Review: “Mercury Falls” by Robert Kroese

Based on reading Robert Kroese’s clever and engaging book “Mercury Falls,” it seems we have several things in common. I’ll get to that in a minute. First, let me give you some thoughts about Mr. Kroese’s book and why its in-progress sequel offers so much promise.

Available on paperback and for the Amazon Kindle, “Mercury Falls” recounts the modern-day tale of wayward angel named Mercury and a reporter named Christine who stumble into the task of saving the world from the Apocalypse. Punctuating this journey are a raft of characters whose doppelgangers include The Mormon Twins from Ocean’s Eleven and a more religious, chummy version of Ben Bradlee.

Mr. Kroese has said before that he is an admirer of Douglas Adams and the book reflects that. In fact, in mentioning those things that he and I have in common, this is one of them and is, in fact, what drew me to buy the book. I wanted to see if someone else could pull off an Adams-esque escapade with the same acerbic wit and smarts. In this freshman effort, he succeeds on many of Adams’ fronts and many of his own.

For instance, Mr. Kroese does an exceptional job at set-up and delivery. He delivers as he dives deep into philosophical renderings and linoleum. In one passage, Mr. Kroese goes deep about the Battle of Plattsburgh, a place I lived for four years and know a bit of history about. Mr. Kroese manages to turn an otherwise obscure piece of history into an integral element of the plot.

Pop culture references, both current and historical, also pepper the manuscript from top to bottom. The bit of conversation about Stryper is brill. You’ll catch the Harry Potter parallel very quickly and it seems that Mr. Kroese and I are both Van Halen fans. And nice of him to include a Tudor reference, too.

The book is also funny. I laughed so loud about the “lightweight carbon fiber fist” that it woke up the person sleeping across from me on the train returning from Berlin. There’s also a howler that reads “My friend is a writer. I have total faith in her judgement.” Crispix. Karl Grissom. Lucifer is more Jay Mohr than Tim Curry. Funny.

There are some bits that clunk rather than glide. The angel that works for tips felt more an annoyance than something that moved the text along, but I learned something new about Pumas, Cougars and Mountain Lions. The twist on the demon that eventually goes toward resolving the finale also raised my eyebrows. However, as Mr. Kroese works to develop a voice that is similar to Mr. Adams in his writing, he succeeds in many, many more areas than he fails, and that makes the entire book wonderful.

Finally, I’m not sure if Mr. Kroese intended for there to be a broader takeaway on religion, faith or if he was merely playing with the angelic actors, stagehands and union members. Another reviewer referenced the film “Dogma” in comparison, but “Mercury Falls” isn’t the heavy handed indictment or retrospection on religion Silent Bob stomped out. It’s more like a sandbox where Mr. Kroese has brought his toys and is acting out a fantasy with religious players. There is, however, some allusion of what’s to come in Chapter Forty-Six, and I’d bet whatever is in the collection plate that the character Christine, based on her name alone, offers plenty of promise for the sequel.

As a means of measuring forms of Christianity, Judaism (“Eighteen wings and Nineteen opinions” is as old a Jewish joke as it gets) or other faiths, “Mercury Falls” isn’t nor should it be. ”Mercury Falls” is, however, entertaining, funny, enlightening and clever. It’s also one the three best books I’ve read in 2010.

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