The Talisman

John Godey

Way back when I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I read John Godey's The Snake. Well, I read part of it. I thought the parts about the snake wandering around central park threatening people were bang-up, but the rest of it was rather boring. Now, some twenty-odd years later, I decide to give Godey another try to see if he's as good (and as inconsistent) as I remember.

At least where The Talisman is concerned, the answer is a solid “no” on both counts. Godey's tale of disenfranchised Vietnam vets kidnapping the Unknown Soldier could, in theory, be more unexciting than it is. I don't know how off the top of my head, but I'm sure if William J. Coughlin had written it, it would be worse than this.

On second thought, no, I don't think so. I guess there's a reason people still remember The Snake and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three while this book has faded into much-deserved obscurity.