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34 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Did We All Read the Same Book?, October 2, 2001
I must say, I'm stunned at the volume of negative reviews of this book posted here. I, too, am a huge Dan Simmons fan, and I think this is the best book he's ever written. First off, Darwin Minor is a great character. Practically emotionally shut down by horrific events in his past (which I won't reveal for those of you who plan to read the book), he has found a measure of comfort in the writings of Marcus Aurelius, the second century Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. One could do worse. For me, it's refreshing to see a modern hero whose life is built on SOME foundation (even if, as a Christian, I think its a wrong one), rather than the typical post-modern alienated protagonist who has no access to any tradition. Second, this is a very funny book. I found myself laughing out loud in a number of spots. Like Jonathan Franzen said in a recent interview, I don't trust a writer who isn't funny. Simmons' depiction of antagonist Dallas Trace, a thinly disguised representation of noted legal blowhard Gerry Spence, besides being hilarious, makes me want to be sure I never get on Simmons' bad side. Third, Sydney Olson, the female lead, is also a terrific character. Tough, intellegent, beautiful--and, here's the real kicker--believable. A modern woman, but not hide-bound by feminist claptrap. Yes, perhaps larger-than-life, but isn't that what we want in our heroes and heroines? Fourth sprinkled throughout are a number of wonderful minor characters, especially W.W.D. DuBois, the brilliant and sardonic black lawyer. Also great are the Larry (it's "Lawrence") 'n' Trudy comedy team, who pose as accident investigators but in reality, we come to see, are perfect foils for the protagonist. Fifth, there's a deep sadness that leaks through the edges of this novel. I don't know if it's intentional or not--maybe it's simply a product of Mr. Simmons' own somewhat austere and problematic philosophical orientation--but it gives the story a gritty texture that only enhances its appeal. OK, the story's not entirely without problems. I could make no sense of the equations relating to one of the accident investigations. And there was too much detail for most readers regarding firearms, ballistics, the effects of wind on bullet speeds and trajecteries, etc. But I don't recall anyone getting too hacked off at Michael Crichton when he pulled out that fractal crap in Jurassic Park, and nobody seems to complain about the anal-retentive qualities of Mr. Foucault or Mr. Pynchon or Mr. Eco. I have a theory about what the diehard Simmons' groupies don't like about this book. It's a little cartoonish. Their Literary Genius is having a little bit of fun. Also, many of the naysayers seem to have little familiarity with this genre; their critical remarks often take book and author to task for not writing another Carrion Comfort or Hyperion. I for one would love to see a whole series of Darwin Minor books. He's one of the sharpest blades out there.
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21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Simplistic novel from a master of fiction, January 24, 2001
This review is from: Darwin's Blade (Hardcover)
Although it pains me, I must admit that this book is not destined to enter the pantheon of Dan Simmons' great works. The talented and award winning author of such great novels as the Hyperion saga and Carrion Comfort has created his most pedestrian and simplistic work to date. The novel centers around an accident investigator name Darwin Minor. He is the quintessential renassaince man: he has a razor sharp mind, photographic memory, incredible powers of deduction, and untold wealth; he is an excellent car driver and pilot of gliders (sailplanes), a veritable uberman who can go for days without sleep, who has better than 20/20 vision, and is an excellent sniper as well. Although Darwin is an interesting character, he is simply too good, and therein lies the problem. In creating such a super man as a protagonist, Mr. Simmons paints himself into a corner, whereby most problems that face our hero are handled with cool and professional ease and leaves little suspense. To further aggravate the problem, Mr. Simmons failed to create an equally compelling and able antagonist, and thus we have superman again mere mortals. The novel pits Darwin against a web of criminal activity that involves the Russian mob and other unsavory characters in a complex plan to milk millions from the insurance companies. Reluctantly at first, Darwin is recruited to help the authorities solve the problem by a female investigator named Sydney. She is the only other character in the book who can keep up with Darwin, and I'm not revealing any crucial plot secrets in declaring that they will be attracted to one another. She is erudite, intelligent, calm under pressure, a great marksman(woman?), and has wit and charm as well. Obviously they were meant for one another. In writing this novel, it becomes extremely apparent to the reader that Mr. Simmons has devoted a lot of time researching for this book. However, the research sometimes gets in the way because Mr. Simmons chose to include too much of it into the novel. For example, if Darwin Minor is driving his NSX, the reader is exposed to all the nuances and capabilities of the car; Darwin is flying his glider? Then we must know the make, the model, the flight characteristics, the geography of the area where he is flying, etc. I'm not disparaging Mr. Simmons work, and I will gladly admit that a lot of the information was enlightening and interesting, but the meat and bones of the novel should not be these technical details, no matter how well they are exposed and interwoven into the narrative. Without a doubt, Mr. Simmons is a talented wordsmith, and this book is a page turner. However, the plot is pedestrian at best, with the supporting cast barely being developed; the situation is not gripping or compelling. The only thing that keeps the book moving along is Mr. Simmons skill with words and his ability to entertain the reader. But beyond that, the book has little value and comes as a disappointment, specially since Mr. Simmons has shown time and again that he can weave words around great ideas and plots to create true masterpieces.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't bother, January 7, 2004
------- The first 100 pages of this book are nothing more than: 1) A commercial for Acura.
2) A retelling of internet urban-legend humor.
3) Ranting by the author about other people's grammar usage. Point number 1 is mildly annoying. Do I really need to read an overblown tribute to the NSX and its "luxurious rubber mats?" Point number 2 is particularly annoying. It is as though the author sifted through the "best" of the funny urban legends floating around the internet (including the since-debunked "Darwin Awards" and the "Funny things people write on insurance claims") to fill up his book. In one particularly egregious case, his protagonist has an hour before a meeting and goes to sit in on a court case. The events he witnesses are essentially the retelling of a joke. What does this diversion have to do with the book's plot or characters? Nothing at all. It's as though the author only had enough material for a short story and had to pad it with tired humor to reach novel size. I fully expected to find a chapter that started with "Dar walked into a bar and sat down next to a rabbi, the Pope and the Dalai Lama. The rabbi turned to the Pope and said..." The third point is again mildly annoying. Novels shouldn't be used as a platform for petty grandstanding on the part of the author. I finally gave up when I realized that I had read a third of the book and almost nothing had happened. Don't waste your time.
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