The Tango Briefing. Adam Hall.

The Tango Briefing.
Adam Hall

Pretty bad adventure/spy novel. This has two appealing aspects. First, Hall is not obsessed with either technology or violence, so one does not become bored or aggrieved. Second, the main character, Quiller, is funny: he has an addicts' attitude toward his job & a very weird attitude towards himself in that his body is always referred to as "the organism" and his mind (he thinks) is totally separate from it.

Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Caged Whale Sings. Christopher Moore.

Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Caged Whale Sings Christopher Moore.
William Morrow: 2003

A big disappointment after Lamb, this is still a good book. Whale scientist Nate Quinn discovers the ultimate conspiracy: at first you think it's local scientists, then the government, then aliens, the . . . it's the original organism that evolved on Earth. This thing--Goo--can create and control life via DNA (or something like that. It kind of makes sense when you are reading it, but only kind of.)

Moor is off on his humor on this one. Yes, there are some funny parts, but nothing hilarious, and there are no consistently funny characters. Moore seems a bit too concerned about making the far-fetched storyline work than becoming engaged with any of his characters or developing any themes beyond a preachy save-the-whales moral. Still entertaining, but not up to his others.

Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Robert Pirsig.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
by Robert Pirsig.

A frustrating book to read because the whole time I was wondering: "But why is this book so popular?" A novel about a vain, egotistical and uncaring technical writer on a trip with his son. He (the narrator) used to be a vain, egotistical studing and teacher who perhaps cared a little for others. He then reinvents the philosophical wheel (or at least thinks he does) and becomes obsessed with the notion of quality. At last he has a moment of spiritual insight where it all makes sense. Instead of inspiring him--as such moments do for the rest of us--it drives him crazy and he goes to the psych ward where he undergoes electric shock therapy.

He re-emerges, feigning ignorance of his past life (but really he hasn't lost a single memory), discounts his previous obsession to a practical motorcycle-maintenance level and tries to live a 'normal' life. At the end, his old self comes back.

Boring. Author talks to you like you're an idiot. He is unaware of ridiculous logic and covers it up with long history lessons. Strange book, not to be read again.

The Princess and the Goblin. George MacDonald.

The Princess and the Goblin.
George MacDonald.

MacDonald is well-known for being an idol of C.S. Lewis and, to a lesser degree, of J.R.R. Tolkien. This is the second story of his I have read and it is quite wonderful.

As before, I came away a little confused by the imagery of this "Christian" (as he is packaged today) author. The main image in this book is that of the Princess Irene's great-grandmother who can only be seen by those who believe in her, or whose light can be seen by those she wishes to save. These are concepts clearly familiar to Christianity, and yet this magical person is a woman: unusual. Compare this to Lewis' Aslan, who -- although a lion -- is both male and masculine.

Another note of interest is MacDonald's acceptance of and use of evolution. Although approached from a fantasic storyteller's point of view rather than a scientific one, MacDonald makes liberal use of the theory which is now fought against by so many Christians. These two extended metaphors (among others) make me belive that MacDonald's faith is more personal than the over-politicized faith of some today. It would be interesting to read his original romance novels and compare them to the modern 'reprints' edited for a specifically Christian audience. I wonder what exactly needed to be "edited" out of or into these novels? Surely MacDonald is a superior writer to his editor!

In an interesting twist on the Genesis account of the Flood, the goblins in this story wanted to mate with the "higher species" (princess) and were punished for that desire. In Genesis, fallen man had become even worse by the nephilim who had taken the women as mates.

Fun story, well told. Highlight of ridiculous writing: foot-stomping fights.

The Da Vinci Code. Dan Brown

The Da Vinci Code.
Dan Brown.
2003

The writing is mediocre. The characters are utterly unbelievable. The plot is ridiculous. Yet the book is the best-selling adult novel in years: why? It is a decent chase/treasure novel with little puzzles to solve, but that can't possibly be the point of interest for so many millions of people.

The "sacred feminine" is brought up repeatedly in the novel, and yet no one I talk with who has read the book seems to care. Indeed, it is just the conspiracy of the Catholic Church that people talk about (ironic in this case, because the Church is pointedly exonerated by Brown from any involvement in his plot, and indeed is portrayed as a source of inspiration and comfort.)

Grail legends, lost treasures, and vast conspiracies will always be popular, but I don't think they are enough to make this a runaway bestseller, especially considering the bad writing. It is beyond me.