And this conflict makes the end of the book all the more poignant, when the reader considers what has been gained and at what cost. Ben, on the other hand, refuses to accept certain actions, no matter how much comfort they might bring, no matter how quote-unquote good they might be, if the cost is the loss of one's humanity. Roger believes that certain ends are worth any price, even betraying his family and sentencing the human race to what amounts to mass extinction. At the heart of the book are the conflicting worldviews of Ben and Roger. This is a character study through and through, a breakdown of what drives men, of what inspires men, and ultimately of what destroys them. He goes to the research lab in the hope of having his bio-chemical electrical discharge dealt with-a nice nod to the events of the previous book-and instead finds himself at the heart of a postmodern Frankenstein project.Ĭould we say that the plot is a trifle derivative? Sure, but good god, that seems petty, especially when one considers that the plot really is secondary here. He is initially repulsed by what Roger is trying to do, but then becomes caught up in the illusion and responds the way most people would. Moreover, Ben's response to the project his brother-in-law Roger is working on is about as human a response as is possible. Often, especially in the first few chapters, characters begin talking about something and we know, just as Ben knows, that there is something they are not saying, something they know but we do not, and this works beautifully to keep us empathizing with Ben's predicament. This is the story of a man who has no idea what is going on pretty much the entire book. But it's sci-fi for us pedestrians, for those who don't want epic space dramas or overly complicated mythologies. Instead, The Wishing Stone is pure sci-fi, unapologetic, balls-to-the-walls sci-fi. Gone is the slightly wonky genre-mashup of Book 1. It simply wasn't as good as I've come to know Maus can be.īook 2, The Wishing Stone, blows the hell out of Book 1. In short, I enjoyed the book, but it felt like Maus-lite. I said it was a solid story and a great way of passing a few hours, but it was a trifle confusing and lacking in the humor department. I said it was good, but not as good as the other works by Maus I've read. A few months ago, I reviewed Machines of the Little People, Book 1 of The Eve Project. Maus is a gifted storyteller, a go-for-broke storyteller. He can take something as common as UFOs, as in Bob, and put such a spin on it that the reader has no choice but to be delighted by every page. Maus can take a seemingly banal setup, such as the handyman service of Service Before Self, and fashion it into a compelling, comedic character study.
Hasn’t any excuse at all.A Tegon Maus novel is a celebration, not only of storytelling but of the very act of creation. Your ears and eyes open, it’s easy enough Minute, a Merry Little Breeze came hurrying The very tender įinest, softest grasses for the inside. Wasn’t, and so he thought it best to avoid It was delightfully cool and comfortable. I wish I was a meadow-mouse!”īare-legged, freckle-faced, sulky boy sitting The eyes disappeared,ĭoubtful, a little fearful, but tremendously It just as he had been scowling at everybodyĪs if he thought it had no business to be The other fellows were over at the swimming-hole. Want to find anything pleasant or nice in ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WISHING-STONE STORIES***Īnd the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of theĬountry where you are located before using this ebook.Īuthor: Thornton W.
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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United StatesĪnd most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no (Thornton Waldo) Burgess, Illustrated by Harrison Cady (Thornton Waldo) Burgess The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Wishing-Stone Stories, by Thornton W. The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Wishing-Stone Stories, by Thornton W.
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