The Chosen ~ Rise Of The Darkness Review

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(More customer reviews)The Chosen: Rise Of The Darkness
C. A. Milson
[...]
May, 2009
Hardback ISBN: 978-1-4092-8161-0
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4092-8136-8
Also available in Ebook
302 Pages
Horror, SupernaturalGood versus Evil in Australia...
From the age which Darkness ruled, The Ancient Ones prophesied of a time when the last descendant of The Gods would arise. Now, in the town of Winmont, the Ancient Legion has awakened to finish what was started many millennia ago. The fate of humanity is in the hands of One, but can he overcome the forces that dare to challenge the bloodline of the Gods?
The Chosen is a difficult book to review. An easy read which moves quickly and is chock full of paranormal events, the book just doesn't live up to its potential. I checked out a number of other reviews, and while they were kind, they hinted at some of the problems I'm going to discuss.
Most of the story takes place inside the main character's head. It might seem to the reader that the author is using third person limited as his view point, but every once in awhile the narrator makes an obvious and clumsy statement which has the potential to catapult the reader out of the story. So, it becomes apparent that C. A. Milson is actually using third person omniscient. This brings me to my second concern: if Milson writes in the omniscient, why doesn't he use that distance to give us a clearer view of the world his hero (Alex) inhabits? Instead, he allows the story to unfold by telling us what Alex is feeling and experiencing, rather than showing us. This is a beginner's mistake, and Milson, the author of at least 25 short stories, should know better. And, finally, we have the grammatical mistakes. They occur way too often; he mixes tenses, forgets periods and even drops words.
It's a shame. Milson penned an interesting story in a unique voice.Copyright © 2009, Clayton Bye

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From the time that the Darkness ruled the ancient tribes, The Elders prophesied of a time when a descendant of The Gods would arise. Tonight, in the town of Winmont, an Ancient Legion has been awoken to finish what they started many millennia ago. Now, the fate of humanity is in the hands of One, but can he overcome the forces that dare to challenge the bloodline of the Gods? Alex Manning is The One. Born of a heritage that was once a powerful civilization before it was destroyed by the Giants that once walked among men. Now tonight, in a small town, after thousands of years of being bound in the Dark Realm, the Ancient Darkness has been unleashed, and they set about to finish what was begun. Only Alex can stop the Dark Forces from destroying this town, but will he fulfil his own tests and sacrifice his life for those would seek to betray him?

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Double Cross (Alex Cross) Review

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(More customer reviews)(Note: this review contains minor spoilers.)
I received this book by accident from BOMC, as I did not respond in time to my monthly selection. It had been a long time since I read one of James Patterson's novels, so I decided to go ahead and give this one a try. Initially, it was a rapid page-turner, with one dramatic scene following quickly on the heels of another. But about a third of the way through, I just stopped, no longer intrigued, as I discovered that these bite-size chapters - 126 in a 300-page book - were just that, authorial cop-outs which allowed him to spoon-feed drama to the reader without actually earning suspense, intrigue, or suspension of disbelief.
If you ran the text together, removing the half-page graphic that begins, and the empty space that ends, each chapter, this story would take up probably no more than 150 pages. In those few pages, Patterson introduces us to 35 speaking characters identified by their first and last names, three killers and their ten alternate identities, and one copycat killer. Fifteen adults (and one foetus) are killed, their murders described in moderate detail (as much as a one-to-two page chapter allows, anyway). Patterson also follows a number of characters as they fly to such far-flung locations as Washington, DC, Florence, Colorado, Kalispell, Montana, and even Paris, France, traversing the globe as quickly and easily as if they were hopping on BART or the MTA.
What Patterson DOESN'T describe is how his various killers gain access to a number of the victims, some of whom are FBI agents highly trained in the art of self defense. Or how they get away from the scene of such crimes, especially when they are committed for maximum spectatorship. Or how the guards in a maximum-security prison handling a criminal the equivalent of Ted Bundy in notoriety and body count could be fooled by a change of clothing and a latex mask. Or how that same killer, with a nationwide APB warrant out for his arrest, can hop a plane to Europe. Nor does Patterson describe much in the way of character development - the only person in the whole book who seems to grow at all is protagonist Alex Cross' son Damon, an extremely ancillary character who gets all of one and a half chapters in the whole book.
And therein lies the double-edged sword of Double Cross: while the extremely short chapters allow Patterson to move the story quickly, they also act as a crutch, allowing him to cheat the hard stuff (as Misery's Annie Wilkes, who knows all about the miracle rescues and impossible escapes from the black and white serials of the fifties, would say, he's a "dirty bird!"). Don't know how to get a character from A to B believably? Use a chapter break! Don't know how to reconcile known police procedures with letting a criminal escape detection? Use a chapter break! Don't know how to plausibly get a young, virile, Quantico-trained FBI agent into the clutches of a known killer? Use a chapter break! While the format initially adds to the excitement of the read, it ultimately allows Patterson to cheat the reader, diminishing the overall experience.
While this is certainly not the worst book I've read in years, it's one of the weakest, most derivative of the Alex Cross novels, and of Patterson's work in general. The use of two sets of serial killers does not add much in the way of drama - the killer Kyle Craig does not actually target Cross or anyone known to Cross until the very end of the book, and when he finally does, it is not to kill Cross but to warn him. It feels more like a contrivance in order to fit the title than a well-considered plot device. The sudden love affair with new character Detective Bree Stone also seems manufactured and artificial. In fact, her character seems to exist only to get Cross involved in the case; though he describes Stone, a veteran of the MPD, a full detective, and lead on the investigation, as "poised," "competent," "a pro," and "good at [her job]," it is Cross himself who directs the forensics teams, makes most of the connections and breaks, rescues Stone from reporters' questions during a press conference, and ultimately solves the case. And the way Cross just waltzes into the main investigation of the story in the first place, without ever formally being hired, re-inducted, or contracted, never sits right with me - surely you can't just walk into a live, taped-off crime scene as a civilian with no current ties to the police or FBI? Add to that some weak editing ("...photographs...of...Bree, Sampson, and I," "Who was I trying to kid?," "Kyle Craig had hung himself!," etc.), re-hashed and implausible plotting, and unnatural-sounding dialogue towards the end, and you have yourself what appears to be a phoned-in performance by Patterson running on fumes (and perhaps needing to put braces on the grandkids, or the mortgage for a fifth house).
I have definitely enjoyed other, better books by Mr. Patterson, and have read far worse fiction than Double Cross in the recent past, but would advise anyone tempted to pick this one up to borrow it from the library first, or spend the three hours it'll take to read it with a "free" copy in the aisles of Barnes & Noble - it's just not a keeper.

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Alex Cross's TRIAL Review

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(More customer reviews)In typical Patterson style, this book was a very easy and fast read: the chapters are short, the font is large, and the descriptive text is kept to a minimum. That pretty much sums up the good qualities of the book. Patterson should be ashamed of himself titling this book Alex Cross's Trial. This is clearly a marketing ploy to lure in unsuspecting Alex Cross fans. The first two pages are about Alex Cross and he is not mentioned again in the entire 380 pages. The book is really about lynching in the South in the early 1900s. There aren't any twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader riveted and the conclusion is absolutely non-climatic. A real disappointment.

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PeaceJam: A Billion Simple Acts of Peace Review

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(More customer reviews)This book lays out amazing stories and great ideas on how to get involved and work to change the world! If you're a activist then you MUST buy this book and join the Global Call to Action!

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Jolie Blon's Bounce Review

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(More customer reviews)To categorize this book as a mystery is like clumping Haagen-Daz in the same category as cheap sherbet. Sorry. Not the same thing. These characters are alive and fresh and memorable. The settings resonate with sights and sounds and smells. The beauty of Louisiana juxtapositioned with the evil of the criminal world is a heady mix. As always, I'm impressed by Burke's ability. I feel like I'm repeating myself: James Lee Burke is a master of imagery, be it violent and dark, or moving and poetic. I can't help myself. To read his work is to fall in love with the language. With this in mind, it's true that I tend to overlook his meandering plots and psychological side-trips. For me, they make his books much more real and down to earth than the general formulaic mysteries.
In this particular story, we see Dave Robicheaux dealing with his inner demons, as always--this time in the form of pills. But it's the same white worm eating at him and driving anger to the surface. As usual, his emotions boil over into his job and cause trouble. The difference this time is that Robicheaux is dealing with other demons than his own. He's dealing with Legion, an old man, hard as nails and full of darkness. The supernatural aspects that come into play, particularly at the conclusion were, for me, very satisfying and remarkably well handled. Other reviewers have derided these elements; I found them to be the original touch this series needed. Others complained of sexual situations that were unnecessary; I was moved to tears by Bootsie's tenderness to her man in need of assurance. Robicheaux, behind his tough exterior, is a man of flesh and blood and emotion. Thankfully, James Lee Burke is too. It's the reason I keep reading his stuff. After "Purple Cane Road," I'd rate this near the top of the series.

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Working Words: Punching the Clock and Kicking Out the Jams Review

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(More customer reviews)M. L. Liebler, the internationally acclaimed poet and activist, has hit the nail on the head with his new anthology, WORKING WORDS: PUNCHING THE CLOCK AND KICKING OUT THE JAMS. In one affordably-priced volume, Mr. Liebler has packed close to 600 pages of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction chronicling the lives and times of working class Americans over approximately the last 100 years. While not neglecting past masters such as Stephen Crane, Willa Cather, and Walt Whitman, Liebler makes sure to include a generous sampling of fresh and exciting voices of American literature.
From the perceptive metaphors for working class-struggle of Caroline Maun ("The Houseplant," "The Abdication of the Bees") to Mariela Griffor's haunting penetration of the psyches of those who would do anything to claw their way to a sort-of success ("Boys") to Anca Vlasopolous's nightmare vision of the American dream gone askew ("Lakeshore Drives") to Liebler's own searing depictions of working-class struggle ("On the Scrap," "Making It Right"), this book is loaded with plenty of meat for the multitude of Americans who must work for a living to chew over. WORKING WORDS is a testament of working America and should be taught in classrooms and read aloud by huddled masses at trash-can fires for generations to come.

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Town In a Blueberry Jam (CANDY HOLLIDAY MYSTERY) Review

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(More customer reviews)I honestly was attracted to this book because of the cover....charming! I bought it, and LOVED IT! I am suffering the "blues" now that I finished it! I cannot wait until her next book comes out! I sent a copy to my sister, and she too loved it! It is a well-wriiten, interesting, quick-read.The characters are ones you can cheer for, straight-away! This is a very good debut cozy.....I hated to put it down at night, and as I said, feel bad to see it end! More Candy....Please!!!!

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First in the fabulous new Candy Holliday Murder mystery series. In the seaside village of Cape Willington, Maine, Candy Holliday has an idyllic life tending to the Blueberry Acres farm she runs with her father. But, when an aging playboy and the newly crowned Blueberry Queen are killed, Candy investigates to clear the name of a local handyman. And as she sorts through the town's juicy secrets, things start to get sticky indeed...

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Dixie City Jam Review

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(More customer reviews)After reading a bunch of bestseller but lackluster mysteries this summer, it was wonderful to discover an author of some substance-James Lee Burke. Dixie City Jam (the Dave Robicheaux series) reads more like a mystery written by a novelist, and Burke's literary style is unmatched by most mystery writers today.
Dave Robicheaux, a former New Orleans PD policeman, is now a detective with the New Iberia sheriff's office. Robicheaux discovered a Nazi u-boat in Gulf waters, and now a number of people are lining up to find the sub's location. Will Buchalter is a spooky, brutal, neo-Nazi who is willing to stop at nothing to get his hands on the sub, and haunts Robicheaux and his family (leaving dead bodies in his wake). There are also several subplots involving drug deals, prostitution, mobsters, crooked cops, and a vigilante murderer killing drug dealers and cutting out their hearts.
Burke's characters are a colorful bunch, and Robicheaux's former partner and now PI, Cletus Purcel, is probably the best of the bunch. He will have you in stitches as he goes against the mob. New Orleans is also a major player in Dixie City Jam, and the sultry, sensuous, steamy city (the locals call it The Big Sleazy) provides a fitting backdrop.
Burke's writing is top notch, and his dialog between characters reads like Mike Hammer meets Spenser. Robicheaux has a background in literature (something rare in law enforcement) and it's easy to see that Burke is a serious writer who shares a love of literature with his fictional detective. Burke has received a number of deserved literary awards and was even nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
The only negative about Dixie City Jam is that some of it seemed a bit unbelievable. How Buchalter could have gone on a crime spree lasting decades while eluding detection or capture was a stretch. But this doesn't detract from this otherwise fabulous book. Burke is another writer who I'm now motivated to read everything he's written. I've already started Last Car to Elysian Fields.

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