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Book Reviews
Review by Liz Fortini Ben Baxter is an adventure guide for EcoTrek, who leads backpackers throughout the West’s National Parks system. He’s about to lead hikers Catherine, Bruno, Mikako, Valeria and Philip; having come off a near-death tragedy of a recently completed tour. Psychologically under pressure, Ben’s been approved by management to lead again on this 'JourneyWest' itinerary and "stare down his demons", as he thinks it …"the beard he had grown during the off season was a scruffy dripping mass that disguised the contours of his face, shrouded expressions he could hardly remember…" If a first mystery novel can successfully combine ingenuity of plot with a love of words, then Mosquito by Douglas Kurtz is a real keeper. People can make unwise decisions and do, and Kurtz gives main character Ben a second chance; with Ben’s emotions and complexities of character fit to lash out at circumstance and betrayal of love, but ultimately be redeemed by beauty of nature; nature showing her awesome mysteries: "…white-flanked peaks of the Continental Divide rose into full view against the cloudless sky…between the tips of the snowshoes, a spill of talus descended hundreds of feet to a sunlit glacial valley that sparkled with frozen lakes. Clouds of powder rode wind currents off ridges and across the ice, making the entire vista seem to swirl and undulate…", and "…for minutes they walked without speaking, inspired to silence by the meticulous creation that surrounded them. Where the scrub thinned, the desert floor hardened into slick-rock, and descended in terraces toward a valley whose depth and span was indiscernible to the naked eye. Sandstone needles rose from the red ground in clusters…like soldiers of an ancient army materializing before their eyes…" Depth and span of vocabulary; where poetic-like descriptions abound. Little does hiker Ben know, but he’s about to add a sixth hiker to his tour group: Poppy, who has her own demons to contend with, and wraps Ben around as a shield between her and them. Ben finds himself caught up in a cat-and-mouse cross-country trek, even hiking through Yellowstone, trying to do what’s right by his tour group, with the realization Poppy isn’t what she seems: a thief with a pocketful of cash connected to shady characters slowly closing in. Ben’s interaction with other tour leaders and a mystery virus to uncover have Douglas Kurtz writing in each character with impressive details of how each reacts to surprise situations. I really liked Chapter 8, where the hikers spend their first night camping in Rocky Mountain National Park: their comraderie sparkles with moments of affection and shared experience in a magnificent setting. About the Author Douglas Kurtz is a professional writer. As a freelancer and copywriter, his primary responsibility is to tailor language that fits the needs of his clients as well as his fictional readers. Regardless of the target audience, he crafts clearly with precision and style, and excels at taking large amounts of raw information, technical or otherwise, and molding it into language his readers understand and thoroughly enjoy. Doug’s career includes writing for Expedia.com, Social Power, AfterlifeAdventures.com, The MASTER Teacher and the University of Queensland. He currently resides in Manhattan, Kansas and is working on his second novel. Doug is also a web site designer. Check him out at www.doug-kurtz.com.  |
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