Purple State by Alex Hutchinson

With oil prices spiking, the war in Iraq dragging on without pause and the economy in decline, it’s no wonder that everyone has a theory as to why these events are taking place. The most popular craze arising from the ashes of our collective despair is that of the world wide conspiracy. Granted this renewed buzzword often precludes amateurish results. The collecting of disparate but incorrect facts together in a nonsensical jumble is fun but ultimately fruitless. On the other hand, the useful theory is one that comes so close to the truth that it is very difficult to disprove. Let’s take the new novel Purple State for example. Author Alex Hutchinson, a political activist himself, has researched a collection of accurate facts and connected them together in a fictional outline that is rather challenging to separate from reality.The story is based in Florida and begins immediately after the 2000 Presidential recount. A young but crafty political operative named Chad Clanton is asked by the State Democratic Party to follow up on accusations of voter intimidation and electoral manipulation. Chad’s findings are accumulated over the course of five months and stored as thirty nine boxes of evidence. Before they can be shipped to Washington D.C. for a Grand Jury hearing, Chad is murdered.

Chad’s old college roommate Ed Morrissey, now a private detective, is called in to investigate the murder. Up to this point the plot is a standard affair but after Ed lands in Orlando the story changes from one of intrigue to one of involvement. Ed knows very little about politics but the men who hired him insist that he must learn as much as possible in order to fathom the motivations of the people who murdered his friend. Ed’s resistance to their partisan lectures is almost comical. He’s an independent thinker. He doesn’t belong to a political party and he’s not interested in their issues or policies. He only wants to find the killer and bring him to justice.

Over the course of the story Ed is provided with a first class education in American politics. Each character tries to teach him something new about the current state of Florida’s affairs and they can hardly help it. This was a time when Floridians were being ridiculed about the Presidential Recount. Following 9/11 the state dived into an economic slump and then the various counties were pressured into spend millions of dollars to purchase computer voting machines. After passing this prerequisite the reader ends up feasting on the much deeper concerns of Ed’s employers who turn out to be a highly entrenched group of activists with agendas of their own. Even the villain tries to win over Ed with his own style of charismatic persuasion.

By the time the reader meets with an episode of suspense they might have to put aside their Safire dictionary and remind themselves that this is indeed a work of fiction. The action is rare but hardly necessary. Alex is a master of assembling real life characters like Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Former Senator Bob Graham and current Senator Bill Nelson, and then placing them in scenarios so plausible that they might have actually happened. He also uses pieces of real life history to connect events in timelines that substantiate his arguments. With all of that in mind, Purple State is two thirds of the way towards being a non-fiction novel. What makes it fiction is that many of the relationships and conversations cannot be proven true or false without a massive and arduous effort. Since it is not standard practice to study such works with an acute eye, we will have to assume that the author has been honest in his genre selection.

What is not in doubt is that Purple State represents a brilliantly contrived conspiracy that connects the Florida elections with the war in Iraq. It depicts a standoff between OPEC and East Texas Oil Companies while adding a couple unique twists suggesting why 9/11 might have happened. For these theories to prove true, Alex hardly needed to stretch. He could have merely quoted any college economics textbook to express what many know but seldom say. War is always about money and power. All other declarations are mere window dressing to sooth the fears of those whose conscience is mightier than their wallets.

If conspiracies are a way to unburden our fears during insecure times then perhaps Purple State is a blessing in disguise. With a retail price of only $12.00 in print and $5.99 on the Kindle, the costs are certainly sympathetic to the bear market jitters that permeate our uneasy lives. Both versions are available at http://www.suburbanfiction.com/

*Book Review by Terri Brashear

Crystal Bay by Brandon Ford

All of us have a watched at least one movie at the theater and walked away wondering, "What was the point?" Weak characters, a meandering storyline and empty scenery never capture our interest. This often leads to an ending so predictable that you often walk out, angry that you wasted ten dollars. These are the fatal flaws that define a bad movie. Unfortunately, they are the same flaws that define a bad book.

Crystal Bay follows Gage, an English teacher who is tired of grading papers and wants to write his break out novel. To do this he plans a trip to his childhood lake house to spend some time alone and let the creativity flow. There he is confronted by a gorgeous woman who aggressively seeks to steal his youth through numerous sexual encounters. Meanwhile Gage's wife, Beth, is frantically calling because she misses him. Gage is caught between two women, and under the grip of duel jealousy, he starts to write like he never did before. So does he continue the affair in order to finish his book? Or will Beth find out the truth?

Within the plot is the potential for limitless drama but to my dismay it is never fully explored. If anything took center stage in this book, it would be the affair. Having been in a similar situation, I know what it feels like to draw inspiration from a tempting but damaged woman. Gage displays this conflict well by exhibiting the appropriate emotions for a man in that position. Other than that, Gage is a classic stereotype. He's an English teacher who never lived a real life but assumed that he had the ability to craft a great novel without so much as breaking a nail. Apparently, the author had the same idea because Crystal Bay takes no chances. It doesn't teach or explore any ideas at all. It doesn't compel or reflect. It doesn't chill or romance. After a sleepy and laborious read I was left wondering, "What was the point?"

In the modern marketplace, as thousands of new titles hit the shelves, every author must ask themselves a simple question: "What do I have to offer that is unique?" Brandon Ford was unable to answer that question and because of that, his book is likely to accumulate more dust than sales.

Unholy Domain by Dan Ronco

Daring, innovative, and predictive of ethical quandaries yet to arrive, Unholy Domain is a novel to be reckoned with. Author Dan Ronco utilizes his vast understanding of engineering and technology to give us a vision of the future well within the realm of possibility. This could be one of those rare occasions when we as a people could learn the lessons for mistakes we have yet to make. The drama that defines these lessons is not bad either.

Unholy Domain sets the stage for a future where the internet has been integrated into nearly every business, streetlight and punch clock. A collection of scientists have gathered to create an organization known as the Domain. Their purpose is to allow Artificial intelligence to reach the point where it can assume human traits and be used to enhance physical beings. This bold approach produces a counterculture movement driven by a militant religious sect known as the Army of God. A subversive war rages between these factions worsening the already diminished strength of the world economy. Inevitably, David Brown finds himself in the center of it all.

It is one thing to be the man who almost destroyed society but it is quite another to be his son. David grew up under the dark shadow of his father’s horrific misdeeds. His father, Raymond, had a brilliant mind for computers that somehow got out of control when he launched a virus that delivered chaos amongst the masses. Young David has the same gifts as his father and was always a little skeptical of the official story of his Dad’s guilt and subsequent death. After receiving a time lapse e-mail insistent upon his innocence David sets off on a journey back into the blackened hallways of his father’s past.

Here we are given a world where techology rules not only the economic stability but also the sustainability of humanity. It is in this vortex where ethical walls are breached. Should so much power ever be controlled by the specific knowledge of so few? How can a society be maintained if it is constantly split between those who can afford the ultimate software and those who cannot?

I found myself captivated by the fast-paced action and multiple storylines. As the dueling ideologies espouse their vision, I was struck by the persuasivness of their arguments. Often I wasn't sure who to root for. Each side contains well rounded characters driven by both personal ambition and organizational responsibility. A tug of will between any two produces an explosion of emotional conflict and each of these battles edges their convictions closer to the apex of the government's power center. The author presses forth with curvy heroines and breakneck urgency until a rather abrupt ending stops the reader and forces them into waiting for the next book. While the ending could be considered a cruel teaser, it’s still very easy to fall into fandom over this type of writing.

Francey by Martin Dubow

The world is not a perfect place. Even when we fictionalize it, there must be, at minimum, a gritty element that allows the reader a hint of plausibility. In Francey by Martin Dubow we are brought into the world of a young girl who begins channeling a past life and with it she assumes the identity and the talents of her former self. Francey’s strange but vivid memories cause more than one public scene where diverse characters including a school teacher, an architect and an English lord, attached to her past life are brought together in their current day bodies.

If all of this sounds a little unusual then you are not alone in that thought. Aside from a badly written flashback of sixteenth century romance, no attempt is ever made to explain why any of this is happening or why we should care. The reader is expected to accept these coincidences hands down while never questioning the validity of the events. Worse yet, Francey’s sudden but spectacular artistic abilities should bring us deeper into the study of art and its old masters but it only touches the borders of this majestic world. I already knew Rembrandt’s name, tell me something I don’t know. Nothing is ventured or gained from this absence of exploration even though it is entirely relevant to the story.

At its core Francey sets a scene where three hundred year old personalities, obviously considered superior to modern ones, are thrust forward in time to settle past emotional entanglements. What the text does not do is allow the reader to become entangled themselves. It is absent of the kind of drama expected of such works. During the action no one ever trips on a step, skins a knee or embarrasses themselves. Despite the background of New York City, the story displays a frigid but harmless setting where everyone is emotionally stable and willing to connect the wildest of speculations. They do this while being tender, uniquely loving and thus supremely boring. This book badly needed a skeptic or a villain. It needed some blood pumping beneath the flowery images and insincere dialogue. Ultimately, it needs a severe rewrite including a barrel of research and a keg of conflict otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody.

Janeology by Karen Harrington

A good book will use a strong first chapter to capture your interest but a great book will knock you on your ass in the first two sentences. Janeology by Karen Harrington doesn’t let you escape the prologue without feeling the utmost sympathy for the main character. Tom has just lost one of his children to infanticide. The murderer was his own wife. As we enter the story she is already sitting in jail, and it is Tom who is being accused of negligence. It was Tom who left the kids alone with their mother despite her depression. Shouldn’t Tom have known better? Isn’t this murder really his fault for not paying attention?

What more could you want from a situation tragedy? Here we have a despondent father who feels guilty about the death of his son, an ambitious lawyer who sees the chance to save an innocent man, and a psychic. Okay, the psychic was a surprise even to me, and her presence did flub the credibility of the story a little, but her contribution was important for the reader. Jane is the wife and mother who killed her child, but the question of guilt has already been answered so it’s not a matter of who did it but rather why she did it. Tom’s lawyer has a bizarre strategy meant to bring about the ultimate answer to the question of nature verses nurture.

Despite the excellent plot, Janeology does slow down in parts as we get to know the history behind these tragic events. A litany of seemingly unconnected stories forms a sullen backdrop for the modern day murder, but does so with a sometimes forced intention. The author did a fine job of making us care but the emotions were only skin deep. It was like reading a long magazine article about a real life story instead of reading a novel. Even the main topic of infanticide was brought up for show, but not explored.

Judging by the wild swinging start of the book I assumed Janeology to be one that could not be put down. However, it wasn’t designed for the long haul and ran out of gas midway through, passing the finish line while coasting on fumes. Even though it fell short of greatness, it remains a worthy read. You might not be knocked on your ass, but you’ll have to sit down for this one.

Beneath a Buried House by Bob Avey

Detective Kenny Elliot had just been handed his first murder case. A dead reporter had been found and was linked to a local prostitute with unusual religious ties. As Kenny searches for the prostitute he finds the same pagan symbols bringing forth the possibility of cult involvement. When the prostitute ends up dead and a second suspect disappears it seems that his trail has dried up but nothing could be further from the truth. Ignoring the orders of his Chief and following a well groomed sense of intuition Kenny follows each nearly imperceptible hint until he ends up in a dead end town that is dominated by an enormous church. Despite the detective’s dogged persistence this backwoods religious order with its own privately owned compound is determined to keep its secrets deeply buried.

Beneath a Buried House is part of the detective Elliot series and holds a lot of promise. Kenny Elliot is a likable character partly for his flaws and partly for his moral certainty. He is a small city, green thumb Colombo with a jock background, an open heart, old fashion values and good instincts. You get the sense throughout that he is easy to manipulate but eventually catches on to the ruse. Overall not a bad main character, however, his visual description was left vague at best.

The plot is a slow to start tale of religious extremism in small town America. Once the engine is revved up the reader starts to take second notice of the importance of suddenly suspicious characters. A couple of scenes involving the effects of religious doctrine caught my attention most fervently. One involved a definition of Unitarian Universalism which was right on the money. As a practicing Unitarian I was happy to see that the author took the time to do his research. The other was a discussion of deprogramming a former parishioner of an organized cult. Both scenes rose above the plotline adding another level of significance to the story.

Author Bob Avey sets forth a clean though sometimes slow presentation of people and places. While the action sequences are nerve racking and unexpected, the love scenes lacked nuance and patience. Whenever Kenny was faced with a pretty lady he sounded like Humphrey Bogart from Casablanca. All things considered it was an enjoyable read and worthy of the modern mystery genre. Beneath a Buried House will be released in June 2008.

Hoi Polloi Edited by Robert McNulty

Hoi Polloi: A Literary Journal for the Rest of Us is the first book presented by non-profit publisher Dog Day Press. All proceeds from this collaborative anthology benefit the Sowing Seeds Organization of Marshfield, Massachusetts. The title Hoi Polloi in the original Greek literally means "The Many" and the writing in this collection fits the bill. Contained within is a smattering of short stories, poems, author profiles and interviews from a variety of writers. The result is a modest compilation exhibiting a wide range of voices and talents.

Within these pages are works from first-time authors and self-published writers as well as those with established bylines. Chet Raymo is a Professor Emeritus at Stonehill College where as Marilyn Johnson wrote obituaries for Life magazine. The most notable name is Claire Cook, the author of the book Must Love Dogs, which became a major motion picture starring John Cusack.

The writing overall is less than spectacular, but there are some praiseworthy exceptions. "A Sailors Tale" by Walter C. Frye, jr. is a rhythmic poem about a young man trapped in a sinking boat. Mr. Frye does not waste one syllable in casting his protagonist in an unmanageable peril while goosing the reader with the faintest hope of rescue. "Pull Down the Shades" by Harriet Emerson is a story about a girl growing up amidst the background of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear holocaust. The image of a little girl drawing bomb shelters for fun is bound to stick with even the most finicky critic.

The real value of Hoi Polloi comes not from its bite-size musings but instead from its author profiles and interviews. Using what appeared to be a standard question form, Editor Robert McNulty asked today’s writers both great and small about their experiences in this ever-changing publishing environment. The answers reveal a shift from traditional methods of reaching the public, towards Internet-driven campaigns designed to focus on niche audiences. This change allows a product to reach the market faster and to connect more specifically to the needs and desires of select readers.

The value of understanding this paradigm shift is a necessary boon to all writers and will provide benefits galore for anyone who loves to read. By this measure Hoi Polloi is a great success.

Hoi Polloi: A literary journal for the rest of us, Robert McNulty, Publisher: Dog Day Press. (2007), ISBN: 0615177601, 292pgs, $17.95