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JANUARY - FEBRUARY REVIEWS THE
6 SACRED STONES
At
least THE DA VINCI CODE, though, was basically a treasure trail detective
story but THE 6 SACRED STONES? I mean,
when did you last read a crime novel whose pages of prose were interspersed with
so many geometric symbols and foreign texts you could be forgiven for thinking
you’d picked up a graphic novel? And
then, at the back of the book in the author’s notes, Matthew Reilly explains
that when he started the book, he aimed to create a ‘Lord of the Rings’
epic. So I was right. It’s really a fantasy saga not a crime novel. With
characters called The Wizard, Princess Iolanthe, Wolf, Vulture and Switchblade,
and an assortment of tribesmen and warriors, that fits. Maybe with a bit of
science fiction thrown in. Furthermore,
this four hundred page marathon is merely the second chapter of a proposed
serial, so don’t go looking for endings, happy or otherwise. In fact, it is
a sequel to the highly successful SEVEN DEADLY WONDERS featuring soldier hero Jack West Jr. The
premise behind the book is world domination with West leading his men in a
desperate attempt to save the Earth from Armageddon by the solving of
mysteries from the Ancient World. Action moves to But
then, somewhere along the way, there is a suggestion that the Americans aim to
install a third member of the Bush family as President. Straightaway, that puts
the book firmly in the horror category in anyone's language. This
type of book is a growing genre, for reasons that escape me, but what THE
6 SACRED STONES has to do with Sam Spade, Miss Marple or Mathew Scudder, God
knows. I love a mystery but this one
defeats me. I think THE 6 SACRED STONES would make an ideal computer game.
Now bring on the latest Ian Rankin.
I
HEARD THAT SONG BEFORE
Kay
Lansing marries the mega-rich Peter Carrington, but a cloud hangs over his head.
Many years ago, he had given a lift home to his neighbours’ 18-year-old
daughter and she was never seen again. Furthermore, his first, and pregnant,
wife had drowned mysteriously in their swimming pool. The police still suspect
him but have no proof. Can Kay have really married a double killer? Her
fears increase when she finds Peter walks in his sleep and when the dead
girl’s mother hires a private detective to re-investigate the case, doubts
form in her mind. When her husband is arrested, secrets from the past start to
emerge and Kay finds her own life may be at risk.
The plot is expertly unveiled but, like many ‘body
in the library” mysteries, the story seemed set in a closed world untouched by
outside events. Almost like a Cluedo game. Reading the denouement gave me the
same satisfaction as finishing a crossword puzzle. Nice to have read it but
now back to the real world.
Be sure to look for Ron's review of GRIEF
ENCOUNTERS In
1992, The Sun said I had the most jobs in Britain (eleven) but I'm down
to six now. For
more about Ron check out his website http://www.ronellis.co.uk |
