Smoke Screen CD

Rating:
Summary: Change of perspective but truely fun and enjoyable
Review: First of all, the people who have written poor reviews of this book are clearly demanding that authors stay within the cookie cutter format of novel writing. I was surprised and pleased to see that Mr. Mills has expanded his horizons.
The key to a Kyle Mills book is taking a scenario in the real world and focus in on 3-5 main points or hooks and ignore the rest. With a narrow perspective on the world we're able, with only a small stretch of the imagination, to sit back and go on a fun ride. I can see how this is disappointing or frustrating for some because you're screaming at the book, "what about second hand smoke?!?" By focusing on some key points the author expects the reader to suspend disbelief. This isn't for everyone but for those it works for it's an incredibly fun ride.
His characters are wonderful; although the main character's love interest is a little under-developed.
I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: (4 +) WEIRD & CLEVER - But Still The Essence of Kyle Mills
Review: I bet Kyle Mills really enjoyed writing this book. In some ways SMOKE SCREEN is a major departure from his earlier works (summarized in my review of FREE FALL on 8/17/03); it is a story of corporate and political intrigue told in the first person from the viewpoint Trevor Barnett, a third generation member of one of the founding families of Terra, America's preeminent tobacco company. In order to receive the income from the trust established by his grandfather, Trevor must remain an employee of Terra; his status as a "trustafarian" (read the book for a great definition) has left him bereft of both ambition and any real goals in life. He spends his time writing largely irrelevant reports, hoping for a meaningful relationship with the girl of his dreams (who unfortunately works for an anti-smoking organization), and amusing his aging Great Pyrenees, Nicotine. In a moment of drunken frustration he inadvertently submits a (really clever) summary of the new Surgeon General's report to the company's Board of Directors which he believes will probably get him fired by the CEO, Paul Trainer. Instead, he unexpectedly and inexplicably receives a series of promotions which make him Trainer's key aide and put him in direct conflict with his father, the company's chief counsel.

As a Montana trial proceeds that appears to be likely to force the industry into bankruptcy, Trevor's outspokenness and articulateness lead Trainer to choose him to be Terra's spokesman for their new strategy. In a game of political hardball, the tobacco industry halts the production and sale of all cigarettes until Congress and the President implement legislation which will shield the industry from future product liability by recognizing that smoking is a choice for which individuals have to bear the responsibility for the consequences of their actions. (Previous readers of Mills' earlier works will recognize a reprise of discussions of many of the same philosophical issues that have arisen with regard to the use of illegal drugs.) The political pressures quickly mount on the hypocritical politicians pictured in the story, both because of the panic of smokers cut off from their nicotine but also because of the economic effect caused by the loss of jobs (not just in the tobacco industry itself but also retailers, trucking companies, etc.) and the loss of the huge tax receipts and payments to the federal and state governments under previous legislative compromises. Even the anti-smoking forces have ironically lost their major source of funding.

So, Trevor eventually faces his "fork in the road" moment, when he has to decide which side he is on, what his real beliefs are, and how much risk he is willing to take to achieve his goals if he can finally decide what they are. (And maybe have a chance to win the girl of his dreams at the same time.) There are many great moments of dialog along the way, some deeply philosophical and consonant with the author's libertarian tendencies, many others just fun as Trevor's thoughts and words reflect Mills' cleverness with language. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Paul Trainer "jumped up with the creaking bones and boundless energy of a nursing home escapee on amphetamines", and also one early in the book when we first meet Trevor's boss Chris Carmen, who was "as fine a specimen ...of a Double-Breasted Seether" as Trevor had ever run across.

Since this story is written as a cross between a satire and a serious thriller, I am not sure what the readership appeal will be. However, I really enjoyed it, both because I thought that it was well written and because I believe that if it were possible for our society to adopt this fictional agreement between all the parties involved we would be both better off and truer to the principles on which this country was founded. In fact, I only wish my hope were realistic that tobacco industry managers and politicians could be forced to have their eyes opened by reading this book. My two criticisms and the reason that I did not rate it five stars are that the character development is not as good as in some of Mills other books (perhaps because of the fact this was a first person narration) and that the action on occasion seemed somewhat inconsistent and quite improbable within the storyline constructed by the author.

Tucker Andersen

Rating:
Summary: A radical departure in style
Review: Kyle Mills' work to date has read much like early Tom Clancy, with tight story lines and a technical bent. "Smoke Screen" is more reminiscent of Mike Lupica's Jammer Molloy books, written in first person with a protagonist who's just kind of going along for the ride but has to finally get serious about his life and situation.

Mills still addresses a serious contemporary issue in "Smoke Screen," but he does so with a lighter touch. The body count is down considerably from the author's previous stories, and as a result this book is much more fun to read.

If you buy this book expecting another Mills techno-thriller you may be disappointed. Then again, you may be pleasantly surprised. If you're ready for a book where the the bad guys (for the most part) aren't Evil Incarnate and the good guys (for the most part) don't take themselves quite so seriously, you'll enjoy "Smoke Screen."

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous premise
Review: This book has such an interesting premise, it can't be missed.
That premise is wondering what would happen if the owners and
operators of "Big Tobacco" agreed with the anti-smoking zealots
and government regulators that smoking was bad for us, and they
suddenly, and simply, announced they were stopping all production
and distribution of tobacco products.

Wow. Think what would happen. This author does a very nice
job of describing all the ramifications, from the loss of millions of dollars in tax money to the states and federal govmt, the lack of funding for future anti-smoking campaigns,
the jobs lost in the industry, at both the factory and the
farm ends of that business, as well as the anger of the legions
of smokers suddenly deprived of their addiction. Also raised
is the question of the right of Americans to make their own
informed choices and their right to privacy.

Such ramifications are more complex and far-reaching than
most of us ever thought of, and it will do us good to consider
all of them. Only after studying such possible ramifications
can we begin to fathom the depth of the politics behind Big
Tobacco. Then we can begin to understand the wavering of the
big politicians at all levels on these questions; we get an idea
of the tax dollars the governments now count on, especially
since most states have tobacco-suit settlement money being
grabbed by legislators for favorite projects, and the looting
of the original anti-tobacco purposes by those state legislatures.

It is some very fascinating facts, which the author nicely
combines with some interesting speculations, and the story
is a very worthwhile one.

The only flaw is that toward the end, the author uses the device
of the main characters suddenly, and rather mysteriously,
coming into possession of "secret" facts that allow the story
to go forward to its conclusion.

That fiction device is rather noticeable here, but the book
in any case presents some needed facts and speculations about
Big Tobacco and its history and possible future.

Rating:
Summary: The tobacco industry is under fire.
Review: Trevor Barnett is the protagonist of "Smoke Screen," a new novel by Kyle Mills. Barnett is a young man whose family has made a living by selling tobacco products for generations. While he waits for his trust fund to kick in, Trevor has very little to do. He whiles away his days sitting behind a desk doing nothing for a company called Terra, and he spends his nights smoking cigarettes and playing with his dog, Nicotine.

Terra and other companies that sell tobacco are being plagued by lawsuits brought by sick and dying smokers and their families. Will the lawsuits drive the tobacco companies into bankruptcy? Trevor's life changes dramatically when the CEO of Terra, Paul Trainer, suddenly takes Trevor under his wing. Before he knows it, Trevor becomes a key player in the battle between the tobacco companies, their unionized employees, and the antismoking lobby. Trevor also loses his heart to the brainy Anne Kimball, a lawyer who is a rabid antismoking crusader. Trevor faces a series of ethical dilemmas that force him to take a stand. Will Trevor help his company survive? Is there any way to reconcile the tobacco interests and their opponents?

The problem with "Smoke Screen" is that it has the elements of a thriller, a morality tale, and a satire, and these three elements do not mix very well. In addition, the story is told through Trevor's eyes, and he is a colorless and irritating character. Mills is strongest in his satirical portrayal of greedy and manipulative CEO's, conniving lawyers, ambitious politicians, and voracious reporters. However, his attempt to mix romance, adventure, and controversy is too heavy-handed and it ultimately falls flat.