The Fourth Horseman by Kate Thompson
Jan. 20th, 2008 07:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
The white rider had returned. And this time he wasn't alone.
Should you believe what you see with your own eyes even if it can't be explained?
When Laurie is arrested for setting fire to her father's research lab she's unsure what to say in her defence. Should she say that she's an animal rights activist? Or should she tell the whole story, about the mysterious horsementhat she saw in the woords, and the terrifying truth which lay behind their appearance? In the eyes of the police she is a criminal. But Laurie knows that she's a hero.
I thought that this was a thought provoking book that mixes fantasy with two topics all too pertinent to modern life (namely genetic experimentation and the western approach to fundamentalism and terrorism).
The book starts off with Laurie, her brother Alex and her brother's friend Javed being arrested for burning down the laboratory belonging to Laurie's father. Through flashbacks, we see how the three of them get to that point and just why they driven to take such drastic action.
I particularly admired the way Thompson doesn't patronise her readers with the material - you're shown the kind of things that happen in a scientific laboratory and I felt that the reactions of both Laurie and her father to the testing being done on squirrels was believable. When the first horseman appears, it's a genuinely chilling moment, more so for the reaction of Laurie's father and you can easily buy into Laurie's frustration as her father refuses to accept what's happening whilst at the same time recognising his reasons for doing so.
My biggest criticism related to the cricket element of the story and that's more because I am not a particular fan of the game and so did not find myself easily able to relate to the main character's enjoyment. However, this is purely a personal thing more than anything the author has done and whilst I think Thompson over-eggs the idea of sport bringing people together, there is some truth to the message. I also think that the main characters were a little too slow in realising the relevance of the four horseman and I'd have liked to see them pick up on the obvious symbolism earlier on than they do so that the apocalyptic significance is stronger.
That said, it's a tightly paced book that makes you want to read on to see what happens next (even though you know what they're ultimately moving to) and I felt that the main characters were believable. Definitely a book that deserves a look.
The Verdict:
Absorbing and thought provoking, I found this a satisfying and interesting read.
Should you believe what you see with your own eyes even if it can't be explained?
When Laurie is arrested for setting fire to her father's research lab she's unsure what to say in her defence. Should she say that she's an animal rights activist? Or should she tell the whole story, about the mysterious horsementhat she saw in the woords, and the terrifying truth which lay behind their appearance? In the eyes of the police she is a criminal. But Laurie knows that she's a hero.
I thought that this was a thought provoking book that mixes fantasy with two topics all too pertinent to modern life (namely genetic experimentation and the western approach to fundamentalism and terrorism).
The book starts off with Laurie, her brother Alex and her brother's friend Javed being arrested for burning down the laboratory belonging to Laurie's father. Through flashbacks, we see how the three of them get to that point and just why they driven to take such drastic action.
I particularly admired the way Thompson doesn't patronise her readers with the material - you're shown the kind of things that happen in a scientific laboratory and I felt that the reactions of both Laurie and her father to the testing being done on squirrels was believable. When the first horseman appears, it's a genuinely chilling moment, more so for the reaction of Laurie's father and you can easily buy into Laurie's frustration as her father refuses to accept what's happening whilst at the same time recognising his reasons for doing so.
My biggest criticism related to the cricket element of the story and that's more because I am not a particular fan of the game and so did not find myself easily able to relate to the main character's enjoyment. However, this is purely a personal thing more than anything the author has done and whilst I think Thompson over-eggs the idea of sport bringing people together, there is some truth to the message. I also think that the main characters were a little too slow in realising the relevance of the four horseman and I'd have liked to see them pick up on the obvious symbolism earlier on than they do so that the apocalyptic significance is stronger.
That said, it's a tightly paced book that makes you want to read on to see what happens next (even though you know what they're ultimately moving to) and I felt that the main characters were believable. Definitely a book that deserves a look.
The Verdict:
Absorbing and thought provoking, I found this a satisfying and interesting read.
