Category Archives: books/book review

Book Review of Riding the Tail of the Dragon, by Jeannine Dahlberg

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Riding the Tail of the DragonI picked up a copy of Riding the Tail of the Dragon at Goodwill. I do love my $0.70 books. I chose it for three reasons. For one, the author is from Saint Louis, which makes her local to me. Two, it’s signed and personalized to someone, which always ignites my imagination. And three, that author picture is everything to me right now. I’m not making fun. The book is fifteen years old and styles change. But it’s a Bedazzled Glamour Shot! Man, what a 1980s flashback that is.

Description from back of book:
Forces of feng shui and a powerful, benevolent Chinese dragon create a whirl of excitement for Seth Coleman as he pursues his search for Rachel Ramsey, an heiress who is presumed to have survived the ravages of World War II in Paris.

Leaving Paris, the trail to find Rachel expands to Macau via the Panama Canal and Hong Kong. Traveling aboard a tramp steamer, murder, mystery and intrigue manifest to a compelling plot, which continues to the shores of Hong Kong, the island of Lantau and Macau.

Seth gains maturity during his adventurous holiday. The Orient, with its mystical beliefs in the ancient Chinese theory of feng shui, opens a new dimension for Seth in learning about the principles of harmony and balance in nature with its influences for good or evil. There is a choice, and Seth’s decisions affect his consequences, igniting energetic support from the invisible world of the Chinese dragon.

This ancient, antediluvian creature, which symbolizes power, fertility and well being in the Far East, is from the beginning of Seth’s adventure his protective guardian.

A man now wiser in worldly matters emerges at the end of his journey to capture the essence of friendship, loyalty and love.

Review:
Wow, that was…not very good. The story was sweet and all, but it was basically a series of unbelievable coincidences that allowed a young man to leave America for France and trace a woman, who’s adoptive name he didn’t even know, to a whole different country with no trouble…none at all. I mean, he just happened to stay at the one hotel where someone could tell him this. Just happened to meet the one girl who could connect him to just the right person to tell him that. Just happened to hire the one ship that would lead him to here. Just happened to hire the one coolie that would help him with that. At every stage he met the right person, was in the right place, said the right thing, such that there was no tension, no conflict, no difficulties present to him. None. Then there was insta-love on top of everything else.

What’s more, until the end of the book, when the draft for the Korean war was mentioned, I didn’t know the time frame for the novel. Post-WWII was all I knew, as gas was still rationed in France. And being that it was just after the war, I had trouble believing that people were so willing to give the main character information about the family he was seeking, as they were in hiding. Why were so many people so willing to disclose their location to this American stranger? And if you were in hiding would you continue to go by, not only your same name, but title as well (General bla, bla, bla)? I’m sorry, nothing in this book was believable. I thought the blurbs mention of Feng Shiu and a dragon meant that there might eventually be a magical explanation, but no.

I was also a little uncomfortable with the othering of the people of the China and Macau. It was subtle and I suspect unintentional on the part of the author, but definitely present. As was the subtle way females were shown as less competent. You have a female secret agent and a daughter raised to be part of a military-like force and both are left out of all the action. When guns were passed out only men received them, even the one who had no military training at all. While the closest either woman came to being active in her own defense (even though present) was passing her knife to a man. And when one later made a major decision in her life, she first asserted, “My father agrees…” This being the adaptive father in another country, who had nothing to do with the decision being made. But can’t have a woman deciding things without a man, oh no. Can’t have that.

None of this was helped by the head hopping, stiff writing and stilted dialogue that used names and titles far too frequently to feel natural or the way it’s almost all tell instead of show. So, while I believe the author was aiming for a sweet, affirming, love story it was a basic fail for me.

What I’m drinking: You guys, I’m not well. I have a cold…maybe mild flu. I don’t know, but I’m hacking half my lungs out and am stuffy as all get out. So, I’m drinking my body weight in echinacea tea.

No Tea. No Shade.

Book Review of No Tea. No Shade. by Billione

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No Tea. No Shade.I picked up a copy of Billione‘s No Tea. No Shade. from Amazon, when it was free.

Description from Goodreads:
Detroit poet Billione (pronounced bill-LEE-yon) ventures into new territory with his first novel entitled No Tea. No Shade. Inspired by the late E. Lynn Harris, Billione offers an insightful glimpse into the life of Chauncey King: a closeted, black, gay man nearing 40 who seems to stop at nothing to get what he wants. 

On the surface, this dapper, charismatic, successful Editor-in-chief of the Detroit Daily news seems to have it all. However, Chauncey goes from reporting the news to being the center of his own scandal after coming face-to-face with his turbulent past. His life seems to unravel until he meets Malcolm Dandridge at a local bathhouse and realizes that in order to be happy he must first face his biggest fear.

Review:
OK, I’m going to start with my hesitation to read this book, that being a debut author billing himself as well known enough to go by a single name and that name being more prominent than the title of the book. This being the origins of the term Big Name Author. Further, that name taking place of precedence in the book’s blurb, with its pronunciation coming before any other information about the book. It takes a lot of confidence put yourself out in the world this way, but experience makes me wary of such authors, as they often have more ego than skill.

I found that to be sadly true in this case. Now, let me be fair, the book is sweet. It has a nice theme about being true and open with yourself and the author obviously knows his character well. However, the writing is amateurish. Names and titles are used far too often in dialogue to feel natural. There are too few contractions, inconsistencies in POV and contradictions in the plot. The timeline of the flashbacks is uncertain. There is far too much tell and no where near enough show. The plot lurches along in a clunky manner, everything resolves itself far too easily (most off page even) and there is a frankly ridiculous epilogic lead-in to a sequel. It is not a smooth or satisfying read.

The author does show promise though. Perhaps when he has as much experience in writing prose as he does poetry he’ll be one to watch.

Book Review of Good Morning, Midnight, by Lily Brooks-Dalton

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Good Morning, MidnightI won a copy of Lily Brooks-Dalton‘s Good Morning, Midnight through Goodreads:

Description from Goodreads:
Augustine, a brilliant, aging astronomer, is consumed by the stars. For years he has lived in remote outposts, studying the sky for evidence of how the universe began. At his latest posting, in a research center in the Arctic, news of a catastrophic event arrives. The scientists are forced to evacuate, but Augustine stubbornly refuses to abandon his work. Shortly after the others have gone, Augustine discovers a mysterious child, Iris, and realizes the airwaves have gone silent. They are alone.

At the same time, Mission Specialist Sullivan is aboard the Aether on its return flight from Jupiter. The astronauts are the first human beings to delve this deep into space, and Sully has made peace with the sacrifices required of her: a daughter left behind, a marriage ended. So far the journey has been a success, but when Mission Control falls inexplicably silent, Sully and her crew mates are forced to wonder if they will ever get home.

As Augustine and Sully each face an uncertain future against forbidding yet beautiful landscapes, their stories gradually intertwine in a profound and unexpected conclusion. In crystalline prose, Good Morning, Midnight poses the most important questions: What endures at the end of the world? How do we make sense of our lives?

Review:
Liu Cixin has several short stories involving space explorers that return to Earth to find nothing left, or Earth so changed as to no longer welcome them. This reminded me a lot of some of them. It has a similar kind of emotional distance to it, a similar feel.

The writing in Good Morning, Midnight is really stunning. As is watching the emotional growth of the characters. This is a book that happens almost entirely in the minds of two brilliant scientists, both of whom are confronted with their own version of isolation, forcing them to consider and reconsider their lives. It’s beautiful, even if it’s not action packed.

However, there is a VERY LARGE mystery that is never solved for the reader and a fairly large reveal that the reader is aware of and the characters not. I found both of these profoundly dissatisfying. Yes, I can see how they force the reader to share the characters’ confusion and frustration at simply never knowing, but I found it difficult to accept. All in all, though, a good read.

What I’m Drinking: According to the tin, it’s Yun Chinese tea. If I could read Chinese I would tell you more. This is tea that someone gave me, so I know very little about it, beyond that it’s Chinese black tea. (I tried preparing it as green once, with the water at 175° instead of boiling, resulting in a very disappointing brew. Definitely what I would call black.) When prepared properly, it’s nice though. Plus, it’s a happy coincidence that I paired a book that reminded me strongly of a famous Chinese science fiction writer with it.