Box Nine

Rating:
Summary: hyper sensitive language centers of the brain
Review: Box Nine by Jack O'Connell is a riveting crime story following the fall from grace of a detective and her brother as they fight with the complexities and complications that linguistics has to offer. In his other book I reviewed earlier, Word Made Flesh, Mr. O'Connell uses linguistics and the semantics of a semantically deprived linguist to embark on a journey where the word is made flesh. In this story, he follows again in the path of logic, semantics, and meanings, but this time focuses on the supersensory experience that might be experienced by people with hyper sensitive language centers of the brain. Whereas the other story was one of depravation, this one is full of overindulgence, rancid sensual stimulants, and over the top characterization of the main players. He continues to use the jumping back and forth between scenes to keep the pace moving smoothly forward, and twists the end around his little finger like a wedding band on a trailer keeper. A very interesting read, and a book that will keep you wondering about the boundaries of language and reality, and where the line between them blurs.

Rating:
Summary: ORIGINAL NOIR THRILLER WITH A SUPER FEMALE LEAD.
Review: Jack O'Connell is one of my favorite authors I love the Combat Zone and all of its quirky, demented characters. Postal Service...Box 9... it doesn't get much better then this if you like very unusual settings and characters. I've just had a taste of his newest, "Word Made Flesh," and am already intrigued. Jack, you've made my next week of reading!

Rating:
Summary: ORIGINAL NOIR THRILLER WITH A SUPER FEMALE LEAD.
Review: Jack O'Connell's Box Nine succeeds in many departments: It has an evocative and original setting, snappy dialogue and a super female lead that oozes charisma. And although the idea of a synthetic and brain-enhancing drug (Lingo), sweeping the streets and changing a culture is a nice idea, I don't think he pulls it off with much conviction.

Rating:
Summary: A powerful debut
Review: Lenore Thomas is one of the most memorable characters in recent fiction - a powerfully intense figure who dominates an equally intense debut novel. O'Connell creates a world - and a drug - that make an indelible impact on the reader.