Blindside

July 22, 2002
Any novel about a naval court-martial proceeding invites comparison with Herman Wouk's immense The Caine Mutiny; former navy man Lane (Duty) is far less ambitious in his short novel, but he does offer an insider's view. Comdr. Neal Olen, whose wife, Yvonne, had briefly left him, was inveigled into a weekend affair by Angela Vance, herself separated from her husband. Now his marriage is sound again, he's retired from the navy and working for Defense Dynamics. Unfortunately, Angela has just published a "sleazy tell-all" bestseller, Navy Wench, in which he is thinly disguised as "Allen Neil." Olen is pilloried in the press and soon brought up on charges of adultery and "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman," each punishable by loss of retirement rights and privileges, as well as a fine and a jail sentence. Making matters worse, "Allen Neil" is portrayed as trying to impress his lover by imparting naval secrets. Olen engages Lethajoy Beltower, an experienced military lawyer and naval veteran who herself was forced into retirement because she refused to conceal her homosexuality. Olen admits to the affair, but denies revealing any secrets. A preliminary hearing finds insufficient evidence to convict, but the navy, embarrassed at the flagrant dismissal of charges after the Tailhook incident, wishes to pursue the court-martial. Flat narration and perfunctory characterization exacerbate the frustration of clumsy plot turns (Angela's husband tries twice to kill Olen), but the subject matter is tantalizing and Lane keeps the story moving at a steady pace. Agent, Wendy Dager.

September 1, 2002
Just when Neal Olen, a retired naval intelligence officer, is about to reap the benefits of civilian life, he is recalled to duty and accused of both disclosing military secrets and conduct unbecoming an officer. Five years earlier, Neal had had a torrid affair with Angela Vance, whose sleazy, best-selling novel virtually names Neal as her lover and the man who disclosed the secrets. Since both Neal and Angela were married to others at the time, the navy is embarrassed and decides to make Neal a scapegoat by court-martialing him. This topical story, Lane's latest novel after Duty, compels when it describes the court-martial but otherwise lacks suspense. Also, the navy's politically correct rationale for such a witch hunt is unclear. Brian Haig (Mortal Allies; Secret Sanction) writes far better novels about military justice. For larger collections only.-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2002
The author of "Duty" (1999) proffers another novel of attempted injustice in today's U.S. Navy. Retired intelligence officer Neal Olen gets dragged into the spotlight when a best-selling novel leads to charges against him of adultery and other crimes with the woman who wrote it. The novel's interest lies in the peaks and valleys of Commander Olen's ongoing situation and in character development, particularly that of Olen's complex but loyal wife and that of his ex-navy lesbian defense attorney. The best-seller writer's ex-husband, on the other hand, is only something of a "diabolus ex machina," and the whole book is too short to develop sufficient suspense. If "Blindside" isn't as good as "Duty," it is still a solid-enough achievement to verify that Lane has a real gift for depicting the U.S. Navy's legal system at its best and worst. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)