Matt McAvoy Book Review

A lot of heart has gone into what is a pretty major project from Richard C. Dieter.  And, whilst I’ll try not to spoil it, it’s a pretty devastating one to behold.  Very early on I found myself utterly gripped, and I think that is because, without wishing to sound too basic in my tastes, Richard has stuck to a tried and tested formula.  It opens with the usual monitoring-station discovering an anomaly in the volcanic activity readings under Yellowstone Park, and escalates from there into a potentially existential global catastrophe, reminiscent of the natural disaster movies and books we love to immerse in – and it’s as good as any.  It has the standard ingredients: a dedicated heroine, with a passion for and grass-level knowledge of the park, finding herself perhaps the only person who can save humanity (and many other species) from existence; not to mention a fortuitously useful ex-husband and a president not afraid to make the best decisions for his country.  Put simply, it is formulaic natural disaster suspense, and I was hooked right from the first page.

What really sets this book apart, though, is Richard’s sheer level of knowledge.  It isn’t mindless action, and I certainly hope I haven’t painted it as such.  It is emotive and intelligent.  The characters are multi-dimensional and real, despite their elevated status in the potential disaster.  But, most of all, the procedural and factual information in this book is phenomenal.  Richard indulges us with facts and knowledge about his subject and many others, too, in a way which is not self-indulgent but absolutely necessary to create the best, most serious and informative book he can.  For this reason, perhaps, it is a bit talky at times, and dialogue-led, rather than descriptively.  When there are occasional action moments, it does feel perhaps that they are not afforded the same prominence as the explanative content running throughout the book.  But Richard makes up for this in endearing and emotional nuances running through the characters; I must admit, I really found myself sympathizing with Park Ranger Shawn’s heartbreaking dilemma.  The characters, from the peripheral to the prominent, are likeable and relatable.  As for Richard’s writing, whilst stuffed full of minutiae and detail, which can draw a scene out over several pages, it is generally excellent – articulate, smart and eloquent.  He is a fine writer and this is a very good book.  Don’t expect mindless action, though – it isn’t Morgan Freeman or Nicolas Cage; it is a thinking man’s disaster epic, and certainly worth a few hours of your time.