Atmosphere
by Michael Laimo

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Book Reviews of Atmosphere

Book Review: More Than Ambience
Summary: 5 Stars

2002 is proving to be a year a lot of authors who earned their stripes with short fiction in the small press are coming into their own with debut novels: Scott Nicholson, Teri A. Jacobs, John Urbancik, Gary Jonas...and Michael Laimo.

When the word "atmosphere" is employed in literary discussions, it usually refers to the sense of place the author conveys through descriptions of the setting and weather conditions. To be sure, Laimo delivers plenty of atmosphere in this sense. His novel opens up with a vivid depiction of a rainy day on the streets of New York. You can almost feel the raindrops running down the back of your neck.

But it's not the water that proves troubling to Detective Frank Ballaro; it's the blood he finds on his shoe. Having just closed a high profile murder case, Ballaro is looking forward to a well-earned three-day vacation. But just as there's no rest for the wicked, there is no rest for those who track them down. Following the trail of blood, Ballaro is shocked when a naked boy comes running out of the alley, only to be splattered by a taxicab. The boy's dying word is "Atmosphere." An investigation of the alley the blood was running from reveals another naked boy, whose genitalia is as horribly mutilated as the other boy's. Before the startled eyes of Ballaro and the responding policemen, a bald-headed man dressed in black and wearing sunglasses seizes the boy's body, dragging it into a hole. Though Ballaro is technically only a witness in this case, as he's off duty and this isn't his jurisdiction, he can't walk away from the mystery. He prevails upon his old friend Captain Hector Rodriguez to let him help with the investigation. It seems the more leads they follow up, the more inexplicable it becomes. What do young bald men wearing black and sunglasses and young men who like techno music have to do with a series of abductions across the country? And what does this have to do with the dying boy's enigmatic last word, atmosphere? Evidence points to a conspiracy of incredible proportions-one which the detectives soon begin to believe the FBI knows much more about than they're saying.

In Frank Ballaro, Laimo has created a believable, multi-faceted character worthy of a full series of books. Ballaro is made up of three disparate personalities: the strong truth-seeking detective, the timid common man and the irrationally impulsive tough guy. These personalities conflict with one another, vying for dominance of his decision making.

Laimo borrows equally from pulp and mainstream traditions, concocting a heady, fast-acting brew that will satisfy fans of mystery, horror and science fiction alike. In structure, the novel is a police procedural. It's full of investigative detail and jurisdictional rivalry between city cops and the FBI. The murder scenes (and other set pieces best not described here) are loaded with enough gruesome detail to please any gore hound. The science behind the book's events is well explained and original. The different genre elements are woven together so tightly they become inextricable. This is the only book I've encountered this year that ought to be given equal consideration for a first novel Edgar, Stoker and Hugo.

Laimo's short fiction signaled him as a promising young author. Atmosphere delivers more generously on that promise than anticipated. Laimo's going to be big; count on it. I would recommend purchasing the limited edition hardcover available from Delirium Books this July, but if money is an object, Leisure Books will have an eminently affordable edition on the shelves in September. Whichever one you go for, you're in for a hell of a ride.

Summary of Atmosphere

Laimo's very first novel is sure to be a collector's item as this edition is signed by Laimo and numbered, limited to only 300 copies. Includes a full color dust jacket with cover artwork by Jason Just. Michael's popularity is rising as he has just signed a mass market contract with Leisure Books and just finished his second novel. Order early on this one before they're all sold out!

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• Subjects > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror