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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read, solid writing, July 22, 2008
Let me just begin with an exceprt of the publisher's description of the book, as I don't think I can describe the premise of "Alive in Necropolis" nearly as well as they do:
"Colma, California, is the only incorporated city in America where the dead outnumber the living. The longtime cemetery for San Francisco, it is the resting place of the likes of joe DiMaggio, Wyatt Earp, and aviation pioneer Lincoln Beachey. It is also the home of Michael Mercer, a rookie cop trying to go by the book as he struggles to navigate a new realm of grown-up relationships..."
But instead of settling comfortably into adult life, Mercer becomes obsessed with the mysterious fate of his predecessor in the police unit, Sergeant featherstone, who seems to have become confused about whether he was policing the living or the dead...
This is not a typical description of the books I read. It sounds like an odd cross of mystery and fantasy. I read almost nothing in the mystery genre and not much in the fantasy genre, and there mainly in young adult fantasy. However, I figured that this was a review copy and I might as well give it a chance, branch out a bit.
I am extremely glad that I decided to be openminded about this book! Surprisingly, the whole `policing the dead' aspect turned out to be less prevalent than expected. "Alive in Necropolis" was more about relationships, about being `alive' in this city most notable for graveyards. I was quite impressed with Dorst's skill, particularly as this is his first novel. I figured that the book would feature some ridiculously inventive plot that would excuse a lack of substantial writing. This wasn't remotely true. Yes, there was a fantastic aspect to the plot, but this book was primarily made by the writing. Dorst gave his main character(s) in particular a good deal of depth and was able to show the reader this depth through the actions and reactions of the characters.
I would recommend this book for those who love good, solid, well-written fiction, fantasy fans or not.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Alive in Necropolis, July 31, 2008
Colma, CA has 1200 living residents and 2 million residents already dead. "No one knows for sure what (the dead) do - if they do anything but lie mute, immobile, decaying - but some of the living have their suspicions."
So starts the story of Officer Michael Mercer, Colma Badge 13. Mercer feels that his life is heading in the right direction - a new job, a new girlfriend, and now hailed a local hero for saving the life of the teenaged son (Jude) of a famous film director. However, Colma's dead have also taken an interest in Mercer because, unlike most of Colma's other residents, he is able to both see and hear them.
After Mercer receives 4 boxes of questionable incident reports from the widow of Officer Featherstone, the man he replaced on the Colma police force, he begins to recognize his unusual link with the dead and realize this "communication" was something he had in common with Featherstone.
Mercer soon finds himself saddled not only with Jude's case to solve, but also the pursuit of "Doc" Barker and his gang of ghostly thugs who are harassing the deceased population of Colma. The real question is, if Mercer will be able to actually defeat "Doc" Barker or if he will suffer the same fate as his predecessor, Featherstone.
On the whole, Alive in Necropolis is a wonderfully entertaining read. The author does a fantastic job of bringing all of his characters fully to life - even when they're dead.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best books I've read this year., August 9, 2008
I bought this book randomly and I'm really glad that I did. While the cover is kind of cheesy, the prose inside is anything but.
Although it does involve ghosts, I've never read something so real before. The relationships between the characters aren't exaggerated like you find in so many books. There are real issues and feelings involved. I think the confusion the main character has over whether he was in love or not is a universal problem and I have never seen it explored in this way.
Beautiful book.
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