Noir K. W. Jeter Bantam/Spectra $23.95 ISBN 0-553-10483-7 Jeter blasted his way into the science fiction landscape with his novel Dr. Adder. It was sort of a classic, a wonderful exercise in Philip K. Dick-like investigations into the nature of our shared reality. In Noir, there are commercial sex-enhancement "doctors" called "Adders," a name which we are told is based on some old book. Noir is successful in recreating the atmosphere of old hard-boiled detective novels and movies; so serious is Jeter in this objective that his protagonist has rewired his head so he sees reality through a filter which works like an old black and white movie, the perception of reality he prefers. I usually don't read modern horror because it is often too violent. I was taken aback by some of the violence in this book -- probably not that intense by some standards, but way off my charts. The main character is an agent of an organization which protects and enforces copyright. Perhaps Jeter found it therapeutic to write the chapter in which the literary pirate is tortured and murdered. . .well, not murdered, worse. Science fiction writers have often tried to recreate hard-boiled mystery atmosphere in their books. Most of these seem to loose track of the pastiche somewhere before the end of the second chapter. Jeter's story is an intense cocktail of old movies, Raymond Chandler, William Burroughs, Philip K. Dick and Bladerunner (of course) and a healthy interest in intellectual properties in a future of ever increasing electronic publishing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hank Luttrell Reviewer 20th Century Books 1115 South Park Street, Madison, WI 53715 1-608-251-6226 Editor's Note: Here is a progress report for those of you who can't get enough of Luttrell's reviews. He is now reviewing comic books for the magazine World of Fandom, available on a large newsstand near you. Those of you who live in the greater Milwaukee area will be pleased to know that the weekly news and entertainment paper, Shepherd Express will be publishing book reviews from time to time, including Hank Luttrell's. EDITOR'S NOTE: The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so. The Midwest Book Review publishes two monthly book review magazines, "Internet Bookwatch" and "Children's Bookwatch". Both are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at http://www.execpc.com/~mbr/bookwatch/ If you would like to submit a review for inclusion in our Midwest Book Review publications, please send an email request to mbr@execpc.com for our "Reviewer Guidelines". We invite your comments, questions and suggestions. James A. Cox Editor-in-Chief Midwest Book Review 278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------