The Tone Poet

The Tone Poet by Mark Rickert. Published by BQB Posted on May 24, 2014 by cayocosta72

The car accident left 6 year old Cameron Black clinically dead. During that brief period he heard music so beautiful, it would forever effect him. Revived and now an adult, Cameron is a famous composer who is feeling dejected and lost. When he meets Leonin Bloom, he thinks he has found a way to get past his depression. He accepts Bloom’s offer to help the maestro create music that will stir the soul. He travels to Bloom’s private music hall, hoping he may at last have a chance to recreate the heavenly music he heard as a child. But what Cameron encounters is a town full of strange people, a missing woman and something far from heavenly.
I knew I wanted to read this book when I read a synopsis, I knew I had to read it when I read Rickert’s introduction. I am so glad that you chose to write, Mark. Anything else would have denied the rest of us the chance to read your remarkable work. Here’s to many more books!

Cameron- the Tone Poet

Bloom- the Maestro

Kalek, Charlie, Hob, Madison, Carrie....

All amazing characters. I think, if I have to choose my favorite, it has to be Cameron. He goes through many struggles in his life, they seem to begin when his parents are lost in an accident. He does not realize how important he is. He does not realize how special his gift is. He soon finds out.

My favorite part of the book is the end. Not because I was ready to be finished, but the culmination of events. Every scene, every sentence was leading nowhere but the final performance. The book did not end the way I hoped, but was inevitable. It would not have been complete if I had my way. The world is not a happy place with happily ever after.

I would definitely give this book 5 stars. I was hooked from the first page, the opening concert was amazing, so vivid. I could see the scene when Bloom was "born". I wasn't sure where the story would go from such an awe inspiring opening, but it continued to keep me enthralled.

I am recommending Tone Poet to anyone who likes mystery, suspense, supernatural, or great fiction. It is over 400 pages, it was over way too quickly. I would definitely read a sequel, although I'm not sure if a sequel could match the artistry of the Tone Poet.

Music thrums the Universe's chords. I've read postulations that Music and Mathematics, so closely are they twinned, are the paired foundations of the Universe. Music is often considered Celestial; are the Angels not believed to strum harps? So, too, do "Near-Death" experiences seem to be accompanied by Music, in addition to white or golden light. Certainly this was true for the child Cameron Blake, near to death in a vehicular crash; he heard Music, and it returned with his soul, reprising itself within elusive nightmares. Yet Music can be turned to discord and chaos: witness the Nazis' utilization of Wagner. Witness, too, the Reverend Alfred Kalek, who in company with his beloved wife reconstituted a nearly destroyed church building; who found her dead inside that church, and tried to commit suicide. But when an alert neighbor rescued him, the good Reverend recovered life, remembering Music, and considered it an act of God. But the first performance of the music in that church, literally birthed something occult and unspeakable.

I have to admit I am baffled at how this book has not become a hit by now.

When I read Overture, the book's prologue, I was immediately enthralled, particularly by the way the author weaved the story into embarrassment which turned to anger which turned to utter disgust and panic.

When he introduces us to Cameron, and then to Holloway, things slow down a bit, but there is this constant eerie feeling following our main character. I was captured by what happened to him and by his duality in wanting to do something but fearing it was wrong, never actually knowing it or at least believing it was worth it.

At the same time we meet other characters, each with their own voices, fears and desires, who all play into the story, insignificant as they may sound at first.

Rickert was masterful in the way he infused a feeling of normality into a place where obviously very wrong things were happening.

It is not a perfect book. I would say it is definitely strongest in the first few chapters.
Some things were a bit repetitive, others fairly predictable and I did struggle with the pace. I think that opening chapter was so damn good it would be nearly impossible for the rest of the book to follow through in the same standard of quality because it really had everything.

Also, I struggled with some of our main character's decision that didn't really make sense to me. (view spoiler)

Bottom line is there are many authors out there who are inspired by Stephen King but few are able to produce something even remotely close to my favourite author's stories. Even if some references were a tad too obvious (Carrie, The Shining and 'Salem's Lot all come to mind, for example), the fact is I for one have not come across anything that came as close as The Tone Poet.
Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.