Review: The High Road

The High Road by Terry Fallis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



#2 High Road excerpt
"The High Road" (Angus 2) by Terry Fallis is the campaign direction whereby the Angus effect, candidate integrity, tops important voter issues, defeats muckrakers. Like Gardiner's tragedy "King John of Canada", both narrated by second-in-command, this comedy starts with a naked woman in a boathouse bedroom window. Unlike apparent ramble-cum-portent influence on which to blame his doom and betrayal for downfall of all good, she is part of a team. Brave, capable, caring ladies and male equals better the world. The author keeps me on my toes with correct usage - taciturn p157, irrespective p210 at this point OR at this time, seldom both p224 - made-up announcible p156 - split infinitives (to boldly go from Best Laid Plans #1).
Angus ("looks like Charles Darwin in a force nine gale" p90) stands for federal Liberal candidate willingly this time, supported by "clean-cut Joe" p90 narrator Dan. Many chapters wake to the young aide happily entwined with lovely Lindsay, and close with journal entries from the 61-year old still grieving widowed curmudgeon. Serious balances sweet and slapstick silly. The chain-punk Petes now coordinate volunteers p53. Author blog says third book written. If the new PM is coming around, I expect his "operative ... with the apt initials B.S." p202 to fulfill threat "powerful enemy" with intense "hate on" p318.

Vivid vignettes:
Interview-tamed hair accelerated-time explodes to Tchaikovsky 1812 p87
Coal-miner cursing p206 Muriel, 81, and GOUT (Geriatrics Out to Undermine Tories) squad p99 barrage a dirtbag speaker appropriately and with cookies p150, then barricade and beribbon Tory loudspeaker Hummer p166.
Bottomless round man pops from square air vent p153.
Bearded snowsuit "geriatric sasquatch" p204 hoists unseen up onto bridge joists, drops back "direct hit on my dreams of future fatherhood" p193
Angus drags behind the hovercraft p57, then emerges with drunk frosted frantic First Lady heads-first p280

Quotes:
"short trip from 'do it yourself to 'blew it yourself'" p21
"waffling so much I could almost smell maple syrup" p27
"we have buttered our bread and must now lie in it" p210
"if I'd had more time I would have written less - Mark Twain" p237



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