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Jul. 31st, 2010 10:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jennariaTHE TORCH OF TANGIER, by Aileen G Baron.
Cover copy: War time Tangier, policed by Franco's Guardia Civil, thick with many nationalities, including Germans and Allies, bitter with the insults of Colonialism, is a dangerous place. Archaeologist Lily Sampson, recruited from her studies in Chicago to the enigmatic Dr. Drury, finds herself in Morocco digging up Neanderthal artifacts at the Cave of Hercules. Quite soon, she's summoned to help the American Legation with an undercover mission linked to Operation Torch. The target date: November 8, 1942. The mission: to control French Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, squash Rommel, and thrust into Europe's underbelly. Out in the Atlantic, General Eisenhower wil rely on relayed communications. But Lily's mastery of code is interrupted by murder -- not one, but two -- which not only imperils her, but Operation Torch itself.
Aileen Baron introduced Lily in A FLY HAS A HUNDRED EYES (2002), a drama of pre-World War II Jerusalem.
Gender of detective: female
This one, unfortunately, does not get it right. She's done her research - and wants to show it off. She wants both a puzzle-box and fascinating characters, and unfortunately cannot quite keep her footing on the tightrope between.
It's getting late and I'm getting poetic. Let's try this again.
I can't tell how much of the problem is the old series problem of necessary accretion (i.e. Lily would be more real to me if I'd read the previous book), and how much is bad writing. Inasmuch as most of the rest of the characters feel slightly distant, as if they too weren't entirely real, I'm inclined to blame it on the writing. The idea is fascinating: spies! Colonialism! Murder! But in practice, there's no sense of urgency. Of course she will get to where she needs to go in time. Of course she will solve the murder when she needs to. Of course everything will work out right. It just doesn't quite reach where it needs to be.
*
I hope I pull something I can get passionate about, next. Much more of these 'eh' books will put me to sleep, and that would be even worse than spilled soda.
Team Mariposa, Blogathon 2010. Sponsor me!
Cover copy: War time Tangier, policed by Franco's Guardia Civil, thick with many nationalities, including Germans and Allies, bitter with the insults of Colonialism, is a dangerous place. Archaeologist Lily Sampson, recruited from her studies in Chicago to the enigmatic Dr. Drury, finds herself in Morocco digging up Neanderthal artifacts at the Cave of Hercules. Quite soon, she's summoned to help the American Legation with an undercover mission linked to Operation Torch. The target date: November 8, 1942. The mission: to control French Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, squash Rommel, and thrust into Europe's underbelly. Out in the Atlantic, General Eisenhower wil rely on relayed communications. But Lily's mastery of code is interrupted by murder -- not one, but two -- which not only imperils her, but Operation Torch itself.
Aileen Baron introduced Lily in A FLY HAS A HUNDRED EYES (2002), a drama of pre-World War II Jerusalem.
Gender of detective: female
This one, unfortunately, does not get it right. She's done her research - and wants to show it off. She wants both a puzzle-box and fascinating characters, and unfortunately cannot quite keep her footing on the tightrope between.
It's getting late and I'm getting poetic. Let's try this again.
I can't tell how much of the problem is the old series problem of necessary accretion (i.e. Lily would be more real to me if I'd read the previous book), and how much is bad writing. Inasmuch as most of the rest of the characters feel slightly distant, as if they too weren't entirely real, I'm inclined to blame it on the writing. The idea is fascinating: spies! Colonialism! Murder! But in practice, there's no sense of urgency. Of course she will get to where she needs to go in time. Of course she will solve the murder when she needs to. Of course everything will work out right. It just doesn't quite reach where it needs to be.
*
I hope I pull something I can get passionate about, next. Much more of these 'eh' books will put me to sleep, and that would be even worse than spilled soda.
Team Mariposa, Blogathon 2010. Sponsor me!