Talking with the Brave New Bitch about stories, and I am complaining once again - such a curmudgeon lately; I really am turning into my father - complaining about the lack of storytelling skill in so many moviemakers and novelists. I just finished another novel that I enjoyed until the end, where the lack of plausible tie-up disappointed me muchly. Still, you might like it, not being as fickle as I am. Check out The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman. Or John Fasman. I was actually quite offended to find that the publisher had printed the author's first name as "Jon" on the front, and "John" on the spine. Or vice versa. (Like I said, I am turning into my father. One of my most consistent memories of him is him reading the paper over breakfast - he was a journalist for a local daily - and getting all worked up at sloppy writing, shoddy research, and the decline of a proper work ethic overall.)
But back to the Geographer's Library. It's a murder mystery with history and occult bits thrown in. (No, I don't know if that is like the Da Vinci Code. I am the only person left on this planet who has not read the Da Vinci Code. And at this point, I'm just going to wait for the movie. Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Sir Ian McKellen AND Jürgen Prochnow? Hell yeah, sign me up!)
But back to the Geographer's Library. I enjoyed all the fake history, and how the narratives alternated, but ultimately, I didn't buy it. If you were leading a life of secrets and international travel, would you hire on as a university professor? With all the oddities of that character, you don't think that people would start talking? I hate it when the premise is so sloppily set up, and for that reason, I thought of Michael Crichton's book on the sexual harassment suit. You know, the one that was made into a movie with Michael Douglas as the guy unjustly accused, and Demi Moore as the offender on her way up the corporate ladder. (Disclosure? Is that what it was called? I can't be bothered to look it up right now.) I had the same complaint then: if you were trying to get a guy fired, would you want your replacement involved in allegations of misconduct?
See. I didn't think so. It was beyond unlikely. Preposterous, really.
But back to the Geographer's Library. Points for smooth writing and good pacing. But points deducted for the preposterous premise.