Arthur Rosenfeld

This is the 2nd book in the Dr. Xenon Pearl series. Also known as Zee, he is a neurosurgeon in modern day South Florida. Of Russian Jewish heritage he was raised by a Chinese nanny, Tie Mei, after his mother died. His nanny taught him the martial arts she practiced.

In the last book, The Cutting Season Zee had a run in with the Russian mafia; gained a step mother and grown step sister who is a local police officer; found a girlfriend and almost lost her to a violent attack; lost his operating privileges at the hospital he worked at; became a suspect with the police for violent vigilante crimes.

There was a lot of action and change in Zee's life. Much of it is motivated by the appearance of Tie Mei's ghost. She prodded him into actions that started many of the events and had violent and serious consequences. She felt Zee was not being true to his training and his warrior past, by ignoring injustice and evil.

Zee alternated between following her violent advice and thinking that she was a figment of his obviously diseased mind. He began to also have visions and dreams of his past lives down the centuries. He and many of the people in his life form a cohort who are reborn together and take different roles with each life.

Book 2 is a much quieter book. The book is named for his new sword, forged for him by his girlfriend. In it Zee has to deal with the consequences of all the changes in his life. There is no slight of hand magic here where the consequences magically disappear. He also struggles with his inability to grow, and balance his life. He is gripped with the desire to cut.

Zee has to learn to be a team player, and practice humility and diplomacy to get his operating privileges back. Without them he is unable to balance his urges. He needs to heal as much as he needs to hurt.

Zee has to deal with the damage that was done to his girlfriend in the last book. She was mangled by the Russian Mob. It has left her unable to walk, and has changed their budding relationship. Zee feels guilty and responsible, but he also loves her. He pushes her and tries to cheer her with tales of a normal future. She is having trouble deciding who she wants to be, now that she can't walk, or work the forge. Their relationship deteriorates under the weight of Zee's penchant for violence, and her emotional turmoil.

Zee starts to spend more time with his police officer step sister as she tries to steer him back onto the straight and narrow. She wants him to see the danger and damage he causes as a vigilante, even if his cause is justice. Nothing can be proved about his actions, but the police know he was the one involved. His life and freedom are hanging by a thread.

Tie Mei's ghost has stopped appearing and now Zee misses her. He feels the need for guidance and help to calm him. The new business of this book is Zee's quest to find about her past, to find out what discipline of martial arts she came from, and to find a new teacher. He checks out local schools to see if anything they have can help him, but they aren't enough.

He digs up family history with his father and grandfather, and eventually tracks down another Chinese immigrant, Solomon Yu, who knew Tie Mei. The man has become a reptile wholesaler and uses his pharmaceutical training to research the properties of venom. He also is a master of the martial arts that Tie Mei taught.

The story heats up as Zee and Solomon begin to spend time together, and the present is determined by their shared past. Mayhem ensues and Zee is again the catalyst for violence and destruction.

The ending was not something I expected, and one of the most shocking I have read in years. Perhaps the quiet character study of the rest of the book actually magnifies his actions at the end. I am freaked. as in wanting to run away screaming. I can't imagine what will be next in the series, or if there can even be a next one. But if there is another book I will read it.

The book was written well, the characters are fabulous and developed so they seem like real people. The story built slowly and handled all the various threads and plot points well. There were again more details on martial arts, Chinese medicine, the natural drugs they develop, and philosophy of life. It is all worked in, and enhances the story, rather than being a lump that stops it. This book added information about reptiles, snakes and venom. Very interesting.… (altro)

This book took a while to grab me, but when it did it was total. Turned out to be a fabulous story. It is a first book, so the start is a bit rough. Not in terms of writing, but characterization and story. But he settled down, and really did a wonderful job.

It is set in the modern day, in South Florida. The main character a neurosurgeon and student of Chinese martial arts, Dr. Xenon Pearl (Zee), is a native of Florida. Jewish and of Russian descent. His mother died at 4 and he was raised by a Chinese nanny, who also became his martial arts teacher when he was older.

He is in his 30s and his Chinese teacher is long dead. He is trying to save a young 10 year old child, who has had all his bones broken, as well as his skull. The boy dies. He is the son of the local Russian Mafia kingpin, and he was beaten to death, not injured as a result of a fall from his bike as his parents contend.

So starts a series of events that puts Zee in conflict with the Redmen as they are known, it also causes problems with his superior at the hospital who has been bribed or frightened into silence. Zee begins to see and hear his dead teacher as she exhorts him against being a passive actor in his life. He starts to follow her direction and act oddly. He also meets new people as he realizes she is right, his life is empty: dedicated to work and nothing more.

Zee ends up digging up family secrets as he and the Redman trade violence and injury back and forth. He also is being tracked by a police officer who is his new sister. His father has just remarried and she is the grown daughter of his new stepmother.

The supporting and minor characters are well done. Interesting, quirky, believable, and they catch your heart. Zee is a bit more of a problem. He starts out too cool, perfect, and a master of too many trades. Then he starts to do what the ghost tells him, which includes violent, criminal actions. He doesn't reflect about her directives much, or his actions. I found that hard to believe. Also that someone so educated and experienced would just do what he was told, as though he has no spine or opinions in the matter. It seemed that where before he was too cool, now he was too spineless, probably an overcorrection on the author's part.

As the book moved on Zee started to seem more balanced, and more real. He has strengths and weaknesses, doubts and mistakes. This is a martial arts book after all so there is a big violent ending, with Zee the star, but it was not only believable but appropriate.

Along the way there is a lot of discussion about the different martial arts, the physical and spiritual uses and consequences of the training and the use of them in a fight. We also get Chinese history, and a good bit on Chinese medicine and the spiritual and philosophical concepts and outlook of their use. All the information was woven into the story and never was too heavy or distracting.

The writing was good and the story settled down, and I couldn't put the book down. It ended well, on a hopeful note, but not all neatly tied up.… (altro)

I'm not planning on putting every medical book I pick up, but this is a good read on its own. The subtitle must have been written by marketing people, because it doesn't really convey the focus of the book. This is a series of interviews with patients, practitioners and "thinkers" about chronic pain. The last section is the weakest, as some of the thinkers aren't easily separated from practitioners while others just don't seem to belong (Marilyn vos Savant??!). For people who have any interest at all in the subject, it is interesting to hear the various voices describe first hand their experience with long-term pain.… (altro)