4. Slapstick

By: Kurt Vonnegut

The copy of Slapstick that I was reading was so devistatingly old, that it was literally falling apart in my hands. Tiny bits of yellowed pages flaked off from where my fingers held the pages, and I just hoped the spine would hold out till the last page. The cover didn't make it all the way, but the pages did. Sad still, it was a first edition paperback. I left it carefully on a table in the airport, not being able to bring myself to throw it out. Hopefully it was found and taped back together by someone who just *really* wants to read a good Vonnegut book and can't find one in China.

The strange thing is, that I thought I hadn't read this before, but it all seemed so durned familiar! Maybe I read it in college - or maybe I've just read too much Vonnegut? At any rate, Slapstick is an interesting, somewhat post-apocalyptical tale of a half-genius, neanderthal-ish, optimistic, president of the US who attempts to make everything better by giving everyone in the country extended families. Unfortunately, his plans are somewhat thwarted by a mass epidemic, and the ever-shrinking population of China, who have figured out how to conserve resources through shrinkage, communicate with the dead, and travel instantaneously through space.

Not the best Vonnegut in the world, it pales in comparison to what remain my favorites: Cat's Cradle, Sirens of Titan, Breakfast of Champions, and Slaughterhouse Five, but still a good read, and more interesting than the more mediocre "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater" and "Jailbird".

Recommendation: If you're a Vonnegut fan, you won't be disappointed by Slapstick. If you're not, you should be, so crack open one of those listed as 'favorites' above. Start with Cat's Cradle.

3. Odyssey

By: Jack McDevitt

The fifth book in the Academy series confirms my earlier suspicion about the Odd books being of better quality than the even books. Although by this time in the series, he has totally abandoned the archaeologic aspects of the series, which has both positive and negative implications for the series. On the downside, it was really what made "Engines of God" a standount book, and drove a lot of the interest in "Chindi". On the upside, the world he's created, and the "Academy" itself has outgrown the scope of just archeology. Odyssey finds greater stakes in the world of Physics in the future at a gripping intersection of politics, science, and business.

The problem with the Academy series as it develops, is that it is still too episodic- it certainly feels as if its written one book at a time, with little interest in bridging stories, or developing characters beyond what is needed for their next appearance. Hutch, the main character, grows a bit with each book, but has little personal growth or change that would make her more compelling. On the other hand, McAllister, a crotchety old writer who was a bit of an anti-hero in the terrible "Deepsix" returns as a more developed, well rounded and interesting character in this book.

Speaking of episodic, this book drops the Omega Cloud story (once again) in favor of a more immediate crisis. The next book (which is the latest offering) looks like it returns to (or finishes) that story arc. Whether it breaks or confirms the curse of the even books remains to be seen...

Recommendation: It bears repeating -read the odd books, skip the evens. Email me and I'll fill you in on the little important information you'd miss in "Deepsix" and "Omega".