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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
First book in new series is magnificent! Imaginative & complex!, January 1, 2008
This review is from: Neitherworld Book One Akiiwan (CreateSpace Version) (Paperback)
I seldom expect too much of a debut novel, but every once in a while a gem comes along. This book by Scott Baker is just such a jewel--it's a keeper!
Blending archeology with Native American myth and alien wonder, Baker weaves a story so complex it will stun you ... and he ties it all together with grace and dexterity, like the best of wordsmiths. This story starts with a revered shaman of the 1600s, continuing on into contemporary times.
I was hooked from the prologue and couldn't wait to read more ... to find out what happens to Samantha Horner, the archeologist called in by a real estate developer to examine and excavate a site found on Blue Heron Island in Minnesota where he was building a luxury housing community.
But is the developer what he claims to be? Why are government agents so interested in the project? Will Samantha be able to save the island the Native Americans hold sacred without a rebellion? And how does a mysterious young girl, descendant of a famous shaman, fit into the picture. Does Samantha--who has a small amount of Native blood--have the supernatural "gift" that the child does? And what does the "black hole" have to do with people disappearing?
To find out the answers, you will have to RFY (read for yourself); to say more would be to spoil the plot.
In addition to exciting twists and turns and several back-stories, there is also romantic intrigue between Samantha and Dr. Ron Griffith, a co-worker on the excavation.
It's evident from this first novel that Baker has a talent for writing. His characters ring true, his dialog is impeccable, and the intricate plot is carefully, professionally woven to form a block-buster book. Intriguing storyline! Likable characters with just enough villains to make for hours of good reading.
I highly recommend this book--in fact, I "dig" it--and look forward to the second in the series which has just been released.
Reviewed by: Betty Dravis, 2008
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Epic Imagination, February 24, 2008
The first volume of Scott Baker's debut novel, Neitherworld Book One Akiiwan, treats the reader to an imaginative and entertaining story that reaches across centuries and multiple dimensions. It is a blend of mystery, mysticism and mayhem structured to hold the pieces together while keeping the action moving forward.
As with any large-scale work of art, the viewer occasionally needs to step back to appreciate the complexity yet move in close to absorb the details the artist is expressing. This is true of Baker's work, as well, especially since the story requires another whole volume (Book Two Ishpiming) before it is concluded. If the reader is captivated by the storyline, the commitment to see it through will follow.
The setting for Akiiwan is a small island in the middle of a lake in northern Minnesota, considered to be sacred by the Native Americans of that area. The Ojibwe nation had called the region home for several centuries and was particularly protective of the island in the center of the lake. Baker populates this setting with an archeological team hired by a man posing as a real estate developer. The team's purpose is to explore, identify and set aside any historical artifacts found to clear the way for the developer to begin construction.
As with any good yarn, the conflict is set early: "However, there may be something significant in the island's central clearing. There's a cave and a large boulder there with what I'm told may be ancient petroglyphs. If so, I'd like to know what they mean."..."So would I...so would science," Sam said, her eyes narrowing with curiosity over both the Ojibwe site and the developer's motives."
The introduction of a security team to accompany the dig team clues the reader in to the real motive driving exploration of the unusual island and is one of several strong threads of mistrust woven throughout the tale. The science fiction element takes it place alongside the mystical ceremonies of the ancient shamans in the form of an anomaly that intrigues the secret government agencies who hope to learn more about it through the guise of the archeological dig.
Tension and interaction among the team members, led by Dr. Samantha Horner, is believable as is the communication and relationships with other characters who become involved in the dig and its revelations. Baker also brings to life a set of animal characters who serve a purpose in revealing conflict within the spirit world which brings yet another degree of intrigue and drama to the disharmony building throughout the novel. A ten-year-old child, Orenda, is the catalyst for making things happen between the past, present and future states of the island and its mysteries.
Well-done illustrations interspersed throughout the novel add clarity and a sense of realism to support the storyline.
While I enjoyed the story, I must say I was distracted by the lack of good editing and proofreading. It is rare for a book to be totally mistake-free but this one had more than I am used to seeing. Good editing would certainly have eliminated sentences such as "It was a dark and rainy night" and tightened up a few scenes that had perhaps too many details along with the occasional awkward passage. It is always difficult to know what to cut and what to keep when weaving a fanciful tale but I think it is particularly important when telling a tale with a long, complicated storyline.
Overall, NeitherWorld Book One Akiiwan is an engaging escape from the world, as we typically know it, and it will delight readers who enjoy the mixed genres represented in Baker's work. I look forward to reading Book Two Ishpiming.
Review by Paula Buermele, a reviewer for Bookpleasures and the author of the fictional novel, "The Dream Catcher Tour".
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting twist to the science fiction genre, October 22, 2007
Neitherworld Book One Akiiwan -- THIS powerful first novel, tells an intricate and complex story with a refreshing viewpoint about the interaction of an alien culture with a North Eastern American Indian tribe - the Ojibwe or Chippewa. Guns and battle does not lead to a resolution, as is the case in most science fiction that contains aliens who are trying to take control of the world.
The novel's canvas is broad. The author shows a remarkable ability to fit together the pieces of a complex puzzle seamlessly, including the machinations of the Department of Homeland Security, the perils faced by an archaeological dig team and tensions between the Ojibwe preservationists and a real estate company.
In "Neitherworld, Book One - Akiiwan" Scott Baker gives us a vivid and engaging story. He is a writer of great range, vigor and acuity and his book makes a compelling read.
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