Subject: THROUGH THE HEART by Richard Grant

From: [email-masked] (Alan Wexelblat)
Date: 13 Jan 93 22:46:38 GMT

Through the Heart
			by Richard Grant
			Review Copyright (c) 1993 Alan Wexelblat

It wasn't too long ago that I was raving about Grant's "Views from the
Oldest House."  So when another book with his name on it showed up in my
inbox, I pulled it out to read ahead of schedule.  I'm sorry to say I was
disappointed.

Not that this is a bad book.  On the contrary, it easily rates in the top
five percent of all fantasy I've read.  Compared with the other stuff you
might spend your six bucks on, this is a superior book.  And yet, I was
disappointed because it simply is not as good as "Views..."  Unfortunately,
"Through the Heart" fails exactly where "Views..." succeeded.  Both books
set up seemingly-simple societies with complex forces moving through them.
The main characters get drawn into these forces and attempt to understand
them as they attempt to understand themselves.  Through this, the reader
gains an understanding of the society, the forces, and the characters.

Unfortunately, that doesn't quite happen here.  Grant sets up the players:
Kem (the main character), the Oasis (a mobile city) on which he travels, its
mysterious Captain Hand and its Passengers and Investors, and certain
important members of the crew.  Grant sets up the society: a post-apocalyptic
world where straggling remnants of humanity scratch out meager existences
and fighting off "the crying" a plague-like sickness with no known cure.

But Kem's journey is filled with unexplained events and mysterious
occurrences.  Grant doesn't reveal his underlying ideas in the slow enticing
way he did in "Views..."  Instead, this book builds to a climactic
confrontation between Kem and Hand where they will inevitably fight not only
over the particular matter at hand, but also about the opposing world-views
they represent.  And, in my opinion, Grant just doesn't pull it off.
Unfortunately, I can't tell you the details without giving away the plot
entirely

Grant's writing is good, clear and lucid throughout the book.  But it lacks
that spark, the delightfulness which characterized "Views..."  Grant is
dealing with heavy themes and that seems to weigh down the writing as well
as the plot, which moves along too slowly for my taste.

With all that said, I think it's important to reiterate that I don't think
this is a *bad* book, per se.  Rather, I feel disappointed that Grant didn't
live up to my expectations.  If I had read this book before I had read
"Views..." I might have felt differently.  As it is, this is still a good
cut above the run-of-the-mill fantasy being published today and you can be
sure you'll see me reviewing more of Grant's writings in the future.

%A Richard Grant
%T Through the Heart
%I Bantam/Spectra fantasy paperback
%C New York
%G ISBN 0-553-29320-6
%O US$5.99
%P 376 pp