A Review
An exciting, fast moving environmental-political-industrial drama that holds the reader's attention from page 1 to the last paragraph. This author has something to say - not just a plot to deliver. The novel is as much a commentary on the interaction between industry, politics, and environmental concerns as it is a story to be enjoyed. This commentary, the plot, and the theme would suggest the book should easily receive five stars.
However, a book is more than what it says. Two problems stand out. The first is that the writing is uneven. This is partly covered by the first person narrative by a person whose English is marginal at best. But not all of the writing problems can be covered by the author's use of a first person narrative. Some of the errors found in the book were obvious slips by the editor - errors that could have been corrected with careful reading. [EDIT: An e-mail from the author let me know that I was reading a pre-publication galley - unintentional errors have been corrected in the final copy.]
This reviewer's second concern is the author's over dependence on sex as a dramatic element. If translated, as written, into a movie, the result would most likely be an R-rated extravaganza. Perhaps with some careful (i.e. very careful) directing and editing, the resulting product could arrive on the big screen with a PG-13 rating. No warning was made that this was a major part of the story - at all levels of the book.
Mike Bonds has presented eco-terrorism at its best, detailing the potential evil in corporate America, politicians, and greed in all its forms. In spite of its faults, the book did make this reviewer think - about life, death, values, and people. One cannot walk away from the book without feeling something. The book will not leave the reader alone - which, I suspect, is the author's purpose.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.
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