Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Book Review: Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane

Solid Characters in an Implausible Plot

I like plot, reading for the tension, suspense, and unexpected twists that the best authors can craft.  For me, characters are in books largely to move the plot forward.  But characters can also be captivating, as Since We Fell reminded me.  Unfortunately for this book, those fascinating and nuanced individuals populate a plot that was often unbelievable and always convenient.

Rachel Childs, the protagonist of Since We Fell, felt real to me and quite easy to like.  In the early chapters, Lehane paints her as a woman who is utterly alone – emotionally, psychologically, and physically.  By the middle of the book, she has suffered her on-air mental breakdown and is a virtual shut-in.  She is a well-developed, complex character through these sections.  Her final transformation seemed a bit over-the-top to me, but extreme situations might call for reaching into the depths of one’s psyche and drawing on capacities rarely seen.

Although a bit slow paced initially, I generally enjoyed the author’s writing style, particularly some of the visual similes.  This type of comparison is easy to overuse, but Lehane hits a good rhythm.  And the end is action packed.

The weakness of the book, however, was the plot.  It simply strained credibility too much for me to remain immersed in the story.  There are several, specific scenes that were questionable, e.g., an interaction between Rachel and a detective or several scenes involving the villains.  Those, however, could be written off as a necessary stretch of the imagination.  But it was the primary ‘twist,’ the turning point in the story that came about two-thirds of the way through the book that pushed the story beyond believability.  While it forced me to re-characterize much of the action, which good twists will do, it also made everything that had and would happen convenient and generally trite.

Overall, I loved Rachel’s climb back out of self-doubt and despair.  If you’re a reader who values character development and vivid prose even when not fully supported by plot, you should enjoy Since We Fell.

Monday, June 26, 2017

IN THE SPACE peaks at #74



During last week's promos, In the Space of an Atom peaked at #74 in Kindle Technothrillers.  Love the support from my readers and thanks to authors Laurel Heidtman and Lincoln Cole for their social media pushes.


Pick up your copy today or read for free with Kindle Unlimited HERE

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Walking for Words – On the AT


Took a break from the keyboard for a little R&R – that’s Relaxing and (not) ‘Riting – and had the good fortune to spend it on the Appalachian Trail and on some of the Shenandoah National Park trails.

We ended up timing it perfectly, with three straight days of sun, cool mornings, and warm afternoons.  The day we headed home, it rained.
Absolutely stunning scenery, with the mountain laurel in bloom and spectacular scenes from the top of some of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  My only disappointment was that each day, I passed one or more groups of hikers who had seen bear, but not me.  

Oh well, a good reason to return one day, huh?

Happy writing,
BmP







Sunday, June 18, 2017

In the Space of an Atom Hits #90 in Kindle Technothrillers



Get a copy for 99 cents - Now until June 21; Regularly $2.99

Fast-paced Thriller with a Bit of Science and a Touch of Romance. 


Purchase Here

Thursday, June 15, 2017

99 CENT POOLSIDE READ


Kindle Countdown Deal, Now until June 21; Regularly $2.99

Fast-paced Thriller with a Bit of Science and a Touch of Romance.  

“…this book blew me away! I love action packed books, and this one is one of my new favorites.”


Saturday, June 10, 2017

15 Million Dollar Painting Found in a Garage

Did you hear about the $15,000,000 Jackson Pollack painting found stored in an Arizona garage?  Yeah, apparently, it was hidden behind a Kenneth Noland picture worth a mere $100,000.   See the ABC News Story

This news might even motivate me to clean up all the ‘writing inspiration’ in my garage…

Well, maybe not.

Image by OS2Warp (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Friday, June 9, 2017

Book Review: The Obsidian Chamber (Agent Pendergast series) by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

A Good Read for New Fans; Not So Much for the Long-Time Ones

For the fans of the Pendergast series, and I count myself among their number, The Obsidian Chamber brings together several familiar figures in a well-written and generally entertaining chase.  But that strength is also its weakness, as the plot seems a bit well-worn.  The old gang keeps coming back from the dead to pursue much the same agenda as before.

In general, I enjoy Preston and Child’s writing.  Their prose flows smoothly and quickly, and I soon become immersed in their stories.  And their primary characters are always interesting, each with their own flaws and often with strange and mysterious roots. 

But these pros don’t offset several weaknesses in this book.  First, one of the “twists” was bringing Pendergast back from the dead (mentioned in the authors’ synopsis).  To avoid a spoiler, I’ll just say he is not the only one, and two resurrections in one book is at least one too many.  Second, for those familiar with the characters, Constance’s abduction would seem a bit implausible both because of the setting and her past history with the abductor.  But even without previous exposure to the series, Proctor’s race to her rescue would seem ill-considered.  And finally, again for the long-time readers, The Obsidian Chamber does little to further the series, as the book brings back an animosity that’s driven several of the previous novels.  If there is a positive, at least none of the main characters dies, so we don’t have to expect another miraculous return from the grave.

Overall, new readers to the series will find The Obsidian Chamber entertaining.  It’s a well-written, fast read, with only a few questionable coincidences or actions to mar the flow.  But for the long-time reader, these glitches are magnified, especially in the context of a theme that’s not really new.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

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Image by Alex Grech from Malta (Open the door!) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Friday, June 2, 2017

A Job I Never Want



Spotted this person going to work Wednesday morning.  Yes, there is a person on top of that pole.

Sort of puts the tension from a new book release in perspective, huh?