Review of "I Am Pilgrim: A Thriller" by Terry Hayes

                       SPOILER ALERT!!    SPOILER ALERT!!   SPOILER ALERT!!


In the aftermath of the Twin Towers disaster on 9/11 a woman is murdered in a cheap hotel in lower Manhattan. The victim's face and fingerprints have been destroyed by acid, her teeth have been removed, and the room has been uber-cleaned with industrial strength chemicals.

It's clear the killer took lessons from a scholarly book about forensics penned by 'Jude Garrett' - the assumed name of a retired, thirty-something, secret agent for a super-secret branch of the CIA.

Because he's a forensics expert, the police ask 'Jude Garrett' to consult on the case. The few clues retrieved from the crime scene include a calendar featuring ancient ruins and a partial phone number.

We come to learn that 'Jude Garrett' - code name Pilgrim - grew up as the adopted son of a wealthy couple. He had a privileged life, went to the best schools, and was recruited by the CIA after graduating from Harvard.

Pilgrim - who's intelligent, clever, intuitive, tough, and brave - may just be the best agent in the world. And he'll need to be when he goes up against an Arab zealot dubbed Saracen, a very cunning terrorist.

As the book shifts back and forth between Saracen's story and Pilgrim's story we find out that Saracen grew up in an educated, devout Muslim family in Saudi Arabia.

Saracen's radicalization began when he was 14, after his father was publicly beheaded for criticizing the Saudi royal family.

By the age of 18 Saracen was a highly skilled Muj (Mujaheddin) in Afghanistan, during the country's war with Russia. Afterwards Saracen devised a diabolical plot to get revenge against Saudi Arabia and the U.S. which (in his eyes) supports the evil regime there. Saracen's long-term plan involved going to medical school.....

…...becoming a respected doctor, and developing an enormously destructive biological weapon - a disease that has a fatality rate of 100 percent.

Most readers will be riveted and impressed (though horrified) as Saracen goes about executing his smart, cruel, diabolical plan. As a 'clean skin' (complete unknown) Saracen is not on the radar of any western countries. The Arab zealot has a bit of bad luck, however, and his potential weapon comes to the attention of the CIA, which immediately recruits Pilgrim out of retirement to stop the apocalypse.

Pilgrim soon learns that Saracen has a contact in Bogrum, Turkey. Serendipitously, a young American billionaire has just been killed in Bogrum. So Pilgrim, in the guise of an FBI agent looking into the billionaire's death, arrives in Bogrum to pursue Saracen.

Pilgrim has several stateside contacts ready to assist: Ben Bradley - an extremely capable NYPD police officer who was badly hurt on 9/11; 'The Whisperer' - the Head of U.S. Intelligence; and Battleboi - a convicted (but genial) super-hacker.

As Saracen's plan, which has taken a couple of decades to complete, comes to fruition he prepares to launch his attack on America. Once America is in chaos (he thinks) it will no longer be able to support Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile Pilgrim, who's also investigating the billionaire's death to maintain his cover, is on Saracen's trail. AND EUREKA, the billionaire's death has a connection with the woman murdered in the cheap Manhattan hotel at the beginning of the story. (Talk about good luck! Or good plotting!)

Saracen's biological weapon is perfected and sent on its way to America while Pilgrim races around Eastern Europe and the Middle East, collecting clues about the Arab's real identity and history. Pilgrim is desperate to find out where, when, and how the weapon will be launched. All this leads to a dramatic, heart-pounding climax in an ancient ruin near the Turkish coast.

The book is a compelling page-turner with an interesting array of characters including a female Turkish homicide detective, Eastern European thugs, Mujaheddin believers, decadent Americans vacationing in Turkey, a handsome, well-built masseur in a tiny thong swimsuit (LOL), American socialites, government moles, an endearing little boy, and more. I especially like the scenes where Pilgrim talks about his beloved adoptive father Bill, a good and kind man who enjoyed sailing and collecting the work of unknown artists.

By the end of the book all the elements of the plot come together in a satisfactory manner, though some loose ends point to a possible sequel.

One small quibble I have with the story is the constant foreshadowing. Pilgrim's narration includes a lot of: "I should have paid better attention.....", "I should have listened more carefully......", "If only I'd known.....", "That was a mistake....", and so on. A little of this goes a long way.

Another thing that bothers me goes to the core of Saracen's deadly plan. He seems to think his biological weapon will destroy his enemies and that will be more or less the end of it. In reality, though, there would be no controlling the spread of the disease and the resulting pandemic would impact every country on Earth including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, etc. - wherever Saracen plans to settle down after the U.S. catastrophe. In fact, the way Saracen's weapon is described, it would probably wipe out 99% of the world's population. (This is a work of fiction though, so I guess it gets a pass.)

Overall, this is a very enjoyable, well-written book, highly recommended.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review of "Police: A Harry Hole Mystery" by Jo Nesbo

In this 10th book in the 'Harry Hole' series, a serial killer is targeting police officers. The novel can be read as a standalone.

*****

A serial killer in Oslo has a bizarre agenda. Time after time the murderer lures a cop to the scene of an unsolved crime, then viciously kills him/her in a manner somehow connected to what originally happened there.

Harry Hole is not available to assist the investigation so other members of the crime squad have to pick up the slack as best they can. This includes Harry's former boss Gunnar Hagen - the team leader;



Katrine Bratt - a clever intuitive detective;



Beate Lonn - who has a freakish ability to remember every face she's ever seen;



and Stale Aune - a psychologist who's determined to give up police work.



Meanwhile, there's plenty of other 'police stuff' going on in this thriller. A cop guarding the hospital room of a comatose patient is too easily distracted by attractive nurses and odd noises. A police academy student becomes infatuated with her professor and determined to seduce him. Mikael Bellman, the new police chief, is as corrupt as they come and anxious to hide his previous crimes. Thus Bellman had to suspend his sidekick - the murderous Truls Berntsen - because of an unexplained fat bank account that might draw attention to Bellman. Ironically Berntsen spends his free time stalking/obsessing over Bellman's beautiful wife. To top it off, the drug dealer Valentin - thought to be dead - seems to be on the loose and is suspected of being the 'cop killer'.



Almost everyone in this book seems to be a potential victim, including civilians close to the crime squad. This is a gripping story with fascinating characters, gruesome crimes, and surprising twists. Very good book.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Morning Star: Red Rising Saga #3" by Pierce Brown

This is the third book in the "Red Rising Trilogy".

In the 'Red Rising' sci-fi trilogy a caste system has been imposed on humans, who now live on planets and moons across the solar system. People are divided into 'color' groups, each of which has a defined place in society. There are a wide array of classes including: Gold, the iron-fisted rulers; Gray, police and military; Blue, pilots and navigators; Yellow, scientists and doctors; Orange, mechanics; Brown, servants; Pink, sex workers; Obsidian, warriors; and the very lowly Red, menial laborers and miners. As the series begins 16-year-old Darrow of Lykos is a Red miner who lives in the bowels of Mars and has a job as a helldiver - the operator of a huge, dangerous, scorching hot drilling machine.

As the trilogy opens, the execution of Darrow's teenage wife by a Gold ruler leads to Darrow being genetically and physically altered to resemble a Gold. Darrow then infiltrates Gold society, trains at an elite military academy, becomes a combat leader, etc. - all with the secret goal of overthrowing Gold rule so Reds (and other colors) can have freedom and better lives.

In the second book Darrow, who has earned the sobriquet 'Reaper' for his ferocious battle skills and many kills, manages to start a civil war among the most prestigious (and greedy) Gold families. However Darrow's plans go awry at the end of the second book when his lowly status as a Red is exposed, to the absolute horror of all the Golds.

As 'Morning Star' - the third book in the trilogy - opens, Darrow has been tortured, bound, immobilized in a horrific dark cell, almost starved....and is about to be transferred to his worst enemy for dissection. Darrow is rescued and reunited with his most loyal friends, who call themselves 'The Sons of Ares'. The Sons hope to convince the mighty Obsidian warriors to join them so their united armies can start a revolution of the lower colors against the Golds - an almost impossible undertaking.

In the course of the story there's a great deal of strategizing, shooting, hacking off limbs, lopping off heads, torturing, stabbing, killing, facing old friends who've become opponents, facing old enemies who REALLY hate Darrow now, betrayals, backstabbing, clever manipulations ...everything you'd expect in a war/adventure story. Darrow even gets to use his helldiver knowledge and skills in some of the most impressive (to me) parts of the book.

Pierce Brown has done a masterful job of 'inventing' all manner of weapons, armor, aircraft, bombs, etc. for these books, which are fascinating to read about (though rather mysterious to me). The book's hero, Darrow, is a very clever leader, often able to out-think his enemies. Nevertheless, all the fighting is very hard on the young man, not just physically, but because he loves and values those Golds who were once his friends and allies - and who he now must destroy.

For a needed change of pace there are also some lighter scenes in the story, including family reunions, drinking and carousing, joking and jesting, and even some mild romance. By the end of the book there might even be a brighter future for humanity.

My one quibble with the book is that the battle scenes are so complicated it's sometimes hard to follow the action. Still, I'm sure many readers enjoy these parts.

Morning Star is a fine conclusion to the trilogy, which is very good. Highly recommended to sci-fi fans.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Golden Son: Red Rising Saga #2" by Pierce Brown

This is the second book in a trilogy that begins with 'Red Rising'. As the book opens, Darrow au Andromedus - a former lowly Red miner who who was converted to an esteemed Gold warrior - is employed by Nero au Augustus, the hated man who killed his young wife. Darrow's plan is to rise high in the House of Augustus so he can obtain a fleet of warships. Darrow could then assist the rebel group, Sons of Ares, who want to overthrow the Golds and restructure society to free the lower Colors (Blues, Grays, Coppers, Pinks, etc.) from Gold domination. However both Darrow and Augustus have deadly enemies, Darrow because he had to kill the son of a powerful family (as well as many others) at the Institute where he trained and Augustus because the House of Bellona wants to usurp his position as ruler of Mars. Moreover, Octavia - the Sovereign who governs the Golds - has a deal with the Bellonas and a huge war fleet at her disposal. The action is non-stop as Darrow, assisted by a loyal group of friends, attempts to achieve his goals against overwhelming odds. Several powerful houses are allied against Augustus (and by extension, Darrow) and the Sovereign is very devious and deadly. Thus Darrow has to be inventive and clever, constantly thinking outside the box. He even joins forces with the Jackal, who was once his deadliest enemy. To add to the drama and suspense Darrow can't trust all his friends, some of whom are ready to turn traitor as soon as a good opportunity arises. There's a little romance in the book since Darrow has fallen in love with Mustang, the daughter of Nero au Augustus. Unfortunately, Darrow's infatuation sometimes makes him reckless (and a little foolish) and some readers may get frustrated with him - but it's all part of the story. There's a great deal of graphic violence and many deaths in the tale, along with a few surprises and twists - and the ending is an intense cliffhanger. I'm looking forward to see what happens in the third book of the trilogy. Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Red Rising: Red Rising Saga #1" by Pierce Brown

In this sci-fi thriller, the first book of a trilogy, humans are divided into caste-like categories with the ruling "Golds" on top and the low-level "Reds" - essentially slaves - doing all the drudge work. Other color groups are artists, soldiers, law-enforcement personnel, pleasure givers, bureaucrats, and so on.
Darrow, a 16-year-old mine worker living in an underground colony on Mars, is a very low Red. The Reds - whose lives are generally short, hard, and hungry - are constantly bombarded with propaganda praising them for their help in terraforming Mars so that humans from an overpopulated Earth will have a place to live to in the future.

When Darrow and his young wife Eo run afoul of the law tragedy ensues and Darrow realizes that the Golds - concerned only with their own power and comfort - have been dishonest and manipulative. Encouraged by his dying wife Darrow becomes determined to get revenge and free the Reds. Helped by his uncle, Darrow falls in with a band of rebels who "transform" him to resemble a Gold. This allows Darrow to gain gain entrance into a selective academy that prepares Golds for the highest positions in society. This is no regular school however, and what follows is like a hyper version of 'The Hunger Games'.

The academy students are divided into 'houses' - mentored by praetors - that battle each other until one house is the winner. The whittling process takes many months during which the students try to demonstrate their intelligence and battle prowess in hopes of getting job offers from the most prominent Gold families. The students are forced to perform horrific deeds, which some do reluctantly and others revel in. Alliances form and fall apart, cheating occurs, and not everyone is who they seem.

Darrow is smart and capable but seems to be thwarted every time he's about to achieve an important goal. Thus he must learn to be cleverer, sneakier, and more politically astute than his rivals. In the course of the story Darrow evolves from a complacent teen to a warrior determined to get justice for the Reds. I liked the book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Rating; 3.5 stars

Review of "Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl: A Memoir" by Carrie Brownstein

Carrie Brownstein

Many people probably know Carrie Brownstein best as an actress on the TV sketch-comedy show "Portlandia."


Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen on Portlandia

Prior to starring in this hit show, however, Brownstein was (and is) a successful guitarist and singer in the feminist punk rock band Sleater-Kinney, which emerged from the Pacific Northwest region that spawned a slew of alternative rock bands.


Sleater-Kinney

In this memoir, Brownstein reveals a love of performing that began in childhood, when she would regale family gatherings with her acting and singing.


Young Carrie Brownstein

Brownstein goes on to unveil aspects of her formative youth, her mother's anorexia and abandonment of the family, her father's coming-out when she was a young adult, her love of music, her problems settling into college life, and the longing for closeness that seemed to propel much of her behavior and friendships. Though she reveals few names Brownstein mentions relationships with various women and the difficulty of maintaining a romance while touring for months at a time.

Brownstein describes the formation of Sleater-Kinney, writing the songs, and coordinating the guitar and drum music. She talks about her need to connect with the audience and release her inner anguish through the songs, which tend to be somewhat raw and strident. Much of the book is about recording Sleater-Kinney's albums and the tours that followed each release.


Sleater-Kinney performing

The tours were grueling, difficult, and done on the cheap. The band members generally drove to each venue in their cramped van, loaded and unloaded their own equipment, performed (and did photo shoots) in odd thrift store clothes, and slept crowded together on people's floors. The long drives were tedious, the food was bad, there was some tension among the bandmates, and - worst of all - Brownstein often became ill. At one time or another she developed incapacitating back pain, shingles, and severe allergies.

It wasn't easy being a feminist rock group during Sleater-Kinney's original run (1994-2006). Though the band garnered critical and popular acclaim it nevertheless experienced the condescending attitude directed at 'all girl bands', which Brownstein demonstrates with blurbs from music critics - some of whom were trying to be complimentary.

Brownstein talks about numerous punk/grunge/alternative bands that contributed to the music scene of the 1990's and 2000's, some of which - like Nirvana and Pearl Jam - came to be very well known.


Nirvana


Pearl Jam

Moreover, Brownstein's book can almost serve as a primer on the 'business' aspect of running a small band: how to choose bandmates, organize a tour, pick an agent, manager, producer, PR person, and so on.

When Sleater-Kinney went on hiatus in 2006 Brownstein adopted two cats and two dogs for companionship (there's a dreadful anecdote in this section) and pursued other interests - including joining the show "Portlandia." The band began recording again in 2014.


Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen on Portlandia

Brownstein seems to be very honest in this book, detailing her successes as well as her problems and occasional bad behavior. She comes across as a talented, intelligent, funny woman and I enjoyed the book, which I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys an interesting memoir.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "The Deep End of the Ocean: A Novel" by Jacquelyn Mitchard

                                                        

I'm hesitant to outline the book's plot for fear of giving out too much information. However, since most reviews of the book give away the plot and because the story has also been made into a movie, I'll proceed. Be aware, though, that possible spoilers lie ahead.

SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! 




Beth Cappadora, excited about her 15-year high school reunion, packs up her three kids (Vincent, 7; Ben, 3; and infant Kerry) and her niece/babysitter and drives from Madison, Wisconsin to the Chicago hotel that's hosting the festivities.



While Beth is doing some business at the hotel's busy reception desk Ben disappears. Police, family, and friends search all over for days, but Ben is simply gone.



Beth and her husband Pat are shattered by the loss, and their remaining two children suffer from their parents' distraction.



In time Pat is more or less able to go on with his life and his job - helping run his uncle's restaurant in Madison. Beth, however, can't seem to recover at all. She sleeps most of the time and, even when she's awake, Beth isn't really there.



The Cappadoras try attending a support group, which is of very limited assistance.

Vincent, who was supposed to be keeping an eye on Ben when he vanished, develops serious behavior problems. These become worse as he approaches adolescence and Vincent becomes a bully, gets into fights, and repeatedly gets into trouble at school.



Vincent is sent to a therapist but does all he can to avoid addressing his real issues - thinking he's pulling the wool over his therapist's eyes.

After a health crisis the Cappadoras move back to Chicago, where their extended family still lives. And miracle of miracles - nine years after he vanished - Ben shows up on the Cappadora's doorstep looking for a lawn-mowing job.



The reunion isn't the total blessing Beth and Pat would have hoped for however. Ben doesn't remember them at all and has a fierce attachment to his 'new family' - the woman who kidnapped him (now severely mentally ill) and her husband George. To top it off George is a complete innocent in all this; he accepted Ben as his wife's child, 'adopted' him, and dearly loves the boy.



The latter part of the book is especially heart-rending as Ben's 'two families' must cope with everything that's happened. What's everyone supposed to do now? Are Vincent and Kerry going to welcome their 'new' sibling? How does Ben cope with being a stranger in his own family?



How does Pat deal with 'another dad' in the picture?



What's going to happen to the kidnapper?

The book tells a compelling story, the writing is good, and the characters seem more or less true to life. I had great sympathy for Beth but didn't like her much. She wallows in her grief for too long and makes (almost) no attempt to 'be there' for the family she still has. The other characters, especially Pat, seem to do the best they can in very difficult circumstances.

In the end I felt the book was too long and overly melodramatic.



The story reminded me of an afternoon special on Lifetime TV. The story rates 3 stars for me but - to be completely fair - I think some other readers might like the book better.

Rating: 3 stars