Book Review - Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg

Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg
Derek Swannson
Three Graces Press
2007
616 Pages

If I had to describe this book in two words I’d have to say… Absolutely brilliant!!

Fortunately, I’m not bound nor inclined to short descriptions.

“Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” is a uniquely engrossing and entertaining read from the first page to the very last word. In the opening scene we meet our hero, the reincarnated, polymath infant Gordon, who guides us through a fantastic journey of mysticism, intrigue, and conspiracy as he strives toward manhood.

With an incredibly intelligent plot, elegant and gripping phrasing, versant nostalgia and a sprinkling of comedy Swannson proves that he has a unique and distinctive voice. This odd but entertaining novel contains familiar elements of Shea and Wilson’s “Illuminatus! Trilogy,” Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Wolfe’s “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” and the entire catalog of Hunter S. Thompson. I was wholly entertained by every one of the six-hundred plus pages of this epic coming of age story. Swannson allows us to be our almost forgotten adolescent selves again while we tag along with Gordon and friends on their strange journey into adulthood.

If you like smart, literate, and humorous Conspiracy Theories about secret societies, alien manipulation, Freemasonry, narcolepsy, Templar’s and the occasional psychedelic acid trip (and who doesn’t?) then this book is for you! In my estimation, Derek Swannson has created a true masterpiece that will stand the test of time. He weaves intricately patterned characters and scenes with great skill and while the novel is a trifle lengthy there is not a single wasted or misplaced word.

Being of a certain age I identified completely with the pop-culture, drug-related, Rock ‘n Roll references, socio-political movements, and historical moments identified in the book. I have to admit that I couldn’t help but laugh at the adolescent banter, insults and jokes between Crash and his friends. And the nostalgia… ah… Farrell’s Ice Cream Shop and the infamous Pig Trough, Speedos, Quadraphonic stereos, camping, and hellgrammites for fishing. Swannson may have channeled every teenage boy I ever knew.

I’m told that the sequel, “Crash Gordon and the Revelations From Big Sur” is forthcoming. I, for one, can’t wait! Do your self a favor and purchase Swannson’s “Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” and his other previously published novel “Nitt-Witt Ridge.” You certainly won’t be disappointed.

Rating: (The very rare) Six out of Five Stars

Be sure to visit Derek's website http://www.crashgordonbooks.com/ for a better understanding of Crash and his exploits.

The Alternative
June 18th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Red Wolf Conspiracy

The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V. S. Redick
Historical Fiction
Del Rey (2009), Hardcover
464 pages
Advance Readers Copy

The first moment I opened this book I could smell the salty sea spray and feel the snap of the heavy canvas sails in the wind. I could hear the creak of ageless magical timber and twisted hemp and the sound of a thousand activities as sailors scurried the deck of the Chathrand as it plied The Quiet Sea. Not since Raymond Feist’s “The King’s Buccaneer” or C. S. Forester’s “Hornblower” books have I had such fun on the high seas.

I truly enjoyed “The Red Wolf Conspiracy” and was pleasantly surprised and impressed by such a highly imaginative debut novel. I’m looking forward to all his future works. This is an historical seafaring romp with a magical/fantastical twist entwined with political intrigue which kept me turning pages at a furious rate. This is an enjoyable read with intelligently crafted characters, locations and scenes and was undeniably captivating. Best of all, there wasn’t a single misplaced or wasted word. I ask you to recall the first time you read “Lord Valentine’s Castle” or any of the “Pern” stories and you’ll begin to understand how wonderfully immersed in the fantasy I became while reading this tale.

My favorite characters were the tiny Ixhxchr which appear to be loosely based on Ireland’s “Little Folk” and Captain Nilus Rose, the stalwart skipper of the greatest ship to ever sail.

I can’t think of a single negative thing to say about this book. And, after an hour of thought I still can’t seem to find the right words to praise it highly enough.

5 of 5 stars

The Alternative
May 1st, 2009
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - Pureheart

Pureheart
Rita Hsu Syers
Bronwen Publishing (2009)
Hardcover
340 pages
Advance Readers Copy

Tedious, canine “preachy” and much too explanatory this book was very difficult for me to read (and honestly I didn’t get past page 60). The premise is interesting and could have been an action drama filled with interesting pacing and creative characters. But, unfortunately, it was not.

I have news for the author. (And please don’t bash me for not being an animal lover…) Not everyone in the world loves dogs, owns a dog or works with dogs. My word, every human in the book had dogs in common. But in the real world even if everyone you know owns a dog its not THE only thing they ever discuss. I do like animals and thought this story had some promise but the monotony turned me off almost from the start.

1 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
May 1st, 2009
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - Gray Apocalypse

Gray Apocalypse by James Murdoch
Demand Publications
350 pages
Advance Reader Copy

While not a conspiracy theorist myself I can usually suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy a good doomsday yarn. In the case of “Gray Apocalypse” there was no suspension required on my part at all. Murdoch’s prose is gripping and filled with page turning non-stop action and I was hooked after the first few pages. The story is an engrossing SF/alien invasion/X-Files/conspiracy theory meets “Footfall” meets James Rollins adventure which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The protagonist, Michael Kendon, is a Belarusian born secret agent for The Collaboration and is a skilled assassin and infinitely cunning. Kendon has compelling appeal and with a little work could easily become a reoccurring franchise character (i.e. Gabriel Allon, Robert Langdon, Doc Savage, etc.).

The story has few wasted words or actions and moves along with magnificent pacing. While never one to spoil an ending I will say that Murdoch had me turning pages at a furious rate to reach the climactic reward.

A few minor negatives

Contrived plot devices:
The astronomer whose father was a hypnotist which makes him an accomplished hypnotist how?
Killer/healer – Trained to kill snitches he becomes the world’s biggest whistle-blower.
Healer/killer - A trained operative with healing hands? Can you say experiment! Any good secret agency would have had his DNA sequenced already by the very same agency he worked for.

Clichés:
“I loved you before I ever met you!”

One huge bonus, as far as I’m concerned, was that the author was kind enough to sign my copy of the book (add a half star) and sent a personal letter asking me to review it.

4 of 5 stars

The Alternative
April 28th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Certain Jeopardy

Certain Jeopardy by Jeff Struecker
B&H Books (2009)
Trade Paperback
400 pages
Advance Readers Copy

While the premise and plot were quite interesting the conclusion of this story was a bit predictable. This was a fairly quick read which usually tends to make me want to give the author a higher rating. Perhaps this is because of how hard it is to write something that reads quickly.

But there are elements of this story that seem out of place to me. First, the more overtly religious themes (i.e. prayer, moral choices, etc.) came at odd times and distracted me. Second, there was an obvious effort to gloss over profanities and hard language which in a story of this nature seems unrealistic. And third, there was a faint undertone of being “ministered to,” not exactly what I’m looking for in a story about covert military operations.

The Special Ops themes, military objectives, and action sequences of “Certain Jeopardy” were interesting and entertaining to read. And it is obvious that the author has had military training and has also experienced the most difficult task of war; that of leaving loved ones behind.

The main characters were very believable and nicely drawn from experience and the mission, while not exactly front page news, was plausible if not somewhat far-fetched.

Overall a fairly good read.

3 of 5 stars

The Alternative
April 12th, 2009
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - American Rust

American Rust: A Novel by Philipp Meyer
Trade Paperback
Spiegel and Grau
343 pages
Advanced Reader Copy

“American Rust” is an aptly named novel that spins a tale of restless lives in the depressed steel towns of central Pennsylvania. Mounds of real American rust abound in this entertaining narrative. You will find here the tarnish of abandoned steel mills and mill towns corroded by poverty and despair, the rust of muddy rivers browned by the ravages of steel processing, the corrosion of ancient railroad yards and trains, and the smell of ancient steel, creosote and tailings. And, woven throughout is the rust of rage, violence, blood and death.

When I opened this book a short note on the first page struck me. The publisher likened Philipp Meyer to John Steinbeck! I was astounded and thought it quite a bit premature to compare this first time writer to an exceptional classic novelist. I began reading American Rust with the idea that Meyer had awfully big shoes to fill. Deep down I knew he was being set up to fail and that there was no way he could live up to the praise. But…

Imagine my surprise when I found that there were some very real similarities between Meyer and Steinbeck! They both describe the poignant complexities of the broken heart, especially in damaged or ruined relationships, and there are so many of them in this novel. They both depict scenes of the lost American Dream and move the story along with travelogues; riding the rails and running from inner demons. The human condition is depicted with beautiful prose and the bleak realities of facing forward and taking responsibility for ones own actions is central. They both understand the restlessness of people caught up in depression (both economical and intellectual) and the inertia of lives and actions that have steamrolled out of control. Meyer is dark, bleak and moving; everything Steinbeck was so very good at and his characters are realistically drawn in remarkable prose. They are as human as anyone we know and are both breathtakingly beautiful and tragic at the same time. When you’ve finished reading “American Rust” you will be forced to agree that while the ghost of Steinbeck does not necessarily live in Meyer it haunts him nonetheless.

A few negatives should be addressed here: The pacing is, at times, erratic and jumps from character to character sometimes at the expense of moving the plot forward. The “split personality” tough guy persona of the Kid inside Isaac was, in my opinion, unnecessary. Isaac’s own inner voice of despair and suffering would have sufficed on its own.

This was, overall, a very enjoyable read and I was pleasantly surprised by Meyer’s style and the raw emotion of the story. With these genuine scenes of rusted America you will touch, taste, smell and feel the very human struggle of trying to hold on during the toughest of times.

I give it 4 ½ stars out of 5 stars.

The Alternative
February 28th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Book Thief

The Book Thief
Markus Zusak

Incredible read!

From the clipped-quick style to the controversial content this is a truly magnificent book! Zusack has the rare ability to entrance the reader and stir emotions long subdued. He shows us that people are capable of incredible evil and delicate, heart-rending good. Although labeled Young Adult this is by no means a children’s book. Its Nazi Germany 1939-1945 and we understand at the outset that tragedy is in the making but Zusack surprises and delights us with this powerful tale and while we all know what’s going to happen I couldn’t stop turning pages at a furious rate. And, my word, how many books have you read where death is the narrator? I loved this book… you will too!

5 out of 5 Stars

The Alternative
February 21st, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Year of Wonders

Year of Wonders
Geraldine Brooks

‘Year of Wonders’ is the fictionalized account of the village and denizens of Eyam, Derbyshire, England. The year is 1666 and a number of villagers have died of the Black Death. The community reluctantly decides to undergo a self-imposed quarantine and they restrict travel in and out of the village until the plague can run its course. A sympathetic neighbor delivers food and supplies to a preset location at the boundary of the village for those who survive. But the dead soon outnumber the living.

The narrative follows the lives of some of the prominent villagers and the heart-wrenching struggles in which they find themselves entangled. Well written, with believable characters and emotional on many levels Brooks gives us an historical novel of great power and passion. Painstakingly researched to the most macabre details of death from the plague and life in the 17th century this book is not for the weak of heart but will make your heart weak by the suffering and sacrifice of every single member of the hamlet.

This is what every great historical novel should strive to become; real, human and filled with life… even in death.

5 out of 5 Stars

The Alternative
February 6th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Revelation of Fire

Revelation of Fire by Alla Avilova
The Permanent Press
288 pgs.
Advance Readers Copy

Revelation of Fire is a thoroughly enjoyable read and is, to me, reminiscent of the Russian masters. Like them Avilova has a firm grasp of human nature and an unnatural insight into the soul of the common man. Her characters are compelling, real and absolutely believable and the numerous mysteries kept me turning pages at a furious clip. I have to admit that as a true Science Fiction fan this type of story is not my usual bill of fare but it proved to keep me enthralled throughout and is written with a poetic and masterful hand.

Alla Avilova’s fascinating novel pursues a mystical text, Revelation of Fire, through various historical eras. The book is touched and touches various individuals who perpetuate the spiritual mysteries contained within the book. From sixteenth century monks to cold-war literature experts the books provenance is tracked through history and eventually finds its way to the Russian SCHA library where it rests in obscurity. When a Dutch literature researcher requests the book the curators find that the book has disappeared and the search is on.

Little by little the protagonists, Bert and Nadya, fit many unlikely elements together, revealing a sequence of events and random connections that defy rational explanation. In truth, they build upon small unraveled vignettes of past owners (well, keepers) of the book and in due course locate it but in an attempt too remove it from Moscow they lose it.

The book is partially a mystery with elements of suspense and to a degree a dissertation on spiritualism. If there is anything wrong with this book it is at the 100 page point where the author attempts to explain the spiritualism everyone seems to be chasing. It felt a bit preachy to me but fortunately it is only drawn out for a few pages.

Avilova’s wonderful settings are compelling and she’ll draw you in to the spirit of each location. Russian landscapes, hermitages, cold war apartments, and a 19th century fishing village force the reader to examine each location closely and you are transformed there.

The climax, appeared to be a bit of a let down at the time, and contained no new real mystical teachings but I soon learned that that wasn’t the point. The crucial purpose of the story was the personal revelations of the ordinary people who discovered the Revelation of Fire and were touched by the mysticism within it and how it changed their lives. For this reason alone I suggest you purchase this book today and make it a permanent addition to your collection.

5 of 5 stars

The Alternative One
January 22nd, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Why the Long Face? Stories

Why the Long Face? Stories
Ron MacLean
Swank Books
210 pages
Review Copy

Something happened to me while I was reading this book of short stories and I’m certain it will happen to you too. About half-way through the book I realized that MacLean is one of those rare authors who truly understand the human condition. His stories, while well constructed and tightly plotted, were not really about the narrative but about the people. MacLean’s characters are incredibly drawn; full, flawed and absolutely as real as you or I. They fill each story with reality and define what it means to be human. Some of the characters you’ll meet include Gertrude Stein, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, an immoral Mayor, an unfaithful husband whose mistress is the Internet, a man with a spike driven through his head and the curator of the Museum of Toast. The list of characters alone should drive you to purchase this book immediately.

For that reason alone I’ve given his book the rare 5 of 5 stars.

The Alternative
December 30th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Archangel Project

The Archangel Project
C. S Graham
Harper (2008), Mass Market Paperback384 pages
Advance Reader Copy

During a paranormal case study, October Guinness uses her unusual gift of remote viewing to accidentally uncover a government conspiracy. When people around her begin to die, including the administrator of the test and then others that were close or connected to her, she is forced to a life on the run. Jax Alexander, an operative from a non-respected branch of the CIA, is sent to investigate October’s disappearance and uncovers an intricate plot to assassinate the Vice President. Together, using October’s gift and Jax’s skills as an agent the two must work together to unravel and stop the assassination.

I liked the idea of remote viewing as a plot device and this appealed to me as both a unique and interesting inclusion. I also enjoyed the idea of a conspiracy spawned by a branch of the government. All of which made this book a very fast and rather enjoyable read for me. The plot was, however, a bit predictable and there were points when too many characters were introduced in short choppy chapters that slowed up the flow of the story. Nota as tight as some stories of this genre that I’ve read but certainly worth the two or three nights it’ll take you to read.

3 ½ out of 5 Stars

The Alternative
November 30th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Any Given Doomsday (The Phoenix Chronicles)

Any Given Doomsday (The Phoenix Chronicles)
Lori Handeland
Not my usual fare and not really up to par. If you’re looking for the occult, vampires, werewolves, etc. I'd stick to Charlane Harris.

2 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
October 17th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Fire

The Fire: A Novel
Katherine Neville
Ballantine Books (2008)
464 pages
Advance Readers Copy

This book is an ARC that I received in the mail unexpectedly from Ballantine Books. I was thrilled to be able to add it to my paper collection. It was free and unsolicited which made it that much better! For sending an extra ARC book that I did not even request Ballantine and LibraryThing.com get 5 out of 5 stars!

It seems obvious by the many reviews of this book posted at LibraryThing.com and elsewhere that you cannot mention it without talking about “The Eight” which is the first book in the series. I have to admit that I have never read “The Eight” but have seen a lot of positive remarks about it on the net. It seems to have had many good reviews over the years. With that information in mind I began reading “The Fire” the sequel.
The story flowed well and I finished it rather quickly and enjoyed parts of it. However, there were some obvious failings that bothered me. Some of the history was blatantly incorrect. (For example on Page 70 Ali Pasha was supplied repeating rifles designed for Lord Byron in America in 1822! This weapon wasn’t even invented until the late 1840’s and the first true patent wasn’t awarded until 1860!) There were other inconsistencies but this one stood out.

Second, the clues were “presented” rather than “allowed” to be uncovered through the writing. (Gosh, I wish I had the black queen, oh look, I’ve found the black queen. And since when does LX mean Luxury Car?? Page 40.) The reader wasn’t allowed the luxury to figure out the clue but was handed them prematurely. They were, perhaps, given up too freely.

Third, the pop-culture clichés and sayings bantered between the main character and her friend seemed very misplaced, awkward and ill-timed to me. They probably should have been left out completely as they did nothing to move the story forward.
The characters were well drawn as were most of the locations. And I enjoyed many of the scenes, especially those of a historic nature but the author probably should have spent a little more time on this before submitting for publication.

2 ½ stars out of 5

P.S. I did purchase “The Eight” after receiving the ARC sequel because I’ve heard only good things about it. With that said I intend to read them both back to back to see if my opinion of the sequel changes for the better.

The Alternative
September 28th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - American Gods

American Gods
Neil Gaiman

The mythology of the world comes alive on the roads of America. This novel is a road trip Baedeker, an examination of the psyche, a prelude to Armageddon, and a page turner all in one. What more could you ask for in urban fantasy?

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
May 5, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Flounder

The Flounder
Gunter Grass

Comparable stories of the battle of the sexes told by an immortal talking flounder, (yes, really) whose subtle guidance to men through the ages leads to the destruction of a once influential matriarchal society and the ascendance of patriarchy.

Hmmm, well, almost every review I've seen of this book has some negative critique or another. I, on the other hand, found it a fabulous piece of fiction. This reincarnation creation myth is quite entertaining and serves as Grass' definitive statement concerning history, feminism and yes, love. I'll leave it up to you to discover the rest.

The Alternative
Apr 7, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights : From the Winchester Mss. of Thomas Malory and Other Sources…
John Steinbeck

The very best modern retelling of the Arthurian Legend. If you've read Malory's version of the myth then this is your next stop. Steinbeck brings the legend back to life. The only thing wrong with this book is that his untimely death left it unfinished. Each story is an entertaining tale, full of insight about the art of chivalry, women, war, and the concepts of honor and dignity.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Apr 6, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - 100 selected poems

100 selected poems
e. e. cummings

No one plays with words as well as cummings. He is imaginative and intelligent and 100 Selected Poems proves it. Beware of those who call his poetry "verbal gimmicks." They have read the poetry but not felt it. For those who don't get it the answer is simple: read it again!

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Apr 6, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Underground

Underground
Suelette Dreyfus

Hacking, madness and obsession on the electronic frontier

http://www.underground-book.com/

The Alternative
Apr 2, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - 1776

1776
David McCullough

All you ever wanted to know about 1776 is here. The history of one year in the very early days of our country is aptly portrayed by historian David McCullough.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Dec 29, 2006
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg

Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg
Derek Swannson
Three Graces Press
2007
616 Pages

If I had to describe this book in two words I’d have to say… Absolutely brilliant!!

Fortunately, I’m not bound nor inclined to short descriptions.

“Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” is a uniquely engrossing and entertaining read from the first page to the very last word. In the opening scene we meet our hero, the reincarnated, polymath infant Gordon, who guides us through a fantastic journey of mysticism, intrigue, and conspiracy as he strives toward manhood.

With an incredibly intelligent plot, elegant and gripping phrasing, versant nostalgia and a sprinkling of comedy Swannson proves that he has a unique and distinctive voice. This odd but entertaining novel contains familiar elements of Shea and Wilson’s “Illuminatus! Trilogy,” Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Wolfe’s “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” and the entire catalog of Hunter S. Thompson. I was wholly entertained by every one of the six-hundred plus pages of this epic coming of age story. Swannson allows us to be our almost forgotten adolescent selves again while we tag along with Gordon and friends on their strange journey into adulthood.

If you like smart, literate, and humorous Conspiracy Theories about secret societies, alien manipulation, Freemasonry, narcolepsy, Templar’s and the occasional psychedelic acid trip (and who doesn’t?) then this book is for you! In my estimation, Derek Swannson has created a true masterpiece that will stand the test of time. He weaves intricately patterned characters and scenes with great skill and while the novel is a trifle lengthy there is not a single wasted or misplaced word.

Being of a certain age I identified completely with the pop-culture, drug-related, Rock ‘n Roll references, socio-political movements, and historical moments identified in the book. I have to admit that I couldn’t help but laugh at the adolescent banter, insults and jokes between Crash and his friends. And the nostalgia… ah… Farrell’s Ice Cream Shop and the infamous Pig Trough, Speedos, Quadraphonic stereos, camping, and hellgrammites for fishing. Swannson may have channeled every teenage boy I ever knew.

I’m told that the sequel, “Crash Gordon and the Revelations From Big Sur” is forthcoming. I, for one, can’t wait! Do your self a favor and purchase Swannson’s “Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” and his other previously published novel “Nitt-Witt Ridge.” You certainly won’t be disappointed.

Rating: (The very rare) Six out of Five Stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin