{"id":60173,"date":"2024-07-08T02:00:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-08T06:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=60173"},"modified":"2024-07-07T06:10:14","modified_gmt":"2024-07-07T10:10:14","slug":"pacific-odyssey-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/07\/pacific-odyssey-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Pacific Odyssey Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to Rose Auburn<\/a>\u00a0who reached out to share her review of our friend and fellow DXer Ralph Perry’s book, Pacific Odyssey: The Curious Case of Lew 2.0, <\/i>originally posted on Rose’s review website<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pacific Odyssey: The Curious Case of Lew 2.0<\/i><\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

By Chet Nairene<\/p>\n

5*<\/p>\n

Thirty-six-year-old tech wizard, Lew Clarke is about to ascend to god-like status at the corporate behemoth he has worked for since leaving Harvard. Accolades, and more importantly to Lew, eye-watering levels of financial recompense are raining down on him.\u00a0 But when a minor, forgotten issue floats shockingly to the surface, Lew\u2019s gold-plated, superficial existence implodes.<\/p>\n

After licking his wounds, Lew embarks on a new business venture, importing highly intricate, bespoke wooden garden ornaments directly from the supplier, Lotus Creations<\/i>, in the tiny kingdom of Amazia, Southeast Asia.\u00a0 Money and the good times roll abundantly again. Until a trickle of strange complaints becomes a deluge and Lew is left with no option but to seek out the mysterious retailer from the even more mysterious Amazia\u2026<\/p>\n

Pacific Odyssey<\/i> definitely ranks as one of my favorite novels so far in 2024.\u00a0 I read Nairene\u2019s earlier novel, Pacific Dash<\/i>, last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, with Pacific Odyssey<\/i>, Nairene has shifted up into fifth gear. It\u2019s a highly imaginative and unusual book that I found almost impossible to put down.<\/p>\n

From the opening couple of paragraphs, the novel instantly hooks the reader. Confident, breezy, and intriguing, it crackles with comic energy and is deceptively well-written. It would have been easy for Nairene\u2019s depiction of Lew, and his employer, the corporate IT titan, Mega<\/i>, to have fallen into stereotype.<\/p>\n

And, while Nairene does tip the reader a knowing wink for some elements, it\u2019s done with clever subtlety and wry, observational humor, a tone that continues throughout the novel.<\/p>\n

The structure and ethos of Mega<\/i> is not only horribly credible but incredibly well-conceived.\u00a0 When Lew is put out to pasture at Mega\u2019s global call center in Weehawken, Nairene depicts the place with hellish accuracy.<\/p>\n

Although the novel is relatively long, it\u2019s fast-moving with wave after wave of itchy foreboding. None more so than when Lew discovers Lotus Creations<\/i>. However, underneath the suspense and possible chicanery, a faint sub-textual and thought-provoking commentary emerges as Lew and best friend, Sal, navigate the differences between the East and West cultural mores.<\/p>\n

These distinctions prove profound, although Nairene keeps the reader guessing about the Amazians. As the novel gathers pace, a compelling mystery begins to unfold at its heart.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, on the surface at least, Part Two also resembles the finest of travel memoirs, certainly reminiscent of Paul Theroux\u2019s rail journeys. As Lew travels from the capital of Amazia, Ruangbang, up to Biti, a deeply rural backwater, it\u2019s excellent stuff. Kafka-esque, funny, immensely authentic, and never becomes far-fetched even as the reader is hurtled into a surreal rabbit hole.<\/p>\n

Lew encounters hurdle after hurdle until assistance appears in the form of Boo, an Amazian who speaks English. The advent of Boo changes the novel a touch, it becomes a little more serious, and also rather spiritual both in terms of the narrative and Lew\u2019s trajectory.<\/p>\n

This esoteric turn is enhanced by Nong, Boo\u2019s cousin. She reminded me of Fiona Lo in Nairene\u2019s previous book and, at times, seemed underdeveloped, although her enigmatic countenance and reason for it, form the basis of the narrative\u2019s outcome.<\/p>\n

Pacific Odyssey<\/i> is richly descriptive, vivid, sensory, and full of whip-smart, nimble dialogue, especially between Lew and Sal, whose exchanges are warm and amusingly natural. All of Nairene\u2019s characters from Harry at Mega<\/i> to Wongrat at the Miracle Royal Pagoda<\/i> Hotel<\/i> are wonderfully convincing and step from the page.<\/p>\n

Pacific Odyssey<\/i> is a literary thrill ride. Darkly funny and thought-provoking, it\u2019s written with consummate verve and captivating vibrancy that never fails to entertain. Highly recommended.<\/p>\n

Click here to purchase Pacific Odyssey on Amazon.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

[Note: This is an Amazon affiliate link that supports the SWLing Post at no cost to you.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Click here to check out Rose’s other book reviews.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to Rose Auburn\u00a0who reached out to share her review of our friend and fellow DXer Ralph Perry’s book, Pacific Odyssey: The Curious Case of Lew 2.0, originally posted on Rose’s review website: Pacific Odyssey: The Curious Case of Lew 2.0 By Chet Nairene 5* Thirty-six-year-old tech wizard, Lew Clarke is about to ascend […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[251,3],"tags":[10494,10173,10563],"class_list":["post-60173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-news","tag-pacific-odyssey","tag-ralph-perry","tag-rose-auburn"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-fEx","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":59368,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/03\/pacific-odyssey-latest-novel-by-dxer-ralph-perry\/","url_meta":{"origin":60173,"position":0},"title":"Pacific Odyssey: Latest Novel by DXer Ralph Perry","author":"Thomas","date":"March 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ralph Perry, who shares the following announcement: Big news here is that after five years of hard work, yesterday was publication day for DXer Ralph Perry's second novel, written under the pen name of Chet Nairene: \"PACIFIC ODYSSEY - The Curious Journey of Lew\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Odyssey-Novel.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Odyssey-Novel.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Odyssey-Novel.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Odyssey-Novel.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59899,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/06\/pacific-odyssey-kindle-ebook-only-99-cents-this-week\/","url_meta":{"origin":60173,"position":1},"title":"Pacific Odyssey: Kindle eBook only 99 cents this week","author":"Thomas","date":"June 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post contributor and DXer, Ralph Perry, who shares the following announcement (click here for more background in a previous post) : 99-CENT \u2018PACIFIC ODYSSEY\u2019 WEEK IS HERE! Click here to check it out on Amazon.com (note that this is an affiliate link that supports the SWLing Post\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Odyssey-Novel-194x300.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":32727,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/06\/australian-govt-reviewing-media-services-including-loss-of-shortwave-in-the-asia-pacific\/","url_meta":{"origin":60173,"position":2},"title":"Australian Gov’t reviewing media services (including loss of shortwave) in the Asia-Pacific","author":"Thomas","date":"June 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, London Shortwave, for sharing the following Have Your Say review of Australian Broadcasting Services in the Asia Pacific: Review of Australian Broadcasting Services in the Asia Pacific \u2013 Terms of Reference The Government is undertaking a review of Australian media services in the Asia\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/australian-government-logo.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":28409,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/nick-xenophon-champions-review-of-abc-shortwave-broadcasting-to-pacific\/","url_meta":{"origin":60173,"position":3},"title":"Nick Xenophon champions review of ABC shortwave broadcasting to Pacific","author":"Thomas","date":"September 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ian P, who shares the following via ABC News: ABC shortwave broadcasting to the Pacific to be reviewed The decision to end Australian shortwave broadcasting to the Pacific earlier this year could be revisited. There's to be a review of Asia Pacific broadcasting services,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/ATS-405-9580kHz-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/ATS-405-9580kHz-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/ATS-405-9580kHz-1024x576.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40356,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/new-report-review-of-australian-broadcasting-services-in-the-asia-pacific\/","url_meta":{"origin":60173,"position":4},"title":"New report: Review of Australian Broadcasting Services in the Asia Pacific","author":"Thomas","date":"October 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Peter Marks, who writes: A report two years in the making has been released (actually it was a few days ago but there was no fanfare. I\u2019ve posted about it here: https:\/\/blog.marxy.org\/2019\/10\/review-of-australian-broadcasting.html An interesting conclusion in the report on page 128 is that the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Shepparton.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Shepparton.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Shepparton.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22900,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/pina-calls-for-abc-to-review-closure-of-shortwave-service\/","url_meta":{"origin":60173,"position":5},"title":"PINA calls for ABC to review closure of shortwave service","author":"Thomas","date":"December 19, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Pasifik via SWLing Post contributor Trevor R) [The] Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) is concerned with the decision of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to shut down its Shortwave Radio Services to the Pacific by the end of January next year. PINA joins the growing voices opposed to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/SX-99-Dial-1024x192.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60173"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60173\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60174,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60173\/revisions\/60174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}