First Prize

Rating:
Summary: Nicely woven mystery with great characters...
Review: Edward Cline has set down an easy to read, fast-paced glimpse into the everyday Objectivist's world at a ground-level view. This is not epic fiction where the fate of the world hangs on the choices of the character's decisions, but certainly it is a fine example of how people are the product of their philosophies... or lack thereof. And it's refreshing in that the ability of the main character to solve the mystery he is confronted with depends entirely upon his commitmant to his own values.

I think one of the more enjoyable things about this story is seeing a man of principle confront each step of the mystery with rationality and determination to learn the truth... wherever it may lead.

Kudos Mr. Cline!

Rating:
Summary: Nicely woven mystery with great characters...
Review: Edward Cline has set down an easy to read, fast-paced glimpse into the everyday Objectivist's world at a ground-level view. This is not epic fiction where the fate of the world hangs on the choices of the character's decisions, but certainly it is a fine example of how people are the product of their philosophies... or lack thereof. And it's refreshing in that the ability of the main character to solve the mystery he is confronted with depends entirely upon his commitmant to his own values.

I think one of the more enjoyable things about this story is seeing a man of principle confront each step of the mystery with rationality and determination to learn the truth... wherever it may lead.

Kudos Mr. Cline!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Objectivist-flavored mystery.
Review: Has the same feel and flavor as Ayn Rand's "The Night of January Sixteenth" stageplay. It also share's Rand's philosophical principles -- which is fine with me. Unfortunately, it also shares Rand's humorlessness, and isn't really in the same league, as far as plot goes. Still, it's a decent effort, and it's refreshing to see some unapologetic moral certainty. If you haven't read Rand's books, this review won't mean much to you -- and in that case, I suggest you read some of her novels first (they're all great.) If you like Rand, then come back and look at Mr. Cline's book ... without that introduction, I suspect you'll find his detective's motivations inexplicable.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Objectivist-flavored mystery.
Review: Has the same feel and flavor as Ayn Rand's "The Night of January Sixteenth" stageplay. It also share's Rand's philosophical principles -- which is fine with me. Unfortunately, it also shares Rand's humorlessness, and isn't really in the same league, as far as plot goes. Still, it's a decent effort, and it's refreshing to see some unapologetic moral certainty. If you haven't read Rand's books, this review won't mean much to you -- and in that case, I suggest you read some of her novels first (they're all great.) If you like Rand, then come back and look at Mr. Cline's book ... without that introduction, I suspect you'll find his detective's motivations inexplicable.

Rating:
Summary: Philosophically consistent, hard-boiled detective story
Review: This is a fantastic story of a private detective who discovers the truth about a case that is anything but cut-and-dry. The protagonist is hired to find out where an author, the winner of an ostensibly prestigious award, has gone.

He meets this challenge, but then decides that the mystery is not quite resolved. By the time he's finished, all the loose ends are tied up, and the thrill of the hunt is with the reader throughout.

Cline can write a great mystery with a character that is driven by shameless pride in his work. It's nice to see such purposeful writing about such purposeful characters!