1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Should Have Been an Episode, June 4, 2002
This is one of McConnell's stronger entries in the series and touches on points that would have worked well in an episode of Quantum Leap. Child Abuse, tinkering with known history and Sam's own discomfort at being in the body of a female are all familiar themes seen in Quantum Leap. Some reviewers call this all gimmicky, but I think the gimmick, if there is one, works. Definitely a must read, must have if you collect the series.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best in the "Quantum Leap" series!, October 3, 2001
Ashley McConnell managed to turn me off in her interpretation of "Quantum Leap" in "Quantum Leap: The Novel." To make a long story short, my expectations of the book were nowhere near what I got out of it. But keeping an open mind, I decided to go ahead and read "The Wall," thinking it had some promise. Luckily, it *did,* and I'm glad I had the foresight to pull it off the shelf.
"The Wall" discusses the serious issues of the Cold War, child abuse, and alcoholism with a very intellectual tone; much different than anything I had read in McConnell's first book. Unlike the first attempt, you can actually read it thinking, "Yeah, I can actually see Sam thinking/doing that here," instead of the sometimes irrelevant fluff that comes out of other stories. Instead of giving readers a cut and dry Leaping scenario, McConnell allows time for analysis and different outcomes. Yes, yes, I mean to say there's an actual, well-thought plot! There was enough detail in it to keep me from wondering, "Well gee, wouldn't (insert name here) have something to say abut that?" (which is nice if you're one of those analytical types like myself), yet it wasn't annoyingly bombarding with the sidenotes and tidbits that are at times cute, but usually serve no purpose.
You can read this book and get something out of it, seeing as how it's such a serious subject. Yet it doesn't detract from all the usual fun things in the "Quantum Leap" universe. You've still got Al, Ziggy, and the whole crew at the Project to lend comic relief, support, and sometimes add to the drama. If ever come across this one, take the time to read it. It's one of the better ones in the series.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Pointlessly Gimmicky and Underdeveloped, October 5, 1998
By A Customer
Some of the characterization of the girl Sam leaps into is cute, but for the most part, "The Wall" was too gimmicky for my tastes. The idea is, he leaps into this girl's life when the Berlin Wall is being built and later when it is torn down. I guess that's supposed to mirror the time the barriers in her family were built up and later when she and her brother finally had the courage to tear them down and face their father's abuse, since the BERLIN Wall never comes into play that much. Whatever. The Wall angle was really pointless, and the second leap into the woman's life was so short that it left no impact whatsoever. Altogether, an underwhelming QL effort.
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