Gag Reflex

Perhaps it is a run of bad luck, but I have hit three books in a row on my summer reading that are absolutely horrible.

The first is THE KILL CLAUSE that is nothing more than the STAR CHAMBER with deputy marshals instead of judges and an extraordinarily trite ending.

The second is THE ROMANOV PROPHECY that contrives a plot about the return of the Tsar to modern day Russia. Thrillers are supposed to get tighter as you reach the end. This one just gets s-l-o-w-e-r and s-l-o-w-e-r.

Finally, I tried THE BIG SECRET (the title should have tipped me off). This book turned on a plot device akin to Deux Ex Machina for every significant development. It is simply horrible.

I recognize that the book business is spending most of its money on big name best sellers and self help books. But if they hope to develop new talent, they are going to have to think about what they are shuffling out for a product.