We continue to present “New Voices”—book reviews from students in Shelah Miner’s Mormon Literature course at BYU-Salt Lake. The next set of book reviews are by Jackson Sheffield (Beat, by Jared Garrett), Brandon Bayles (Lie Catchers, by Paul Bishop) and Jessica Walters (Death Coming Up the Hill, by Chris Crowe). Please be encouraging towards these students, most of whom are new to college-level writing assignments.
Beat by Jared Garrett
Reviewed by Jackson Sheffield
The story of a strong young character trying to save their futuristic dystopian world is a familiar one to many readers. Many best-selling novels and blockbuster movies have found great success in these kind of stories. Jared Garrett is able to take that common storyline, however, and freshen it up with new ideas and plot lines throughout his new book Beat. The main character of the book, Nik Granjer, is a fifteen year old boy that lives in a city set in the future called New Frisko. More than 100 years earlier a deadly disease they call “the Bug” begins to kill thousands of people on earth. The government discovered that the Bug only infects and kills people when their heart rate goes faster than 140 beats per minute. After millions die, the government created a type of permanent wristwatch that monitors the heart rate of the person wearing it. If their heart rate gets too close to 140 it will inject “the knockout,” which causes the person to instantly fall asleep in order to lower their heart rate. Nik and some of his friends do not believe that the Bug could still exist in the air after such a long time, and that for some reason the new government just wants to control the citizens of New Frisko. Nik is tired of living a life that is controlled by some unseen force.
In New Frisko each citizen wears the same grey suit, eats the same tasteless food, told what job to do, and even programmed to go to bed each night by receiving an injection of the knockout. Nik tests his belief that the Bug is extinct by preventing the injection of the knockout, and survives having his heart rate go above 140. But, when his friend does the same thing, he ends up dying from the Bug. Confused and devastated, Nik is determined to figure out why his friend died when he did not. Trying to find answers, Nik survives many attacks and adventures, and ultimately decides he needs to head back to the hub of the government in order to find out what is really happening. [Spoliers follow] Nik soon discovers that the knockout itself contains the Bug. Since Nik had been preventing the injection for a few months before the night he pushed his heart rate, he did not have the Bug in his bloodstream like his friend. What the government said would heal and protect them, was the very thing that could also kill them. After heavy intimidation, the Prime Administrator, who is the leader of New Frisko, confesses to creating the Bug years ago in order to unite society and keep everyone protected and happy. Nik knows he needs to inform everyone, and with a help of some of his friends he is ultimately able to take down the government and its leader, creating a new and free life for everyone.
I enjoyed this book very much. Although there is a sequel coming out later this year, this book worked very well by itself. When reading the last page I was satisfied with the resolution and way the plot had developed throughout the novel. Jared Garrett is a new author and overall I enjoyed his writing style and technique. He was able to really engage me as a reader by using the slang the characters used and spelling common words differently in the way the characters knew it. For example on page 86 he writes “I knew laws of Biolojy and Fiziks governed the world, but it was as if those laws had decided to make things as interesting and beautiful as possible.” He also has the characters use words such as “bug” and “frag” as almost a type of substitute for swear words. He does a great job in submersing the reader in the book without confusing the reader too much. I did however find myself occasionally frustrated because at various times throughout the novel it seemed as though the author and all the characters knew information that I did not know. For example, when Nik first learns that the knockout contains the Bug, you read about Nik’s reaction and the plans he makes before even finding out the new key information. It was a unique writing technique that did make me want to continue reading as fast as I could to find out what was actually happening.
The overall plot of Beat is fast paced which makes the novel very enticing and interesting. The plot is constantly moving forward, even in the first pages of the novel. Initially I was lost in the first chapter or so as Garrett jumps right into the story without much explanation or description. Sometimes it comes back to hurt the pace of the novel because Garrett gets caught up in having to pause and describe the world and technology of the book at crucial moments. One of the greatest strengths of the novel is that its contents and stories were pretty believable. Although it is a science fiction novel, I did not find anything too outrageous. The places and technology were things that I could see existing in a future world and helped bring the overall futuristic feel of the novel. I appreciated that Nik’s interactions with others, his trials and fights were pretty real as well. It was not always easy for Nik’s character to escape or obtain everything he wanted. It took effort and failure, which is a pretty realistic aspect of life.
Garrett does a great job in creating Nik Granjer as a strong main character. I would have liked to read about more of Nik’s emotions, but his character does not come across too flat or too complex. The majority of the book Nik is basically by himself and I felt that Garrett did not take full advantage of that to develop or express many of Nik’s emotions or thoughts. I was able to understand Nik better and see his development when he was interacting with other characters and speaking with them. I also would have liked to seen more character background and development of other characters such as Nik’s friend Melissa. She is a key character in the last half of the novel, but by the end the only information I really knew is that she had a fiery attitude and determination.
Garrett’s Mormon background comes through with the theme of agency throughout the novel. Agency is obviously a common topic in Mormon culture, and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. Nik is fighting for freedom and choice for everyone in New Frisko. When Nik asks the Prime Administrator why he created the Bug, he responds that he did it to protect people and make them happy. His reasons are very similar to Satan’s ideas, which I found was a cool similarity. We can see the parallels on page 272, when the Prime Administrator explains his reasoning, “The problem [is] choice. Of individuality. Society must be united for it to survive…That doesn’t work if everyone thinks they have a voice.” With lines such as those and his controlling actions that link him to satanic ideas, the reader instantly despises his character. The reader is really able understands why Nik is fighting for the power of agency.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to almost every one of all ages. The book is not too graphic or dark for middle grade readers and is interesting enough for adults. With the popularity of dystopian novels, I think this would be a great novel to add to that list. Overall it has a fast paced plot and an interesting and believable setting that engages all readers.
Lie Catchers, by Paul Bishop
Reviewed by Brandon Bayles
There were not many detectives in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) that could compare with Jane Randall. She was one of the true lie detectors in the department and was unique in how she uncovered the truth. At least that was true, until she was forced to partner up with one of the greatest lie detectors in LAPD history. His name was Ray Pagan, and Ray was a legend. He even had his own set of followers, or “wolves”, as he liked to call them. He volunteered to train Jane and help her reach that next level in her career. But Ray was also a head case. His ego got the best of him at times and it created a bad image for the department. Both of them were put together to become the Ying to each other’s Yang. However, the balancing act of them being together was not easy. Both of them became engulfed in a set of cases that would test both of their unique skills as lie catchers.
These set of cases at first seemed unconnected. The first case was the kidnapping of Smack Daddy’s little girl Unique. Smack Daddy was the owner of Smack Records label and a big time celebrity. The second was the kidnapping of the Martin family’s little boy Gerrard. Their little one had autism and didn’t seem to have any sort of connection to a big shot like Smack Daddy. Ray and Jane used their unique set of skills and eventually found that they were in fact connected. Ray used his interrogating techniques and his ability to empathize with others and Jane used her ability to see when people were lying. They found that Smack Daddy’s new recording artist Changeling was the one who kidnapped both of the children. This developes into one of the most unique stories you would find in a crime drama. It was not easy for Jane and Ray to work together but they eventually learned how to use their skills together to help the two kids return home.
One of the most interesting characters in the book is Ray Pagan. Many Latter Day Saint (LDS) authors have a Savior theme in their works, whether done intentionally or unintentionally. This Savior can take many forms but some of his/her main roles are to help, support, lead, and become an example to others. What is unique about Ray Pagan is that he is in fact playing this Savior role. Although author Paul Bishop may have tried to hide it. This sort of hidden Savior was a great strength of the book. Ray Pagan was very rough as shown by his swearing, unpredictability, and bad boy attitude. Yet at the same time he represented the Savior in a number of ways that may not seem so obvious at first. This character in this sense can relate to both LDS and non-LDS readers. This love/hate relationship with the character is also something that many LDS or even Christians feel when they are trying to develop a relationship with their Savior in real life. Ray was without a doubt hard to get along with, controlling, and unpredictable but if we look closely we can see that he represents the Savior.
At the very beginning of the book we can begin to see Ray as a Savior-like character. Ray specifically set out to train and help Jane become what she was meant to be. He was able to see her gifts and full potential. This is something that our Savior can do with us. Ray let Jane know at one point that he knew what she could become by saying, “”I know who you are, Randall (Jane). It’s time to stop hiding.’ I turned to look back. I could feel my heart pounding, the blood coursing through my veins. ‘I also know what you are,’ Pagan (Ray) said. His voice was soft, mesmerizing, yet his words were like hammer blows. ‘Am I supposed to gamble on you?’ I asked, dry mouthed. ‘You don’t gamble on a sure thing,’ Pagan said— and I saw truth.”(32) The Savior also has confidence in us that we may not have in ourselves. Ray knew that Jane was a “sure thing” and could see the truth. He helped her gain confidence in herself and she was able to use her skills in ways that she never had before. She became something different and better than she was before.
Another unique way to connect Ray with the Savior is through his gift to feel/see how others are truly feeling. Many LDS believe that the Savior through the atonement process was able to feel and come to really know how each and every single person feels throughout life. Ray Pagan during his interviews was able to tap into this power and uncover the truth. No one could really lie to him. Just like LDS and many other religions, they believe that they cannot hid anything from the Savior. This is how Ray describes his gift, “I have gifts— enhanced skills— but everything I know and do in an interrogation involves experience, information, awareness, knacks, and trickery— it’s all smoke and mirrors. I understand people. I can reach them on an empathic basis….. One example would be when somebody is angry. All most people hear are the angry words. I feel what is behind the anger, what the person is truly saying: I am scared, I am frustrated, I am insecure, I feel threatened.” (54) He could feel what others were going through and it was clear that he was burdened by this gift throughout the book. But he pressed on just like the Savior. Both the Savior and Ray never gave up on those they cared about and they both used the truth to help.
Along with Ray Pagan another huge strength of the book was the storyline. The story overall involved a great amount of character development, set-up and knowledge in order to follow it. Paul Bishop’s years in the LAPD were defiantly used and it was somewhat enjoyable seeing the different aspects of law enforcement that you do not always see every day. He used this knowledge to make the story real and interesting. The characters were not your average detectives. The cases used throughout the story were interestingly complex and somehow he was able to find a way to connect them. This connection between the two cases was something that Bishop was able to do from his years of law enforcement. If you are looking for a good realistic mystery with an interesting story line and characters this is a good read.
One area of concern that one can have with this book can be found with the development of Jane Randall. Throughout the story she begins to use her powers and help Ray in the different cases but you really never got to see her skill fully develop. You are left at the end of the book wondering where their relationship will go and how much her powers could improve. An element of patience may be required here especially considering that there was no mention of a sequel. However if there is a sequel then this element has the potential to be taken care of otherwise you are most defiantly left wondering if her skills are ever going to fully develop.
Overall the book was well written, interesting, and appealing the both the non-LDS and LDS reader. The story will have you fully engaged and captivated as to what the solution to the two cases are. The ending gives you some closer when the kids are found safe and at the same time it doesn’t, with that you do not get to see the full development of Jane Randall.
Death Coming Up the Hill, by Chris Crowe
Reviewed by Jessica Walker
Death Coming Up the Hill is about a boy named Ashe, living in the 1960s during both the Vietnam War and the racial war in America. Ashe has little involvement in the war at the beginning, but he does have another war going on within his home. Ashe’s mom is a preacher of peace and his dad is a supporter of war. On top of their differences, his parents were only married because they were pregnant with Ashe. They have been at war against each other ever since Ashe can remember. Their family is further torn apart when his mom becomes pregnant with a black man’s baby. The legal battle that ensues eventually drives Ashe to do what he was so against throughout the majority of the book: enlist in the army and head out to war.
The strength of Death Coming Up the Hill is not in its plot. The story told in between the lines of poetry was the most impactful part. Chris Crowe wrote this book in 16,592 syllables. He specifically chose that number because that is the exact amount of American soldiers we lost to the Vietnam War in 1968. He has the main character point that out in the beginning, and then he continues to highlight the number of deaths each week in the year. I think this is incredibly chilling, and it gives you a good vantage point to use throughout the rest of the book.
My other favorite part of the book was Crowe’s use of repetition to emphasize passages. For example, the phrase “coming up the hill” is used multiple times throughout the story. In the opening pages, Ashe’s mom states, “You never know what’s coming up the hill.” She intends to uplift her son with this phrase, but there is something worrisome about it to Ashe. The phrase is repeated throughout the novel until it is stated one last time at the end of the book. When Ashe is ultimately recruited into the war, he says, “I see Death coming up the hill, and I am not ready to meet him.” These moments are already noteworthy. However, the repetition of the phrase really highlights these moments and inserts a deeper meaning into the poetry.
The final strength I found in the novel was the parallelism Crowe made between all of the events in the book. The storyline is primarily about Ashe and the war going on within his family. But the book further explains more about this war by paralleling it to the war in Vietnam. This allows Crowe to go deeper into the emotion of Ashe’s situation without having to describe more about it. Both wars were linked to the undeclared war going on within America. The racial wars were still going on. Hate was overcoming a large majority of the American people, including Ashe’s dad. I have never compared the Vietnam War and the racial war in America, but when I looked at those events side by side, I saw ironies that I had never thought about. The Vietnam War was about stopping communism and preserving the rights of the individuals in South Vietnam. However, our hate in America was constantly focused on keeping the rights away from our own citizens. We essentially had similar communistic views toward the African Americans at that time. It was ironic that we couldn’t see the internal struggle as easily as we could see the struggle of other nations. The irony is again paralleled in Ashe’s family life. Ashe’s parents thought they were holding their lives together because of the love that they had for their son. They waged a war against each other, but this seemingly external war was the only thing they saw. What they were unaware of was the silent war they were internally igniting within their son, Ashe. These parallels brought insight into both the storyline and the events in our nation’s history.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I felt there were a few weaknesses. The first is the lack of plot and character development. There were many important characters in the book that I still don’t feel like I know anything about or feel the sympathy that Ashe feels toward them. For example, Ashe’s dad is mentioned many times throughout the book, but he still doesn’t become a real person to me. Ashe has to go through a lot of emotional stress when he is pulled between his mother and father. I felt that these moments would have been a lot stronger if I had been able to invest in the character of his dad. He wasn’t developed enough to become a deep character; therefore, I didn’t get as emotionally involved in that situation as I would have preferred. However, in defense of the literature, it is very difficult to fit complex character and plot developments into 16,592 syllables. Poetry is designed to force you to read between the lines and develop some of the story yourself.
The other weakness I felt the book had was the conflicting focus on the war victims. As mentioned earlier, the number of dead American soldiers shows up repeatedly throughout the book. It’s in the syllables, it’s listed at the top of every entry, and it’s even mentioned in the content. However, the content of the book tries to wrap you around the idea that they are individuals and not numbers. It feels as if the book is almost contradicting itself. However, this may have also been a tool used by Crowe to add contrast into the story and really focus on the lives that were taken away from us in the Vietnam War.
Ultimately, I felt Death Coming Up the Hill was incredibly powerful. It is an easy read that not only informs, but also encourages you to further contemplate the events of our past. This book gave me insight into today’s problems as well, and it helped me to become more observant of the wars going on around me so that I might be able to help. I would highly recommend this book.