Simon & Schuster, November, 1999

Charlie Curtis's dying father gives him one request. Return to New Orleans and tell his Charlie's Uncle James Joseph Pelikan to add his name to Pelikan's list. Charlie has avoided New Orleans since Pelikan stole his college sweetheart and resists at first, but soon he is plunged into a world of clowns, whores, nuns, murder, and the theft of a thousand-year old relic, a golden cross of thorns.

Martin presents an image of New Orleans so vivid you can virtually taste the food and drink, feel the throb of the music and of hangovers, and sense the grime and richness of one of America's great cities.

Charlie is an ambiguous protagonist. He denies the adventure a little too much, helped along by his distrust and fear of his uncle--a fear amplified when Pelikan breaks his finger the first time they meet. In fact, Pelikan is the hero of the story, the man who makes the decisions that lead to redemption for both the Nuns (who are seeing the restoration of their relic), the clowns and whores who are Pelikan's life, and his estranged nephew. In the climax of the novel during a great huricane, Pelikan and Charlie must both transcend their fears.

PELIKAN starts a little slow and could have done with a little less drunkenness on the part of Charlie Curtis--Martin might have been too obvious in having Charlie deny and betray his 'Christ-like' uncle who has a thing for washing feet, but about halfway through the novel, things pick up and you won't be able to put the book down.

Three Stars

Ready to buy it now? Click the BUY button.