Power Rankings: Books

As always, weekly sales figures don't tell the whole story . . .

1.) People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks (NYT chart position: #3)
NYT description: "A rare-book expert unlocks the secrets of a medieval manuscript."

• Apparently, this book is actually a historical glimpse at an illuminated Hebrew manuscript. That's really too bad, because I think it would make a great action novel: "Thomas Power wasn't your average rare-book expert, not with his dark brown hair and handsome regard. He could sweep any antiquarian who might stumble into his shop right off her classically minded feet. And books weren't the only thing he liked rare . . ."

2.) Blasphemy, by Douglas Preston (NYT chart position: #4)
NYT description: "A C.I.A. operative tracks scientists with a huge supercollider who are poised to discover the secret of creation."

• Why would you need to "track" someone with a supercollider? It's not like you could hide one. They're miles long. "What's that in his pocket? Wait! It's the supercollider! Quick! Stop that man with the supercollider!"

3.) The Shooters, by W.E.B. Griffen (NYT chart position: #6)
NYT description: "An Army officer on the trail of a missing drug enforcement agent is undermined by the military and intelligence communities."

• By constantly questioning his judgment, especially in the presence of the fugitive DEA agent, they eventually force him into years of painful therapy.

4.) Double Cross, by James Patterson (NYT chart position: #7)
NYT description: "Alex Cross and his new girlfriend, a police detective, confront a boastful Washington killer."

• How convenient! It's a match made in forced-plot-device-heaven.

5.) The Senator's Wife, by Sue Miller (NYT chart position: #10)
NYT description: "A woman lives with her husband's persistent infidelity."

• You know, when are we going to start getting the male perspective on his acts of infidelity? Sheesh.