A  thought-provoking tale with near endless twists
353683
This is the book you want to read if you're seeking a blockbusting, thought-provoking tale with near endless twists. For all you thriller fans out there, hungry for a distinctly fresh approach, this is the book. You haven't read anything like THE DISCRETE CHARM OF CHARLIE MONK. David Ambrose doesn't write formula. In fact, this is about as far from formula as I've read in a long time.
Charlie Monk is an enigma from the first paragraph of this outstanding thriller and, with the turn of every page, becomes more of a mystery than ever. Ambrose gives nothing away as each new scene simply adds dimension to the puzzle.
Charlie thinks of himself as a highly trained assassin in a deeply covert department of some obscure government agency. Indeed, maybe he is, but then again, maybe not. You be the one to decide. Charlie not only remembers minute details of his past assignments, he has a host of lethal weapons at his disposal and knows how to handle sticky situations in astoundingly unique ways. In his somewhat peculiar personal life, he indulges his kinky appetites while secretly holding bittersweet memories of a lost love. He has vivid recollections of part of his childhood, with a few gaps here and there. But are his memories real? As he makes some chilling discoveries about himself, the seeds of doubt grow. He begins to doubt who he is and even begins to doubt what he is.
Meanwhile, Dr. Susan Flemying is working in a clinic of some type, trying to help patients with diminished memory, some with a cruel type of amnesia. In her research, she has unearthed some interesting results, results that may aid in memory enrichment --- or is that memory manipulation? Shortly after the story begins, Dr. Flemyng loses her husband John, also a doctor, in a tragic accident. At least it was reported as an accident. As she struggles to help her son cope with his father's death, a journalist contacts her, claiming inside knowledge about John's last days. She is curious but skeptical. Cautiously, she begins to question the official version of the plane crash. Inevitably, her path crosses with Charlie's.
The one constant in Charlie's life has been Control, his superior in the "agency." Their regular strategy meetings have always given Charlie not only his next assignment but also kept him supplied with the entertainment of his choosing. When Control's surprising identity is revealed, Charlie starts to formulate a plan, one he hopes will explain his entire existence. Dr. Susan Flemyng may be just the one to aid him in that endeavor. Their escape from wherever it is they've been is riveting, jaw clenching and quite possibly unbelievable.
You'll say "Hmm" about as many times as there are chapters. The more you read, the more questions you'll have. THE DISCRETE CHARM OF CHARLIE MONK soars to new heights in the thriller realm. As much as I like to savor, I couldn't put it down --- that is, if my memory serves me right.
  --- Reviewed by Kate Ayers
1291405
Very creative and thought provoking tale with an excellent message for all of us!
3062000
Once again the author kept my interest through a juxtaposition of characters and events intricately poised to tell a tale common yet intimately illuminating of humanitys inhumanity .
A labyrinth of duplicity and discoveries in search of meaning reflects the human condition both flawed and heroic which strengthens the telling and keeps the reader reflecting upon their own mysteries of fate and desire.
And,though this can be interpreted as a period tale of one of the many genocides, and their lasting effects associated with our human xenophobia; it is more likely an exhortation of our practice to judge without reason and hide behind ascendancy.
It's an excellent addition to the series and leaves one earnestly awaiting another.
605547
A well-crafted tale with interesting twists and turns...sometimes predictable, sometimes not.  The ending left me wondering if there might be a sequel in the future.
2559580
I read this on the recommendation of a friend, and found it a very interesting tale. It took me a little while to orient myself with the unfamiliar style, but it soon became clear and I was eager to find out what would happen next.

A concise story, following a traveller through many lands of varying levels of "civilisation", religion and governance, examining each in light of the traveller's homeland, taking lessons from each. I especially liked the ending, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. Sadly, despite it's important message of introspection and constructive criticism, I fear this one won't have the wide readership it really deserves.
643787
It's hard to describe how I felt after I had finished reading this. I think "encouraged" is close, but even that doesn't quite do it. This is a very odd story. It starts out as what appears to be a mundane tale about a guy who fancies his best friend's fiancee, and then morphs into a supernatural mystery (not a "whodunit?" mystery, but a "what the hell is going on here?" mystery), and then morphs again into a full on battle of good vs evil over the fate of the entire world before finally morphing into a quiet spiritual examination of mankind. It's elements include the academic, the historical, the sensual (a surprisingly large amount of this, actually), the magical, the mythical, and the spiritual. By the end, I was reminded of C. S. Lewis' The Last Battle, though not really due to similarities in the story so much as the way you feel when you've finished it.

The structure is layer upon layer of revelation. Even when the story finally appears to be answering the questions that have been raised, it still leaves another layer of questions below that (and yet another layer below that one). You don't truly understand everything that has happened throughout the novel until the very end, and even then there are some things that might leave you scratching your head. As a result, I would recommend reading this all at once (if possible) so that all of the elements are fresh in your mind as new information is revealed. It is not very long and can be taken in a few sittings. I finished it over the course of a day.

Ultimately, I thought it was a beautiful tale that left me with the lingering desire to be more than I am, which is what the best stories are meant to do.
2724165
This is an elegant story, a multilayered tale that traces the protagonist through a series of lives that connect a terrible sin from his distant past to the painful trials he endures to expiate those sins.  Before he is Dr. Pip Lipkin, the central character takes the reader through the desperate adventures of Padraig and Dermot in old Ireland as they fight to protect their loved ones from brutal invaders; to the shores of Australia aboard a prison ship where convicts are doomed to be little more than property; to an isolated Outback ranch where gentle housewife Amelia suffers life-long torment at the hands of an abusive, violent husband.  But life experiences drawn across a wide arc of human history, in different places, roles, and genders, are not enough.  The being destined to become Pip also travels to a distant star system and planet, where he abandons gender (and humanity) altogether and battles to survive in predator-filled jungles as a sentient, ambulatory plant.  This "unearthly" world is wondrous, strange, vividly rendered, and delightfully alien.

Pip's reincarnations are far from random.  Each life is filled with teachers, many unwitting, and painful lessons to be learned.  Each death leads to a careful examination of the merits, missteps, and regrets of the life just lived, so that his spirit can chart the course of his next incarnation based on the lessons still unlearned.  These lives are rich stories unto themselves, but together they trace the "ascending spiral" of the protagonist's spiritual evolution: his atonement for past sins and progression toward a more enlightened state of consciousness.  As Pip Lipkin, he knows he faces the final test of his existence as a "short-lived planet-dweller."  This time, he will either perish with the self-destructive human race or help them achieve the societal balance that can avert disaster.

I found this to be a fascinating novel, melding historical fiction with science fiction, philosophy, and metaphysics.  This is more than just entertainment: it is fiction with a message.  The reader is left wondering how Pip's (and our own) tale will end.  Will we achieve the wisdom Pip wins, at great cost, through centuries of pain and personal tragedy?  Or, instead of that ascending spiral, will we spiral downward, repeating the same mistakes until our time runs out?  Pip Lipkin is a compelling character, full of passion and despair and regret and, in spite of everything, hope.  I wish there was a way to conjure him into reality, because we need him.  But maybe the author intends us to realize that we each need to conjure a spark of Pip in our own lives, for the good of our species and our planet.

This book lingers in the mind long after the last line is read.  That's the power of well-imagined fiction with a meaningful message.  Read it, enjoy it, and consider joining Pip's team!
891354
Rather than write another synopsis of the novel, I would instead comment on the number of different themes which present themselves in this incredibly imaginative tale.  I see themes of Whites and Black slavery, the relationships between parents and children, the universal process of coming to adulthood, the idea of dominance and submission in relationships, and our treatment of the other creatures on this earth which we call "animals."  If we were not the "dominant" species on this planet, would we be treated like the mounts in this story?  I believe that we would.  And I wonder about something else:  If horses could speak, what would they tell us?  This is a disturbing story which does what all great literature does.  It changes us forever.
2683358
This book provided a very interesting and thought provoking look into the lives of a Victorian couple and their checkered pasts. The novel takes place during the height of the Pre-Raphaelite movement in London, complete with its odd artistic characters who challenge modern morals.

Ellie and Fred are married, but they each harbour dark secrets neither has the courage to reveal. And yet these secrets, hidden for years, find their way to the surface. All actions have consequences, and sometimes the rippling effects take time to come to full fruition. They rear their ugly heads when we least expect them.

Loretta Proctor weaves this intricately woven tale with sensitivity. We might have a difficult time engaging in their conflicts had they been introduced to us by a less skillful hand. But we see the inner workings of rationalisation, of heartbreak, of betrayal, of loneliness and deceit. And of remorse.

What I love most about classic literature is its ability to make one think, despite the passage of time. What I most appreciated about this modern tale, was its challenge to me to examine my life in comparison to someone who might have lived a century and a half ago. Our times have changed. Our conflicts are largely the same. It makes one wonder why. I think, deep inside, we know the answers.

The Crimson Bed is a beautiful story, and one that I won't soon forget.
2402479
The Second Virgin Birth was unique. The premise of a virgin giving birth to another Jesus Christ through the magic of science is controversial and intriguing. A variety of characters, including a Pope determined to make sure Christ is never born again, make for a complex story. There are many obstacles, some not fully realized (i.e. too little time spent on them), and a host of personal agendas that take place as events unfold. Some of the problems and near-crises could have been further expanded because the idea of them was that interesting. There are many loose ends left to the reader's imagination and the book's finale is open-ended, perhaps for a sequel. Overall, the story is well-paced, believable, and invites contemplation on several modern day topics. Could DNA of Christ be found? Could another Christ child be born? What would happen to the world's religions in this case? Very, very intriguing.
1938457
(4.5 stars) Although he has often dealt with the themes of identity, reality, and what it means to be human, Australian author Peter Carey creates a new approach to these ideas in this complex and sometimes strange novel with two overlapping narratives set one hundred fifty years apart.  Catherine Gehrig, a Curator of Horology (clockwork) at the Swinburne Museum in London, has led a secret life for thirteen years, enjoying an affair with Matthew Tindall, the married Head Curator of Metals.  On April 21, 2010, she arrives at work to discover that Matthew is dead, and that she is apparently the last to know.  Frantic with grief, she cannot even imagine how to go on with her life without Matthew.

Head Curator of Horology, Eric Croft, arranges for her to take sick leave and then to move to the privacy of the museum's Annexe in Olympia, where she will have a special job - to go through eight boxes filled with assorted gears, screws, and machine parts, along with assorted papers associated with an automaton of a duck from the mid-1850s, then restore it.  When Catherine discovers notebooks in the boxes, she introduces the second narrative, a detailed diary which opens in June, 1854, and features a style of writing compatible with the period.  Henry Brandling, a wealthy Englishman with an invalid son believes that if he can find someone to make an amusing duck automaton based on the real plans for "Vaucanson's duck," made in the eighteenth century, that Percy will be filled with "magnetic agitation," which will help him conquer his disease.  Brandling travels to Germany to Schwarzwald to find a clockmaker who will make the automaton.

Within this unique and fascinating framework, Carey explores many different aspects of reality and what makes humans unique.  Automatons seem real, and the more complex the machinery is, the more "real" they seem, ironically.  Henry Brandling does not know if the people he has hired are being honest with him and whether he will ever actually see the toy he has already paid for.  Sumper, the man who is ultimately in charge of the task, meets Brandling at the inn the night he arrives, but he already knows who he is and why Brandling is there, adding an element of mystery and otherworldliness to what has seemed so far a fairly straightforward tale.  Monsieur Arnaud, who works with Sumper, collects fairy tales.  Catherine's view of her own reality also changes as the restoration work continues.

While all this is going on, other motifs arise and continue, and these are sometimes mystifying since they do not feel completely integrated with the narrative: a playing card showing the "deep order" of the city of Karlsruhe, a sketch of the city arranged as a perfect circle;  stories about Sir Albert Cruickshank, a mathematician who developed an early adding machine and a primitive computer;  Samper's creation of a satiric automaton of Jesus Christ for Cruickshank;  and eventually, the BP gulf oil spill, which began the day that Matthew died, leading to the question of "Who made the machine that kills the ocean?"  Fewer of these motifs would have strengthened the narrative and the themes, for this reader at least.

The great dialogue, unusual subject matter, important themes treated in unique ways, and characters who engage our interest make this a story to celebrate, but the narrative, though wildly creative, is weakened when all these competing elements and motifs are introduced as parallels and overlapping images.  There is much to ponder here. Perhaps a bit too much.  Mary Whipple
4527321
This is a well-written thematic story.  Although it has several subplots, the main storyline is written to demonstrate the power of human curiosity.  Russo takes his characters through a journey of exploration punctuated by frequent and gruesome clues that Something Is Not Right.  But the characters press on, and - here is the magic of Russo's storytelling - the reader is right there with them.  The lure of the unknown is so strong that you are willing to leap through every new doorway just to see what is on the other side, no matter how many dried corpses or mysterious accidents should have cautioned you away.  Even after the last page is turned and the folly of the exploration unmasked, the book leaves you with the nagging urge to go back, to open one more door or seek the answer to one more question - a powerful demonstration of what Pavlovian creatures we can be.
1242488
This is an amazing story full of twists and turns. It's thought provoking, wrought with symbolism and deeply moving. This novel isn't your usual fantasy it has so much more depth. At its surface it's an enthralling and captivating tale that you can't put down!! The finality of the novel brings new light to your view of life and beautifully displays the opportunities open to you!
1552120
A story that is thou thought provoking and full of symbolism and a thread of hope that ties those symbols intricately together.
4679400
If you know the ballad of "John Henry", in any of its many versions, and have pondered whether the title character in the song is best viewed as a heroic or as a tragic figure, you will find this novel compelling. The story moves seemlessly between past and present as modern day slaves to capitalism wage their own contests against obsolescence.  Juxtaposing these modern tales with the rich details of the larger than life steel driving man, John Henry, is both brilliant and chilling.  The result is an interesting tale of self discovery for not only the main character, J. Sutter, but also for several subsidiary characters.  This is not a quick read because each chapter is filled with prose so rich in detail and symbolism that you will be inclined to linger for fear of missing a clever observation, or the irony which abounds. You will no doubt find yourself wanting to read sentences aloud to anyone in earshot in order to share the humor and insights.  When I finished the book, my first reaction was that the ending is unsatisfying. But I found myself continuing to think about and talk about the story and the characters long after I put the novel down.  In retrospect, the final epiphanies of the characters, though subtle, are quite satisfying.
3267731
Peggy Frew seamlessly fuses an enchanting and confronting tale. Silvers coming of age tale unfolds in the unorthodox and stark setting of a commune. Despite moving from ashram and commune to commune, and being subjected to her mother, Ishtars loose living lifestyle, neglect, indifference and capriciousness, Silver is remarkably well-balanced and adaptable. Her cleverness and curiosity soften the harshness of her bittersweet upbringing. Some of the otherwise disturbing experiences and events that she witnesses are ultimately character building. Her understated charm draws odd yet refreshing friendships. But also a menacing enemy, who Silver innately knows that she will face in a showdown. Peggys literary prowess is instrumental in creating a mesmerising story. The subtext is rich and highlights the dirty realism element of the story, for example, the vulnerability Ishtar and Silver face as mother and daughter moving from one unsatisfactory situation to another. Another highlight is how Peggy weaves in Dickensian imagery, such as the symbolic importance of setting and how it reflects the emotional and personal state of characters and key themes.
3873485
Mr. Gorham has created a very interesting and thought-provoking tale stretching across a continent and highlighting a very real danger to modern society. I found the character development of his protagonists to be excellent and continuous, and I couldn't help but root for their success, despite the overwhelming odds and the seemingly impossible scenario. In addition, he manages to tell a story on a grand scale in the lives of a single family, effectively weaving global intrigue subtly into what is really a basic struggle for survival. At times, he reaches a little too far, with a little-developed sub plot involving a senator which only survives (literally) part way through the novel, but I chalk that up to an attempt to flesh out the plausibility of the cause of his dystopian reality.

A few notes for the author and the picky reader: I would have shown the manuscript to a few people who have served in the military and government. Though not central to the story, a discriminating reader would have punched some large holes in early characters and some of the assumptions made about use of military technology. In addition, a little more knowledge of international maritime practices and some additional foundation in ballistic missile technology might have lent to a different setup for the real plotline, which was the aftermath of a large-scale EMP attack on the United States. I urge the picky reader to shove past this weakness, as it is early on in the story and not repeated.

Looking forward to seeing more from this promising author!