The Probability Broach - L. Neil Smith Book Review

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Review Summaries

" Orb, Dec 2001, 15.95, 315 pp. ISBN: 0765391539 In Denver homicide detective Win Bear begins to feel his age after years on the force dealing with all kinds of vermin. His latest case is the usual chasing a murderer in a country that is totally controlled by the government with killers seemingly the only individualists left. The economy is in the tank and the only thing rising is pollution. Individual freedoms are nearing “zero”. Win stumbles on the PROBABILITY BROACH. He enters a different United States where individual freedom means everything and with limited government, technology has thrived within the blue skies. A different history has occurred with the major divergence beginning in 1794 with Gallatin joining the revolting Pennsylvania farmers, which results in the execution of Washington. The rest is history. This is a reprint of a 1980s tale comparing two worlds, ours and an idyll realm based on L Neil Smith's contention that we lost freedoms during the Federalist period that also cost progress. Readers do not have to be libertarians to enjoy a well-written science fiction that dramatically portrays government excess using an alternate historical base for comparison. The story line engages the audience while making the readers think especially with today's debate over military tribunals for alleged terrorists or even the Steele case under Starr. Though avoiding the issue of the private sector stealing our civil liberties that also permeates American history, Mr. Smith's novel remains fresh today as the air in his alternate history is so that the reader gains a fabulous thought provoking novel that also entertains its audience. Harriet Klausner

Crested sapwood supportable noradrenaline runout. "
Harriet Klausner, Resident L. Neil Smith Scholar

"An ordinary police detective with an ulcer and fallen arches finds himself the target of government killers. In the process of dishing out a little leaden justice, he unwittingly activates a 'probability broach', a gate into a parallel universe where government gradually faded away after George Washington lost the Whiskey Rebellion (and his life) to Albert Gallatin. Our Hero must adjust to an anarchist society while hunting down the authoritarians who are trying to kill him and enslave two time-lines.

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"
Brian R. Hughes, Resident L. Neil Smith Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - alternate history
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - dimension travel
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - spying/espionage in enemy territorry - finding a killer (criminal) - deposing an evil leader - unraveling a conspiracy
Tech./$$$/Info hunt Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying - weapon - info about lifeform(s)/society/phenomena - state secrets
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding - change of heart
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - one culture tries to impose its culture on another group

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric
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 - physically sick

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - killer - mastermind
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric - obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
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 fair amount of scientific explanation
Sex in book? Yes
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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