Review of Northern Umbrage
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Rajnee Varma
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Review of Northern Umbrage
[Following is a volunteer review of "Northern Umbrage" by Dennis Lorenz Ph.D..]
Northern Umbrage: Pulp, Paper, Power, and Pollution by Dennis N. Lorenz, Ph.D., is a novel based on the issues of environmental pollution. Dr. John ‘Buc’ Bucannon, an environmental pathologist, landed in the small town of Eagle River in Wisconsin to solve a mystery. The town depends mainly on tourism and fishing, but for the past two years, hoards of fish have been washing up on the shore. Buc was appointed to investigate. Suspecting water pollution due to the dumping of chemical waste from some industry, Buc was collecting mud samples when he met with an accident, but was saved by Sadie, the daughter of a taxidermist, whose knowledge about wild animals and their anatomy astonished him. But that was not all. Sightings of a strange beast were reported. People were attacked, and a kid was killed in the school playground. While Buc and Sadie worked together to find out more about the beast or the cause of water pollution, the friendly people of town looked forward to a solution. Meanwhile, the timber business of Jacque LeMieux flourished as he supplied trees for the paper industry by cutting young trees at an alarmingly increased rate, disturbing the balance in the environment. Determined to save the environment and balance nature, Glen Power Claw, a native American Oneida woodsman, was trying on his own, in his own strange way. And two murders go unnoticed, regarded as unfortunate accidents.
Someone must be dumping chemicals in the water, but who? And who authorized them to do so? Was there some connection between the dead fish and the beast? What was the mayor doing about it, and what animal was the beast? Who was the lone native American wandering in the woods? Who, and how, benefited from the deaths? There were many unanswered questions, to which Buc and Sadie were determined to find answers. The town doctor, Dr. Roland, contributed to their work by discussing his experiments on mice regarding the effects of chemical pollutants.
This amazing story of man’s greed and ignorance keeps the reader captivated. The author has created simple yet eloquent characters. The simplicity of life in a small town, the cold climatic conditions, and the friendly nature of the people are clearly shown. And how the people love to eat fish and enjoy the end of the week is also interesting. They are a peace-loving community that cares for the climate and environment. The descriptions of how the pollutants affect life, climate, the food chain, and the ecosystem are informative. How the chemicals can affect the growth of a fetus, producing mutations and deformities, is an eye-opener, and the health hazards of consuming pollutant-laden food on mental health are also worth knowing.
This novel is neither futuristic science fiction nor fantasy, and yet it is a suspenseful thriller, very realistic and meaningful. The author has presented well-researched scientific facts in very simple, easy-to-understand terms. The book illustrates how greed makes people thoughtless and negligent about the dangers of pollution. It is a well-written book, and I did not find anything negative about the book. I have no reason to deduct a star, and I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
In the modern age of advancing science and industrialization, there is a need to rethink the judicious use of natural resources, environmental issues, and, above all, the proper methods of waste disposal. The book warns against lapses through an entertaining story and speculates on the consequences of unthoughtful actions. I would recommend it to people interested in environmental issues who like to read mystery and suspense thrillers.
******
Northern Umbrage
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Northern Umbrage: Pulp, Paper, Power, and Pollution by Dennis N. Lorenz, Ph.D., is a novel based on the issues of environmental pollution. Dr. John ‘Buc’ Bucannon, an environmental pathologist, landed in the small town of Eagle River in Wisconsin to solve a mystery. The town depends mainly on tourism and fishing, but for the past two years, hoards of fish have been washing up on the shore. Buc was appointed to investigate. Suspecting water pollution due to the dumping of chemical waste from some industry, Buc was collecting mud samples when he met with an accident, but was saved by Sadie, the daughter of a taxidermist, whose knowledge about wild animals and their anatomy astonished him. But that was not all. Sightings of a strange beast were reported. People were attacked, and a kid was killed in the school playground. While Buc and Sadie worked together to find out more about the beast or the cause of water pollution, the friendly people of town looked forward to a solution. Meanwhile, the timber business of Jacque LeMieux flourished as he supplied trees for the paper industry by cutting young trees at an alarmingly increased rate, disturbing the balance in the environment. Determined to save the environment and balance nature, Glen Power Claw, a native American Oneida woodsman, was trying on his own, in his own strange way. And two murders go unnoticed, regarded as unfortunate accidents.
Someone must be dumping chemicals in the water, but who? And who authorized them to do so? Was there some connection between the dead fish and the beast? What was the mayor doing about it, and what animal was the beast? Who was the lone native American wandering in the woods? Who, and how, benefited from the deaths? There were many unanswered questions, to which Buc and Sadie were determined to find answers. The town doctor, Dr. Roland, contributed to their work by discussing his experiments on mice regarding the effects of chemical pollutants.
This amazing story of man’s greed and ignorance keeps the reader captivated. The author has created simple yet eloquent characters. The simplicity of life in a small town, the cold climatic conditions, and the friendly nature of the people are clearly shown. And how the people love to eat fish and enjoy the end of the week is also interesting. They are a peace-loving community that cares for the climate and environment. The descriptions of how the pollutants affect life, climate, the food chain, and the ecosystem are informative. How the chemicals can affect the growth of a fetus, producing mutations and deformities, is an eye-opener, and the health hazards of consuming pollutant-laden food on mental health are also worth knowing.
This novel is neither futuristic science fiction nor fantasy, and yet it is a suspenseful thriller, very realistic and meaningful. The author has presented well-researched scientific facts in very simple, easy-to-understand terms. The book illustrates how greed makes people thoughtless and negligent about the dangers of pollution. It is a well-written book, and I did not find anything negative about the book. I have no reason to deduct a star, and I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
In the modern age of advancing science and industrialization, there is a need to rethink the judicious use of natural resources, environmental issues, and, above all, the proper methods of waste disposal. The book warns against lapses through an entertaining story and speculates on the consequences of unthoughtful actions. I would recommend it to people interested in environmental issues who like to read mystery and suspense thrillers.
******
Northern Umbrage
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Inside Passage: by Burt Weissbourd
