Customer Reviews

Fate

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I must say that I usually don't go in for this type of novel, but I was pleasently surprised by it. There is plenty of excitement, action, adventure, mystery, crime, sex, violence, you name it, its in there. If you only read one book this year, read Fate by Mary Jane. You will be glad you did.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. In fact, I gave a copy to my brother because I knew he would like it too. It reminded me of the writing style found in T.C. Boyle's Friend of the Environment. It was an interesting story with unexpected turns in the plot and it made you feel like you were in the narrator's head, experiencing his thoughts. I am looking forward to Mary Jane's next book.

Fate by Mary Jane is a deftly written novel showcasing the eternal dilemma of destiny versus free will. A successful attorney turned incompetent bank robber and a mysterious woman become entangled in an amazing quest along the length and breadth of America, with unforseen consequences awaiting their zigzag journey, in which each will have to make a final, life-changing decision once and for all. Fate is an original, exciting, enthralling, carnival ride of a read.

I found this a very enjoyable read. The characters were quirky, complex, and humorous. It was imaginatively written in much the same way Douglas Adams wrote the Hitch Hiker series and the Dirk Gently series. It has the same intimacy and off hand style as a book by Vonnegut. Most of all I found it fun.

This is by far the greatest novel I've ever written; the fact it's also currently my only novel should not take away from the sincerity of my review. The story is fast paced and exciting, following two inept bank robbers as they try to evade capture and not kill each other at the same time. One of the robbers, Christian Whitney, has the added difficulty of falling in love-at-first-sight with a bank teller while robbing the bank - surely something bank robbers are not supposed to do. This is the woman he's been seeking for years - for more reason than one. Oh heck, just buy the book and see for yourself. Another thing that makes this such a page-turner is that it includes references to many classic rock songs, tying the narrative in to the collective consciousness of a generation or two of music lovers. Throw in interesting minor characters like an ambitious TV new reporter (and her loyal cameraman), a philosopher living at high altitude, and literature's first truly omniscient narrator, and you have a book you'll want to read again and again - and recommend to friends! As the story twists and turns, you'll have to decide for yourself if it's fate that is driving these poor souls along or if it's their free will which is making a mess of things. After you figure it out, please e-mail me and tell me all about it. Sincerely, Mary Jane
Also recommended: Everything by Kurt Vonnegut; 'Catch-22' by Joseph Heller; and 'A Widow for One Year,' 'A Prayer for Owen Meany,' and 'A Son of the Circus' by John Irving.