5 Minute Book Reviews

High Aztech by Ernest Hogan (on facebook and twitter) ​

​A delightful satire of religious fanaticism, in fact fanaticism of every stripe, as protagonist Xolotl Zapata careens like a pinball between the various cultural, religious and criminal factions of a world-ascendant Tenochtitlán (aka Mexico City). Infected with one religious doctrine-believing virus after another, the ultimate solution just might be a reality-expanding embrace of them all. Very fun to read.
[There is at the end a glossary (totally not necessary) and a pronunciation guide, which might be useful if not knowing the correct pronunciation would be a distraction to you. I managed OK thanks to long ago high school Spanish.] Very fun to read!!
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The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Putty bySteve LeBel (on twitter)

    Protagonist Bernie, a god, has just graduated Universe Builder School and is building his first probationary universe. Opposed by long-time nemesis and schoolyard bully Billy, who tries to sabotage Bernie's universe and get him fired from his job.
    Bernie is aided by best friend and fellow geek Lenny, and girlfriend Suzie- who just doesn't get it when the boys have geeky technical discussions but is a good helpmate and booster to Bernie.
    The first half is too long, but once we- and Bernie- meet the intelligent lifeforms in his universe the story becomes compelling.
    These are all stock characters, the gender stereotypes are a few decades out of date, and there isn't much imagining of a viewpoint for the gods that is any different than ours, but within those limitations, this is a solid, amusing, surprising well-written YA novel that apparently won a slew of indie awards. 
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The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler ​(on facebook)

Anne Tyler is a very good writer. THE BEGINNER'S GOODBYE is very well written. Tyler's writing is a pleasure to read, except for one thing: Like all "Literary Fiction" it hews to the party line of "beautiful sadness." (And if it didn't, it wouldn't get published as "Literary Fiction.")
Protagonist Aaron's wife gets killed, he's grieving, she begins to appear to him and is also seen by various neighbors. This is the promising set-up. Then we get the backstory, how Dorothy died. 
    The opening implies a fairly extensive post-wife's-death relationship, the backstory fails to expand on this.  Tyler abandons the relationship and jumps forward about 3 years to Aaron remarried with a toddler. And his emotional tone is exactly the same as when grieving his wife. 
    I wish it were Tyler's point that Aaron is a superficial twit whose love and grief are superficial and fleeting; to whom one thing (or person) is as good as another, but she and the reviewers I read seem all agreed that Aaron is normal and well adjusted.  What a disappointment.
    Four stars for Tyler's writing, two stars for feckless Aaron and the conformities demanded of "Literary Fiction." 
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