Richard Grant (1) (1952–)

Grant is a favourite of mine, one of those solidly interesting writers whose interests and stories lie a little off the beaten path, and yes, include having imbibed a number of substances at one time or another. So, I've kind of hoarded a few of his novels for a rainy day, (although the sun has been shining the whole time I read this latest). In this offering Grant explores a dystopic Earth, ruined by yours truly, but people get along in various ways. Kem, sixteen, is sold by his father to 'the Oasis' for some tools to fix his wagon -- a behemoth machine on treads that roams about what appears to be the ravaged midwest. Kem works first in the galley, then down in the engines, but he is soon brought to the notice of the higher-ups as he is somehow unusual (he has no clue about that, but really, it is simply that he has the kind of curiosity that gets cats in trouble and he's smart). He needs to figure what the Oasis is all about, what it's purpose is, and that gets him in heaps of trouble. The first half of the book was gripping, the second was interesting, but a bit convoluted, which is a thing that happens with Grant in some of his books. Put simply, some continue to fiddle with nature in ways that harm, some are pushing back (while a goodly portion just concentrate on getting along and surviving, like Kem's father in his wagon.) The mantra from Kem's friend Sander is to realize that nothing on the Oasis (or anywhere else, for that matter) is what it seems to be, in fact, usually the opposite. That's all you need to know. Perhaps not his best, but still worthy.… (meer)

Cave Dwellers is set in 1938 Germany. The main character is a young lieutenant in the German army who is tapped by the Abwehr, Germany's military intelligence branch, for a secret mission in the U.S. The German military (which was separate from the SS, Hitler's paramilitary organization) is hoping to somehow unseat Hitler and stop the 'New Germany' movement that is planning invasion and war. Things get complicated quickly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is well-written and plotted, the characters reveal complexity as they wrestle with their inner conflicts even as the action moves right along. I got something of a feel for what it was like to live in Germany during the pre-war years. Highly recommended.… (meer)