Author: James Alan Gardner
Review: March 07, 2009
Edition: Copyright 2002 (0-380-81330-0)
Pages: 282---previews at other books extends it to 399
Overall Rating: 5/5 [Great]
Synopsis: On an Earth in the distant future, where humans have lost the knack for our modern technology but still marvel at it in familiar Earthling fashion where it survives, a young woman is murdered by an alien organism. Now a group of her school teachers who have used mediocrity as protection from their myriad fears must venture forth on a quest to save the girl's boyfriend from a similar fate.
Strengths: Strong and varied characters, interesting setting, well-placed humor, vivid writing, strongly executed plot.
Weaknesses: No complaints from me!
Further Review: First off, forgive me a little moment of immature fan-girling, but I have to say that I love Impervia!! What can you not like about a nun who picks fights everywhere she goes?! She's officially among my top favorite characters ever! Okay, now that I'm done gushing...

This book had my attention constantly. When I had to put it down, I was still thinking about it! Gardner's style is easily immersive; his balance and pacing are so well-done that it's just one of those books where you don't even realize you're 'reading' anymore. The reader can imagine everything easily. This book has a lot of genuinely sad scenes, but the fact that they are so sad speaks volumes about Gardner's ability. His book is also humorous and absurd---but never shies away from universal truths even still; his humor and absurdity are almost always observations of the human condition, though not in a cynical or demeaning way.

The way Earth is written here is amazing. In so much "post-Apocalyptic" settings, new humans are completely divorced from the way we are today. Not so with Trapped; characters in this novel treat the past the same way we do today---those who think the 'simpler past' was better, people who are totally enthralled with the way things used to be, fascination, and of course---tourism! So this flavor adds a lot of value to the story, particularly because this seems exactly how our descendants would act. ;) Furthermore, Gardner takes what could have been a very generic plotline and gives it so many unique touches and devices that it's wholly original and interesting.

Characters in this book all possess strong personalities. Each has a history, habits, hopes, quirks. The fact that Gardner moves away from a lot of conventional sci-fi stereotyping is refreshing. The characters are all reminiscent of people one probably knows in real life, which makes them more endearing. Despite having a strong focus on characters, the plot is never drawn-out or subtle. There is a lot of action. A lot of twists, a lot of mystery...basically all those things that keep a sci-reader on the edge of the seat.

Finally, I'd like to mention Gardner has a deeper story to the action, not just here but in his other books as well. He always touches on a theme, but never in a preachy way. Instead, the way he presents ideas is fashioned after the way of someone explaining his or her reason for believing something, not in trying to convince others to believe the same way. The result is like peeking into a different perspective---no hostility, no snideness. Just a story that provides the reader with what has happened to characters, their growth in response, their frames of reference...so that the reader can see where the conclusion for such ideas come from. Pretty commendable, since it actually inspires thought instead of indignation.

This is my second favorite in the series (and he's probably the only author I have two '5-star' rated books from at the moment...) just after Ascending. ( )

ZB13

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