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Review Summaries
"Tainted Trail is the sequel to Alien Taste and continues the adventures of Ukiah Oregon. When Alicia, a close friend, goes missing in Oregon, Max and Ukiah fly out to try and find her. They quickly discover that Alicia's disappearance is a kidnapping and begin a race against the clock. In their search for her, Ukiah finds out that he may be the legendary Wolf Boy who was lost in 1933. He tries to contact the Kicking Deers, who wrote the original newspaper article and offered a reward for information on Magic Boy, but they think he is another fraud and refuse to speak with him. Meanwhile, Max begins to fall in love with Sam, a private investigator whose ex-husband refuses to believe the marriage is over, and discovers that there have been many unexplained deaths in the area. Is there a link between Alicia and the other deaths? How are the Kicking Deers involved? What is Ukiah going to do with his "father" Rennie when he comes out to protect him? Another great mystery featuring Ukiah Oregon.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I got very attached to Spencer's characters in Alien Taste and was excited to see them again in this book. Ukiah is a fascinating combination of innocence and deadly skills. Readers will enjoy learning more about Ukiah as he slowly discovers who and what he is. It was also great to learn more about Rennie, Ukiah's main Pack contact, and his past. Max Bennett finds a love interest this time and starts to come alive again after his first wife's death. Sam is the object of his affections and I look forward to learning more about her because she is one tough lady. I did miss Indigo and Kittaning in this book, though, as they were back in Pittsburgh.
Wen Spencer has a nice, smooth writing style that reads very quickly and easily. She has a great plot that keeps you glued to this book and many subplots that add to, rather than detract from, this book as a whole. For those of you who haven't read Alien Taste, I highly recommend that you do (because I like to read series in order), but, if you haven't, you can read this book and understand everything because Spencer gives nice synopses throughout. However, it does not detract or bore those readers who already know what she is talking about.
"
Debbie, Resident Wen Spencer Scholar
"
Roc, June 2002, 6.99, 320 pp.
ISBN 0451458877
There is nobody in the world quite like Ukiah Oregon. His genetic make-up is that of an alien sire and an Earth woman. He has heightened senses, which make him an excellent tracker, is almost impossible to kill and is more than two centuries old. Ukiah's earliest memories were that of growing up and being raised by wolves until he was caught in a trap and adopted by two women who set the non-lethal snare.
He works with private detective Max Bennett who is one of the few humans privileged to know about Ukiah's background. Their latest case takes them to Oregon where a hiker has gone missing. Her uncle has hired them to locate her but when Ukiah picks up the trail, he discovers that she is the victim of a kidnapping. While trying to locate her despite the attempts of the kidnappers to stop him, Ukiah also tries to follow a promising link to his mother's family which, in turn, leads him to his father's enemies..
Containing elements from the mystery and science fiction genres, TAINTED TRAIL is a unique and highly entertaining reading experience. It is easy to believe that the hero is a lovable half-breed alien, which makes the underlying premise for this work easy to accept. The mystery is a tightly woven cerebral puzzle that is almost impossible to figure out until the author reveals the final clues. Hopefully Wen Spencer will continue to write about Ukiah Oregon (the person, not the place).
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Wen Spencer Scholar
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Overall Review
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Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%
Tone of book
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Spying & Investigations
Yes
What is main char. doing?
- rescue mission/escape from confinement
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture
Yes
Culture clash-
- feelings as an alien growing up among humans
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- long lived adults
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- mind reading
- super strength
- is very quick
- can read emotions
- healing
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
- long-lived adults
Profession/status:
- killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Terrain
- Mountains
- Forests
Earth setting:
- 20th century
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- explicit references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- an average amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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