A Million Dollar Spin
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Ooi Boo Eng
BA Hons (English)
Durham University, England
M. Litt.
Newcastle University, England
Poet & Former Professor of English Literature.
A Million Dollar Spin
By David Goa
A brilliant fast-paced novel, as the following sampling of some of my notes and remarks- giving a taste of what and how of the narrative- will bear out, I think:
First 5 pages, and already a handful of characters and their relationships and situations shaping up towards the promise of something interesting… first 14 pages: the narrative moves along briskly (sacrificing detail? sharpness?), taking in a "Jungle Operation", a bandit ambush and killing of Captain Ian Macdonald … Ian Macdonald dies, long live Ismail Macdonald… General Sir Gerald Templer mentioned, & Tan Siew Sin & Tengku Abdul Rahman; time and place pointers….Datuk Lee’s way to wealth: wheeling & dealing, real estate, shares; work, play & risk taking, & making play work for him…..Lee’s daughter Mei Ling all at sea literally- cried "God save me", & was, by a dolphin…Ismail buying a car – this gone into some detail … good telling detail re Ismail’s careful placing of clothes…(P40). The best writing and focus so far (P47) Melodramatic… New characters introduced literally with " …. a splash"; Lucille Oppenheimer – just in time for Ismail …. Narrative rolling .. rollicking?! – along now (pp 50 ff); rolling Ismail to London, and to Emma Thomson… Studying Law for the exam … makes for something different … Gambling, its additive power … Nicholas Dennis Denning.. Lady V Russel.. And yet another character: Dr. Eric Nkomo, … In Paris .. Prof. J.Jaques.. Ski resort. St Moritz … Mountaineering.. There’s even a Princess Diana appearance – not at all badly brought off …. Interesting stuff: the painting.. which the genuine article?… Dialogue.. exchange re traveling.. drawing- roomish? Jane Austenish? … A long speech here – how incorporated in the narrative flow? … Rough house stuff in toilet – dirty politics literally … Even Pudu jail makes an appearance … Touche! (184) .. In Hong Kong- Mei Ling’s sudden headache – the way of the world, just so: Mei Ling with Dr. Enright, & Ismail with Lily Hua… Like a musical – Lily Hua singing "Sound of Music" on the wall of China.. Operative element/motif: Ismail & Lily Hua on the Yang Tse, the latter singing.. A good page: Ismail gambling big time- subdued excitement, tension rising…. An Irish missionary’s sermon.. Mei Ling knifed to death….. Michael Curry’s funeral oration..:" about life on earth in the light of eternity … Ismail being messed up by a shark… his cry God save me", his rescue…. Adventure element: Antonia up the Amazon, attacked by anaconda…. Kuok’s letter to Datuk Lee… of life here and now, the Godly life in Thoreau-Tarzan environment…. Spiritual & Christian themes surfacing: time, aging and circumstances move & direct human lives towards the spirit… in confinement Ismail reflecting on life….. Time & life running out for Ismail- terror…. Antonia to the Amazon to find contentment…. Full circle: beginning at Terendak Camp (Malacca) & Ian Macdonald thought of.
The thrust of the above notes and observations clearly points to a quality of entertaining readability. Most readers, that is, should find this a good read, what with changing scenes, narrative twists & turns, action, character galore, politics, adventure, sex, money matters, legal matters, religion and all thrown in, worked into a fast paced narrative carrying an almost kaleidoscopic variety in terms of character, locale, situation and event. All in all, a hold-all, this, of many things – a heady mix and match of interests and preoccupations that can conceivably have the reader hooked and held for page after page before – towards the end – making him see the emptiness of it all without life’s supreme interest, reality and truth: God.
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About the Book
A brilliantly crafted rapidly moving and highly entertaining novel : as the following sampling of some of my notes and remarks- giving a taste of what and how of the narrative- will bear out, I think:
First 5 pages, and already a handful of characters and their relationships and situations shaping up towards the promise of something interesting… first 14 pages: the narrative moves along briskly (sacrificing detail? sharpness?), taking in a “Jungle Operation”, a bandit ambush and killing of Captain Ian Macdonald … Ian Macdonald dies, long live Ismail Macdonald… General Sir Gerald Templer mentioned, & Tan Siew Sin & Tengku Abdul Rahman; time and place pointers….Datuk Lee’s way to wealth: wheeling & dealing, real estate, shares; work, play & risk taking, & making play work for him…..Lee’s daughter Mei Ling all at sea literally- cried “God save me”, & was, by a dolphin…Ismail buying a car – this gone into some detail … good telling detail re Ismail’s careful placing of clothes…(P40). The best writing and focus so far (P47) Melodramatic… New characters introduced literally with “ …. a splash”; Lucille Oppenheimer – just in time for Ismail …. Narrative rolling .. rollicking?! – along now (pp 50 ff); rolling Ismail to
The thrust of the above notes and observations clearly points to a quality of entertaining readability. Most readers, that is, should find this a good read, what with changing scenes, narrative twists & turns, action, character galore, politics, adventure, sex, money matters, legal matters, religion and all thrown in, worked into a fast paced narrative carrying an almost kaleidoscopic variety in terms of character, locale, situation and event. All in all, a hold-all, this, of many things – a heady mix and match of interests and preoccupations that can conceivably have the reader hooked and held for page after page before – towards the end – making him see the emptiness of it all without life’s supreme interest, reality and truth: God.
About the Author
The Author is a barrister. He lives in London and is a full-time writer.