Darwin's+Blade

Dan Simmons.
368 pgs. William Morrow. $25.00 ==== Are you ready to step into the life of a physics major? It’s more exciting than you might think. Bestselling author Dan Simmons, who wrote //The Crook Factory//, is back with a story of unparalleled action and drama in //Darwin’s Blade//. Darwin Minor, a physics major with a knack for solving crime gets in over his head in a series of fraudulent insurance claims organized by a crime ring and is simply struggling to survive. ==== ==== The cover of the book says that it is a “novel of suspense”, that phrase doesn’t even begin to describe the book. Simmons creates his own fictional crime scenario in //Darwin’s Blade// where shady corporate big wigs team up with the Russian mafia to “accidentally” kill people who have something against them. The book flows effortlessly from one scene to the next and occasionally has two separate plot lines competing for the reader’s attention that converge at a climax. Never with a dull moment, Darwin Minor pushes forward to bust the crime ring of the ages. ==== ==== The book starts out with somewhat of an “opening gambit” to show off Darwin’s character and his job description. Darwin wakes up early one morning to a phone call. His buddy Lawrence tells him that there’s been an accident involving a car slamming into a canyon wall 200ft off the ground. Darwin rushes to the scene to find Lawrence there along with local law enforcement. He eventually deduces that a teenager made really stupid decision and stole a jet engine and strapped it to his car, possibly intending to break the land speed record. The teenager started many miles down the road and picked up speed dramatically when the engine started, the g-forces associated with the acceleration were so bad that the kid died instantly. The car, then traveling 300 mph, hit a bump in the road and became airborne 3 miles from the canyon, flew through the air, and crashed into the canyon wall and exploded, creating a crater. In the words of Darwin Minor: “That’s where the JATO units were burning down at a nice healthy 36 degree takeoff angle. The El Camino’s climb rate must have been impressive.” ==== ==== Simmons develops many more accident scenes for Darwin to unravel, much to the amazement of his colleagues, including a power scooter accident at a retirement village, a school bus hurtling down a canyon road, and a car that plunged over a cliff at a rock concert. However, many of these scenes do not connect to the plot in any way and are merely asides from the rest of the story, which makes it seem as though time is being wasted. This is a major downside to the book but is the only thing that detracts from the action and suspense. ==== ==== Eventually, Darwin and his co-workers get a whiff of grand conspiracy and start a full scale investigation. A series of accidents that caused the death of people who were about to testify in court lead law enforcement to believe that a certain powerful businessman is coordinating the accidents. After the mafia finds out who is trying to stop their scheme, Darwin finds himself caught in a crime web that threatens to take his life. ==== ==== Simmons does a great job of crafting an intricate plot. Every action taken by any character leads another character to react. There aren’t any logical gaps in the plot that leaves the reader confused about why something happened. Additionally, the amazing amount of suspense in the book keeps the reader turning pages. As soon as one character unscrambles an accident, cheats death, or otherwise ends the suspense, another character gets caught up in the action and the beat goes on. ==== ==== Simmons’ witty writing style also lends to the book’s appeal. Far from being as dark as many books that involve crime, death, and intense police investigations, you can count on Simmons to make characters say things like “‘Notice how accident victims love passive voice in their disposition? Here’s a typical one - ‘A pedestrian I did not see hit me and then went sliding under my car.’” ==== ==== //Darwin’s Blade// is action packed and fast paced but has a pleasant aura about it that takes off some of the harshness of the scenes. The suspense is balanced by the lighthearted writing style and makes for a more pleasant reading experience. If you’re looking for an action/adventure book with realistic plot and a casual feel to it, then //Darwin’s Blade// is the book for you. ====