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A prodigious amount of research has obviously gone into the writing of this novel by Chris Bohjalian, whose books cover a wide variety of subjects.

Many people sleepwalk; most fortunately without causing themselves severe harm. Others are not so fortunate and in their walks can do injury to themselves and even possibly kill themselves. Annalee Ahlberg has a history of sleepwalking and is enrolled in a medical project to try and help her. She is also taking medicines prescribed for sleepwalkers.

The novel is written from the viewpoint of Lianna, the oldest of her two daughters, and describes one instance where Lianna actually saved Annalee’s life when she pulled her back from the Gale River Bridge near their home in Vermont. Both Lianna and her younger sister Paige have had episodes of walking in their sleep although nothing apparently as severe as Annalee.

One evening Annalee disappears and just does not appear shortly afterward. After a massive search by neighbors, friends and authorities it becomes fairly apparent that she is dead, possibly drowned in the Gale River. Paige starts to swim the river fairly frequently looking for any clue or sign pointing to the whereabouts, dead or alive, of her mother. No trace is found.

Lianna has a meeting with the police to attempt to determine if they are still investigating her mother’s disappearance. In the course of attempting to get information she meets Gavin Rikert, a detective with the local police department. Lianna and Gavin develop an attraction for each other and it comes out that Gavin is a sleepwalker who is also being treated by the same doctor that worked with Annalee. Also discovered by Lianna is the fact that her mother and Gavin met for talks several times without her father being aware of it. Were they lovers?

Bohjalian has no problem keeping the reader glued to the book. He provides information about forms of sleepwalking, which among other things can include sleep sex on the part of one of the partners. A very intellectually rewarding novel as well as commanding the rapt attention of the reader, and certainly another well done book by Chris Bohjalian.

1/17 Paul Lane

THE SLEEPWALKER by Chris Bohjalian. Doubleday (January 10, 2017).  ISBN 978-0385538916. 304p.

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The refrain from an old song is “The Old Man ain’t what he used to be.” But Dan Chase is the very viable exception to that supposed rule.

Thirty five years before the story begins, Dan was an extremely capable agent for U.S. Army Intelligence. He was sent to Libya to covertly assist a rebel army by presenting 20 million dollars to a man acting as the agent for the rebels. The deal went sour when Dan found that said agent had kept the funds. He acted based on his own assessment of the situation and absconded with the money. Now 35 years later he is living in Vermont, retired, a widower with a grown daughter on her own. He has two huge dogs to keep him company.

Unlike other retirees, Dan has amassed a cache of “survival” gear including weapons, cash, fake passports and licenses. And just when he believes himself safe after all the years that have passed since the action in Libya, he is attacked by mercenaries that want to kill him. His instincts propel him into action that finds him embroiled in fighting hired killers, stuck in a precarious car chase, and not knowing if those hunting him were hired by the man in Libya from whom he took the cash, or his previous employer, the US government.

In fleeing from his home in Vermont, he rents a room in an apartment owned by a divorcee who happens to be attractive and drawn to Dan. When he is forced to leave this apartment and flee his enemies the woman goes with him and apparently is in love with him.

Perry’s writing is fast, compelling, and draws in the reader. The only reservation I experienced was that the ending is sudden and too pat. This does not make the reading experience any less enjoyable, just not fitting the temper of the rest of the novel. But I certainly would look for a sequel and pick it up if Perry decides that he would like to go in that direction.

1/17 Paul Lane

THE OLD MAN by Thomas Perry. Mysterious Press (January 3, 2017).  ISBN 978-0802125866. 352p.

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A well told tale of a feud taking place in Greece during the Peloponnesian conflict period occurring about the 4th century BC. During that era, the city states of Athens and Sparta were jockeying for supremacy in the area.

Guild has published many novels with diverse subjects including books set in the ancient world. In these novels his research has led him into fiction in settings that existed during the periods discussed and allowed him to paint protagonists with the probable thoughts and reactions prevalent then.

The Spartan Dagger follows two men living in the times depicted, traveling throughout Greece for many reasons and reacting to the events occurring at the time. Sparta has a culture and system for developing almost superhuman warriors taking young boys away from their families and inculcating them with ideals of war and bravery. The phrase when men went out on war was “Come home with your shield or on it,”meaning victory or death but never surrender.

Shortly before the period of this novel, Sparta had held off a force of about 250,000 Persians with a mere 300 men at Thermopylae giving enough time for Athens to get their navy ready for war. In addition, time was saved for Sparta itself to rally their regular army.

Two Spartan brothers were ordered by their father to go out and prove themselves men by killing members of the tribe of Helots than living in subjugation to Sparta. They do so, coming upon a family who were eating dinner. They kill the father, mother and a daughter but a son escapes. His name is Protos, meaning destiny, and his starts that night. He chases after the brothers managing to kill one and takes his dagger. He spares the other brother but vows he will eventually kill him.

This event starts the many years of conflict between the two. The Spartan boy in manhood becomes a statesman and leads men into battle. Protos finds himself traveling throughout Greece and due to a natural ability as a warrior becomes a leader of forces opposed to Sparta. Each finds love in the book which plays an important role in their development.

Guild is again successful in taking the reader into another era and making events live. Very well done.

12/16 Paul Lane

THE SPARTAN DAGGER by Nicholas Guild. Forge Books (December 27, 2016).  ISBN 978-0765376510. 384p.

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