Saturday 26 April 2014

Us Conductors by Sean Michaels

I was Leon Termen before I was Dr Theremin, and before I was Leon, I was Lev Sergeyvich.

I like unusual lines. This one suggests slightly unusual circumstances and therefore raises a few questions, though there's probably a perfectly reasonable explanation. Nevertheless there is a hit of foreshadowing of some conflict: either the person needed to change his name for political reasons or this guy has multiple personality disorder. With a name like Lev Sergeyvich I assume the former.

What follows is some exposition about an instrument and how it could have been named before revealing they are on a ship called Stary Bolshevik that sort of expands upon the Russian theme.

First thing said:

"All right, Lev."

Verdict: Pass (barely)

This opening only mildly interests me. There is not much else to say about it, nothing bad about it except that it's not remarkable or memorable, which is the worse thing about it, I suppose. The writing is fine and I see no reason for people interested by the blurb to read on. I however, didn't read the blurb so will move on to the next book in my quest to find the perfect beginning.

Sincerely,
Theodore Moracht


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