FROM HERE TO TIMBUKTU

Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth reading!
Review: What kind of book is this? Historical novel? Mystery? Science fiction? "From Here to Timbuktu" is a little of all of those things - and more! Warren Calhoun, in his first novel, has woven a sometimes intricate and always fascinating story about a place very few people know anything about. It's not a "great" book, but it is a very good book. As I read "From Here to Timbuktu", I found myself frequently going to the Internet to try to learn a bit more about Timbuktu and some of the other locations being written about to try to put the story in better perspective.
It's a fascinating story although, at times, it can drag. The story traces the life of the main character, Blake Right, as he moves from being a student to going on his quest to learn the secrets that hide in Timbuktu. At times it does a marvelous job of it, but at other times it falters. The story is tightly woven much of the time, but then suddenly it takes a real leap of imagination to try to figure out how things got from there to here. The characters are interesting and unique, but not always developed to the point that I would expect them to be.
Historically and geographically I found it to be remarkable! It is painstakingly well researched, and Calhoun clearly knows of what he speaks. I would recommend the book to anyone who likes historical novels or mysteries. Read it, put it aside and think about it. It is unusual...but a lot of fun!

Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth reading!
Review: What kind of book is this? Historical novel? Mystery? Science fiction? "From Here to Timbuktu" is a little of all of those things - and more! Warren Calhoun, in his first novel, has woven a sometimes intricate and always fascinating story about a place very few people know anything about. It's not a "great" book, but it is a very good book. As I read "From Here to Timbuktu", I found myself frequently going to the Internet to try to learn a bit more about Timbuktu and some of the other locations being written about to try to put the story in better perspective.
It's a fascinating story although, at times, it can drag. The story traces the life of the main character, Blake Right, as he moves from being a student to going on his quest to learn the secrets that hide in Timbuktu. At times it does a marvelous job of it, but at other times it falters. The story is tightly woven much of the time, but then suddenly it takes a real leap of imagination to try to figure out how things got from there to here. The characters are interesting and unique, but not always developed to the point that I would expect them to be.
Historically and geographically I found it to be remarkable! It is painstakingly well researched, and Calhoun clearly knows of what he speaks. I would recommend the book to anyone who likes historical novels or mysteries. Read it, put it aside and think about it. It is unusual...but a lot of fun!