Sometimes writers can be a bit inconsistent. Sometimes a lot inconsistent. Not too long ago, I read the precursor to this book, Country Priestess and stated that I liked Claassen's writing style but that Country Priestess had disappointed me. His style was simple and straightforward, but maybe too simple, and the dialogue didn't work that well.

I'm not disappointed by Silver Seed. Somewhere between there and here, Claassen's writing became a lot more engaging. I am noticing especially, an improvement in the dialogue. But once again, as I do so often, I am getting ahead of myself. First, I should be introducing you to Silver Seed.

One of the protagonists is Tim, the autistic boy from CP, only in this narrative, he is all grown up. Only when we first meet him, we don't know who he is; he's just a homeless victim of a mugging that left him comatose and amnesiac. The second protagonist is an equally fascinating character. Amie Callahan.

Amie is a young widow who wears goth make up, multiple piercings and sports a shaven head. Sport is really the wrong word here, since she's a medical transcriptionist, a hermit who hardly leaves her apartment. Rather than showing off her facade, it is something she hides behind. She's got something to hide from too--a secret that only a few people know. Since she was a child, she's had dreams of being visited by an alien who plants silver seeds in her brain; and she's completely traumatized by the years of torment.

Her brother-in-law coerces her into helping out our "John Doe" comatose patient, using her knowledge of acupuncture. Reluctantly she agrees to help "John Doe" and spend her days reading and tending him. For once she takes out her piercings, removes her make-up and takes up the challenge of saving Tim's life. Only--who saves whose life?

Claassen's dialogue in Silver Seed is much improved. In fact, when Amie and Tim are interacting, the pages move very fast. There was only one notable instance of heavy-handedness, and judging by the timing of its introduction, even that seemed to be there for comic relief. Even the scenes without dialogue are tighter, stronger, and have a focused energy that pulled me deeper into character and story. This being my second encounter with Claassen's aliens, and with Tim's "Andy," my suspension of disbelief was automatic. I don't know if I should also attribute this to Claassen's improved writing technique, or simply because as this is a sequel and I am revisiting a known landscape, I have already bought into the story line. All I know is that this was an absorbing read with intriguing characters grappling with larger than life problems. If Claassen's future work continues to improve so drastically, I will be first in line at the bookstore.

Allie
Copyright May 2006