Not Quite a Top 10 List, or In Defense of Dan Brown (Sort of)
The
question made me pause. I was sitting across from another business professional
in a “speed networking” event as we got to know each other. Neither of us knew
how to answer.
I mentally
reviewed the apps I use most frequently, but they fell more in the “necessary”
category than the “fun” category. Right before settling for a rote answer, it
hit me: my favorite app, by far, is Libby.
The
service Libby provides isn’t new. In fact, it’s probably old hat for most of
you. But as someone who is historically behind the times, I’ve only started taking advantage of technologically-enhanced
reading aids this year. Libby allows me and my wife to borrow audiobooks from
the library and listen to them while doing dishes, folding clothes, driving, or
performing other mindless tasks. It’s free and fun, and why haven’t I been doing this longer?!
If not for
Libby, I would have only gotten through two fiction books this year. With
Libby’s aid, however, I completed ten fiction books—something I haven’t done
since 2011.
So what are
those ten books, and what did I think? And why in the world would I want to
defend author Dan Brown (as my blog title suggests)? I’m glad you asked. Let me
walk you through this year’s reading/listening list.
1. Artemis, Andy Weir
Shannon and I thoroughly enjoyed The Martian, so we were stoked to read another novel by Andy Weir. Artemis is not as good as his debut novel—which,
for those of you who haven’t read it, is far superior to the (fairly good) film—but
it’s still an engaging read. I liked it much more than Shannon did, but that’s
because of two reasons.
First, the sexual innuendo. As the person who read the
book out loud, Shannon was able to skim over much of this needless material,
sparing me (but not herself).
The second reason Shannon didn’t like it as much is
closely related to the first: Weir paints the main character, Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara, as more of a perverted teenage boy than an actual woman. Not being a woman
myself, I don’t fully understand how women think; Shannon says women don’t
think like Jazz—especially when it comes to sex.
Even with the above problems, Weir did a great job of
world-building, and his plot include some wonderful set pieces. I’m still
excited to see what Weir comes up with next.
2. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine
L'Engle
I didn’t not
like this book. (How’s that for faint praise?) Certain parts seemed weird,
other parts slow and bordering on boring. I couldn’t help but compare it to C.
S. Lewis’ Narnia books. L’Engle spent a lot of effort attempting to create a sense
of transcendence, but Lewis did so much better with far fewer words.
3. Dragon Teeth, Michael
Crichton
An earlier work by Crichton that only recently saw the
publishing light of day, Dragon Teeth
is a more novice, but still decent, story. It’s a modestly interesting western,
teetering on the edge of boring in a few places. The highlight for me was the
inclusion of Wyatt Earp, especially the sequence in which Earp instructs the
main character on how to win an upcoming gunfight.
4. Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton
Years ago, this book was my introduction to Michael
Crichton, and he has remained my favorite sci-fi author ever since. This time
around, Shannon and I listened to the book using Libby, and it was still a
great read. (It certainly didn’t hurt that Scott Brick does phenomenal voice
work for many of Crichton’s books.) The ending is a bit lame (as is often the
case with Crichton’s works), but not nearly enough to ruin the story.
5. The Lost World, Michael Crichton
This is one of those rare instances where the sequel
is superior to the original. The Lost World has a more cohesive plot, better
action sequences, and greater character development. The ending, while not amazing,
is a huge improvement over the first book. The
Lost World is the best dinosaur-related story I’ve ever read, and it’s a
shame that Spielberg jettisoned almost the entire plot in favor of a new
storyline when he directed the disappointingly inferior cinematic adaption.
6. Mistborn: The Final Empire, Brandon
Sanderson
This book was my first foray into modern high fantasy,
and while I’m not a fan of the genre in general, I can readily admit that
Brandon Sanderson is a gifted storyteller. His magic system for the Mistborn
trilogy (of which The Final Empire is the first) is creative, lending itself
well to several excellent fight scenes. I’m still not in love with fantasy, but
this book made me want to learn how the Mistborn trilogy turns out.
7. The Well of Ascension, Brandon Sanderson
The sequel is much slower than the first entry. While Sanderson demonstrates great aptitude in crafting a multilayered politics-heavy drama, I’m not too interested in fictional poli sci. The ending delivered some heavy and delicious pathos, and it was worth the read (albeit, by the skin of its teeth).
(In case you are curious, Shannon and I are currently
listening to The Hero of Ages, which
is a huge improvement over the second installment.)
8. Dread Nation, Justina Ireland
I didn’t intend to listen to this audiobook, but after
overhearing less than a chapter while Shannon washed the dishes one night, I
was hooked. An alternate history in which the Civil War is interrupted by a
zombie apocalypse, Dread Nation follows the exploits of a young girl trained to
serve society through formal zombie combat training, only to find herself
caught up in a conspiracy that threatens her plans for the future. The voice
work by Bahni Turpin is outstanding, and the writing style effectively
transports readers/listeners back to the time period in which the story takes
place.
The main problem I have with this book is its
structure. The setup takes longer than it technically should, and while the setup
is thoroughly interesting, it falsely set my expectations for the rest of the
book. When the inciting incident finally takes place, it dramatically shifts
the tone of the story (almost as if it had switched genres). A couple plot
threads are left unresolved at the end, but it’s still a well-told story, with
a climactic battle that feels epically cinematic.
9. The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
My first exposure to Dan Brown was when I read The Da Vinci Code in 2004. (I wanted to be
able to address the controversy surrounding the book with an informed
perspective.) At the end of 2004, I noted in my book-reading tracker that Da Vinci Code was the most engaging
fiction book I had read that year (except for the crummy ending and atrocious
theology).
I could summarize The
Lost Symbol in an almost identical fashion. It is an engaging thriller
informed by a horrible (and sometimes laughably ignorant) worldview. In my opinion,
the best way to approach Dan Brown’s books is to treat them like alternate
history narratives. Within that context, they provide solid entertainment.
Sure, the main threat at the climax of The Lost Symbol lacks the gravitas Brown
intended, and the ending of the book takes some of the wind out of the story’s
sails, but I almost didn’t mind since the rest of the book was so awesome. (Did
I just use that word? Yes, I guess I did.)
10. Monster, Frank Peretti
This was my first Peretti book in years, and my first experience listening to an audiobook version of one of his stories. I found this fairly interesting—never boring, but rarely edge-of-your-seat exciting. The climax definitely upped the emotional and dramatic ante, and Peretti’s narration made this much more interesting—especially since one of the main characters is a stutterer, and she stutters all her lines, dragging them out uncomfortably, which I would have rushed through if I had just read the book myself.
Now that I
know the true nature of the plot, I think the book title should have been less
generic and more specific (Sasquatch,
perhaps?). Overall, I’m glad I listened to it, but moreso because I have a
personal goal of reading all of Peretti’s adult fiction. (Just one more book to
go!)
STORY OF
THE YEAR?
In fact, as
some of my readers may remember, I gave The
Da Vinci Code a (dis)honorable mention when compiling my favorite fiction books of all time
back in 2006. (My tastes and preferences have somewhat changed since then, but
my commentary on Dan Brown has not.)
Say what
you will about Dan Brown (and yes, there are many legitimately negative things
to say), he is a skilled storyteller. He gets more flack for his writing style
than his historical/theological research, whereas I find the latter much more troublesome
than the former. In any case, Brown knows how to craft a genuinely engrossing
thriller. He’s found a formula that really works, weaving together puzzles and
clues and revelations into a sensational tapestry that is pure fun to
behold.
Of special
note: The Lost Symbol includes what
may perhaps be the best chase scene I have ever encountered in a story. It
involves just two people on foot, in a vast warehouse shrouded in complete
darkness. This sequence is nothing short of masterful.