Review of Caravan of Thieves by David Rich

Note: My interview with David Rich will air on KAZI FM (88.7 in Austin or listen online here) on Sunday, September 9 at 12:30 PM.

In a solid debut, Caravan of Thieves, David Rich delivers a tense and entertaining tale of intrigue, deception and a surprising amount of yoga.

Caravan of Thieves is a tense, action-filled tale that follows Rollie Waters, a Marine working undercover in Afghanistan that was recently brought back to the US and thrown in the brig. The fact that he was working undercover is your first clue that Rollie (our resident yoga practitioner) is not your typical Marine—he has all the skills of a con man courtesy of his mostly absent father Dan.  Dan is also the reason the Marines called Rollie home: the government is sure Dan stole a lot of money, and Rollie is their best chance of finding him.

The story switches between Rollie’s present-day adventures, earlier events in Afghanistan, with occasional trips back to Rollie’s childhood with (and without) his father Dan. It wouldn’t be fair to give away too much more of the story, as Rich’s tale takes off quickly and rarely lets up. After going back and checking, the lulls in the action are actually longer than I thought—they just seemed short because Rich does a fine job of ratcheting up the suspense when Rollie isn’t in an action piece.

Rich easily slides into his main character—it’s almost like coming in on the middle of a series, though this is his debut. The tangential stories that he has Rollie tell do a lot to fill out the both Rollie and Dan as people. The added color gives authenticity to the tale, like it was a friend telling you a story at dinner. He also balances the funny and serious sides of things well, though Rich is slightly more on the serious side of the scale—more like Nelson DeMille than, say, Carl Hiaasen. This is not to say that he is not funny, as he has a dry wit that suits both his main character and his story, and the occasional one-liners are well worth the inclusion.

A fairly major (and unexpected) part of the book is the development of the father/son relationship between Rollie and Dan. Even when Rollie isn’t actually with his father, Dan is still always there in his head. This is another point where yoga enters the tale: Dan eventually even invades the peaceful vision Rollie focuses on as he meditates.

Outside of Rollie and Dan, we don’t really get to know any of the other characters in-depth. However, I am sure we will get the chance to revisit some of these folks—as Caravan of Thieves proves, Rich is too talented to stop after his first novel.

This review and others are available at the KAZI Book Review page.

Does the Cardinals’ Run Differential Matter In August? – Baseball Nation

Does Cardinals Run Differential Matter In August? – Baseball Nation.

A great look from Rob Neyer on why the Cardinals sit third in their division despite having the best run differential in the league.

The Dystopian Timeline to The Hunger Games

Interesting graph and short article on Goodreads…caught my eye because I’ve read all sorts of dystopian fiction lately(and some rather apocalyptic non-fiction, for that matter), and it seems I’m not the only one…

Goodreads | Blog Post: The Dystopian Timeline to The Hunger Games [INFOGRAPHIC].

Review of Too Much Magic by James Howard Kunstler

Note: I recently had the chance to interview Mr. Kunstler, and I will post here once I know when it will run on KAZI-FM (88.7) here in Austin.

In his latest non-fiction work, James Howard Kunstler delivers a sobering message about what a post-oil society might look like and how we got ourselves into this situation.

Too Much Magic is both a history lesson and a warning. The warning concerns how we as a society will have to deal with a world where cheap, plentiful oil is a thing of the past. The history lesson is all about how we came to live in such an oil-dependent society bent on expanding its suburbs to infinity.

Kunstler is also the author of 2005 book The Long Emergency which dealt with similar topics: the passing of peak oil production, climate change, and the reorganization of society in a lower-energy environment. He argues that advances in technology cannot replace dwindling fossil fuels in our economy, and we are unwilling as a people to prepare or plan for this eventuality.

One of Kunstler’s major beliefs is that the result of a lack of oil will be a necessary restructuring of our society on a more local basis. Geographical areas will have to be responsible for producing their own food and water. Waterways will become important again as a means of transportation, and people will have to adjust their living situations to be close to such waterways. He also advocates a more robust national rail system, as that may be the only way to reliably travel long distances quickly once our oil supply is gone.

Another main argument is that alternative energies such as wind and solar cannot produce enough energy to replace what we burn in oil right now. Also, the equipment needed to harvest these energies requires some form of fossil fuels to be used in the first place. Kunstler is not against trying what we can, but he feels that any of that will be a “transitory phase of history” before we settle into a “low-energy”, more local society. Another effect is that major parts of the country (such as the southwest) may become uninhabitable as we won’t have the electricity to pump water and run air conditioning in these areas.

Obviously an author with Kunstler’s views is going to have detractors, and Kunstler has many. Many argue that he lacks credentials as an oil expert or that he is simply a crackpot. A quick perusal of oil experts tells us that the world has anywhere from 40 to 100+ years of oil left at current usage, depending on whose numbers you believe. No matter what you think of Kunstler’s opinions, one must address the fact that a lack of oil will be a problem that the world will have to face sooner or later. I feel that Kunstler is merely pointing out something a lot of people would like to ignore, that our current state of energy consumption is unsustainable in the long-term. Kunstler states (and I tend to agree) that technology cannot replace energy–heck, that’s just physics.

This is a rather sobering (and, at times, frightening) book that may keep you up nights–there is a lot to think about. Even if you disagree with Kunstler’s views and vision of the future, you have to agree that the issues raised are important. If nothing else, reading this book will get you thinking about serious societal issues, and you will likely learn something as well.

This review and others are available at the KAZI Book Review page.

Review of Rock & Roll Rip-Off by RJ McDonnell

RJ McDonnell combines a well-plotted mystery with a music-industry backdrop to create a book that should appeal to mystery fans and music fans alike.

The interesting part is that he doesn’t leave much to be mysterious: you are introduced to the crime and the criminals before you ever meet Jason Duffy, the musician turned private investigator that gets the case. By keeping his characters and locations moving, McDonnell turns the interest to finding out when and how Duffy and the robbers will meet.

The second book in McDonnell’s Rock & Roll Mystery series concerns the theft of a rather valuable music memorabilia collection. While Jason assumes it is a routine burglary, he quickly finds that the situation has put him in more danger than he bargained for. The ensuing story follows both his attempts to find the collection and to keep himself and those near him safe.

Rock & Roll Rip-Off provides a few twists along the way, and McDonnell writes a mystery that is interesting while remaining relatively plausible. This book should be especially enjoyable to anyone that has been connected with the music business at some point. The author’s obvious insight into the music scene is a central part of the story and serves as a framework for the mystery.

The relationship between Jason and his girlfriend Kelly adds a comforting and realistic side to the detective tale. Kelly acts as a reasonable woman that happens to be in love with a musician turned PI. She doesn’t completely capitulate herself to Jason’s job, but she also makes a point with Jason that she understands his line of work. It serves as a bit of a counterpoint to Jason’s work on the case, more relationship-centered sections that set up the next round of action.

The small cast of characters that work at Jason’s agency are enjoyable as well. Cory, a young man with Tourette’s syndrome, is Jason’s stakeout photographer whose profane outbursts are only described by McDonnell, adding humor by leaving something to the imagination. The other employee of the agency is Jason’s assistant Jeannine, tall, blonde, beautiful and nearly crippled by obsessive-compulsive disorder. The two are both more than competent, and they also serve as comic foils throughout.

The book, true to its genre, picks up tremendously in the final third. The story moves in a few unexpected directions, and the action happens at a faster pace. McDonnell uses this part of the book to pull the rug out from under the reader, changing paths when least expected. He also provides laughs along the way, and it is a hard-hearted reader indeed that doesn’t enjoy the final chapter. Mystery lovers and music lovers should both find something to enjoy about Rock & Roll Rip-Off.

The Rock & Roll Mystery series continues with The Concert Killer, released in August 2011 and the upcoming The Classic Rockers Reunion with Death due to be released in July 2012. Those interested in McDonnell’s series can find more information about the author and his books at www.rjmcdonnell.com.

Review of Hard Country by Michael McGarrity

Hard Country is a sweeping epic of the American West that tells the story of imperfect people trying to settle a harsh country.

Author Michael McGarrity, best known for his Kevin Kerney mystery series, is going back in time to the American origins of Kevin’s family. Hard Country follows Kerney’s ancestors starting with Irish immigrant and Civil War veteran John Kerney in 1874. John’s story starts with the birth of a son, the death of a wife and the murder of his brother and nephew, and it only gets tougher for him from there. McGarrity has a knack for crisp storytelling, and he weaves a tight story that takes the Kerneys up to 1918.

This is obviously a meticulously-researched novel, as McGarrity weaves the actual history of the region into his story. The politics of cattle ranching and railroad expansion predominate, with most of the real-life politicians appearing as themselves. There are also cameos by more legendary figures such as Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett, who just seem to mosey onto the page and are gone just as quickly. A larger part is played by the real western writer Eugene Manlove Rhodes, who is befriended by the Kerney family and even bases a story (that doesn’t sell) on one of them. This sort of historical framework around the story underscores the authentic feel of Hard Country.

McGarrity’s version of the west (specifically the Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico) isn’t overly-romanticized and, thus, feels authentic. The gunplay, a staple of the pulp western, is sporadic, realistically presented and somewhat shocking when it happens. He is also mindful of the cultural shift going on in the area as Americans are settling an area already occupied by Native Americans and Mexicans. While the complex relations going on here are not deeply explored, they are also not ignored as something insignificant to the story.

With Hard Country, McGarrity has made a successful leap from mystery to history. His Tularosa Basin is almost a character unto itself, and his talent for bringing real cowboys to life is evident throughout the novel. Readers will find themselves transported to a time when the country was expanding and will get to know the tough (and not-so-tough) men and women that made it happen.

Fans of Hard Country will be pleased to know that this is the first of a trilogy, and McGarrity hopes to have the second installment (tentatively titled Backlands) published in early 2014.

Not enough variety here? Try the KAZI Book Review

I think it’s only appropriate to give thanks to the people who got me started reviewing books, the good people at KAZI FM in Austin–you can listen online here. Specifically, it was Hopeton Hay (host of the KAZI Book Review, Sundays at 12:30 PM and Economic Perspectives, Mondays at 5:30 PM) that got me started–he’d supply me with books as long as I agreed to write a review and come be his co-host occasionally. How could I refuse? Two years in, and he’s still giving me books.

You can check out the authors Hopeton has interviewed at his KAZI Book Review page. Aside from my reviews, you’ll find out about upcoming interviews and other great books Hopeton recommends.

I’ll have some more reviews up soon, including a new epic western from Michael McGarrity called Hard Country. The author of the Kevin Kerney mystery series has decided to tell the history of Kerney’s family in New Mexico, beginning with Irish immigrant John Kerney in 1874. It’s a page-turner and is obviously painstakingly researched–I’ll be sure to post the full report soon.

Review of Cemetery Road by Gar Anthony Haywood

Gar Anthony Haywood, author of the Aaron Gunner Mysteries, delivers an intricate and thoughtful crime story with his newest novel, Cemetery Road.

The story centers on Errol ‘Handy’ White, who returns from Minnesota to his hometown of Los Angeles to attend the funeral of an old friend who was murdered. This friend, RJ Burrows, and another friend (O’Neal Holden, now a local politician) committed a heist with Handy that went terribly wrong 26 years ago, thus causing Handy’s flight to the Midwest. Handy, who is still wracked with guilt about these tragic events, is convinced that RJ’s death is connected somehow. Cemetery Road follows Handy’s journey to attempt to find the truth, and, as a consequence, confront the past he has been avoiding.

Haywood skillfully alternates between telling the present-day story of Handy and revealing the actual events of the bungled heist. This method allows him to layer the two stories, slowly revealing the details of the robbery while Handy continues his investigation of RJ’s murder in the present day. His ability to keep the tension built in both storylines makes this a difficult book to put down.

One of the hallmarks of Cemetery Road is the way Haywood makes Los Angeles almost into its own character. His rich descriptions of LA, both of the people and the landscape, give the reader a rich backdrop on which to paint the characters. This especially gives Handy’s interactions with the city an extra depth as he is reminded of the city he left 26 years earlier.

Handy is a richly drawn character, and Haywood is at his best when describing his protagonist’s thoughts and feelings. Handy acknowledges his flaws and past mistakes with regret, but often feels powerless to change things. Despite the fact that he was a petty thief as a young man, he seems to be deeply moral and set on attempting to right past wrongs. This is a flawed man, and he knows it, but he is determined to make the best of what he has left of his life.

Haywood touches on several themes throughout the book, such as not being able to go home again, having to confront your past, and attempting to correct past mistakes. Handy’s journey through Los Angeles is one traveled with regret, but also a hope that things can be put right. Haywood combines a skilled portrait of a man haunted by his past with a gripping heist story, and he produces a top-notch piece of crime fiction.

Review of The Night Swimmer by Matt Bondurant

The Night Swimmer, the latest book by Matt Bondurant (author of The Wettest County in the World), is much like the narrator Elly’s favorite hobby: a dark swim through a choppy ocean. It is a haunting tale of love, intrigue and obsession, tinged with regret throughout.

Bondurant tells the story of Elly and Fred, an American couple that wins an Irish pub and moves there to run it. Of course, these things are never quite that simple–the locals don’t really take to the American “blow-ins”–and this novel follows the triumphs and tragedies that result from their move across the world.

Essentially The Night Swimmer is a love story, the story of Elly and Fred and their grand adventure to the remotest part of Ireland, an adventure that eventually goes wrong. However, to simply call it a love story would do it a grave injustice, as Bondurant deftly weaves in history, mysteries, local politics, beautiful descriptions of this lonely part of Ireland, the exhilaration and loneliness of swimming in the open ocean, even the attacks of 9/11. This makes The Night Swimmer a difficult book to categorize, but it’s driving force is always the dynamic between Fred and Elly.

Early on, Bondurant establishes the main tone of the book, a palpable sense of dread, by having Elly admit in the prologue that she is ashamed, and she needs to be careful with her tone. As you then read about their love story and the story of winning the pub, you begin to wonder just what there is to dread. It is a most unsettling feeling, as you read about how much these two love each other and wait for the other shoe to drop. Drop it does, however, and the story certainly takes some surprising turns as we find out what exactly is going on.

Bondurant gives us a lot of memorable characters, but the location of Cape Clear becomes almost a character unto itself. Elly, who has been swimming her entire life and has a condition that allows her to stay in cold water longer than most, repeatedly describes the stark, dangerous and beautiful conditions as she takes her long ocean swims that give the book its title. It is an example of the way Bondurant has created a very real world for his characters to inhabit, and it shows that he is just as careful with his settings as he is his characters.

The Night Swimmer is a sad, touching tale that refuses to be easily categorized. Since it is difficult to put a genre on this book, let me just say this: The Night Swimmer is for fans of excellent writing, as Bondurant has deftly woven a complex and thought-provoking story.

MLB Network gets it right with pairing of Costas and Verducci

(Thanks to http://www.amazinavenue.com for the image.)

As I was watching last night’s game between the Cards and the Phillies (a 10-9 slugfest the Cards lost), I was trying to figure out who MLB Network had in the booth with Costas. Eventually I figured out it was none other than SI’s Tom Verducci. These two may have been paired together for earlier games, but this is the first one I caught. I have to say that this is the best pairing in a baseball booth for a national audience that I’ve seen. I’ll always have a soft spot for Mike Shannon and Jack Buck, but they were mostly hometown announcers. Costas and Verducci were great together: Costas gives reliably great play-by-play, Verducci is a font of knowledge (but not in a way that makes you want to throttle him), and they genuinely seem to have good chemistry together. It’s rare when I find myself laughing out loud at something an announcer said, but it happened a couple of times last night. The Ray Stevens reference he made (the stadium played “The Streak” while a streaker ran onto the field-see below) was priceless, and Verducci had never heard of Ray Stevens before, both showing Costas’s age and his St. Louis roots. I wish ESPN would just make it official and give all of its baseball coverage to networks that seem to care.

[Start ESPN rant] I wonder if ESPN worries about how MLB Network completely beats their baseball coverage in every aspect. (Probably not.) I feel sorry for Kruk and Ravech over there–ESPN is an NBA and NFL network now. At least they got rid of Joe Morgan, de facto president of the Crotchety Old Ballplayers Club. I know he was a great baseball player, but if you’re going to be an analyst, you should probably analyze every now and again instead of just loving everything old and hating everything new. I just feel bad that he kind of took the amazing Jon Miller down with him. [End ESPN rant]

MLB Network: Keep Costas and Verducci in the booth together!

PS – There was also a streaker last night, quite the rarity in St. Louis. This shot of him should win an award.