Review bomb time!
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The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
As a paleoanthropologist Russell is perfectly placed to construct an alien world, building tangible realities from unfamilar foundations, and bouncing unheard languages off their strangely curved walls. She also sets out on a parallel journey, to explore the Jesuit sect who pioneer our adventure, a group of no little unfathomability to her own agnostic mind. Her greatest success however is to represent the camaraderie and character of the lively crew, both pious and profane, who could survive a journey in a hollowed out meteorite, and who would even consider hurling themselves towards such an unknown.
From broken barrios to high finance, technology to terran sensibilities, she creates a beautifully believable version of our own near-future world. This is the launchpad from which we reconstruct the mission, circling its fragmented events,
Rashomon-style. A tragedy has taken place, and we review it through eyes separated by lightyears, and the vibrant ghosts of the dead. A Jesuit inquiry panel is our judicial backdrop, as they attempt to know one man's mind, while also untangling the ideals and requirements of their shared religious life.
It’s not without its foibles, and the final conclusions and harrowing scenes, while justified, feel more like teething takes on theology, rather than the meat of Papal debates. But given its soaring ambitions you can certainly forgive it this slightly messy landing at the end of a fine and arching trip.
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Spy the Lie by Houston, Floyd & Carnicero
This is very much the fluffy end of CIA fact-finding, and opens with possibly the worst dramatic intro of all time. (It may shock you to learn that their Middle-Eastern asset, ‘Omar’, turns out to be a Muslim). The morality on display is picked out by white picket fences, and the science is tenuous at best. Yet I can well believe their set of homespun techniques could have caught everyone from foot fetishists (who anaethetised their partners) to full blown paedophiles during internal CIA sweeps.
There is an intuitive vibe to the slant of their questions that immediately feels effective, even if it’s sometimes tricky to drill down into exactly why. It’s certainly familiar territory - we’ve all heard phrases flung out in lieu of answers, such as: ‘Do I look like someone who would...’, or the child that bellows ‘I can’t believe you don’t trust me!’. The authors throw their net wider than these pat tricks however, showing how intricate things get when catching a prepared crim in a web of ‘Is there any reason why...’ questions. At times it feels like the most believeable end of crime drama (y’know, the scenes where it actually makes sense that the crim spills the beans, rather than just staying shtum).
They pad it out somewhat with OJ transcripts, and examples of political obfuscation, but for every homily there’s normally a persuasive trick or treatise around the corner. As a new parent I will be particularly treasuring the simple ‘punishment question’ to uncover a guilty toddler - IE ‘What do you think the punishment should be for whoever spilled the juice...?’
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Wrecking Machine by Alex Wade
A disgraced lawyer finds redemption in white collar boxing after decades of alcoholism and poorly-bottled rage. It's not always comfortable watching him flail at his own shadows, but he's led an interesting enough life for the journey to never feel lost in self-indulgent inward forays.
Ironically it is a bit flabby in the middle. I'm not sure we needed pages of press quotes using pugialistic language to describe legal battles. Some punch-drunk repetitions in the descriptions of his mental state are also possibly realistic, but suggest this battle with past demons could have done with some tighter refereeing.
What you do get though is a slew of believably big characters, training camaraderie that should draw you in even if the thought of boxing repels you, and a raw appraisal of some bruising mistakes. And a more fitting tangent into the Marquess of Queensbury's legal clashes with Oscar Wilde you will probably never find.
[Full disclosure: Alex is a work colleague of mine]
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