L. Neil Smith Resident Scholar Profiles TOP SCHOLAR: Christie Robnett SCHOLARS:
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Review Summaries
"A terrorist explosion shatters a large building in Laporte, North American Confederacy (the alternate universe Neil introduced in _The Probability Broach_). Win Bear formerly of the Denver PD, and now busy on a copyright infringement investigation (The NAC version of Clark Gable hates _Gone With The Wind_ and wants distribution stopped) must solve the case before certain politically shady groups can revive the Confederacy's almost extinct government. The trail leads into the American Zone-a subculture and neighborhood of recent immigrants from our world and others like it where the inhabitants are slowly, and not always successfully, adjusting to life without government and with personal responsibility."
Brian R. Hughes, Resident L. Neil Smith Scholar
"
Tor, Dec 2001, 26.95, 350 pp.
ISBN: 0312873697
Ever since he crossed over from his polluted dying United States to this alternate Confederacy, detective Win Bear has been quite happy about his “plight”. He never wants to go back to his birth world especially since he enjoys his work as the only detective in the area and he loves his wife.
However, terrorist activities killing thousands apparently caused by some of Win's peers, other crossers, have created a serpent in Eden. Bear knows he must stop this group before some founding fathers get together and form a government like the one he left behind that two centuries earlier destroyed his previous world.
THE AMERICAN ZONE might have played out better before 9/11, but in light of that debacle the theme looks weak because the international world is ignored as a threat. Understanding the Libertarian theory that entangling alliances causes much of the trouble including the 9/11 tragedy, most of the audience will still resent the premise that big government leads to big counter acts by terrorists. L. Neil Smith cleverly interweaves Libertarian sermons into his alternate American history tale that will be easier to follow if the audience reads THE PROBABILITY BROACH first as this story follows in sequence. This is a well-written alternate historical novel starring a wonderful hero, but then there is 9/11 to challenge the underlying axiom of Mr. Smith's basic premise.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident L. Neil Smith Scholar
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Overall Review
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Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 20% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%
Tone of book
- very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- alternate history
Spying & Investigations
Yes
What is main char. doing?
- finding a spy/saboteur
Political power play
Yes
Political plotlets
- saving govt/kingdom from external overthrow
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
- police/lawman
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
- mentally ill
- emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Terrain
- Mountains
- Domed/Underground City
Earth setting:
- during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
- near future (later in 21st 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)
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- descript of kissing
- descript of touching personal anatomy
- actual description of sex
- descript. of non-breast female anat.
How much dialogue?
- significantly more descript than dialog
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