The Keening by A. LaFaye

The Keening

A. LaFaye

Milkweed Editions

ISBN-10: 1571316922

ISBN 13: 978-1-57131-692-9

Pages: 224
2010

Lyza Layton was born into an artistic but eccentric family that lives in the small Maine coastal town, Kingsley Cove. Her father, Pater, (Evan) carves beautifully; her mother, Mayra, plays cello but Lyza herself has only workman-like skills. At fourteen, both herself and her father contracted influenza during the epidemic that raged during 1918. Both survived, but many did not. Lyza comments how common the funeral marches became that year, “When the marches became as regular as the tide that winter, I stayed inside”.

The relationship between her parents is touching; her Mater understands that her husband is totally consumed by his work, to the point that he will not take care of himself. She plays her cello on the cliff to draw him out and remind him to eat. She is a tender mother to Lyza, reminding her to study for her examinations; her ticket away from Kingsley Cove.

Pater has a talent, a talent to see and hear the dead. Because of this, he carves small mementoes he puts in the ocean to help send them to the other side, and writes mysterious letters he posts without a return address to take care of their unfinished business.

But his peculiarity has endangered him, and there are those in the town, and even in the Bradley’s, his former wife’s family, that want him returned to the work farm; which is an asylum, a place where those with feeble wits were put to work. And it was there that Lyza’s mother met Pater, who was carving into the work table. She recognized his talent, and she married him, bringing him out to her house in Kingsley Cove.

Now Lyza, full of grief and longing for her mother, must confront the ugliness of her family, and find a way to protect both her father and herself. When her father tells her he is waiting for Mayra to return, Lyza knows she must get help.

She undertakes an almost Herculean task for one so young, courageously rowing across stormy seas to locate the one person that might be able to help them; and encountering those that have passed on herself. And in doing so, she discovers her own path, one that walks on both sides of the veil that separates the living from the dead.

This is an atmospheric thriller about the bonds of family and friendship, and the lengths that a daughter will go to to protect her father and her heritage. The writing is so subtle, it wasn't until the end of the book that I realized that Lzya was communicating with ghosts. An excellent read for both young adults and their parents.

Focus on Science Fiction: Veracity by Laura Bynum

Pocket Books

ISBN 10:  1439123341

ISBN 13:  978-1439123348

$25.00

January 2010

This dystopian novel echoes George Orwell's 1984; set in the near future, where the government, The Confederation of the Willing, has isolated what used to be the United States, locking it into a virtual police state. The Confederation is ruled by a small group of men determined to stay in power, no matter what the human cost.  They came to power after "The Pandemic", a virulent disease that killed one third of the population.  Most of the remaining people are controlled by implants in their necks called "slates" that monitor every word they speak; and which viciously shocks them if they utter a forbidden or "red listed" word.  Each night, new words are added to the red list and announced to the populace.  If a painful shock is not enough, further damage control is meted out by the brutal Blue Coats, thugs who use excessively violent methods to punish or even kill offenders. Dedicated government worker Harper Adams has become a new sentient monitor, because she is able to read people's emotions.  However, she has a conscience, and after her daughter is taken from her, and her name, Veracity, red listed, Harper has increasing doubts about what it is she really does.  Just as her position becomes more and more important to the government, she is recruited by the Resistance. 

The Resistance, composed of those who have disappeared by removing their slates (a great risk as this often proves fatal), or those born to the original resistance members, has grown over the years.  Members live underground to avoid detection and are comprised of some of the most brilliant academic and scientific minds.  Inspired by the cryptic "Book of Noah", they have honed in on what needs to be done to bring down the government.  But to do this, they need someone special, and when Harper Adams defects to their cause, they've found that person.

After a short but arduous training, she is given the task of finding the precise location of the main redactor, the machine which controls and monitors the slates so it can be disarmed by another member of the resistance.  This has to be done before the Resistance has any hope of succeeding in their war against the government.  But there are hundreds of redactors, and if Harper chooses the wrong one, the game will be up and thousands of people will die.  But that's not all, there's a traitor in their midst, just waiting for the right moment to betray them, and that moment is fast approaching.

This gripping Orwellian novel is full of fear, mistrust and brutality, but also with love, hope and humanity that shows us a brave new world indeed.  You'll want to stay up all night to finish this book.  A terrific debut effort from Laura Bynum.

A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield

Minotaur Books

May 2010

ISBN 10:  0312643233

ISBN 13:  978-0312643232

This terrific debut mystery features spunky, 50 year old Stella Hardestry.  She's tough and ornery, likes her Jack Daniels straight up, but has a heart of gold. 

A former abused wife, she killed her husband using the business end of a wrench in self defense, and has since made it her mission to help abused wives and girlfriends by "encouraging" their men to walk the line by delivering an "ass whuppin".  If they don't walk that line, Stella will come back to make sure that they stay "whupped", and the grapevine says you never want to have Stella visit you twice.

Owner of a sewing shop by day, Stella learns of cases by word of mouth, and then takes the law into her own hands, dispensing vigilante justice on abusive boyfirends and husbands by night.  But she has her work cut out for her when she takes on the case of Chrissy Shaw.  Chrissy's degenerate husband, Roy Dean Shaw, kidnapped her two year old child from a previous relationship, Tucker.  These days Roy Dean's running with a very rough crowd, one with ties to the Kansas City Mafia. 

Initially nothing but a puddle of tears, Chrissy develops a backbone to help Stella find Tucker.  But while they're out investigating, they have to keep a low profile of they'll catch the attention of hunky sheriff "Goat" Jones, who makes Stella feel all squirmy inside, and not just because she's breaking the law.

When the two gals find that Tucker was taken to be the child of a mob kingpin's wife, they face down vicious junkyard dogs and rifle toting guards before they track down his whereabouts to a large house on a lake.  They start a fire as a diversion, and then all hell breaks loose and no one is left standing when the smoke clears.

Stella is a uniquely fresh, compelling and courageous character that has taken her share of hard knocks but still comes up swinging.  With lots of action, and characters that remind you so someone you know, this smart and fun read is a great start to a new series; and will have you rooting for the brassy, sassy Stella.

Nonna's Book of Mysteries by Mary Osborne

ISBN: 978-1-936181-162

$14.95

Lake Street Press

June 2010

A magical book about a resolute and courageous girl determined to follow her dreams despite the many obstacles in her path. 14 year old Emilia Serafini lives in Renaissance Florence. She dreams of becoming a painter, but there are no opportunities for this; only the expectation of being a dutiful daughter and wife.

A book of wisdom has been given to her by her mother, A Manual to the Science of Alchemy; a book passed down from her Nonna, Santina, her thrice great grandmother. She often turns to the book for guidance when she is troubled and seeks direction. One of the passages from the Manual that informs her actions is: “Achieving the desires of the heart and mastering of the physical world by persistent efforts are the noblest of endeavors”, which encourages her not to give up on her dreams.

She finds an apprenticeship with a newly arrived artist from Byzantium, the kindly but aged Makarios, and learns to paint in the Byzantine style. As an artist, Emilia is very talented, and her work gains notice. She begins to correspond with Giacomo, a fellow artist apprenticed to another master, who has sent him to work in Pisa.

She meets Franco Villani one day while reading the Manual at Makarios’ bottega. He is a wealthy man who desires only to get into the court of Cosimo Medici, and will do whatever he has to do to attain this goal. Villani realizes that her book would be quite valuable to Medici, and endeavors to get it however he can, even if it means courting Emilia to do so. But Emilia is an intelligent and perceptive girl, and, although flattered by Villani’s attentions, is suspicious. Villani becomes jealous when he discovers a newly returned Giacomo visiting Emilia at Markarios’ bottega.

When her book goes missing soon after her engagement to Villani, Emilia’s qualms increase. Villani leaves Florence for several months due to a business trip, but has his manservant Tomasso spy on her. While Villani is away, she innocently spends time with Giacomo, and their friendship deepens. Giacomo confronts Tomasso about following her, but is badly injured by a runaway horse the next day. Due to this attack and the suspicious loss of the book, Emilia breaks off her engagement with Villani when he returns, and soon thereafter is also almost ridden down by a man on horseback. Even though she only glimpses the man, she recognizes Villani. Things look bleak for Emilia, she is no longer engaged, and now is threatened by a powerful man. How will she be able to rectify the wrong done her? Will she ever be able to get the Manual for the Alchemy of Science back?

Emilia is an engaging character, resourceful, wise beyond her years and committed to achieving her “impossible” dream. Nonna’s Book of Mysteries is an absorbing and enjoyable read about the determination it takes to realize one’s dreams, the results of our choices, and the alchemical wisdom from a cherished book that helps a young girl follow her heart. This wonderful historical fiction book would be great for both young adults and adults interested in art, mystery and the magnificence of Florence during the Renaissance. This writer very much looks forward to Ms. Osborne’s next book, Alchemy’s Daughter.

Thereby Hangs a Tale by Spencer Quinn

Published by Atria Books

ISBN 10:  1416585850

ISBN 13:  978-1416585855

January 2010

309 pages

Canine Private Investigator Chet of the Little Detective Agency and his owner Bernie Little get involved in the dog eat dog world of dog shows in this humorous mystery.

Chet is the smart, loyal but goofy 100 pound mixed breed mutt we were first introduced to in Dog On It. Told totally from Chet’s very doggie point of view (“Bacon smells find me, every time!”); Chet is on the job, head up, eyes front, and alert.

Chet is the better investigator of the duo, despite his not being able to focus on long conversations, understand  odd figures of speech such as "crocodile tears", or the fact he’s easily distracted. It’s absolutely hilarious when he describes how a wind suddenly comes up, only to discover that it’s him wagging his tail! However, Chet, with his sensitive nose, is able to find clues that puny nosed Bernie would otherwise miss. And that nose does come in handy.

Hired to protect a pampered show dog named Princess; one of the favorites to win at the Great Western Dog Show, by Angelina Borghese, they are almost immediately fired after Chet enthusiastically steals a treat meant for Princess. However, mere minutes after they leave, their now former clients, Angelina and Princess, are kidnapped.  Hired by Angelina’s husband, Count Borghese, Bernie and Chet try to find them. A call from Bernie’s girlfriend, reporter Suzie, takes them to the ghost town of Clausen Wells, where Bernie and Chet are both knocked out.

Bernie is gone when Chet wakes, and he goes in search of him. But instead he finds a very frightened Princess, and they travel across the desert until they are taken in by two hippies. The hippies sell Chet to a large man, but he escapes, jumping a barbed wire fence into a restricted area. Found in a military target range, he is reunited with Bernie, (who was knocked out in a case of mistaken identity).

But now Suzie is missing as well, and Bernie is frantic. He interviews the owner of the other contender in the dog show, the trainer, the ex-trainer, but gets nowhere until they catch up to the RV with the two hippies, and Chet identifies them. Then Thurman, the man Chet was sold to, shows up. Assisted by some jaw action by Chet, Bernie arrests them all and finds Princess in the RV.

Bernie and Chet are out searching for clues in the desert one night, when Chet, following the scent of dog biscuits, starts digging a hole and unearths Suzie’s yellow Beetle with a dead Angelina Borghese in it.  But where is Suzie?

Together Chet and Bernie have to unravel a twisted plot between a corrupt sheriff, a resentful dog trainer and a poor but greedy member of the gentry before Suzie is killed. This fast paced, fun mystery will win over animal and dog lovers alike!  A great summer read.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Published by Random House

ISBN 10: 1400068932

ISBN 13: 978-1400068937

March 2010

386 Pages

This delightful book is about an older, widowed man who realizes what really matters when he is confronted by both proposed development changes in the small town of Edgecombe St. Mary, and the overt prejudices of his friends, family and neighbors.

 

Major Ernest Pettigrew lives a quiet life at Rose Lodge, his family’s ancestral home. He is thoroughly British, valuing the traditional things; honor, duty, good manners, and restraint. His only brother’s death causes him to reevaluate his life, and he finds it wanting. He realizes how lonely he’s felt since the death of his wife six years ago, and how little he has seen of his only son, Roger.

 

He befriends Mrs. Ali, a widowed, independent shopkeeper of Pakistani descent, when she helps him through the shock of his brother’s death. After her kindness, he finds reasons to go to her little store to buy tea and sundry items almost daily. They discover they have a shared love of literature and arrange readings and then outings together. Their friendship grows slowly, with the two quite aware of their very different lives. However, by this time he is quite smitten with the lovely and intelligent Jasmina Ali, and begins to  court her. As their friendship deepens, she shares with him her fear of giving up her shop, returning to her family and taking on a more traditional role; a move her morose nephew Abdul Wahid encourages for his own reasons; two of which are an antagonistic single mom with a small boy that looks just like him.

 

Roger arrives with a stylish blond American girlfriend, and they make plans to purchase and renovate a cottage close to his father, but need money to do so. Roger encourages his father to sell a very valuable matched pair of rifles his grandfather had left Ernest and Bertie, but Pettigrew resists because he promised never to sell them. However, Marjorie, Bertie’s widow, is also pressuring him to sell the rifles as she needs money as well. Roger is entirely self absorbed and is only interested in furthering his career any way he can, even if that means marrying a woman he doesn’t care about.

 

The local village ladies have made plans for the annual Golf Club dance, the theme of which is 'An Evening at the Mughal Court,’ and have roped Pettigrew into being on the committee and Mrs. Ali into helping also. They both, especially Mrs. Ali, work very hard to make this a success. Pettigrew asks Mrs. Ali to the dance and they attend together. The evening begins beautifully, but then devolves into a nightmare. Mrs. Ali is subtly and then more blatantly insulted several times until she rushes home without Pettigrew; then decides to return to her Pakistani family.

 

Pettigrew is distraught, feeling he has lost Mrs. Ali forever and cannot imagine his life without her. He throws restraint to the wind and goes to rescue her from a dismal life with her hidebound relatives. They escape together, and later, in a climatic scene, Pettigrew faces death, and loses one of the precious guns, in order to save the life of her surly, conflicted nephew.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand looks closely at the expectations and friction not only between generations, but also between cultures, and delves deeply into the notion of the good of progress (good for whom?) and the idea of home. A totally absorbing read, you’ll cheer when Pettigrew goes to rescue his lady love. This thoughtful, charming, and delightful book is Ms. Simonson’s debut novel, and this author can hardly wait for her next book.

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

20th Anniversary Edition
256 pages

ISBN-10: 054739117X

ISBN-13: 978-0547391175
March 2010

This book is based on O’Brien’s tour of duty in Vietnam, and delves acutely into the emotional baggage that the soldiers who served carried both during and after the war. A fictional retelling of factual occurrences, this novel is presented as a series of short stories, and recounts events experienced by O’Brien and the men in his unit.

You are there as he faces down his doubts in a small fishing boat close to the Canadian shore, where a gruff old man has brought him to give him a chance to escape the draft. This is the moment he realized that he was too embarrassed not to go to war and admit he was a coward. You are also with him on a jungle trail looking at the first man he ever killed, experiencing the horror and guilt that paralyzed him. He details the revolting task of removing his buddy’s body parts from a tree after a live grenade he was playing with exploded. Then there is the unexpected transformation of a young American civilian woman into a deadly soldier; who walks into the jungle one night and becomes a legend. He describes the horror of watching his best friend, Kiowa, sink into a field of putrid mud. All of these awful moments, encapsulated into short narrative chapters, produce quite an emotional wallop.

This war story is filled with the immaturity, cruelty and ignorance of young men that at times committed disturbingly senseless and violent acts to balance the horrible monotony and weight of being at war. However, the camaraderie between the men buffers their rage and bitterness and allows their basic goodness to surface. There is respect for an old papa-san who guides them through a minefield and gratitude for the monks that shelter them in their temple. But there is also the adrenaline of being in a battle with the Viet Cong with gunfire and bombs exploding around them; countered by the emptiness of returning home without a sense of purpose.

The bonds forged in war between these men lasted long after the fall of Saigon and the end of the war, just as the images from this book will stay with you long after the final page is read. A visceral and introspective read, The Things they Carried is being republished twenty years after its original publication by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice

Rice’s second book in her “Life of Christ” cycle begins during the last winter before Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan by his cousin, John the Baptist.
Jesus, Yeshua as he is called, is enduring a year of no rain, dusty roads and talk of trouble in Judea.

Those who know him and have heard of his miraculous birth are waiting for a sign of what he will do; and there are some who are growing impatient. Why does he not marry? Why does he continue to work as a common carpenter?

When a beautiful girl is almost stolen from Nazareth by brigands, Yeshua is the first to go to her, and almost causes a catastrophe because he might of touched her. But he finds a way to avert this and helps to arrange the girl’s marriage.

He travels with his family to the River Jordan to meet John; and it is there that his destiny is revealed to him. And after 40 days in the desert and a confrontation with the devil, he is prepared to do his Father’s work.

A beautifully written story about the essence of Christianity; that of compassion and good will towards men.

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice

Anne Rice gives us this unusual take on the life of the young Jesus. This character driven novel is told from the viewpoint of seven year old Yeshua. He realizes he is different, but is not sure why. His quest to find out is difficult because no one, not even his mother or Joseph will tell him, so he has to resort to his own devices to find out. He learns bits and pieces about the events surrounding his birth from an Uncle, his elderly great aunt, and from slyly asking the Rabbis. As well, his dreams are filled with strange and fearsome beings and images.

The book opens with the young Jesus inadvertently killing the bully Eleazer simply by wishing him dead; but then he brings him back to life. Confronted by an angry mob over this incident, Joseph takes Mary, Jesus, and his extended family back to Nazareth.

The journey to the Holy Land is not easy, as King Herod has recently died and his kingdom is in turmoil. The roads are full of Roman soldiers putting down Jewish uprisings. As they enter Jerusalem for Passover, they are caught in a riot in the Temple, and Jesus sees a man impaled on a Roman’s spear. This is a horrific thing for the young Jesus to see, and the image does not leave him.

It is not until the next Passover that Jesus learns, from his half brother James, the full story of the night he was born, and the message the shepherds were given from the angels “… for today, to you, is born in the city of David a Savior: Christ the Lord!” He also learns of the terrible thing that King Herod did once he learned of this.

This book captures Jesus’ compassion, wisdom and also guilt over the things done by others due to his birth. This is very different from what we’re used to from Anne Rice, (remember all the wonderfully angst filled vampires stories she used to write?) but she has done her research well, and it shows in the accurate portrayal of life in the first century. An excellent beginning to a new cycle on Christ the Lord that is continued in Christ the Lord:  The Road to Cana.

Souless by Gail Carriger

Carriger’s debut, a combination of paranormal Victorian romance and a comedy of manners is a fast and fun read.

The setting is Victorian London. But this is not your ordinary London, England. In this 19th century London, werewolves, vampires and even ghosts are accepted as a normal part of the population.

Bluestocking Alexia Tarabotti is a 25 year old spinster who doesn’t quite fit into London society. And it’s not just because she’s half Italian (her swarthy complexion isn’t the sought after pale look), outspoken, and has a rather large nose. She really is something else. Alexia was born without a soul; which gives her the ability to disarm any paranormal creature just by touch.

After Alexia kills a vampire with her specially made parasol at a party, she is confronted by Lord Maccon, the handsome chief investigator of the Bureau of Unnatral Registry (BUR), who just happens to be a werewolf. They dislike each other immensely but agree that this particular vampire attack could be part of something more nefarious.

As they go about their separate investigations, we are introduced to an interesting cast of paranormal characters. Lord Akeldama is a foppish but influential vampire, and one of Alexia’s friends. Then there is the feared Countess Nadasky, the Queen of the London vampire hive, and the Professor Lyall, Lord Maccon’s second in command.

We also meet Alexia’s family; her stoic father, her hysterical mother who cares only for the family’s societal standing, and her two airheaded sisters. We also meet her best friend, Ivy Hisselpenny; whose goal in life appears to be wearing the ugliest hats ever created.

Over the last several months, loner vampires and paranormal creatures have gone missing, and no one can sort our why. As well, in London, a new club for scientists has opened recently called the Hyprocas Club, which has attracted scientists from as far away as the colonies.

An unlikely romance begins between Alexia and Maccon and heats up by degrees, leading them into some shocking situations.

On a visit to Lord Akeldama, on a full moon night, Alexia and Akeldama are kidnapped and imprisioned. Akeldama is taken to become part of a horrific experiment, a fate that Alexia will soon share. With no one to rescue her; since all werewolves are locked up on full moon night, her fate is sealed. Or is it?

This breezy, funny paperback novel is a great combination of steampunk and urban fantasy, and is geared to a young adult audience. This writer is looking forward to the sequel, Changeless, due out on March 30, 2010.

Angel Time by Anne Rice

This first in the Songs for the Seraphim series introduces Toby O’Dare. Toby (later called Lucky) is an assassin for the “good guys”, the U.S. government. He was brought up Catholic in New Orleans and once dreamed of becoming a priest. He grew up in a dysfunctional family with an alcoholic mother, an absent father and two younger siblings. It became Toby’s job to hold the family together. His one passion is the lute, a medieval instrument that he excels at playing. He thought he was successful at managing his mother’s alcoholism until he returned from his high school graduation ceremony to find his brother and sister drowned in the bathtub, and his mother dead from slitting her wrists. Overcome by the horror and futility of his efforts, he leaves New Orleans. He remakes himself as a street musician in New York City, which brings him to the notice of Alberto, a restaurant owner who gives him a job as a waiter. When the Russian mob moves in and takes over Alberto’s business, Alberto holes up at Toby’s apartment. To repay Alberto’s kindness, Toby takes it upon himself to clear out the Mob; and he does this with ruthless efficiency; exterminating everyone in sight. After, he tells Alberto what he’s done, Alberto introduces to men who will “… take care of him”. So begins his career as Lucky, a government assassin; where he kills by stealthily applied lethal injections. He is quick, precise, and deadly. Lucky is a man of contradictions, he loves music and beauty but hates blood and violence. But he is a tortured soul who has been contemplating suicide for years. After his latest assassination; he is approached by an angel of the Lord, Malchiah. Malchiah offers him a chance of redemption; if he becomes the earthly agent for the angels, he will attain God’s forgiveness. Lucky accepts and he sent back to 13th century England, where, as Dominican friar Brother Toby, he is to protect a Jewish couple wrongly accused of having murdered their young daughter for her conversion to Christianity. 13th century England was a brutal place, rift with prejudice against the Jews, suspicion and intolerance. 100 years before, a child believed to have been crucified by the Jews was made a Saint, Little St. Hugh, in Lincoln. Now the Dominican Friars want a saint for the town of Norwich, and has contrived a story to achieve this. They assert that Meir and Fluria killed their daughter Lea because she converted to Christianity after visiting a church on Christmas Eve. Lea actually died from a burst appendix; called the Iliac Passion in the 13th century. Because her parents buried her under cover of night, there is no body as evidence. How he accomplishes this task through bravery and faith against severe prejudice and overwhelming odds is a compelling story. This expertly written and vividly imagined tale transports you first into the mind of a contract killer; and then to a unforgiving past where the desires of the venal and powerful cause hardship and heartache for the innocent. You will root for Brother Toby as he skillfully navigates the treacherous path between what is wanted by the avaricious monks, what the superstitious mob believes and what really happened to Lea.

Focus on Science Fiction: Watermind

Hello world! It's been a long time since I've blogged due to home repairs, new assignments and life in general. But I'm hoping to be able to blog more regularly now!

In any case, I have read a lot of amazing books, both fiction and nonfiction.

One of most recent was a newish Science Fiction novel by M.M. Buckner called Watermind. This offers a statement on the consequences of our throw away society.

M.M. Buckner offers us this shades of the X Files novel that deals with the possible ramifications of our throw away society. As we acquire new technology, we throw away our old cell phones, MP3 players, and computers. It stands to reason that a lot of our electronic garbage, along with pharmaceuticals and even genetically modified seeds will eventually end up in our water supply. And from such a potent chemical stew; what might emerge? Such is the premise of this book.

Two young people, contract laborers of Quimicron, are working on cleaning up a pollution spill in Devil’s Swamp in hot, humid Louisiana. CJ Reilly is a brilliant but self-destructive MIT student running from the suicide of her emotionally distant father. Max Pottevents is her new lover and is a gifted Zydeco musician. At the far end of the swamp, they come across an area covered in ice.
Intrigued, CJ is interested in studying this anomaly. Sneaking back to Devil’s Pond, she secretly takes a sample under cover of night, and discovers that it’s pure water. She immediately thinks this discovery could be used to supply pure drinking water to third world countries.
But then a man is killed by the anomaly; sucked down into its depths and drowned. Alarmed, the CEO of Quimicron, Roman Sacony, arrives from Argentina, hoping to contain or destroy the anomaly. Assisted by CJ and a cantankerous science team, they take samples to understand what they’re dealing with, but this eludes them.

The anomaly, dubbed the Watermind, thwarts all efforts to contain it. As it moves downstream towards the Mississippi and New Orleans, it grows and becomes more destructive, digesting the iron in barges, freighters and boats, causing them to sink. Roman becomes increasingly desperate, as he dreads the prospect of lawsuits that could bankrupt his company.

Meanwhile, CJ and Max believe they can communicate with the Watermind and think they can do this through music. This proves successful as it is able to transmute the music lessons in 4/4 time to a 3/4 waltz. As they come to realize the Watermind is an evolving sentient being; CJ resists all attempts to destroy it through EM pulses (electric magnetic pulses).

Although injured, they don’t annihilate the Watermind. However it is forced to defend itself, leading to additional deaths. The Watermind becomes an increasingly mutable and wily opponent, transforming from liquid to solid to gaseous almost instantly.

It appears nothing can stop this man made monster, not the Coast Guard, the methods tried by Roman Sacony, nor the Government Their attempts are further impeded by government protestors, uncooperative civilians and one over the top wacky underground journalist.

Will this emerging intelligence be destroyed or will it escape and continue to evolve? The ending, depending on whose side you take, can be seen as either terrifying or hopeful. Part horror story, part tech thriller, Watermind by M.M. Buckner presents a chilling picture of technology gone awry