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Smasher (The Silicon Valley Mysteries) ReviewIt has been far too long since Keith Raffel has graced us with his presence on the bookshelves. But his latest effort makes the wait worthwhile. Raffel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, knows the topography well and demonstrates it in this fast-paced, one-sit read. SMASHER, the follow-up to DOT DEAD, marks the return of Ian Michaels, the brilliant if reluctant CEO of Accelenet, a cutting-edge IT company.
Raffel's primary talent is his ability to make that which is complex interesting to the ordinary mind. In SMASHER, he sets two plot lines along razor-sharp paths. One involves a potential takeover of Accelenet by Ricky Frankson, the fabulously successful CEO of the powerful Torii Networks. Frankson wants total control of Accelenet and is lowballing Michaels on the price while inexorably bringing market forces to bear to force the sale. Michaels has no particular love for the company he heads, having been more or less forced into the helm position by the disappearance of his predecessor and former friend. But he nonetheless feels an obligation to Accelenet's employees and stockholders to get desperately needed capital for the company while maintaining control. The result --- a war fought without white weaponry --- is an exciting one due to Raffel's ability to describe what is occurring in the boardroom and on the cell phones in terms that do not require a master's degree in business administration.
At the same time, Michaels is given an intriguing assignment by his mother. Her sister and Michael's aunt was Isobel Marter, the first woman in Stanford University's physics department and, as it turns out, a largely unheralded member of the research team responsible for the discovery of quarks. When Stanford names a particle physics lab after Marter, it sparks a conversation between Michaels and his mother, which, in turn, leads Michaels into an investigation of his own.
His digging is initially stonewalled by Dr. William Z. Tompkins, an eccentric physicist who was part of the original research team that won the Nobel Prize for the discovery. Tompkins did not get along with Marter and has a vested interest in seeing that the historical record is not disturbed. Michaels, notwithstanding the pressure of Frankson's continuing efforts to buy Accelenet, discovers that Marter's contribution to the research was far greater than the historical record would otherwise indicate. Those (including this reviewer) whose knowledge of physics is limited to a rudimentary understanding of gravity are treated during the course of the narration to a basic, understandable and enjoyable explanation of the makeup of atoms as Michaels slowly comes to the realization that an historical wrong, among others, has been committed.
When an unexpected tragedy strikes, Michaels finds his attention further diverted not only from his mother's request but also from his defense of Accelenet. Someone appears to be after him and his beloved wife, Rowena. Is the tragedy the result of happenstance? Perhaps the threat is related to Rowena's work as a deputy District Attorney. Could it be one of Frankson's minions trying to persuade him into relinquishing his company? Or is Michaels being warned off his investigation? Michaels must discover the who and the why behind the tragic incident as Rowena's life --- and, perhaps, his own --- hangs in the balance.
Keith Raffel is a master storyteller, bringing strong, parallel plot lines and sharp characterization in equal measure to the printed page while fulfilling and surpassing the promise of his debut work. Let us hope that we do not have to wait quite so long for his next offering.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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