The Cestus Deception (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel)

Book Description

Ord Cestus, a planet mostly barren and inhospitable to life, was first colonized as a prison world—until a handful of hardy pioneers discovered its rich ore deposits and managed to build up a successful droid-manufacturing industry. But when the Clone Wars erupted, bringing severe rationing of imported resources and a Republic ban on the production of battle droids, Ord Cestus was threatened with imminent economic collapse.

Enter the Confederacy of Independent Systems—the Separatists—with a life-saving offer to purchase a generous quantity of the planet’s most lucrative export: bio-droids. Possessed of tactical capabilities that rival the fighting abilities of even the most advanced Jedi, these sophisticated, techno-organic hybrid units would prove a most formidable weapon if ever deployed for military use. And now the Confederacy’s intention to invest in what amounts to an army of bio-droids has sent ripples of alarm through the highest echelons of the Republic government.

Determined to halt the bio-droid sale—but fearing a show of force will result in a political backlash—Supreme Chancellor Palpatine dispatches a team of envoys, led by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Their mission: persuade Ord Cestus’s government to abandon its dealings with the Confederacy . . . while secretly stirring up revolution among the planet’s struggling underclass. Diplomacy is paramount. But if all else fails, the Republic will not hesitate to launch a full-scale attack—and wipe out not only the means of bio-droid production, but countless lives as well, to demonstrate the consequences of disloyalty.

For Obi-Wan, the prospect of such wholesale slaughter only serves to fuel his growing suspicions about the sinister path the Republic seems to be taking. But the brash Jedi Master Kit Fisto and the detachment of clone soldiers assigned to the mission are ready and willing to do the Supreme Chancellor’s bidding. As the leaders of Ord Cestus refuse to capitulate and Palpatine rapidly loses patience, Obi-Wan’s hopes of a peaceful resolution are dwindling. Now, facing a crisis of conscience, Obi-Wan must find the wisdom and strength to prevent a bloodbath and safeguard the Republic— while abiding by the ancient code to which he has pledged his life.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

Features an exclusive author interview—plus an excerpt from Steven Barnes' new full-length Star Wars novel, The Cestus Deception

WHAT LIES BENEATH

Dispatched as a Republic envoy to the Outer Rim planet Ord Cestus—in a bid to halt the sale of potentially deadly "bio-droids" to the Confederacy—Obi-Wan Kenobi finds himself enlisted in a mission more desperate, and dangerous, than diplomatic. The once self-contained world has long since been co-opted by unscrupulous offworlders, whose plunder of a vital natural resource has enabled the rise of a powerful corporation that controls the economy. Ord Cestus's native population, the X'Ting, are now mere second-class citizens in their own society.

Enter the Jedi Knight, with news that a legal technicality has turned the tables—and the corrupt forces with a stranglehold on Ord Cestus are now at the mercy of the X'Ting. Circumstances, however, are more dire than the Republic suspected.

In the wake of a devastating plague, the X'Ting's benevolent rulers are dead, and the once tightly knit race has splintered into battling factions. Reunification can only come with the rise of new royals, whom all X'Ting are bound by blood to serve. But the eggs that will spawn those sovereigns lie out of reach, secured in a secret chamber and booby-trapped by those whose knowledge died with them in the plague. Now, to salvage a people's destiny, Obi-Wan will risk a veritable descent into hell: braving the unknown horrors in the forgotten depths of an alien world, on a perilous quest from which none who went before have ever returned.

Customer Reviews:

Not exceptional...nothing that you would miss.......2007-04-10

After reading probably 95% of the Star Wars adult novels in existence, I would have to say that this one is the worst Star Wars novels to date that I have read. The only one that surpasses it is Jedi Trial (and The Black Fleet Crisis is in the running in case you were wondering).
To give you an idea of how bad this is, I will number each point (in no particular order).
1. I feel that, in general, the author threw information about the characters at you--such as how scary or courageous or dangerous these people are supposed to be (their actions never justify such a narration, however)--and expects you to believe it. No actions are used to actually prove the author's claims. For instance, the rulers are supposed to be so brave, but they certainly never give me the impression they actually are.
2. The 'love' story between Nate and Sheeka is so stupid and corny I just wanted to laugh (it is obvious when reading how Sheeka talks that a man wrote this novel). The author forces the chemistry between the two and doesn't spend enough time to cement their relationship. I still wonder how Sheeka got pregnant--the auther never even hints at any intimacy (other than a kiss) between the two (I would like a hint of their intimacy, not a full-blown steamy sex scene).
3. Kit Fisto, whom I had hoped to learn more about, drifts into the background and is so unimportant (fades behind Nate), I wonder why Steve even bothered to include him in here. This point is probably the most annoying point in the book besides, maybe the next...
4. Asajj Ventress was NOT scary in the least. All she did was boast about how she would kill Obi-Wan and how much smarter she was than anybody else. Oh...I forgot! She also stalked Obi-Wan (real scary, huh?). I had so hoped, after seeing her in the Clone Wars animated shorts, that the author would use her to her fullest. I was wrong.
5. The battle sequences were too short. Typically I get tired of long battle sequences and wish the author would cut some material out but not this time. The author glosses over the lightsaber battles as if they are just fillers. I want to know some of the dynamics, not a blow-by-blow and not a summary either.
6. I can't believe that Obi-Wan (who seems to be a big whiny know-it-all in this book--I half expect to see a line similary to the infamous 'I want to go to Toshee Station to pick up some power converters') would stoop to deception to trick the Cestians to turning to the Republic. It just seems out of character to me. Obi-Wan is very traditional, by-the-book. Qui-Gon (and maybe Anakin) would stoop to deception; not Obi-Wan.
7. The story's ending was way too pat. It's like all of a sudden--boom!
8. Snoil, the Snail. I mean, come on! Are you that desperate for a new species? Why can't authors reuse at least one alien from another book?
There were a few bright points in the book: the aliens were cool, and I also liked how the author showed the point of view of a clone bred for war (but Karen Traviss does a much better job in Hard Contact). Also, the author writes a superb short story inclueded in the paperback version (I don't know why the short story was better than the novel but it was). But, overall, I would not recommend buying this book (unless in paperback or used or free) unless you are like me and trying to read all the Star Wars books. I would suggest that you check it out at the library or skip it. You won't miss any important developments.

Recommended Reads: Jedi Apprentice Series, Thrawn Trilogy (absolute BEST!), some of the New Jedi Order (most notably Traitor), Shatterpoint, the MedStar duology (ER, anyone?), Yoda: Dark Rendezvous, Revenge of the Sith novelization, anything by Timothy Zahn

Good Star Wars Novel.......2007-03-29

This novel works excellent in the on-going stories of Anakin. I really liked the way the author delved into Anakin's pshyche. A must read for a true Star Wars Fan!

Obi-Wan Goes to Meetings.......2006-09-28

The Cestus Deception is a story of Obi-Wan Kenobi's efforts on the planet of Ord Cestus to bring a halt to the manufacture of killer battle droids that are difficult for even Jedi to defeat. The story is rife with political machinations because the droid production has to be stopped without destroying the economy of Ord Cestus. Obi-Wan is joined in his efforts by fellow Jedi Master Kit Fisto and a team of ARC clone troopers led by A-98, otherwise known as Nate for most of the story. The efforts are also helped by Doob Snoila, a brilliant barrister from the planet of Nal Hutta.

Obi-Wan focuses on negotiations with G'Mai Duris, the official ruler of Ord Cestus. As the story progresses we realize that true power on the planet is held by the Five Families, descendants of one-time business tycoons who were held in the penal colonies of Ord Cestus generations earlier. The Five Families are under the amazing control of Asajj Ventress, the representative of Count Dooku and a long-time enemy of Obi-Wan. Asajj works behind the scenes to counter all of the moves made by the Jedi and has a memorable battle with Obi-Wan near the end of the book.

The story in The Cestus Deception is interesting, and we are introduced to a number of new characters. That aspect of the book is fine. It lost favor with me due to an excessive amount of time introducing us to the feelings of Nate, the ARC trooper as he struggles to follow the rules of life by which he was brought up and balance that strict code of conduct against more human feelings that are encouraged in him by Sheeka Tull, a local pilot on Ord Cestus. That part of the story could have been edited. Nate is an admirable character and performs valiant deeds, but I ended up knowing more about his internal struggles than I cared to know. I also tired of all of the political maneuverings in the tale.

On the whole, the book is a good effort but not one of the highlights of the tales of the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Reasonably interesting Clone Wars story.......2006-09-18

Taking place twelve months after the Battle of Geonosis, The Cestus Deception carries on the saga of the Clone Wars and follows Obi-Wan Kenobi on a diplomatic mission gone awry. Steven Barnes is a first-time Star Wars author, and he does a good job of weaving in disparate elements from across the Expanded Universe, including the comics, the Clone Wars cartoons, and other novels. His writing style is very descriptive but somewhat stilted and formal. The action scenes feel tonally akin to the quieter dialogue passages and the book never really seems to kick into high gear.

Like Karen Traviss has done in the Republic Commando books, Barnes introduces an intriguing exploration of the clone psyche. His main clone character, A-98 or "Nate," is very well developed and fleshed-out. Nate seeks a deeper understanding of who he is and what his life could and should be about, rather than what has been forcibly instilled into him. Nate's relationship to Sheeka Tull, a slightly shady ex-associate of Jango Fett's, is sensitively and thoughtfully portrayed, although at times those chapters are a bit of a drag on the main thrust of the story.

Kit Fisto made a vivid impression in the seconds he spent onscreen in Attack of the Clones and I was excited to see him paired with Obi-Wan for a mission. This book invests Kit with a surprising amount of emotion and anger for a Jedi: it's unusual to read about one who hasn't entirely suppressed his feelings. I didn't care for the significant deception that Kit and Obi-Wan foist upon the X'Ting and the ruling Five Families midway through the book; my vision of the Jedi and especially Obi-Wan does not encompass this high level of deceit. Granted, Obi-Wan and Kit both briefly express misgivings about the road they've embarked on, but I don't believe they would have ever picked that path to begin with.

The cover of this book is deceptive, featuring Count Dooku prominently. Don't be fooled: he does not appear in the book at all. Rather it should have featured Asajj Ventress, Obi-Wan's nemesis and the central Separatist antagonist. She's my favorite villain to be introduced in the Clone Wars and it's great to see her appear in a novel. There's not a whole lot of depth added to her character, but Barnes' portrayal is strongly in line with how she was presented in the cartoons. Having her broadcast her dreams so strongly that Trillot is drawn into them while standing outside the door wide awake is a terrific and chilling touch; it also seems a very likely side effect of a powerful Force user's subconscious mind's sleep time activity.

Doolb Snoil, the snail-like barrister that accompanies Obi-Wan on his mission, adds a fun and light-hearted touch to the serious feel of the story. His name is Lion's Blood backwards, one of Barnes' non-Star Wars books (and the one plugged on the front cover of The Cestus Deception). Not sure what I think of that....

It's good to follow Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kit Fisto on a wartime diplomatic mission and learning more about the clone troopers has proven to be one of the best themes of the Clone Wars. However, The Cestus Deception is a fairly dry read for a Star Wars novel and doesn't add much terribly essential to the EU.

Good Jedi content, with some clone trooper perspective as well. Satisfying read........2006-07-16

Steven Barnes does a good job of capturing Obi-Wan's character in this book, as well as developing Kit Fisto.
There is a well balanced mix of Jedi Philosophy, Clone Trooper life, Politics, and straight up action.

The Good:
For those who just love Jedi, you'll enjoy this. Barnes explains a lot of Jedi battle techniques and a couple of the lightsaber fighting forms (my personal favorite). It was also very cool to see how the clone troopers interacted with eachother, and get inside their minds (Nate's in particular).

The Bad:
For those who tend to get too bogged down in those long chapters on political discussions, you might get a little bit bored near the middle of this book. Barnes does HOWEVER, use those chapters to develop the plot a lot too, to try to keep it exciting, so you won't get too bored. As far as the action goes, for those who have already read and enjoyed the fast paced, easy to follow action sequences of Michael Reaves and Timothy Zahn, you might find Barnes' action scene descriptives a little lacking at times, and hard to follow to the point where you might have to read it over again to be really satisfied.

Overall definitely worth my time, and a satisfying read, I recommend it as a Library pickup more than a "definitely buy it", though.
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61 SW Novels Read, 76+ to go.

Average customer rating:

Who do you believe?
Lachlan is a masterful character!
Deception Denise Mina
Great mystery!
The same book as "Sanctum"!!!

Deception: A Novel
Denise Mina
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316058572

Book Description

DESCRIPTION: Things like this don't happen to people like us. That's what Lachlan Harriot thinks as he watches his wife, Susie, led to jail in handcuffs. Yes, Susie, a psychologist, was found covered in blood near the spot where one of her clients appears to have been murdered. But Susie is not a killer, Lachlan thinks. She's my wife. She's our child's mother.

Secrets lurk behind closed doors, however, a dark truth made chillingly clear as Lachlan's efforts to prove Susie's innocence uncover an entire secret history--illicit affairs, false identities, unimaginable deception--and this brilliantly acclaimed, page-turning novel speeds toward a conclusion as shocking as it is ingenious.

Customer Reviews:

Who do you believe?.......2007-10-10

Denise Mina is an exceptionally talented writer. She spins an interesting yarn, told from the perspective of the husband of a convicted killer. There's plenty going on here. My one complaint is that half the book felt like prologue. The quality of the writing makes that easy to endure. A hilarious voice in spots, and an intelligent premise. Reminded me of Barney's Version, by Mordechai Richler. Another good read, if you like this one.

Lachlan is a masterful character!.......2007-10-08

This book languished on my nightstand for awhile after it caught my eye a while back. It's a five star book for the character of Lachlan Harriot, a medical doctor who has never practiced. He's a househusband and a writer of sorts, married to his medical school sweetheart, a psychiatrist named, improbably, Susie.

The book opens in Scotland with Lachlan bewildered that his wife has just been convicted of the murder of a serial killer, who was in prison, under her care, and is also thought to have been her lover. The setting of the murder, and the involvement of the killer's (Andrew Gow's)wife in the murder setting is a brittle puzzle to the reader, with part of the events leading up to the murder revealed, little by little in each succeeding chapter.

Lachlan's story is told as though read in his journal. He begins to try and patch together the events of the past year by raiding his wife's home office, ostensibly to find information leading to her appeal. Lachlan's been left with their small daughter, Margie, a collection of motley relations, and Yeni, a Spanish teenage au pair. To say that Lachlan is self-absorbed would be the understatement of the century. As he blunders along in his search for the truth, uncovering deception after deception, he draws the reader in with him.

Perhaps the saddest moments of the story occur in Lachlan's visits to see Susie in the prison to which she has been relegated. He describes the visits as an interested bystander, not quite being able to cope with how Susie's actions have brought them both to roles for which they are quite unprepared. Suddenly, well-off, well-educated surburbanites are meeting as strangers in the Vale of Leven, a suicide riddled women's prison. And in one sad journey home, Lachlan comes to terms with his worst fear...."I don't think she hates me, but I can see in her eyes that I'm irrelevant."

Lachlan's equally humorous and cynical as he describes the way in which females, feeling sorry for him, approach him after Susie is imprisoned. His growing acknowledgement that Susie has retreated from him step by step makes for compelling reading, so slowly does the understanding dawn. As Lachlan peels away the layers of what really happened, and how powerless he was to stop it, you can't help rooting for him and being drawn into the train wreck that was the inevitable conclusion of Susie's obsession and his eventual turning away from her.

Not a perfect write, with certain characters being drawn in a shallow pool, "Deception" still lingers with you, long after you've stumbled along with Lachlan, to its ending.

Deception Denise Mina.......2007-06-09

Ordered it and bingo the package arrived immediately. Great service! The book is a good read too.

Great mystery!.......2007-05-18

Lachlan and his wife Susie appear to be a perfect couple. She is a respected psychiatrist working in an institution, and he is a doctor who has chosen to stay home and be a househusband (despite one other reviewer's opinion on this, it seems to make perfect sense that if women can stay at home and take care of the children and the house, men can as well). They have a beautiful, healthy daughter. They have a lovely home. But soon, Lachlan, who is narrating the story, gets the shock of his life -Susie is arrested for the murder of Andrew Gow, a notorious serial killer who had previously been held at the institution in which she works. While Gow was Susie's patient, he married, then it comes to light that more murders occurred exactly like the ones for which he had been convicted. Is it a copycat or is Gow really innocent? He is released from the institution, and ostensibly goes off to live happily ever after with his bride. Shortly thereafter, he is found murdered, his tongue carved out of his mouth, the same as the victims he was accused of killing. His psychiatrist, Susie, is arrested, convicted and sent to prison. It is at this point that Deception begins, with Lachlan vowing to himself to find proof of his wife's innocence. He begins searching her home office, pouring over court transcripts, interviews with the accused serial killer, interviews with his bride, and interviews with Susie. He finds her own notes as well, and it is during this search for proof of her innocence that Lachlan, and the reader, uncover secret after secret, until finally all is revealed. Denise Mina is one of my favorite recently discovered authors. Her novel is so well written you will find yourself going back over lines and repeating them to yourself. This perhaps explains why, even when Lachlan behaves less than admirably, the reader is still rooting for him and for Susie. No one's intentions are crystal clear until the end of the book, and no one is above suspicion. It is truly a remarkable and entertaining novel, very suspenseful, and a fun read. An added plus: a terrific ending. Many crime novels have a lot of build up, a lot of suspense and excitement, but then a less-than-satisfying conclusion; not so with this one. I highly recommend it.

The same book as "Sanctum"!!!.......2007-02-05

I had finished "Deception" and purchased "Sanctum", which I thought was a later book, only to find out they are THE SAME BOOK apparently issued under different titles. Cost me the price of an extra book, but this is the first time I've run into this. I hope to save you the error.

Average customer rating:

Good book
Definitely not Deceptive
How romantic !
A nice romantic read...
Ever heard of a Mary-Sue?.

Deception: A Phantom of the Opera Novel
Shirley Yoshinaka
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1411682963
Release Date: 2006-06-02

Product Description

Following the Paris opera house disaster, Erik, the charismatic and disfigured man known as the Phantom, settled into a secluded home on the outskirts of London. He resigned himself to a life of solitude, but two years later, fate introduced him to a young woman who reawakened his emotions. Although Mellie was a gifted composer, no one took her work seriously. She recognized Erik's brilliance and was desperate for his help. Drawn to both the man and his talent, she made a bold proposition, and he accepted. Together, they forged a unique partnership that became the talk of London society. But when Erik's past returned to haunt him, he could lose everything he'd gained in his new life - including Mellie. Deception is a tale of loss, healing, and ultimately of love.

Customer Reviews:

Good book.......2007-09-28

This is one of many sequels that I've read on POTO. It was an enjoyable book. NIce to see the Phantom being loved back for a change.

Definitely not Deceptive.......2007-07-29

Of the POTO follow up stories, this one has managed to capture to Erik's tortured, somewhat broody character the best so far. The situations were believable without stretching into the realm of impossible. It was nice to see a strong woman as a lead, one that was an equal match for our masked hero. Also nice to run accross an author who did some research of the time period. The choice of title is very appropriate for the story since all his life, Erik has had to carry on a Deception of his own.

How romantic !.......2007-05-26

I loved this story! The characters were good, the plot didn't suck. I read the book in one sitting. I wish it was longer.

I know that this story takes place after the original book, but I like how she didn't stick to the Ghostly Phantom of Leroux's book. She made him more human, loveable, and sexy ;)

A nice romantic read..........2007-05-14

I think the author did a nice job transitioning the Phantom into a realistic character and giving him some time to mourn his former "life" at the opera house and then discover real romance with the leading lady of this story, Melodie. Although I found her blindness somewhat frustrating, (would have been nice for her to touch his face more or to have more physical contact with Eric) it made her other senses somewhat more credible (i.e. her talent at music). I felt the author truly expressed the way Eric continues to struggle with his insanity and anger and the traumatic past, and how it comes back in a very real way to threaten his future. I don't want to reveal the plot too much, but his love interest still contains that dangerous and sexy mystery that I loved so much in the movie and opera.

Ever heard of a Mary-Sue?........2007-04-06

I had really high hopes for this book, because I love any little extra indulgences in the Phantom. I adored Susan Kay's "Phantom" and how it delved into Erik's character before he became the Phantom we knew in the original. I was hoping for something in depth about Erik's story AFTER Leroux's story, but instead I was treated to what every fanfiction writer/reader knows as a a "Mary-Sue".

I knew that this story had something to do with Erik meeting a new female character, which I was all for - I like a little romance if it's done well. The minute I started reading, though, red flags just flew up everywhere.

1. The girl's name is Melodie (Come on. So she's the embodiment of music?)
2. Melodie is slowly going blind (How convenient for Erik)
3. Melodie is extremely good at writing music. (So much, in fact, that Erik is VERY impressed with her, and feels he must hang around her to learn more)
4. Melodie is mild-mannered and attractive (Erik saves Melodie from being run over by a horse, therefore taking notice of her womanly little curves)

I wanted to give this book a chance despite all this, but I flipped to back only to find (Don't READ the next line if you don't want it SPOILED)

They get married at the end and Erik is soooo happy with his pretty new wife.

I'm giving this book a 3 star rating because I love the Phantom no matter what, and Yoshinaka's writing style is very enjoyable. I just don't think this is going to be my favorite piece of her work. Being a big Phantom fan, I'm a little picky about what I read about him.

If you don't mind the tidbits I've mentioned and are looking for Erik to have a happy ending, then I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Average customer rating:

Dark Gothic Type Romance set in Italy (B- Grade)
When Lisa Kleypas Talks, Romance Fans Listen
Overated
Good gothic, great beginning, second half lags though (3 1/2 stars)...
FAR CRY FROM FIRST BOOK

The Music of the Night (Signet Eclipse)
Lydia Joyce
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451217063

Book Description

Sarah Connolly leaves a past of desperation in London to help an old friend in Venice. There, she discovers dark secrets and a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows. He is Sebastian Grimsthorpe-once carefree, now bent on exacting pitiless revenge on the man who nearly destroyed him. But his plot is obscured when he discovers Sarah, whose tragic eyes seduce him into a world of secrecy and deception.

Customer Reviews:

Dark Gothic Type Romance set in Italy (B- Grade).......2007-04-12

Music of the night is the type of book where most of the characters are very ambiguous and have hidden motives that are topsy turvy and a bit confusing. There are many villians of this piece and the people involved in the mystery are not innocents in the least. The story is very dark and graphic in an almost fake atmosphere of seduction and passion.
The heroine Sarah has a past unlike most heroines that have been written. She has scars physically and emotionally. She has also risen from the slums of London from a help of a friend who has married well (Her friend gets her own book which was written after this book. It seems Music of the Night was sold first and then the one about Sarah's friend Maggie called Voices of the Night)
She comes to Italy as a companion to an older woman and her extended family for the holiday. On the surface it looks like Sarah has a comfty position, but due to her employer's son, she will never be at peace.
Sebastian wants revenge against De Lint (Sarah's employer's son). He did something so horrible to Sebastian's daughter that he must pay. Sebastian follows De Lint to Italy where he spies Sarah. She will help with the downfall of his enemy and then he will be avenged.
Of course the whole revenge scenario is not easy. Sebastian is almost as bad as De Lint and what he does to Sarah at times is repulsive. But Sarah sees the good in Sebastian and even helps him with his revenge till the final act where the lies and manipulations are too much and someone really innocent will pay.
Lydia Joyce writes a very atmospheric piece with very seductive and erotic scenes between Sebastian and Sarah. Sarah does not make any excuses for the life she had to live up to this point and only wants the small things in life. You do feel for the girl. Sebastian on the other hand is not a three-dimensional. Yes his revenge makes sense but the whole plot seems in vain. We are given reasons why, but it basically comes down to how far will you go till it is too much? And when someone comes into your life that you can love and can help with forgiving yourself, well why would you want to hate so much? It seems so mute in the end.
All in all, for a gothic, sensual love story where love and forgiveness is the key, this is a recommended read.

Katiebabs
Voices of the Night (Signet Eclipse)

When Lisa Kleypas Talks, Romance Fans Listen.......2007-03-20

There's been a lot of buzz about Lydia Joyce. With a blurb from widely adored romance giant Lisa Kleypas, and some great reviews at classy fan sites like All About Romance, expectations are high for this young prospect to go all the way. "Think Jimmy Foxx can hit? Wait'll Foxx sees me hit!" Think Ted Williams in 1939!

Well, I read MUSIC OF THE NIGHT for myself, keeping score inning by inning, asking myself on every page, "could this fresh kid off an Ohio farm really be the next Lisa Kleypas?" And the answer is yes and no.

For dark texture, layered atmosphere, and brooding historical realism, Lydia Joyce already writes on a Lisa Kleypas level. Yes, she makes Venice come to life in these pages, as a dark, dangerous, decaying splendor. You'll learn more than you ever dreamed possible about the canal system. You can practically smell it!

Yes, the kid already has the Kleypas talent for taking people from the lowest, and I do mean the lowest, level of London society, and somehow putting them into a BELIEVABLE bedplay with the most stunningly gorgeous aristocratic characters. Sarah from the sewer is one of the most likeable underdogs you'll ever meet in any historical romance novel. You feel like you want to stand up and cheer as she begins to learn how to dress,use cosmetics, and present herself as a really attractive young mistress.

What made this book sink for me was the hero, Sebastian. And here is where the kid has not yet learned to write like Kleypas. Sebastian is a nice guy, but in romance, as in baseball, nice guys often finish last. You get inside this hero's head too early, and all he ever does is talk and talk and talk about his guilt, his regret, his angst. A whole lot of talk about his revenge against the villain, and guess what? It never quite comes to pass. (Not a spoiler, you'll guess very soon that nice Sebastian is just not the killing type.) The guy lacks the bad boy sizzle, the street level cool, the swaggering sexuality, that makes a Lisa Kleypas hero jump off the page like a flaming meteor of pure chocolate sin.

Sarah is just the right mix of shyness and tainted innocence, yearning for passion and yet ashamed of her own responses. But Sebastien is too angsty, too talky, too much of a nice guy to really cut through all the gloom and moldy plot contrivances. Lydia Joyce knows how to create a textured setting, but a setting is only the backdrop for the hero, and that's where this story falls short.

The kid has major potential, but she's not in Lisa Kleypas' league yet.

Wait till next year!

Overated.......2006-10-11

I purchased this book based on all the reviews being so good and found my self disapointed. After finishing this book I felt let down. The book fell flat for me on all counts. Sebastian's character was so bland and his need for revenge was plausable but I never cared about him one way or another. Sarah's character I found slightly better. Yes todays romance novels usually fall under the catagory of 19 year virgins so it was nice to read about something different for a change but a woman who was a whore years back - that's stretching it a little. Sarah's character never seemed to stay true to who she was. She seems vulnerable on all counts and lonely and a host of other depressing qualities and wants to better her life by being a lady's companion but then she meets Sebastian and he then takes her to his place and they have sex. She's obviously looking for respectability, wanting to change and make a better life than the one she was raised in but then proceeds to do the complete oposit by sleeping with him. Then when she thinks her time with Sebastian is over she tells him she would like to be a courtesan. Again she seems to make me change my opinion of her at every turn. Yes she had a bad life and the choices she made in the past reflect the person she is today but why go back. It made no sense. But having said all that I did find it nice that dispite her lack of beauty (pock marks) Sebastian was still able to find beauty inside of her.

This is not one of my favorites books and I was a little disapointed. It just seemed alittle on the dark depressing side. If your looking for a fun light hearted read don't read this but if your looking for something different this might be it.

Good gothic, great beginning, second half lags though (3 1/2 stars)..........2006-06-04

Sebastian Grimsthorpe, Lord Wortham, has nothing but revenge in mind. He wants to destroy Bertrand de Lint, the man he believes raped his young illegitimate daughter. He finds the opportunity to do so one night when he suffers an accident in his carriage. He decides to stage his own death and in Venice, under the guise of a mysterious host wearing nothing but masks, Sebastian takes advantage of the opportunity to ruin the man the same way he had ruined his daughter. Then he meets Sarah Connolly. She is a young woman who works with de Lint's family and whom he believes to be de Lint's mistress. He hopes to use her as a tool for revenge. But then the woman begins to intrigue him. There is something arresting about her. Could it be her somber mood? Could it be the scars on her face? Sarah has a dark past and feels she has finally found some normalcy working as a lady's companion to Lady Merrill. But her life soon takes an interesting spin when she encounters a man who hides in the dark, staring at her, and who invites her to masquerade balls and seduces her. These two tortured souls come together in the most unconventional way and what lies ahead is nothing but secrets and treachery. There are some twists throughout the novel.

This Victorian gothic has all of the ingredients to make this quite a dark, compelling read. The first few chapters are very entertaining and Lydia Joyce sets the right tone for the plot and its characters with the interesting prologue. I like Sebastian because he comes across as such an eccentric character from the get-go and his funky disguises and masks make him all the more mysterious. Sarah is the secretive heroine with a tortured soul and low self-esteem due to her scars. What does the tall, dark and handsome nobleman with beautiful green eyes want with a scarred, insignificant woman such as herself? She is wary of his actions and has every reason to be. Their first encounter in a masquerade ball is one of the best scenes in the novel because the sexual tension between them is almost palpable. The novel is fine and dandy until about the middle. Then it starts to lag so much that I just wanted the novel to come to an end. I think the story should have been at least fifty pages shorter. The second half of the book is mostly filler and the heroine's self-consciousness gets a bit tedious after a while. Other than that, this is a very interesting Victorian gothic with quite a fascinating backdrop of Venice and a plot and style that is far from formulaic. I am impressed with Lydia Joyce because she writes with a nice, fluid prose and adds just the right amount of darkness to the story. I wish I had given her first book (The Veil of Night) a whirl before this one. Despite its slow ending, I recommend The Music of the Night if you're in the bargain for a unique brand of Victorian gothic romance.

FAR CRY FROM FIRST BOOK.......2006-02-17

I loved Lydia's fist book. This one was a terrible disappointment. The female lead is so boring and compliant contrary to Ms Joyces first female lead who was independent and could be respected as a woman. I couldn't finish this book. I hope her next is better.

Deception: A Novel of Mystery and Madness in Ancient China

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Why, oh why, did it have to end?
Too much twisting of historical facts
Another winner
Escape novel extraordinaire

Deception: A Novel of Mystery and Madness in Ancient China
Eleanor Cooney , and Daniel Altieri
Manufacturer: Avon Books (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380708728

Customer Reviews:

Why, oh why, did it have to end?.......2007-05-05

In a word, 'perfect'. I fell in love with the Cooney/Altieri team with their first novel, "Court of the Lion". I never would have thought anything could surpass that novel, but "Deception" proved me wrong. "Deception" is set during the tumultuous T'ang Dynasty period of China. Though not exactly a 'prequel', the plot line of "Deception" does precede events in "Court of the Lion". "Deception" recounts the shocking and at times, disturbing, rise of Wu Tse-tien, the only female ever to be declared Emperor of China. In a time rife with superstition, T'ang China was the perfect scenario for religious charlatans to infiltrate the highest positions of power, nearly tearing apart a Dynasty and ages-old Confucian stability. As the corruption and Wu's lust for power grows, manipulation, murder and fear become the order of the day.

Enter Dee Jen-chieh- as Cooney puts it, a 'T'ang answer to Sherlock Holmes'. An unwavering devotee to truth and rationality, the young assistant magistrate soon finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the tangled web of corruption cast over the empire he loves so much. What begins as a simple investigation into a case of a man wrongfully executed for murder leads Dee on a quest for the truth that unnervingly appears to point at the heart of the T'ang, now rotting from within.

As the plot progresses, it becomes clear just how much Cooney has improved as a writer. The writing style is incredible and the final chapters will have your hair on end. Plot is layered upon plot, each skillfully peeled away at just the right time. So many different lives and events are tied together in a masterful buildup to an unforgettable climax, when the truth is finally revealed. Every character and every event, from start to finish, has purpose contributing to the ending. Nothing is unimportant. Everything ties together in the end, in similar fashion to 'Pulp Fiction' and it is every bit as artfully done as in that movie.

What I love most about Cooney's novels are both the descriptive style and character development. You'll love some, hate others, and most likely find your feelings towards some changing over the course of the book, but they seem very, very 'real'. There is Dee, juggling work and his own relentlessly insatiable curiousity with nagging wives and unfilial sons...there is Empress Wu, benevolence and malevolence all in one, a tigress and a lamb, a mother and a murderess...and one of my favorites, the arrogant monk Hsueh Huai-i, characterized by his mannerisms and a tendency to add a '...hm?' after nearly everything he says. And so many more...

Despite being heavily influenced by historical fact, it is important that the reader realize that "Deception" is a work of historical fiction. Empress Wu was a real person and many of the things she did, both good and bad, actually did happen. Of course some liberties were taken and deviations from truth made, but what came of it was a great novel.

"Deception" has drawn some criticism, accused of being anti-Buddhist. This is not the case in the book. It is actually the actions of charlatans maligning the peaceful faith for their own ends. In any religion, their will be corruption; in the time of the T'ang, there were 'dark' Buddhists and their were true practitioners of the faith. Both appear in "Deception". Dee explores the darker sides of both religion and human nature, providing a chilling look at just how powerful an influence religion combined with the fallibility of superstitious human beings can be.

At a hefty 627 pages, 'Deception' could hardly be considered 'too short'. But once it gets underway, the plot moves so fast and the characters are so engaging that the Cooney/Altieri-created T'ang China is a world you won't want to leave.

This novel is nothing short of a masterpiece, and is easily one of the best books I have ever read.

Too much twisting of historical facts.......1998-02-12

The book twisted a lot of facts regarding Empress Wu. Although a novel, as it depicts a historical figure, a more balanced account should have been given. For example, it is not clear that she killed her own daughter and her mother neither wielded such strong influence nor lived so long.

Another winner.......1998-02-02

Shorter, and perhaps not as good as their "Court Of The Lion", I still enjoyed this novel and the duo's style of writing.

Escape novel extraordinaire.......1997-01-10

This book is set in the glorious T'ang Dynasty in seventh century China. The skeleton of its plot is a murder mystery -- the intelligent, if not perfect, magistrate Dee must find the perpetraters of a series of gruesome murders which lead him into the darker side of that alien Indian religion Buddhism. But that's only the skeleton of a firm fleshed, soft-skinned, fragrant smelling beauty of a novel. There's the force of nature named Wu and her even more forceful mother who bend and work the government of China into their own private plaything. There's lust and intrigue, murder and worse in this long and deliciously written novel. If you're looking for a good, week-long, lock-the-door, take-the-phone-off-the-hook, curl-up-on-the-couch-and- eat-potato-chips kind of novel, this is it.

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My review
Love it - just like all of Kerry Blair's books!
Excellent Book
Funny and Witty

Closing in: A Novel
Kerry Blair
Manufacturer: Covenant Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1591560128

Customer Reviews:

My review.......2006-10-21

This book is a really great book about an astronaught turned CIA agent, David Rogers, and his mission to find out who at Jamison Enterprises is selling missleguiding microchips to the middle east. These mission sends him to the small town of Amen, Arizona to teach at Alma Elementary school to spy on the librarian Libby James a.k.a. Elisabeth Jamison, a very very wealthy buisness woman who has returned to Amen after her parents death. I really liked this book because it kept me interested and guessing who the murderer and traitor to the U.S. was. I finally figured it out when they say that Karlton Fisk dies. I would recommend this book to you no matter who you are!

Love it - just like all of Kerry Blair's books!.......2005-11-10

I just received this book as a surprise birthday gift. I borrowed my sister's copy and just loved it. Libby and David are great characters. I'm so glad I have my own copy now and can't wait to continue collecting Kerry Blair's books. I've read most of them and love them all!

Excellent Book.......2003-03-08

This book is funny, romantic, suspenseful and a real page turner. It is also nice to have a book that a person with religious values can read and enjoy. I had a hard time putting it down!

Funny and Witty.......2002-10-21

This is just a really good and encapturing book. One of the funniest things I've ever read. It follows David Rogers, and astronaut turned CIA agent, and his journey to Amen, Arizona where he is to find out all he can about the elementary librarian Libby James. In truth Libby James is really Elisabeth Jamison, a rich successful business woman who has inexplicably moved to Amen after her parents death in a car accident. Rogers is sent to investigate her and gather evidence against her so the CIA can arrest her for laundering money and such into foreign terrorist camps. Rogers soon finds out however that it's not Libby who's doing and decides, after falling in love with her, to prove her innocence and catch the real bad guy. This book is great fun to read aloud and hilariously entertaining. I would recommend this book to anyone enjoys a good laugh and plot.

Philosophy As Fiction: Self, Deception, and Knowledge in Proust

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Brilliant.
Can a book on philosophical literature make you happy? Yes!
A critical masterpiece!
A new take on A La Recherche

Philosophy As Fiction: Self, Deception, and Knowledge in Proust
Joshua Landy
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195169395

Book Description

Philosophy as Fiction seeks to account for the peculiar power of philosophical literature by taking as its case study the paradigmatic generic hybrid of the twentieth century, Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. At once philosophical--in that it presents claims, and even deploys arguments concerning such traditionally philosophical issues as knowledge, self-deception, selfhood, love, friendship, and art--and literary, in that its situations are imaginary and its stylization inescapably prominent, Proust's novel presents us with a conundrum. How should it be read? Can the two discursive structures co-exist, or must philosophy inevitably undermine literature (by sapping the narrative of its vitality) and literature undermine philosophy (by placing its claims in the mouth of an often unreliable narrator)? In the case of Proust at least, the result is greater than the sum of its parts. Not only can a coherent, distinctive philosophical system be extracted from the Recherche, once the narrator's periodic waywardness is taken into account; not only does a powerfully original style pervade its every nook, overtly reinforcing some theories and covertly exemplifying others; but aspects of the philosophy also serve literary ends, contributing more to character than to conceptual framework. What is more, aspects of the aesthetics serve philosophical ends, enabling a reader to engage in an active manner with an alternative art of living. Unlike the "essay" Proust might have written, his novel grants us the opportunity to use it as a practice ground for cooperation among our faculties, for the careful sifting of memories, for the complex procedures involved in self-fashioning, and for the related art of self-deception. It is only because the narrator's insights do not always add up--a weakness, so long as one treats the novel as a straightforward treatise--that it can produce its training effect, a feature that turns out to be its ultimate strength.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant........2006-01-01

Landy offers a novel and convincing interpretation of In Search of Lost Time that should shape the course of Proust scholarship for years to come. Despite its academic significance, the book is also a joy to read. Landy's writing is lucid, and for anyone who has made it through Proust his book should be a relatively easy read. Philosophy as Fiction is thus one of those rare books that is of genuine interest and relevance to both academics and general readers alike.

Can a book on philosophical literature make you happy? Yes!.......2004-12-30

Like many other readers of Proust, navigating through the novel at a slow and painful rate, without a map, I experienced many frustrations, as well as precious exhilarating moments of clarity, followed quickly by despair.
Joshua Landy's book is that precious road map that rekindled my Proust enthusiasm and is sending me back to the original text with a penintent and yet joyful feeling.

What a wonderfully strong, stylish, limpid and yet sophisticated analysis!

Will we be cabaple of discovering anything new in Proust after Landy's "Philosophy as Fiction"? Is that the final word on 'La Recherche"? As you can very well see, I am still under the book's spell (finished it just yesterday), but everything, everything makes sense to me now! :-)

I won't comment here on the the book's most important claim, i.e. that 'La Recherche' possesses a coherent, and largely original, philosophical theory on the nature of the Self and its capacity for Knowledge and Self-Fashioning; suffice it to say I bought the argument completely, since it is so beautifully laid out.

I challenge anyone to find a better argued work: every chapter, every sub-chapter is demonstrated elegantly and concisely. The numerous end-notes (perhaps a bit too numerous?) are ideally supportive of Landy's arguments and represent a faithful sample of the entire novel, as well as Proust's other writings and the numerous critical works inspired by his novel. Joshua Landy's style, largely free of jargon, always in pursuit of order and clarity, demonstrates a laudable democratic sense that the author possesses: if you are not initiated into the rarefied society of Proust specialists, or if you are not a philosopher, you need not despair. Joshua Landy's seems to entirely lack the narcissism and self-satisfied inscrutability of many other literary-critical or philosophical works, and it opens itself to the reader with sincerity and authority. It is complex, but suple; echoes many critical and philosophical voices, but remains coherent and unburdened.

Holding the book in my hands nostalgically, I'm experiencing a sense of joy and loss at having finished it.
Enjoy your reading!

A critical masterpiece!.......2004-10-02

Proust scholarship has been conducted so exhaustively in the past that today's critics often content themselves with a few overlooked crumbs. Until now: Landy's book sweeps the critical slate clean and convincingly argues for a radically new interpretation, not of this, that or the other detail, but of Proust's entire masterpiece, _The Remembrance of Things Past_. As if this were not enough, he also provides profound insights on the philosophical relevance of literature: for instance, how narratives uniquely address the creation of identity, and how they reveal disturbing fault lines in what (we think) we know. This book will singlehandedly revolutionize Proust studies, but also the field of literary criticism as a whole. It could not have come at a better time: as most literary scholars are fleeing literature like the plague, Landy shows how it's really a pharmacy for our philosophical inquiries.

A new take on A La Recherche.......2004-08-20

This book has totally changed the way I view Proust's master work in many different ways. I wish I had had the information and viewpoint of this approach when I read Proust for the first time. I have learnt a great deal from Landy's book and would recommend it to any reader of "A La Recherche". He has even (well, almost) persuaded me that Proust's notoriuosly long sentences are not merely stylistic errors!

Average customer rating:

A very boring gentleman
A Very Different Book Than I would Have Imagined
Captivation
I couldn't finish it.
a very good thriller

A Very Private Gentleman: A Novel
Martin Booth
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312309090
Release Date: 2005-01-13

Book Description

"Crisp yet lyrical, simple yet intelligent....haunting, shocking, and tense."-BooklistThe locals in the Italian village where he lives call him Signor Farfalla--Mr. Butterfly--for he appears to be a discreet gentleman who paints rare butterflies. But as inconspicuous as Farfalla tries to make himself, his real profession is deadly, unbeknownst to the sometime brothel worker, Clara, with whom he sleeps. Of a certain age, and as his feelings for Clara intensify, Farfalla has resolved to make his next job his last--all the while sensing a treacherous circle closing in on him."With Farfalla, Booth has a created a rich, conflicted antihero whose clever rationalizations mask a soul weary with self-doubt....making us question our own moral values, our sense of right and wrong--and where exactly to draw the line."-Boston Globe"A psychological suspense thriller invested with life-and-death gravitas."-Seattle Times"There are echoes of Nabokov in this in this tense and poetic mystery."-Today (UK)

Customer Reviews:

A very boring gentleman.......2005-08-31

I seldom take the trouble to review unsatisfactory books, but I feel potential buyers should be alerted to this one. I slogged through the first fifty pages of A Very Private Gentleman in search of a story and gave up. (My wife gave up even sooner than I did, and she almost never puts aside a book she has begun.) There is not only not a story begun in the first fifth of this book, there is no hint that a story is soon to begin. What's there is a lot of very literary prose, and if that's your dish, you'll be sated. If it's not-if what you're after is a thriller-you're likely to be bored out of your mind.

A Very Different Book Than I would Have Imagined.......2004-09-29

I read Lawrence Bloch's Hitman series and I though this would be the European version, but was I wrong! The Bloch books focused in more on the witty comments and action between Keller and his handler.

Booth's book is focused on a previously unknown aspect of a high profile assissination (I won't spoil it for you) that no one really thinks about before.

The main character, Mr. Buttefly, is well written and complex as is the plot. I never could guess where the next chapter would lead, much less the book. The other supporting cast are equally enthralling and layered.

This book reminds of a cross between A Year in Provence and A John LeCarre spy novel.

Captivation.......2004-09-02

As a writer I have a intense love for books. I picked this book up at the library. The title interest me only because it contrasted the illustration of the book. When viewing the title I thought it immediately would be a love story. However, I immediately realize that a man was holding a gun and only part of his face could be shown. I begin reading the book. I came to love Mr. Butterfly. He seemed so complicated. At first it seems he is content with not having a true identity or noone with whom he can trust. However, the longer he stays in the Italian countryside the longer he realized that he wants something more. He finally got the chance to see what life would be like if he just settled. He could paint butterflies, sit at the bar with trustworthy neighbors, have intimate talks with his friend the priest, and fall in love with the beautiful young woman. Though his past and most important one of his "mistakes" ends up threatening his future. I have read too many books and realized how story like this end. What happens to the character. Time again I asked myself why am I still reading this. When I got to the end I realized the answer. Booth's language captivated me. Page by Page I waited for the inevitable yet hoping it would not happen. I loved this book, even in the the last sentence he leaves you wanting more. Not only for the story, but also for the character. I was intrugued by how the character was formed and most importantly his profession.

I couldn't finish it........2004-07-25

I thought highly of two other Martin Booth novels: Industry of Souls and Islands of Silence. Perhaps I wasn't patient enough, but I found Booth in this novel too self consciously trying to create a fascinaing character, whom I found only boring. I am writing this review only because I couldn't find another negative review.

a very good thriller.......2004-07-13

Come into Signor Farfalla's world as his past comes back to haunt him.
Where beauty & death cohabit quite comfortably.
Where anonymity is tantamount.
Where subterfuge & almost-truths are the language of the day.
Where contacts are made via convoluted means, goods are contracted for large sums of cash, projects are accomplished under cover...& a tranquil bright summer in a charming Italian river valley town is suddenly darkened by the arrival of the shadow-walkers...whose intentions he must fathom.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends A VERY PRIVATE GENTLEMAN as a very good read! Martin Booth's writing is tasty, smooth & piquant, like ripe peaches plucked from the tree; chilled with frissons of suspense, like perfect Italian icecream.

Could not put it down!

Average customer rating:

Beautifully Written

Modern Tale of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Spring is in the air...

The Madness of Love: A Novel
Katharine Davies
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Hush, Little Baby: A Novel

Blonde: A Novel

The Uses of Enchantment: A Novel

ASIN: 0812973283
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Book Description

With a sophistication and mischievousness remarkable for a first-time novelist, Katharine Davies takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and raises the curtain on the interconnecting lives and loves of an unforgettable cast of characters. By turns comic and moving, The Madness of Love is a deftly woven tale of mistaken identity, bold moves, and unrequited desires.

Valentina, a clerk in a London bookstore, is still reeling after her twin brother broke a childhood promise and ran off without her to exotic lands. When she cuts her hair, masquerades as a gardener to the melancholic Leo, and moves to the remote seaside town of Illerwick, she perplexes even herself.

Leo dreams of restoring his estate’s gardens to their former glory as a romantically naïve gesture toward the woman he’s loved all his life: Melody, an English teacher whose beauty bewitches many others. Melody rejects any attempt at capture; she is locked in a state of mourning over the suicide of her dear brother.

As Valentina struggles with the decades-old neglect of flowers, plants, and weeds, her affection for her eccentric employer grows, even as she helps him plot his overture to Melody. The gardens must be made ready for a grand late-summer party. But between now and then, Illerwick will stir with old longings and new desires. As people fall dangerously for those incapable of reciprocating, we see, enchantingly, how our misguided pursuit of passion often distracts us from finding real love.

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully Written.......2005-06-14

Davies most certaily hails from Shakespeare country. In her attempt to modernize Twelth Night, she has sucessfully wowed this reader with her elegant writing. She goes into great detail examining the nuances that connect all of the characters, where we must pay attention so not to miss a step.
The story is broken into different points of view, beginning with Melody's sad recount of her brother's suicide: "he stopped and allowed the wind to sweep away all of his thoughts."
Luckily the book continues on a more enjoyable course, especially since the main focus appears to be Valentina, who is most likeable.

Modern Tale of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.......2005-02-24

Davies is a promising writer. Her debut novel is well written and easy to keep along with. Each "chapter" it set into the point of view of the different characters, making it easy to keep straight on what is going on. I found it a little hard to get into in the beginning, but near the middle of the novel, I found that I couldn't put it down! I would definitely recommend this book to someone who loves love story and "remakes."

Spring is in the air..........2005-02-19

Davies's novel begins with a beautiful but haunting image: a young man diving to his death from a bluff while snow begins to fall over the village behind him. It was this first chapter, just one page long, that drew me into the novel. The story that follows involves Gabriel's (the young man's) sister, best friend, and a slew of other provicial characters who make up the coastal town of Illerwick. Told in short chapters that follow each of the main characters in turn, the drama unfolds at a slightly slower pace than Shakespeare's classic--flashbacks establishing character, and lovely passages establishing setting and botanical themes fill the early chapters. These are the kinds of moments that I loved: Fitch's father working in the garden, "his clothes faded like broccoli leaves" (39); the river rising over the garden as "she listened to the rain starting to drum once more over the slates" (33).

But eventually the many twists and turns of Shakespeare's original plot take over and the lovely understated language of the earlier chapters is lost. We get lines like, "She had said, 'I thought it was Valentina I wanted. Now I only want you.' And he had told her he wanted her too" (226). Would we remember Shakespeare for lines like that?

Ultimately the novel ties itself up in Shakespeare's love-knot: the thwarted lovers united, the sad, drunken teacher receives his comeuppance. But I found myself wishing that Davies had abandoned the Twelfth Night plot to pursue the more realistic themes of love and loss set up early in the novel. The characters she lovingly created seemed forced into awkward, movie-ready endings--the haunting loss of Gabriel all but written off in one paragraph.

That said, Davies has written a good read for Spring: the botanical themes and the promise of a happy ending are intoxicating. Read it for those early chapters and you probably won't mind Shakespeare's plot taking over towards the end.

Average customer rating:

Mysteries surrounding a sick soldier's murder
A cautionary tale of the perils that await humanity

The Janus Deception: A Novel
John Bayer
Manufacturer: B&H Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0805424393

Book Description

Lieutenant Commander Jake Madsen, MD, USNR, feels he has very little left to live for since his wife, Kathy's death. During Madsen's two weeks' active duty at Naval Support Activity, he examines Sgt. Jerry Wallace, one of three survivors of a chemical attack in the Saudi Arabian desert. Madsen discovers a strange implant in Wallace's chest. The discovery of the implant propels Madsen into a world controlled by a computer program, where human emotions and actions are no longer taken into account, where humans have abdicated responsibility—and accountability—and where research on chemical weapons is conducted on the most available and expendable subjects: soldiers of the United States. Jerry Wallace is a human guinea pig.

When Wallace is murdered, Madsen and Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent, Kaci Callahan, combine forces to battle the horror of chemical warfare testing on U.S. military troops in an impersonal world controlled by computers. In the process, each comes to a better understanding of themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Mysteries surrounding a sick soldier's murder.......2002-05-07

Readers seeking a fast-paced thriller with a different flavor will relish Janus Deception, a story of international intrigue and a chemical weapons program gone awry. When Commander Jake discovers mysteries surrounding a sick soldier's murder, he teams up with beautiful agent Kaci to probe the depths of a program which has caused the death of an entire Mexican village, and which threatens the world. Fast action and unpredictable twists make this hard to put down.

A cautionary tale of the perils that await humanity.......2001-12-12

John Bayer's The Janus Deception is a thrilling novel with a deep inner message of faith. Lieutenant Commander and recent widower Jake Madsen feels he has little left to live for, when he discovers a conspiracy to test chemical weapons on U.S. soldiers. He must fight against faceless computers and a human mass that has abdicated responsibility both without and within, and hold close to his steadfast faith as a Christian. The Janus Deception is far more than just another action/adventure novel; it is also a cautionary tale of the perils that await humanity should it forsake morality for money.

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