Boston

Green Knowe books are best when Tolly and Mrs. Oldknow are both present, and at least this volume includes one of them, but the lack of anything supernatural seems to put the book out of kilter with the rest of the series, even though it's the most often recommended after the opening volume. Written at a time when gorillas were first being seriously studied and understood, it suggests that the author was herself so fascinated by them that she decided, willy-nilly, to write a book about them, and couldn't think of any place to put one except at Green Knowe. It's also, ultimately, a rather sad book, with an inevitably tragic climax, even though Ping does find a home with Mrs. Oldknow in the end. It *is* necessary to have read it in order to understand part of what happens in the following volume, but it should definitely not be read as an introduction to the series, since it has very little in common with them but its setting.

But the story begins long before this, in the Congo, where a young gorilla is separated from his family and captured in order to make the long journey from his tropical home to the concrete realm of the Zoo. In one of the most evocative descriptions of gorilla life and enviroments I've ever read, Boston sets the scene for the story to come with descriptions such as: "even at noon the jungle is like a heavily curtained room", and "thunderstorms worthy of the beginning of the world". If you have discovered Boston's incredible use of language in her previous books, then this one won't fail to disappoint.

When Ping and Hanno the gorilla first meet at the Zoo, there is an instant connection bordering on the spiritual. It therefore seems almost fate that when Hanno goes missing from the Zoo (escaping via a clumsily locked door) it is at Toseland Thicket that Ping finds him. Drawing on what must have been carefully researched facts about gorillas and their lives (not suprising since the book was written when gorillas were first being seriously studied), Boston creates an utterly realistic bond between boy and gorilla.

But an escaped gorilla is big news, and the authorities cannot be drawn away for long, despite Ping's best efforts. With the police and Hanno's Keeper moving in, it is finally up to Hanno to make a choice: captivity or freedom?

"A Stranger at Green Knowe" is often considered the best of the Green Knowe books because of the sensitive and detailed way in which the gorilla's circumstances are brought to life (there's no sappy Disney "Mighty Joe Young" here!) Her descriptions on his way of life, his powerful disposition and the tragedy of his being are nothing less than sublime. Like she did with the blind Susan and West Indian Jacob of "Treasure of Green Knowe", Boston shows a wisdom before her time.

However, some people may miss Tolly and the magical elements of the mansion, as this book is focused solely on the real life mystery of the gorillas. Rest assured though, in the next book "A Stranger at Green Knowe", both Tolly and the magic are brought back in full force. If you are into gorilla stories, I can suggest some movies that you may enjoy: Rene Russo's "Buddy", "Back to the Wild" concerning a gorilla taught sign language, and of course "Gorillas in the Mist".

The book focuses on Four Corners, a predominantly African-American neighborhood in Boston composed of Holiness-Pentecostal-Apostolic and "mainline" (Baptist, Catholic, and United Methodist) congregations but also numerous black Caribbean and Hispanic immigrant churches. There are so many churches in the neighborhood that it is what McRoberts calls a "religious district"--a depressed area where vacant commercial spaces provide space for religious institutions looking for property with cheap rent. One might expect that the sheer religious presence of all these churches would help turn a poor neighborhood around quickly, but apparently most of the people coming on Sunday are commuters from other parts of the city who feel little responsibility for the area their churches happen to be in. That leaves community activists, local politicians, and the efforts of some concerned ministers and laity to try and save Four Corners. It is a story that may be found in similar urban areas all across the country, and Streets of Glory helps us understand their particular nature, problems, and possible future.

McRoberts is a tremendous scholar and writer--an authoritative and imaginative new voice in urban sociology, and a keen observer of the highest order. This is ethnography at its best, and it will be a classic on many reading lists for years to come...

I do wish Shand-Tucci's prose were less effusive. The rib-nudging, campy asides to the reader are wearying, and the profusion of exclamation points must break all records. I finally got through it all, however, and I look forward to Volume Two.

Mr. Tapply has given us much more a plot than usual, and the fast pace of events work nicely against Brady's reluctant involvement. Brady centers his attention on getting one good day's worth of trout fishing while everything conspires against him. To make him even more miserable, his comfortable life style is threatened when the love of his life proposes getting away from it all and moving to Maine.

The exquisite descriptions of Newburyport and Plum Island MA are a joy to read. The personal crisis Brady faces is portrayed honestly and well. He does some excellent sleuthing and hands the reader some surprises. This is a well done tightly woven narrative. Best of all is how fond one becomes of Brady. You want to reward him with a good fishing trip for a job well done. This story is included in "The Brady Coyne Omnibus."

Soon, Cizek's boat turns up empty, and it's not clear whether Cizek has been murdered, committed suicide, or gone over the edge in an accident during the storm. Coyne is brought into the investigation of Cizek's disappearance due to his status as lawyer for Cizek and his wife. At the same time, Coyne is trying to figure out just what to do about his relationship with his lover, who will be moving soon to write a book.

"Close to the Bone" is an interesting sort of mystery. In a sense, it's a paradox. For a long time, it is not precisely clear what the mystery is. On the other hand, the twist ending is predictable (though that may be because I've read too many mysteries). At any rate, the novel is very well written and very enjoyable. Coyne is a devout fisherman, and the book's pace seems to be a great deal like an ideal fishing trip--sure, there's a goal in mind, but the point is to enjoy the experience and to savor the reflection that fishing brings. Tapply's characters, Coyne and his lover, Alex, in particular, are exceedingly realistic and the sort of people with whom one would enjoy spending time. "Close to the Bone" is a highly recommended mystery, primarily for the vivid characters and the writing.

Boston in the future has been changed to the point of unrecognizability. The only port where aliens can trade with humans, fortunes beyond those of Bill Gates have been made, and the city rebuilt by simply gluing together all of the old buildings into one huge brick.

Beverly O'Mera is a "cubehunter" within this changed Boston- a private eye specializing in finding lost persons. She is called up by one of the most powerful women in Boston to find the woman's daughter who ran away. (Or did she?) O'Mera and her Phner partner, Akktri, get drawn into a widening conspiracy involving most of the powerful people of the new Boston.

The basic plot of the book is straight hard-bitten detective, well worn and with few surprises. Where the book really shines is the development of Akktri and the rest of the Phner. The Phner are one of the rarest things in SF: true aliens, not just humans in alien suits or one dimensional horror figures.

The Phner are beaver-like semi-aquatic aliens who appeared in Boston following losing their home planet in a war. They don't really live in the present and understand little human logic, but rather have a editic racial memory. To a Phner, nothing is truly real until it is dead or destroyed: only then can its "art" be fully appreciated and understood.

The book begins with both the author and O'Mera treating Akktri much as an intelligent dog. Akktri bounces around, following O'Mera, happy that she will give him "lobster-fish" when they find their quarry. As the story progresses, the impact of the bizarre (to human eyes) Phner understanding of reality begins to show more and more. Akktri is not a dog: not even human in the sense of having the same feelings or goals as a human would. As O'Mera begins to truly understand the Phner and what they can and want to do, she must question both her partnership and her friendship with the Phner.

The Future Boston developed by Smith has a lot of potential: there are numerous odd aliens and lots of bizarre history. Hopefully Smith will be able to realize Targives, popcorn aliens and the rest in future books as well as he has done the Phner in In the Cube

However, if you're looking for excursions outsiode of Boston, or are, like me, a new resident of Boston, you may not want to get this book, becauise it focuses on the Boston area. In that case, get Lonely Planet:New England, or a new resident's book. And for a shorter, cheaper version of this book, get Lonely Planet Boston:Condensed.

Hope it helps.