Wildside

Wildside by Steven Gould

I’ve reread this one a lot of times. There is something comforting about it. It is at its heart an escape fantasy and I think that might be the attraction for me. I read it at a time in my life where I needed an escape. It’s not a great book, really. But it satisfies a universal desire to get out, to leave this world (literally), or to gain a strong measure of control over your life.

There are multiple problems with the book- plot, characterization- but its themes are strong.

I've enjoyed Gould's Jumper books so much I thought I'd try his other materials. There is a direct line of improvement to his story telling through the past several decades. This, published in 1996, just after Jumper, shows an improved tightening of action, with acceptable suspense, but his characters are not yet fleshed out as well. You can see the beginnings of deeper character development, with Charlie's body image, and some parental issues (like Joey's dad's drinking) that will blossom in later books. Though the premise is good, Gould is not yet able to balance his techno-nerd with the needs of story. While the aviation detail does assist the feel for reality, it's possibly excessive.
Gould specializes in super-talented characters. show more There is not a reader connection with characters. The last third of the book, though it still has the meticulous telling of difficulties, is somehow, too facile, and interest drops away. The ending promises a sequel, so we'll see. show less

This book takes a long time to get exciting and I was thinking I would be rating it 3 stars for about 2/3rds of the book. But once it gets its legs it really takes off into an exciting suspenseful ride. And the ending was a real surprise I thoroughly enjoyed.

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What else??
I didn't realize this was a trope.
I think I want more.
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Hm. I don't think this quite worked. I never wanted to put it down, but I always wanted more. Lots and lots about airplanes, esp. the little ones that teens tend to learn to fly. Lots of how everything was built and arranged to further the project. Love 'triangles.' (Five eighteen yo kids on a secret project, well, yeah....). A lot of military-type show more excitement at the last third or so (iirc) when someone w/ access to soldiers found out about it. A fair bit of poor planning by the kids and the adults that they trusted. A fairly unsatisfactory ending.

And the other world never came alive for me. Although I did like that "each puff of exhaust [of the tractor] seemed like a profane act" over there... the kid who said that did feel the difference, and wasn't just in it for the money or the adventure.

Two token interesting characters. one kid figures out he's gay, another goes to rehab and AA before it's too late Several different family structures. Gould really wanted every reader to see a bit of himself or herself, or at least of a friend, in the story, to connect with it.

Not a horrible read, but I can't bear to give it more than 2 stars. Otoh, I do want to look at the author's other works.

(I wonder why the author chose to make this a parallel or alternate world, instead of Time Travel? It seemed to amount to basically the same thing....) show less

Substance: An interesting idea of a hidden tunnel to a parallel world, set in "today" (thus the references to running phone lines and shooting 35mm film are contemporary, and not future-anachronisms).
Style: Too much show-off aviation jargon, and 5 high-school graduates able to MacGyver far too many things, even for Texas. Also much more productive laborers than all but a crew of illegal workers.

Summer13:

Characters: There are ~5 friends. They kinda bleed together eventually. The bad guys are rather bland.

Plot: Overall, it seems a bit weak. It moves things, but it doesn't push things.

Style: As good as some of his later stuff. Just not as interesting.

I liked this book so much that I bought it for my teenage grandson.