The Curewife Book

"Goldsmith's Return" is crazy good and by that I mean that the writing sings with off-the-charts invention, highly nuanced characters and a story line, which held me enthralled through the last word. Indeed, every word in this novel is chosen intelligently, thoughtfully and creatively to lend an aspect of vivid clarity with a 3D quality. The language is so beautifully constructed that I wish I had written this novel. Like his "Lizard World" there exists a surreal aspect to every character which reads at times like a farce, a black comedy and the source of a script for a film noir. The characters possess an uncanny surrealism so much so that they inhabit the novel like living, breathing, wildly authentic figures from a painting by Dali. The surreal becomes vividly realistic in the novels of Bazes. His figures speak with a natural expressiveness resonating in its authenticity about subjects, places and incidents which are so extraordinary and yet possess a verisimilitude only a brilliant novelist could render so vibrantly and with such a convincing aura. It is a mark of a mature novelist that the characters of a book have their own unique aspects and also that they behave with a personality which is distinct to separate as foils each one from another. The protagonist as a proxy for the author in great novels does not overshadow the bit players who lend their own lesser contributions with cumulative distinction. So it is in this great novel by Bazes. I admire the way that Bazes in this brilliant first novel shows such uncommon maturity in the character development and dialogue of this book. He leads his readers on a wild carnival ride to unexpected heights and deep troughs by virtue of his sheer genius as a story teller. In "Lizard World" he reaffirms his gifts in one of the most original and surprising plot resolutions ever to grace a published page. His work is memorable by virtue of its vibrancy, innovation and quality of creative craftsmanship. I can't recommend more highly the novels of Terry Richard Bazes as their creative quality is one of a kind and will lead you on a journey so unexpected that you will have no idea where he intends to take you until the final page. I can't wait to read his next masterpiece.