to the plot and is backed by references to what I guess are actual, scientific papers. Though Crichton admits that some of the action -- guiding a storm, for example -- is still just a theory. So, yes, science fiction.

What the book really is, though, is a rant against environmental activists who exaggerate environmental threats. Exaggeration which includes the use of limited "evidence" to support their scare tactics.

Which is interesting, really. Since Crichton does exactly the same.

Science fiction...

Crichton presents, in this book, lots of references to "prove" his case. He makes no pretense at showing the range of arguments, for and against. "Here is," he says, "One paper which supports my view. Therefore... my view is right." Rubbish!

He also has some appalling lapses in logic:

In Appendix 1, Why Politicized Science is Dangerous -- the author's own argument, not just a part of a fictional novel -- Crichton discusses the way in which scientists follow politics. The scientists, apparently, follow political thought, even though no external pressure has been applied.

Crichton quotes from research which states that scientists in pre-World War 2 Germany had "adjusted their research interests" to suit Nazi policies, even though "no external pressure can be documented." Having stated that scientists voluntarily followed Nazi policies, Crichton then adds, "And those few who did not adjust disappeared."

"Disappeared"!? Why did they "disappear"?! Could it be, perhaps, that their non-compliance was noted -- and these scientists were forced to disappear? Were they, in fact, killed?

You are a scientist. A fellow scientist disagrees with Nazi policies. That fellow scientist "disappears" -- presumed dead. And Crichton does not see this as evidence of "external pressure" on scientists...

Crichton takes a point of view. States evidence that directly contradicts that point of view. And does not even recognise it.

Yes, State of Fear is a rant in science fiction format.

Unfortunately, the book is also half filled with various characters spouting Crichton's one-eyed views. Shades of Robert Heinlein!

... action packed adventure

Still, like Heinlein, Crichton can write an entertaining, action-packed, science fiction novel. The characters fly around the world, defeating villainous plots, getting in various degrees of danger, flying in the face of logic...

The protagonist deliberately leaves his bugged mobile phone in the villain's office. Later, he checks his messages. Later still, he switches his mobile back on, to catch up on what's been happening. All without ever getting his phone back from the villain's office!

The good guys finally manage to identify the location for the final confrontation. They make a last-minute dash to save the world (or California, at least). They battle cannibal rebels -- to demonstrate that the concept of "the noble savage" is entirely false. Having arrived on the spot with only two hours to spare -- they meet up with another good guy who had been there for more than a week! Why didn't he phone?!

Oh yes... Then, having battled the cannibals, wiped out the bad guys, destroyed all means of transport... the good guys apparently just walk back past the cannibals. There are three people carrying two others who are near-death, a journey which was apparently near-impossible, in full health, on the way out. A journey which is now so simple that it is not even worth a paragraph.

Switch off your logical faculties. Sit back, read, enjoy...

If only it were set off the Earth, I would have added the category, "space opera".

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

Afterthought

This book is a lot of fun. Totally ridiculous action, but a lot of fun. Its problem is with the author's tone: a strong attack on "accepted" views of environmental threat. Crichton treats his own barely supported views as gospel. Widely accepted, opposing views are -- in his opinion -- unbelievably stupid and naive.

It is difficult to read this book without feeling either stupid or insulted.

Yet some of Crichton's espoused opinions are -- possibly -- sound. Why does he do his best to set the reader offside?

Let me suggest...

Why insult the reader? Why write a book with such a simplistic plot? Why throw in supposed solutions in just a few pages in the last chapter? Rather than being totally negative -- why not take a more positive view?

Crichton claims (in the last paragraph) that he knows all the answers to environmental problems. He took the easy approach and simply attacked every other idea. He could have set himself a real challenge -- and written a more readable book -- with a positive approach to his ideas of solutions...

In the final chapter, Crichton sets the protagonist and his partner a challenge, to run an effective environmental support group. Now that sounds like the basis for a good book: Set up the group, tackle a major environmental issue, face challenges -- and overcome them!

I compared Crichton to Heinlein. Crichton states his views, insults the reader and throws in a lot of unbelievable action. Heinlein states his views -- and has his characters implement them. If Crichton had done that he could have made his points -- very strongly -- and written a more enjoyable book.

The Green Trap / Ben Bova

The Green Trap

(category: thriller)
by

Ben Bova

published by Forge / Tom Doherty in 2006
Nick read a library book, in March 2010

Nick's rating: 5 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

This is a thriller based on a scientific breakthrough. A cheap and easy process for the production of hydrogen means that the oil/energy industry will be ruined. Energy moguls want the new information suppressed. They are supported by the politicians in their pockets. Scientists succumb to pressure, lust and greed. Only the hero --an unworldly, friendless scientist -- wants to release the new knowledge to the world. Past half-way and some terrorists appear. They hate Russia and want to release the cheap hydrogen technology so that Russia -- earning heaps of money from its oil -- will be financially ruined. "At last!" I thought, "Some people who know what they are doing!" The concept of this book is fine; the characters are ridiculous... For example: as soon as there is a physical threat, the hero completely forgets about the personal alarm which he carries.

Strangely enough, though, my main criticism of the book is in the use of email... The secret of the hydrogen extraction process is on CDs. The hero puts it all into a zip file and sends copies to friends. The baddies then steal the PCs from the friends -- and believe that they now have every single copy of the data! Good grief! Look in "Sent mail"... look on any server between sender and receiver... download another copy of the email... Once sent, it's almost impossible to remove all copies of an email -- yet the baddies think that they can steal a few PCs and destroy all of the evidence! The stupidity of the main characters made this a difficult book to enjoy. The misunderstanding of email and the internet are an embarrassment.

Come to think of it: The new hydrogen extraction process is done by genetically modified bacteria. Everyone is fighting to control the notes which explain what was done. Meanwhile -- the bacteria are happily sitting in a tank, growing, breeding and producing hydrogen. Who needs the notes on their creation?!

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your own documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

The Genesis Code / John Case

The Genesis Code

(category: thriller)
by

John Case

published by Arrow Books in 1997
Nick read a library book, in February 2010

Nick's rating: 8 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

A good, solid thriller... An artificial insemination expert upsets the Catholic church. While church leaders discuss how upset they are, a splinter group takes action. When that action involves murder of the sister and nephew of the founding owner-manager of a private investigation agency -- things start to heat up. Actually, the heating is very slow... It's a bit James Bond-ish, with the hero eating seven course meals at fancy restaurants, staying in luxury hotels and visiting scenic and historic sites across Europe. Easy enough reading but it failed to add to the plot. No time wasted on the romantic subplot, though: it only appeared in the last quarter of the book. Over-the-top characters but many of them were very likable... with an unfortunate tendency to die suddenly. Also, most of the deaths were "off screen" -- I don't like graphic violence! Sure, I can see some negatives. But it was more plausible and exciting than The Lost Symbol (which was similar, sort of) and the ending was -- okay, predictable -- but satisfying. And the last words of the epilogue were horribly cliched but absolutely fitting. I liked it.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your own documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

The Lost Symbol / Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol

(category: fantasy)
book 3 starring Robert Langdon by

Dan Brown

published by Transworld / Random House in 2009
Nick read a new book, in December 2009

Nick's rating: 7 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

A rip roaring yarn... Plenty of action, solid conspiracy theory material, good guys under serious threat but always escaping by the skin of their teeth. Stupid, I thought at the start. Then I thought again: Place it in a strange city on a strange planet -- rather than Washington, Earth -- and it's standard fantasy. Mysterious cabals, ancient secrets, human but inhuman villain. With that view -- it's a lot of fun. Some small points of very dodgy science but the symbology is fun. So many "significant" numbers! Whole sets of things built to match the most mystical number ever -- then more things built to match a different mystical number... The story flows well but I did get annoyed at the regular use of, "I've finally discovered the answer... and I'll tell you what it is after a chapter or two of heightened tension!"

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your own documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

The Good Guy / Dean R. Koontz

The Good Guy

(category: thriller)
by

Dean R. Koontz

published by HarperCollins in 2007, read in September 2009

Agamedes' rating: 8 out of 10

Agamedes' opinion:

This is Koontz just starting to turn to optimistic mysticism... Makes me think of Doc Smith’s Lensmen: There are cold, evil baddies with secret organisations ruling the world by stealth. Then there is the good guy, with his heroic friends and -- very Lensmanish -- his heroic family. The evil guy -- chief visible villain -- kills for pleasure. He remembers gruesome rapes and murders and coldly killed complete strangers. Within a few chapters, though, I realised that he would never harm the main characters, so I could relax and enjoy the read. The theme of the book is, that this is a wonderful world (mostly in the good ol’ USA) with just one group trying to gain control by making us believe that we are under all sorts of threats. Yet the “wonderful world” idea is totally contradicted by the existence of the villains! Perhaps the chief villain’s idea that he himself came from “somewhere else” is meant to be true? His evil comes from his “mirror world” origins, just as Doc Smith’s Lensmen universe evil is from Eddore...? Either a positive message of hope, or thrilling escapism...

..o0o..

This blog is supported by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your own documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

Criminal Conversation / Evan Hunter

Criminal Conversation

by

Evan Hunter

published in 1994
read by Agamedes in May 2009
thriller

Wikipedia has this in the “legal thriller novels” category. The “legal” comes -- I guess -- from the theme of DA and police efforts to get evidence against a mafia don. The mafia are treated honestly: as violent, hypocritical thugs, who are sycophantic to anyone with power and who will do anything (nasty) to friend or foe to protect their own self interest. There was plenty of “strong sex” in the middle of the book. Interestingly, it seemed to be written from a female perspective. (Or, written to get a woman excited rather than a man. But still dirty enough for a man:-) The main characters fell in lust: I could see no basis for a long term relationship, despite the professed love and offer of marriage. A good read with a satisfactory -- though not happy! -- ending.

Agamedes' rating: 8 out of 10