Some Books Received… (May 2013)

A nice selection of books have arrived, recently (also some non-fiction books, but I’ll feature them over on the other website in the near future). So, here’s the latest selection of delectable and intriguing ARCs, etc., that have arrived…

Brad Meltzer’s “Decoded” Season 1 (History Channel)

Having read and mostly enjoyed Brad Meltzer’s novels, I was intrigued when I discovered that he had his own TV show on the History Channel. Political history and the conspiracies that often surround them are popular topics for thrillers, and Meltzer’s novels often fit comfortably in this sub-genre. In Decoded, Meltzer and his team (a lawyer, an engineer, and a history professor) investigate a number of American historical mysteries and conspiracies. Here’s how the History Channel describes the show:

Every now and then, a researcher stumbles upon a historical enigma, an unproven rumour, a story with a puzzling outcome. Such encounters are an irresistible challenge for bestselling author Brad Meltzer, who unravelled many mysteries in the first season of Brad Meltzer’s Decoded.

Now he’s back to explore a whole new set of history’s most compelling and perplexing riddles. Luckily, he’s got a team of investigators to help him out with each mission: Buddy Levy, a professor and journalist who assumes there is always more than meets the eye; Christine McKinley, a mechanical engineer who only believes in what can be proved; and Scott Rolle, a trial lawyer and born sceptic. Together, they’ll sniff out every clue and leave no stone unturned as they seek to reveal the truth.

“The Inner Circle” by Brad Meltzer (Grand Central/Hodder & Stoughton)

A long-held secret of the American Presidency is about to be revealed…

Beecher White, a young archivist for the US government, has always been the keeper of other people’s stories, never a part of the story himself... Until now.

While Beecher is showing Clementine Kaye, his first childhood crush, around the National Archives, they accidentally uncover a priceless artefact – a two-hundred-year-old dictionary once belonging to George Washington. Suddenly Beecher and Clementine are entangled in a web of conspiracy and murder.

Beecher’s race to learn the truth behind this mysterious treasure will lead to a code that conceals a disturbing secret from the nation's founding. A secret that some believe is worth killing for.

I’ve had generally good experiences reading Meltzer’s novels – only one of them has been disappointing, so I came to The Inner Circle with high hopes that the author would once again entertain and thrill. It’s doubly interesting for me, because I’m always fascinated by anything that features the US Presidency. The Inner Circle is well conceived, but the execution was disappointingly flawed.

“The Book of Lies”, by Brad Meltzer (Hodder)

A fast-paced thriller with a unique, intriguing premise; which sadly fails to excite…

The book kicks off by introducing us to the villain of the piece, Ellis, as he tries to extract the location of the Book of Lies from its one-time owner, using a fiendish method of torture. Meanwhile, homeless-shelter employee Calvin “Cal” Harper comes across his estranged father (Lloyd), bleeding from a gunshot wound in a Florida park. Cal, a former ICE (customs) agent, finds a bill of lading when he takes Lloyd to the hospital, which starts a series of events potentially lethal for Cal and Lloyd. Following the trail of clues, Cal and Lloyd are caught up in a treasure-hunt of sorts, searching for the weapon (or information on the weapon) that Cain used to kill Abel, and how this is somehow related to the death of (creator of Superman) Jerry Siegel’s father in 1932. If that description sounds unsure or confused, well… so’s the book.

While the pace of the story rattles along at a fair clip, Meltzer has mastered the drawn-out reveal. We are only slowly made aware of what the Book of Lies actually is, and what’s really going on. For this novel, Meltzer has drawn on his love for the comic world (a medium he has written extensively for himself), adding a sprinkle of biblical mystery (involving Cain’s murder of Abel) to form the basis of the plot.

The Book of Lies was an easy read, with an original premise, a quick writing style, and interesting characters. What more could you ask for? Well, perhaps a little more depth in the plot, and a little more attention to making things a little more realistic for starters. The dialogue is a bit forced, and often rather flat. While reading the novel, I felt like I was having a good time, but whenever I put it down, I found myself wondering what was going on – whether or not something had actually happened over the past few chapters (of which there are many brief ones – Meltzer’s going the way of James Patterson). It sounds harsher than I intend, but could this be the novel equivalent of bubblegum?

If you’ve enjoyed Meltzer’s previous work (or that of any of the other authors I mention above), then you’ll likely enjoy this book, only not as much as you perhaps could have, and you’ll likely find yourself wondering what on earth is going on. Previous novels by the author – specifically, The Tenth Justice, The Millionaires and The Zero Game – have been much better. I applaud the author for trying something new, but it’s a real pity that it rather missed the mark, resulting in a series of far-fetched events. I’d recommend his other novels in a heartbeat, but with this one I’d hesitate quite a bit.

Lazy comparisons with Dan Brown are inevitable, but I would say that Brad Meltzer’s work belongs more in the company of the likes of James Patterson, James Rollins, Douglas Preston, and Matthew Reilly.

An uncharacteristically unfulfilling novel.

Brad Meltzer - "The Book Of Fate"

The Book Of Fate was the second book by Mr Meltzer that I read (first being The Millionnaires) and - as an indication of just how good a writer he is - I have since read the rest of his novels in very quick succession.

The novel focusses on the trials and tribulations of Wes, personal aide to former president Manning. Horribly scarred by a supposedly-failed assassination attempt, Wes has spent the past eight years working for the former president and his family, almost religiously devoting himself to his work and the president's legacy. Then, as indicated in the blurb on the back of the book, close friend Ron Boyle who was thought to have died during the attempt on Manning's life is spotted by, alive and well (with minor plastic surgery), breaking into Manning's dressing room in Malaysia.

What follows is Wes's attempts to discover the truth about what happened on that fateful day, when his life was altered so painfully - he lost all nerve and muscle control down one side of his face. What makes this different from standard thrillers is both the outcome, the reason behind the mystery and the clues available to Wes and his helpers - a gossip columnist from a Florida newpaper, and the aspiring Congressman who got Wes his job with Manning.

After finding a bizarre code scribbled by the side of a crossword filled in by the president, Wes delves deeper into the loyalties of his co-workers and also the impetus of the man who wounded him - who is still alive, languishing at a mental hospital, until someone from his past pays him a visit.

Don't be fooled by the title - this is not really a thriller in the same vein as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, or any other of the multitudes of founding-father conspiracy novels that have been pushed on the public in recent years. While there is some reference to Freemasons and so forth, The Book Of Fate follows a more conventional thriller style.

The pace is quick throughout, without lacking detail or cutting corners. Meltzer's ability to spin a tale has certainly improved since his first novel, The Tenth Justice (which was also a very enjoyable, cleverly-plotted political thriller). The book fulfils all the hopes anyone might have for a thriller in this day and age - great characterisation, a pace that never lets up, a convincing storyline, a healthy amount of wit, and a great finale.

If there was one fault with Mr Meltzer's writing style, it would be that occassionally he used certain phrases that sound cheesy or out of place but these are usually short and not integral to the story. Thankfully, he only partially succumbs to my biggest bug-bear with thrillers, and that's the emotional aspect of many characters - they seem to only experience the extremes of emotion. With Meltzer's characters, though, we get a wide range of emotions, which not only makes the characters more believable but also makes his books even more readable.

If you haven't tried any of Brad Meltzer's novels, I strongly advise you to start right now. Maybe then his publisher will spend some more time promoting his work.

Also try: James Twining, Kyle Mills, Mike Lawson, John Grisham