Commitment Hour

Commitment Hour by James Alan Gardner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

April 6, 2001

Much like Gardner's other books, I read Commitment Hour very quickly. This time, though, not because I wanted to, but because I was ill. Like many other books, Commitment Hour poses an interesting question, "what if you could choose to be male, female, or both?" Unfortunately, weak characters and a dull story really do little to turn that question into a decent novel.

Male, female, or both, our hero(ine) Fullin is remarkably uninteresting. He/she is whiny, prissy, naive, and a total clod and his girl/boyfriend Cappie is little better. The "Spark Lord" Rashid is a cartoonish charicature, and none of the other characters are interesting enough to make the reader cheer for anyone.

The entire story is spent taking the reader through the tangled web of nature spirits and the tyrannical "Patriarch" that make up the very small world of Tobler Cove. Eventually we find out that Tobler Cove is really just a high-tech sociology experiment to bridge the gender gap.

Unlike Gardner's other books, Commitment Hour is a dull read, and unless you're virtually bed-ridden like myself, it won't keep you hooked. Commitment Hour has an interesting premise but a weak story. Read Gardner's other books, but skip this one.