Review of Cynthia and Dan

[Paula Peters]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Cynthia and Dan" by Dorothy May Mercer.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Dorothy May Mercer begins the novel, Cynthia and Dan: Cyber War , with almost immediate action as the main protagonist, Cynthia meets with her brother Glenn to discuss launching a secret cyber war against terrorist groups. From there the readers are quickly guided into another action scene where Cynthia for the first time meets under unusual circumstances an intriguing stranger, Sky Eastman. Recklessly, Cynthia and Sky become romantically involved but Cynthia soon has to face the consequences of her actions. How can she explain herself to her boyfriend, Dan? Is her relationship with Dan worth saving? Can Sky be trusted or has she let her guard down to a stranger with sinister motives? What should she do if she is pregnant by this stranger? Cynthia not only has to find the answers to her personal problems, but still has the Herculean task to launch a cyber war.

What I enjoyed the most about the book was that it was fast-paced. It was not cumbered by a lot of background information or computer jargon, but began into the cusp of the matter immediately. The action was flowing without the book feeling rushed. Additionally, there were also a few points where I was left to wonder what would happen next as some events were left open ended which kept me questioning the meaning or significance behind what was mentioned.

Although the book is a work of fiction, there were a few things that made it feel woefully too unrealistic. The dialogue at times sounded very dated especially the terms of endearment and communication between the lovers. I also found the main character’s actions extremely careless and naïve at times especially in light of the high security job that she has and her aim to launch a cyber war. Cynthia for example, does not question Sky about his unusual name, job nor does she seek to find out any background information about him before getting involved with him. Some characters too, such as Sky are portrayed as too perfect in looks, mannerism and speech which makes them unbelievable.

I would give this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The novel was interesting and was well edited, but the two-dimensional features of the characters and stilted dialogue made it undeserving of a perfect score.

I would recommend this book for adults who love romantic stories that also contain a bit of suspense or action.

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Cynthia and Dan
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