The Middle Fork

Review

The explicitly political novel is a delicate, tricky genre. Without delicately crafted, fully three-dimensional characterization, the figures intended to represent various stances come off more as partisan shills and mouthpieces as opposed to relatable individuals. Readers need not only see in-depth examinations about what the characters believe, but why they believe as well. That is the one sadly glaring flaw of Rick Glaze’s otherwise serviceable novel The Middle Fork.

Set among the breathtaking Bitterroot Mountain Range on the Idaho-Montana border, the novel follows a small throng of avid outdoors enthusiasts as they hike, kayak, camp, and fish the forbidding terrain. Glaze’s own personal travels provide the inspiration for the beautiful backdrop, and his obvious passion for nature shines through in his descriptions of the scenery. This stands as the novel’s greatest strength – the mountains loom threateningly over even more unforgiving whitewater rapids, lending an extra sense of dread to the main plot. Although the overarching theme involves the group learning to set aside their differences in order to search for a missing member, it’s difficult to care much about what happens to them when the individuals involved come off more as caricatures rather than characters.

Narrated by small business owner Jonathan, the central interpersonal conflict involves fiery Republican Sonia facing off against liberal author Keith over his well-received treatise on global warming. The both of them speak more in partisan talking points as opposed to expressing impassioned beliefs straight from the heart, and as a result they read as if parrots echoing their master’s speech. There is some degree of fleshing out – Sonia inherited her conservative sensibilities from her beloved father, for example – but they really only skim the surface, leaving the reader wanting much more. While I believe Glaze’s core messages of trying to find common ground between two very different political perspectives and forging mutual respect and understanding are highly commendable and necessary, they come off as somewhat limp when executed with little more than cardboard cutouts of left and right ideology.

Bibliographic Information

Glaze, Rick. The Middle Fork. Austin: Synergy Books, 2009.

Further Reading

I’m very much drawn to fiction revolving around politics. None of them have utilized The Middle Fork‘s interesting device of juxtaposing their themes with a stunning outdoor scene, but they still stand as excellent examples of political novels utilizing compelling characters to drive their points home. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, and Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 are a few of my all-time favorite books, among others. To me, they really set the standard that all political novelists should strive to reach.

~Riot

Gauntlet

Review

Richard Aaron’s international thriller Gauntlet is an okay book that is one or two drafts away from being a good read. It’s certainly an acceptable freshman effort, especially considering Aaron never formally trained as a writer, but there are still some rookie mistakes in the prose that detract from the story as a whole. He has a tendency towards repetition and redundancy that don’t really add any sense of drama or suspense, and the book as a whole could use some serious streamlining to make for a much tighter, better flowing story.

Characterization is actually Gauntlet‘s greatest strength – an unexpected but not unwelcome surprise for an almost fully plot-driven action story. Aaron puts as much, if not more, detail into the people behind the events as the events themselves. Though they occasionally come off as somewhat over-the-top, most of the main foci remain believable enough. Hamilton Turbee, an autistic computer genius, stands as the strongest, most complex, and most interesting character, and Aaron portrays his condition with humanistic compassion and empathy rather than condescending pity.

The plot revolves around a cell of drug suppliers transporting stolen explosives from continent to continent with the sole intent of eclipsing the terrorist attacks on September 11th. While Aaron does not portray all practitioners of Islam as terrorists or supportive of terrorist efforts – Turbee’s kindhearted, supportive coworker Khasha deftly negates this  – I personally have a tendency to cringe at most of these depictions. But that isn’t necessarily the fault of the writer. Gauntlet certainly grounds itself in its time, much like how media during the Cold War had a tendency to feature Russian or East German antagonists. Considering Aaron made an effort to ensure that Muslims as a whole did not come off as demonized, blood-crazed radicals, it would be wrong for me to blame him for my discomfort. Anyone who remembers the rabidly blanket anti-Islamic backlash following 9/11 with frustration and shock may squirm somewhat as well. Keep in mind that the book doesn’t intend to read as propaganda. Just a straightforward, escapist thriller that draws its inspiration from current events.

Bibliographic Information

Aaron, Richard. Gauntlet. San Diego: Glass House Press, 2009.

Further Reading

Hmmm. In spite of my love for politics, I actually don’t read too many political thrillers. Can’t really give much of a reason for it, either, but there isn’t really a book that just screams out at me right now. What about you, readers? Got any good thrillers you can recommend?

~Riot