Tommy Dorie is used to his eccentric scientist father Nick sending coded messages via text.
Whether providing a scavenger hunt, a “pop quiz” or checking to make sure Tommy was following instructions, his father expected him to follow his orders. Which Tommy normally did, as they had increased since his mother’s death – and he knew his father was dealing with it in his own way.
Though it’s not always convenient. This time it’s interrupting a potential date with a girl that has another guy waiting and willing in the wings.
But when Tommy gets home – it’s not the average situation.
His laptop is missing, there are odd messages on the answering machine and new texts from his dad are directing Tommy to go to the sailboat they’ve worked on.
Quickly, Tommy begins to realize that the training his dad had drilled into him may come in handy since nothing is what it seems – and real danger is creeping up on him…
Henry Melton has written many sci-fi/fantasy novels that I have heralded – such as Golden Girl, Star Time, The Copper Room, Pixie Dust and more.
In this case Breaking Anchor is more of a YA suspense novel, taking more of an adventure/espionage vibe.
Sadly, it didn’t really work for me.
Henry Melton’s intelligent and mature writing is here again – so there will be many fans of Breaking Anchor, and deservedly so – but the plot and characters unfortunately never connected with me.
It’s an unusual but real complaint that I was bothered by Tommy always calling his dad “Nick”. I don’t know why but it drove me crazy, and initially really confused me as to whether “Nick” was his dad or not.
There’s some racial plotting that was sort of peculiar to me. Not that it isn’t a real issue in some areas, I’m sure it is – but it just felt like a strange side plot.
The story itself involving mysterious persons after Tommy just continued to not interest me – and maybe part of it was my lack of interest in Tommy himself. I really hate to say these things because, again, I know that it’s a worthy book and you should read it for yourself.
Eventually I had to start skimming it – Breaking Anchor just wasn’t a match for me.
I think when it comes to Henry Melton’s style I like the serious Sci-Fi, the humorous kind, or the fantasy. When it comes to scientific principles being used in a realistic way with some kind of governmental thriller aspect, it just doesn’t catch my interest in the same way.
Read Breaking Anchor for yourself, though! You may love it! In fact, I hope you do!!!
Comments