Combine one troubled
boy with his concerned prep school teacher. Stir in a pinch of quantum
physics, add Italian Renaissance political intrigue, and serve piping
hot with Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli, the Medici’s, and
a Borgia Pope on the side. That is the perfect recipe for a time
travel adventure crackling with historical detail.
****SPOILERS****
I so wanted to like this story. I
love time travel and Italy and stories of artists and history. And I’m a fan of
quantum physics. It seemed like the perfect recipe for an intriguing novel.
Unfortunately, this story was just simply: too much. Too much detail involving
stuff that wasn’t necessarily needed for the story itself. Too many points of
view. When you have five chapters and each one is from a different person with
a different storyline, it’s simply too much.
And as if to add insult to injury
– the ending made no sense. All the horrible things the professor was put
through after the bratty kid stole the daggers and we are to believe that since
they came back to modern time the morning before they left that it makes it
okay? No! No! I wanted to see the brat get his comeuppance once they returned.
Not get off because he suddenly ‘learned something’.
Three stars because it was well
written and edited. And I must admit, the very last chapter amused me. It was
probably the best excuse for a certain person’s visions as anything. *Grins*
Ron McGaw developed his storytelling skills during a career as
a lawyer and New York judge. Growing up in California, McGaw earned a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Theater Arts at San Jose State University, then won his law
degree at the University of San Francisco School of Law. Moving east, McGaw
started his legal career as a trademark and copyright attorney in New York
City. He was appointed to a ten-year term as City Court Judge of Poughkeepsie,
New York, in 1996. While on the bench, fourteen of McGaw’s decisions were
chosen for publication to be part of New York State’s official record. (In
contrast, his numerous predecessors had a total of one decision published.)
Leaving the bench in 2006 at the conclusion of his judicial
term, Ron McGaw returned to private practice in Poughkeepsie establishing a
respected local firm which today concentrates on criminal and family law in
addition to landlord/tenant law and copyright and trademark law.
Ron McGaw’s interest in writing historical fiction stems
both from his travels abroad, and from the knowledge he developed exploring the
cultural history of the two boys he and his wife adopted from Kazakhstan in
2003. He also wrote a play while fresh
out of SJSU that was produced in 2001.
Ron McGaw’s first novel, Lorenzo’s
Daggers, is a time-travel historical adventure set at in modern day New
England and 15th Century Italy.
Lorenzo’s Daggers is a book
for fans of Michelangelo, DaVinci, Machiavelli, and for students of Renaissance
history.
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