by David Baldacci
An earlier review (by Nanc) of David Baldacci’s “Stone Cold” prompted me to read and enjoy it. I’ve just now finished a second of his novels, “Simple Genius”, and here are my thoughts on it.
It has a promising premise (ain’t alliterations great?): a suspicious death in a semi-secret Manhattan project-like compound is being investigated by the two protagonists and a psychotherapist compatriot. The complex is working on the development of quantum computer/encryption technology, and is a river’s width across from a secret-secret C.I.A. installation. Much of the novel’s content involves the interaction among the characters of both facilities.
The characterization is rich albeit not too deep. One of the protagonists, Michelle, is suicidally neurotic and the other, Sean, is alternately bewildered and heroic. Beyond them we have a crew of mathematical and computer geniuses, a caricaturish C.I.A militarist, his neglected, wandering wife, a hippy psychologist, a redneck sheriff who always seems over his head, a wise old rural newspaper publisher with a lust for a Pulitzer, and an idiot-savant young girl who can factor prime numbers faster than super computers. I enjoyed his choice of names: the complex is “Babbage Town” and the initial corpse is “Turing”.
Of course, Baldacci continues leaving us wonder who the evil-doers are; obviously no one is probably as they seem.
So I found the book fascinating up until the final chapters. It was here that it morphed into a typical thriller movie scenario complete with hidden tunnels and treasure, boat and airplane chases, and lethal exchanges (martial arts, gunfire, rockets, grenades, etc). I realize that most contemporary novels are written with movie rights in mind, but I miss the old gatherings in Wolfe’s study with Archie and Nero confronting the killer in the presence of all the suspects – Miss Scarlet in the library with a wrench.
Review by Ken West
It has a promising premise (ain’t alliterations great?): a suspicious death in a semi-secret Manhattan project-like compound is being investigated by the two protagonists and a psychotherapist compatriot. The complex is working on the development of quantum computer/encryption technology, and is a river’s width across from a secret-secret C.I.A. installation. Much of the novel’s content involves the interaction among the characters of both facilities.
The characterization is rich albeit not too deep. One of the protagonists, Michelle, is suicidally neurotic and the other, Sean, is alternately bewildered and heroic. Beyond them we have a crew of mathematical and computer geniuses, a caricaturish C.I.A militarist, his neglected, wandering wife, a hippy psychologist, a redneck sheriff who always seems over his head, a wise old rural newspaper publisher with a lust for a Pulitzer, and an idiot-savant young girl who can factor prime numbers faster than super computers. I enjoyed his choice of names: the complex is “Babbage Town” and the initial corpse is “Turing”.
Of course, Baldacci continues leaving us wonder who the evil-doers are; obviously no one is probably as they seem.
So I found the book fascinating up until the final chapters. It was here that it morphed into a typical thriller movie scenario complete with hidden tunnels and treasure, boat and airplane chases, and lethal exchanges (martial arts, gunfire, rockets, grenades, etc). I realize that most contemporary novels are written with movie rights in mind, but I miss the old gatherings in Wolfe’s study with Archie and Nero confronting the killer in the presence of all the suspects – Miss Scarlet in the library with a wrench.
No comments:
Post a Comment