I loved this book! From the very beginning pages, it was a riproaring ride through a science fiction fantasy combined with an action adventure. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters mixed in with a story that pulled me in right away. I had a hard time putting it down each night.

This was an extremely unusual but very original read. The premise - that reality is underpinned by language and if one can tap into the "original" form of a language, one can tap into the "origins" of reality - was fascinating. The characters and setting were a pleasant surprise - one major supporting character has MS, another is 80+; the settings are ultra-small towns, one nestled in a valley and one in Alaska. It was great fun to read a book that didn't feel like it was set in the same city/suburb populated by middle-aged white people that seem to underpin so many fictional thrillers these days... And make no mistake - this WAS a thriller. The ride was bumpy and unsettling and fascinating, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and am definitely looking for more from Dan Cray in future. There were a few rough edges, but they didn't detract from the overall pacing/story or my enjoyment of the book. It felt like a writer settling into his voice/style, and I hope is indicative of more original stories like this one to come in the future!

My interest in linguistics drove me to read Mother Tongue, and I was not disappointed in this front. Nor was I disappointed with the sharp dialogue and thoughtful characterization this book has to offer. A definite recommendation.

I have just finished reading an ARC of the forthcoming SF thriller Mother Tongue. Overall, I am pleased with this super power story. There are plenty of villains and plenty of heroes ... and most everybody is some of both. The main character, Jon, is a teacher who is already dealing with many life issues having to do with his native language when strange "ribbons" of text start overpowering his day-to-day activities. Will these ribbons lead Jon to the miraculous or the dangerous? In any case, Jon will certainly have to face many torments and people from his buried past. The one con I would have for this story is that Jon's thoughts sometimes get to the silly and parts of the ending are a bit fairy tale-ish...but hey, maybe that's life.