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BWLF
What would a truly visionary presidential figure look and sound like in a world in which miracles really can happen? One willing to speak in a way that no “real” political figure would dare? A candidate destined to become a modern Beowulf tested not only by the present, but also by the ancient, geologic past?
As winter turns to spring, Tuscaloosa, Alabama is overrun by a thick fog, bizarre thunder storms, and a string of astonishing murders. In parallel, Dan Morgan, an expert in cognitive disorders, faces the gravest ordeal of his life as he campaigns to become Alabama’s next governor. He not only has an uphill battle against a popular, local good-old-boy, but discovers that he must also contend with a time of legend stretching back to ancient Eocene seas. Yet even as he struggles against a trio of monsters – a giant bird, a snarly toothed sea serpent, and a murderous but conflicted Neanderthal – Dan Morgan comes to realize that his greatest challenges still lie in this world with its fractured intimacies and divisive politics.
As winter turns to spring, Tuscaloosa, Alabama is overrun by a thick fog, bizarre thunder storms, and a string of astonishing murders. In parallel, Dan Morgan, an expert in cognitive disorders, faces the gravest ordeal of his life as he campaigns to become Alabama’s next governor. He not only has an uphill battle against a popular, local good-old-boy, but discovers that he must also contend with a time of legend stretching back to ancient Eocene seas. Yet even as he struggles against a trio of monsters – a giant bird, a snarly toothed sea serpent, and a murderous but conflicted Neanderthal – Dan Morgan comes to realize that his greatest challenges still lie in this world with its fractured intimacies and divisive politics.
364 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2012
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Nils
1 book1 followerDennis Nils Drogseth was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey and Woodstock, New York. His family, divided between Norway, on his father’s side, and Alabama on his mother’s side – facilitated many interesting visits and discussions over Christmas holidays that helped to influence this book.
The author has taught poetry and writing at Green Haven prison in Beekman, New York, and worked in high technology as an analyst/consultant. He is conversant in Norwegian, French, Spanish, German, Chinese and Russian, and has traveled widely in Europe, South America and Asia.
BWLF is the debut novel from Dennis Nils. Seven other novels, including three more political titles in “The Midnight Quartet”, await publication.
The author has taught poetry and writing at Green Haven prison in Beekman, New York, and worked in high technology as an analyst/consultant. He is conversant in Norwegian, French, Spanish, German, Chinese and Russian, and has traveled widely in Europe, South America and Asia.
BWLF is the debut novel from Dennis Nils. Seven other novels, including three more political titles in “The Midnight Quartet”, await publication.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 7, 2013
Let me start with a brief comment on how I rate books on Goodreads.I try to rate the book by how the book stands up to other books of the same type.Therefore I use different criteria for a graphic novel about superheroes than I would for a cozy mystery or a political thriller.I also will take into account if a book is an author's first novel,as this one was.
That is one of the things that make rating/reviewing BWLF so hard.It doesn't fit into any single book type easily.It has elements of a horror story,murder mystery, political commentary, and some fantastical bits thrown into it as well.It reminds me of the phrase, jack of all trades but master of none.The author might have been a little too optimistic with this story.The different elements clash more often than not.This clashing is aggravated by the pacing of the book.The story doesn't flow so much as a river does.It is more like using stepping stones to travel down the river.It is like looking at snapshots instead of watching a movie.This is especially true at the beginning of the book when the characters and plots are being introduced.Therefore I never felt that I established a rapport with the characters.
The main thrust of the story seems to be the politcal aspect.I had problems with this because it was hard to get a good grasp on the logic of some of the points presented.It is hard to jump from having a competetive market to being fascist within a paragraph.I have problem with any politcal comment that starts by labelling others as a group.Throughout the book, republicans are presented as "dumb hatemongers" or fascists.(The author does have one line in the book where he says democrats have also turned into a "silly cartoon".)It is almost never true to say that every member of a group is anything,especially good or bad.It is also hard to blame all of today's troubles on the minority party.All politicians deserve some of the blame for allowing the country to get into the mess it is in at the moment since both parties were present.The book also draws definite lines between north and south; the intelligentsia and stupid people(anyone not part of the intelligentsia appartently);urban and suburban(suburban might as well be read as subhuman and rural people are even lower) and the past and the present.Basically, the "best" characters are all northen urban democrats who are part of the intelligentsia and look to the past to direct the future.
Unfortunately most of them use their differences, to make them feel superior to the common person(and unlikeable).Finally Loki as a democrat (or any present day politcal party advocate)just didn't track as believable.
The narration tends toward the pedantic and pretentious at times.One example is when a character says, "Neither of you thought to bring a cell phone or any kind of mobile connectivity with you!"
I can not imagine anyone saying this in real life.It is also hard to imagine a police detective studying fossils during the largest killing spree in the area's history.
I really wanted to like this book.While it is true that I did enjoy parts of it, I can not truthfully say those parts worked together or made the book enjoyable overall.If the story was polished (perhaps trimming down on some of the directions it tried to go)and the characters were a little more tolerant of others(as they say we all should be)then it work better.The author notes say there are 3 more political titles in "The Midnight Quartet" .Unless I see some dramatic changes,I would not want to read them.I am marking this book as OK because, there was potential there and it was a first effort but I can not recommend it as it stands.
That is one of the things that make rating/reviewing BWLF so hard.It doesn't fit into any single book type easily.It has elements of a horror story,murder mystery, political commentary, and some fantastical bits thrown into it as well.It reminds me of the phrase, jack of all trades but master of none.The author might have been a little too optimistic with this story.The different elements clash more often than not.This clashing is aggravated by the pacing of the book.The story doesn't flow so much as a river does.It is more like using stepping stones to travel down the river.It is like looking at snapshots instead of watching a movie.This is especially true at the beginning of the book when the characters and plots are being introduced.Therefore I never felt that I established a rapport with the characters.
The main thrust of the story seems to be the politcal aspect.I had problems with this because it was hard to get a good grasp on the logic of some of the points presented.It is hard to jump from having a competetive market to being fascist within a paragraph.I have problem with any politcal comment that starts by labelling others as a group.Throughout the book, republicans are presented as "dumb hatemongers" or fascists.(The author does have one line in the book where he says democrats have also turned into a "silly cartoon".)It is almost never true to say that every member of a group is anything,especially good or bad.It is also hard to blame all of today's troubles on the minority party.All politicians deserve some of the blame for allowing the country to get into the mess it is in at the moment since both parties were present.The book also draws definite lines between north and south; the intelligentsia and stupid people(anyone not part of the intelligentsia appartently);urban and suburban(suburban might as well be read as subhuman and rural people are even lower) and the past and the present.Basically, the "best" characters are all northen urban democrats who are part of the intelligentsia and look to the past to direct the future.
Unfortunately most of them use their differences, to make them feel superior to the common person(and unlikeable).Finally Loki as a democrat (or any present day politcal party advocate)just didn't track as believable.
The narration tends toward the pedantic and pretentious at times.One example is when a character says, "Neither of you thought to bring a cell phone or any kind of mobile connectivity with you!"
I can not imagine anyone saying this in real life.It is also hard to imagine a police detective studying fossils during the largest killing spree in the area's history.
I really wanted to like this book.While it is true that I did enjoy parts of it, I can not truthfully say those parts worked together or made the book enjoyable overall.If the story was polished (perhaps trimming down on some of the directions it tried to go)and the characters were a little more tolerant of others(as they say we all should be)then it work better.The author notes say there are 3 more political titles in "The Midnight Quartet" .Unless I see some dramatic changes,I would not want to read them.I am marking this book as OK because, there was potential there and it was a first effort but I can not recommend it as it stands.
November 25, 2012
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in order to review it. Spoilers may also appear so be forewarned.
My rating for this book is based on the hope that there is a sequel of sorts or that there is a collection of short stories somewhere that fills out the dramatis personae and lets us know what happens to them or what had happened to them prior to this novel.
I was told this was a political thriller, and it is that in some ways, but it also weaves in fantasy into this, making it a unique book for me. The main character, Dan Morgan can't be characterized as a politician, but more of someone who is trying to do the right thing. If I had a choice in the past election of whom I'd vote for President, Dan Morgan would win hands down. While running for the governorship of Alabama, Morgan has to contend with the machinations of the Norse god Loki, as well as three obstacles, or more appropriately, three enemies of somewhat supernatural origin, as well as eneimies of a more human nature. The author uses the political platform of Dan Morgan to voice what is wrong with our country today, and does a remarkable job or expressing my own opinion of what needs to be recognized and fixed as Western civilization crumbles from America's lack of understanding of what is needed to move forward, and it's current problems.
The science behind the book is interesting for those who enjoy science fiction that is grounded in some actual science, in terms of geology and archaeology of Neanderthal man, and the fossil record.
When the book ended, I was left with a number of questions about the future of these characters, such as "does Dan with the election?"and "what ends up happening with Caroline and Lily?" It's why I hope the author has something in store for them in a future installment.
So if you like science fiction/fantasy, with a tough of political drama, you would be hard-pressed to find a better book to spend a day or two with. The book also makes you think deeply about the inanity of American politics, and makes you wish for better choices and solutions in the future.
My rating for this book is based on the hope that there is a sequel of sorts or that there is a collection of short stories somewhere that fills out the dramatis personae and lets us know what happens to them or what had happened to them prior to this novel.
I was told this was a political thriller, and it is that in some ways, but it also weaves in fantasy into this, making it a unique book for me. The main character, Dan Morgan can't be characterized as a politician, but more of someone who is trying to do the right thing. If I had a choice in the past election of whom I'd vote for President, Dan Morgan would win hands down. While running for the governorship of Alabama, Morgan has to contend with the machinations of the Norse god Loki, as well as three obstacles, or more appropriately, three enemies of somewhat supernatural origin, as well as eneimies of a more human nature. The author uses the political platform of Dan Morgan to voice what is wrong with our country today, and does a remarkable job or expressing my own opinion of what needs to be recognized and fixed as Western civilization crumbles from America's lack of understanding of what is needed to move forward, and it's current problems.
The science behind the book is interesting for those who enjoy science fiction that is grounded in some actual science, in terms of geology and archaeology of Neanderthal man, and the fossil record.
When the book ended, I was left with a number of questions about the future of these characters, such as "does Dan with the election?"and "what ends up happening with Caroline and Lily?" It's why I hope the author has something in store for them in a future installment.
So if you like science fiction/fantasy, with a tough of political drama, you would be hard-pressed to find a better book to spend a day or two with. The book also makes you think deeply about the inanity of American politics, and makes you wish for better choices and solutions in the future.
December 6, 2012
This is one of those books that are hard to describe when someone asks you what it's about. Definitely not a bad thing; BWLF had a whole lot going on.
The majority of the plot circles around the character Dan Morgan, who is running as a Democrat for Governor in the red state of Alabama. While the main story uses the election race as a backdrop, it's only part of the story. This isn't your typical political drama by a long shot. Throw in some serious looks at psychology, sociology, geology, a bizarre string of murders, a strange lingering fog, Norse mythological gods and creatures, self discovery, past lives and time travel and you are in for one thought provoking ride.
The other major character in BWLF is Peter Meisner, a detective who recently moved from New York. Peter's narrative is interesting because he's a very intuitive character, and knows pretty early on that there is something really odd about these murders, to the point that there may be multiple aggressors due to the varied natures of the crimes. Despite his detective background he seems to be the most willing to acknowledge the supernatural aspect in the majority of these cases. I'm hoping for a sequel in which Peter takes a larger part, seeing as how he was always just on the cusp of understanding and seeing what was really going on.
I only had two problems with this book. The first one was that for some reason I had the worst time remembering and telling apart character's names (this might have been partly timing, since I just finished a term in grad school and I will admit my brain was a little fried). The other thing was the pacing of the story, which did have a few places where it lagged just a little too long.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in stories that blend fact and fiction, dragging the fantastical into our boring normal world. If you have an interest in Norse Mythology, science fiction, and politics (although this has some very interesting controversial ideas so beware if you're a stanch Republican), or really enjoy reading books that make you think, I'd consider giving this one a try.
The majority of the plot circles around the character Dan Morgan, who is running as a Democrat for Governor in the red state of Alabama. While the main story uses the election race as a backdrop, it's only part of the story. This isn't your typical political drama by a long shot. Throw in some serious looks at psychology, sociology, geology, a bizarre string of murders, a strange lingering fog, Norse mythological gods and creatures, self discovery, past lives and time travel and you are in for one thought provoking ride.
The other major character in BWLF is Peter Meisner, a detective who recently moved from New York. Peter's narrative is interesting because he's a very intuitive character, and knows pretty early on that there is something really odd about these murders, to the point that there may be multiple aggressors due to the varied natures of the crimes. Despite his detective background he seems to be the most willing to acknowledge the supernatural aspect in the majority of these cases. I'm hoping for a sequel in which Peter takes a larger part, seeing as how he was always just on the cusp of understanding and seeing what was really going on.
I only had two problems with this book. The first one was that for some reason I had the worst time remembering and telling apart character's names (this might have been partly timing, since I just finished a term in grad school and I will admit my brain was a little fried). The other thing was the pacing of the story, which did have a few places where it lagged just a little too long.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in stories that blend fact and fiction, dragging the fantastical into our boring normal world. If you have an interest in Norse Mythology, science fiction, and politics (although this has some very interesting controversial ideas so beware if you're a stanch Republican), or really enjoy reading books that make you think, I'd consider giving this one a try.
February 6, 2016
First off, I should come clean in that I only read a third of this book. A signed copy as one of the things the mechanic had available to read while my car was getting inspected and the oil changed.
In the first 50 pages or so, we have 4 POV characters, which expands to 7 or 8ish by the time we hit page 130 or so, which is where I set it down. None of them were particularly engaging.
The world is strange. There's no explanation of why any of the fantasy elements are suddenly appearing, and a third of the way through, I still couldn't explain if there is any internal logic to any of it. Maybe "a god did it" is all the author needed, since Loki randomly pops up...as yet another POV character.
I don't think I'll be looking to pick it up again the next time my car needs work.
In the first 50 pages or so, we have 4 POV characters, which expands to 7 or 8ish by the time we hit page 130 or so, which is where I set it down. None of them were particularly engaging.
The world is strange. There's no explanation of why any of the fantasy elements are suddenly appearing, and a third of the way through, I still couldn't explain if there is any internal logic to any of it. Maybe "a god did it" is all the author needed, since Loki randomly pops up...as yet another POV character.
I don't think I'll be looking to pick it up again the next time my car needs work.
January 10, 2013
I received this book from the publisher to review. It's a great book, although the ending left me a little lost. I hope the author considers a sequel to BWLF because it left me with a lot of unanswered questions to many of the main characters. Besides the unanswered questions at the end, I would highly recommend this book.
February 14, 2016
Overall the story line was good, but there were many times that the details went on for no reason. Almost like the book was not as long as expected and had to be added to.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews