“For Love of Mother-Not” by Alan Dean Foster

More Alan Dean Foster, even more Sci-Fi  -- 5 stars

After reading Foster’s “Slipt,” I decided to return to another of his works, a book I read a long time ago: “For Love of Mother-Not,” also later known as the first “Pip & Flinx Adventure,” which was news to me.

Orphan Flinx is taken in (or more accurately, purchased) by a contentious elderly woman named Mother Mastiff, who runs a modest shop. This shop is situated in the sole major city on a planet known for its frequent, almost non stop rain. Mother Mastiff becomes the mother figure Flinx never had -- his “mother-not.”

One night, Flinx “hears” a solitary thought through his unpredictable ability to sense emotions. He tracks it to an unusual winged snake in a trash pile, which promptly decides to make Flinx its new owner/companion. Flinx names the creature “Pip,” and as it happens, Pip is an extremely dangerous snake capable of ejecting a potent, corrosive neurotoxin when it feels threatened.

When Flinx’s mother-not is abducted and whisked away across the largely untamed planet, he and Pip set off on a mission to rescue her.

Now, I don’t think I realized this back in the day, but “For Love of Mother-Not” is apparently the beginning of a quite expansive series. And I can see why. The writing in this books flows effortlessly without any dull moments, keeping this reader engaged throughout in spite of the fact that it was considered a “Young Adult” novel/series.

Regardless of age, I would recommend this book to any science fiction enthusiasts who enjoy stories about personal challenges and mysteries. While the reader discovers Flinx’s origins and the source of his strange abilities, Flinx himself only receives a few clues -- at least, for now.

An excellent foundation for the series. I might have to look into checking out more of these.

"Slipt" by Alan Dean Foster

 Toxic waste and super humans -- 4 stars

I picked up “Slipt” at a used book store, mainly because I remembered reading -- and enjoying -- Alan Dean Foster books when I was a younger man. While not the best book I’ve ever read (even by Foster himself), “Slipt” more than held my attention.

Written in the mid 80's, Foster weaves the story of an elderly man, his young niece, an evil corporation, and the issue of toxic waste. The corporation, driven by greed, has been disposing of their harmful waste in a valley near Riverside, out in California, and the story opens with a rushed, secretive cleanup of their mess, to try and dodge the county’s scrutiny. Above the valley in question, there are only poor citizens and immigrants. The corporation successfully bamboozles most of them by offering them jobs, to ensure that the county investigators have no one they can question about the previous dumping activities.

However, one man, Jake, a 71 year old with a heart condition, turns down a job offer. And the boss of the corporate cleanup crew, Huddy, worries that Jake might spill the beans and ruin everything.

So Huddy makes a final trip to see Jake, intending to bribe him into silence ... but during the visit, he learns that Jake possesses some extraordinary skills, such as removing bottle caps with his mind and “magically” tidying up an executive’s car (and, more secretly, Jake can communicate with his niece Amanda via telepathy!). Essentially, Jake can manipulate objects with his mind. While Jake shrugs off his own abilities, being able to “slipt” things, as mere party tricks for the local children, villainous Huddy envisions endless potential! 

Though the plot isn’t particularly original (especially for the 80's) -- toxic waste causes unusual changes in people -- Foster’s version offers a rather touching interpretation: Good ol’ Jake is simply trying to get along with everyone, and has a deep affection for Amanda ... but that darn Huddy is relentless in his efforts to have Jake subjected to “testing.”

Foster’s writing is solid and straightforward, and the story flows along smoothly. Overall, “Slipt” was an enjoyable read.

"American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

 Giving Gaiman a whirl -- 4 stars

To the best of my recollection, I’d never read any books by Neil Gaiman. Since I love fantasy and Gaiman is much beloved by his fans, I decided to give him a try with “American Gods.”

“American Gods” is based around the concept that religious belief systems and philosophies have undergone great transformations over time, and whether they want it or not, the various gods from all our collective yesteryears have experienced similar changes. Now, mere shadows of their former selves, these gods struggle to survive in a realm of accumulated, assorted beliefs.

Endangered by the emergence of the strange new “gods” of the modern era, the old ones depend on Wednesday (a.k.a. Odin) for their redemption. And Shadow, an ex-convict who is grappling with his wife’s death, becomes entangled within this supernatural conflict.

“American Gods” is both entertaining and amusing, and Gaiman delivers these doses of cleverness and humor while also imparting a touch of melancholy. The book takes you on a journey across America (circa 2001), visiting diners, motels, and small towns. This reader noted the contrasts, and everything felt familiar and yet foreign simultaneously, as if “America” is both an old acquaintance AND a mystery. And just when Shadow finally feels at ease in a particular small town, he uncovers a harsh reality.

Shadow was an interesting character. He remains haunted by the terrible mistake that sent him to prison. And yet, through this, he learns the importance of sacrifice and bravery. He begins thoughtful and introspective, but somewhat naive. As he eventually uncovers “the truth,” Shadow grows bolder in his actions.

While not one of my favorites, I found “American Gods” to be, overall, an enjoyable book. As it went on, it strayed from its main plot a bit, but by the end, Gaiman pulled it all together. I think I may check out more of Neil Gaiman’s work in the future.

"Dark State" by Jack Slater

 A solid, entertaining read -- 4 stars

After finishing “Forever Odd,” I asked Amazon to recommend an author similar to Dean R. Koontz. I’m not 100% sure that author Jack Slater quite fits that bill, but I did enjoy his Jason Trapp thriller, “Dark State.” This book’s intricate twists and turns made it a compelling read.

The story revolves around both foreign and domestic terrorists executing a series of sophisticated attacks on U.S. soil (reminiscent of the events of 9/11). Agencies like the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, NSA, and the military find themselves at a loss, with no leads or suspects, and questioning who could orchestrate such precise attacks. Initially, they suspect all the typical adversaries -- Russia, North Korea, China -- but they soon realize none were responsible for this elaborate scheme.

And then Jason Trapp enters the scene.

Trapp was presumed dead after a CIA mission went awry, resulting in the actual death of his best friend and partner. Trapp returns to the U.S. under a new identity to uncover what went wrong with the operation, and so he accidentally stumbles upon a link between the domestic terrorist attacks and his own failed mission.

Determined to find answers and seek revenge against those responsible for this betrayal, Trapp uncovers a shocking conspiracy. The mastermind behind the plot surprises everyone, as their ultimate goal is not only orchestrating terrorist attacks but also carrying out multiple assassinations at the highest levels of government.

Will Trapp be able to stop them in time?

“Dark State” held my attention from start to finish. While it didn’t quite match the craving I had for something similar to Koontz’s work, it was a strong beginning to a series, and I enjoyed it enough that I’m considering trying the next installment at some point. So I can definitely recommend this book.

"Forever Odd" by Dean Koontz

 “Forever Odd” is even better than the first book! -- 5 stars

I know, I know, it’s been another long dry spell since I’ve written any reviews. I haven’t been reading as much, and so I just fell out of the habit. Again! But now that I’m more or less retired, I hope to return to reading AND to writing book reviews.

For my return, I decided to revisit one of my favorite authors again: Dean R. Koontz. And the book I chose is the next in his “Odd Thomas” series: “Forever Odd”

First, let me say that I thought this book was a step up from the first one. I found myself a lot more charmed by Odd in this installment, drawn to his quirky mannerisms. In “Odd Thomas,” I didn’t always care for his odd (pun intended) sense of humor. But now I love this character! He’s nice, funny, and very genuine.

I thought the plot of this second book was far more engaging, unlike the first book where I sometimes felt that Koontz was “padding the run time.” The settings Koontz established in this one were a significant factor in this.

Odd’s journey begins in the vast, cavernous drainage system beneath Pico Mundo (Koontz’s fictitious town), stretching on for what feels like miles. This environment immediately created a sense of foreboding and anticipation that persisted throughout most of the book. The eerie surroundings were unsettling for both Odd AND the reader, adding to the tension of the story.

Next up was the run down Panamint Resort and Casino, which is essentially a deserted hotel, partially ruined by an earthquake and subsequent fire, but neither restored nor demolished. As soon as Odd began recounting its history, it exuded an eerie vibe. I, personally, have always been captivated by places like this, and whenever I drive past an old abandoned house, barn, or building, I feel a strong urge to go exploring, even if (or especially!) it has an ominous DO NOT ENTER sign hanging outside. This is probably why this setting captivated me so much, and contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

The villain, Datura, was truly wicked and downright malicious, and I definitely wouldn’t want to cross paths with her, EVER. Her madness was compelling to this reader, though, because it seemed so genuine!

Overall, I found “Forever odd” extremely enjoyable, and I’m eager to dive into the next installment of this series, without waiting so long! Hopefully, I’ll keep up the reading, and reviewing, habit this time!

"Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz

 Koontz in his element -- 4 stars

Now that I’m in review writing mode again, it was time for another of my favorite authors, Dean R. Koontz!  This time I chose “Odd Thomas,” and I’m glad I did.

Odd Thomas is a short order cook who has a unique ability:  He can see dead people.  But not only that, he can also see dark, shadow like creatures that stalk people, either to cause death or be near when they die.  He calls them “bodachs,” and he tries not to let them know that he can see them.

At age 20, Odd handles things a little better than the little boy from “The Sixth Sense.”  By the time we meet him, he’s already reached the stage of wanting to help these poor ghosts, and to thwart the bodachs when he can.  Odd tries to keep things simple, but when he encounters someone he calls “Fungus Man,” who is surrounded by these bodachs, he worries something very bad is going to happen.

The story is told from Odd’s point of view, which allows the reader to really experience his thoughts and feelings about these “lingering dead” and the disastrous bodachs.  Once the action builds to its climax, the book turns into a true page turner, Koontz at his best!  And even though the story goes on into multiple sequels, I was pleased that this book itself had a concrete ending.  The reader does not HAVE to go on to the sequels, as “Odd Thomas” stands alone on its own.

The only reason I’m not giving this book 5 stars, which was the feeling I had at the end, is that there are stretches of the novel that tend to drag.  I never lost interest, mind you, but there were whole chapters that didn’t actually contribute much.  It felt as though Koontz was “padding the run time” or something, like he was worried that the book was going to be too short (my copy was almost 450 pages, so I’m not sure why it would be a concern).

But even with that fact, I still highly recommend “Odd Thomas” for any fan of Dean R. Koontz.  And I’ll be checking out more Odd Thomas stories in the future!

"Blue Rose" by Peter Straub

 A look into a disturbed child's mind -- 4-1/2 stars

"Blue Rose" takes a look into a very dysfunctional family, with the focus on the two youngest of five brothers:  Harry and "Little Eddie."

In the Beever family, everyone seems to abuse everyone else:  The shrewish mother berates the father; the three eldest boys abuse the youngers and each other; the two oldest have left and joined the military, but the middle child, Albert, is still around to dish out physical and verbal abuse.

But even Albert spends most of his time at the local mechanic garage, so that leaves Little Eddie to Harry's tender mercies.

As the story opens, Harry is terrorizing Little Eddie with stories of his next year's school teacher having "killed" a former student; Eddie has problems with fear, and Harry plays into this until Eddie hands over his recent birthday present, a toy car.  Which Harry proceeds to destroy and discard.

But the real plot gets rolling when Harry finds a book on hypnotism in the attic where the two boys play.

The passages that followed reminded me somewhat of "Pandora's Game," a book I highly recommend.  But in "Pandora's Game," the protagonists use hypnosis to explore their inner creativity (before things go awry).  In "Blue Rose," Harry uses it to explore his inner sadism on his brother.

I won't give away the details of Harry's experiments, as "Blu Rose" is a novella that runs just 87 pages in my edition.  But I will say that they escalate out of control in very short order, leaving this reader feeling sorry for Little Eddie in a way that lingered even after the story was over.

And Straub does an excellent job of examining the experiments' fall out as it affects the whole Beever family.  He crafts an uncomfortable yet compelling yarn that kept me turning the pages, like watching an accident that just won't let you look away.

The only reason I am not giving "Blue Rose" the full 5 stars is that the ending just ... happens.  Time jumps, and the final chapter is told in the form of a letter from Harry to his girlfriend.  That letter touches on some of the elements of the main story, describes some of the consequences, but only as a sort of aside.  Otherwise, this reader was left thinking, "Well ... I guess it's over."

But overall, "Blue Rose" is a compelling, quick read.  I recommend it for a 1 to 2 day experience.