Pretty much everyone I know agrees: Charles Grant is a decent enough writer, but he can’t have seen more than five episodes of “The X Files.” Case in point, “Whirlwind,” the second installment in a series of “X-Files”- based novels written by Grant. Here, a handful of murders have been committed in New Mexico. The victims have had all their skin virtually ripped off, as if they were scoured — and they were killed so fast, they didn’t even have time to work up an adrenaline rush. What could possibly result in bodies like the ones found? Enter Mulder and Scully to investigate, when the local FBI invite them to look over the case due to the nature of the crimes.
Mulder and Scully arrive and the very agent that called them in, Red Garson, suddenly makes himself scarce. In addition, we also meet the local sheriff — who’s laying the idiot-hick routine on a bit thick — and the local troublemaker, Leon Ciola, complete with scars and a reputation for getting into one too many bar brawls, one of which leads to a prison record. We even have a “spooky” Indian reservation nearby, the home of the Konochine tribe. They have a reputation for being wary of outsiders... and have become angry when one of their own, Nick Lanaya, starts to sell some of their artifacts. Sure, the jewelry’s all pretty useless, and it brings in some money, but one wonders why the Konochine have gotten a little angry over it. After all, all of the victims had now-missing pieces of Konochine jewelry in their possession.
Mulder and Scully attempt to wade through a handful of suspects to find the real killer(s). Their search leads them to the home of a now-retired movie actress, Ann Hatch — who Sheriff Sparrow seems to have a “thing” for — and the infamous Konochine reservation, where they’ve just elected a new member to the Council. The Council is a group of seven individuals who are revered as the tribe’s spiritual leaders. But when Mulder learns that the ceremony to replace a recently deceased member of the Council requires the remaining members to hole up in a kiva for six days, concentrating only on who will be the next member, Mulder’s imagination starts to wander. Could it be linked to the deaths? After all, six people concentrating on one thing for so long has to build up a lot of “psychic energy,” doesn’t it? Could that be the explanation? Accidentally released, uncontrolled and undirected psychic energy?
“Whirlwind” makes a pretty good mystery, but it really isn’t too scary. The pace in the beginning is a little slow, but it picks up after that. Unfortunately, the “chase scenes” seem to drag on forever. And the ending is fairly predictable. Nevertheless, Grant manages to make you want to know the ending. So, even if the story gets a little dull at times, you still can’t put the book down.
Overall, the book really isn’t that bad, but there are enough inconsistencies with Mulder and Scully’s television characters to make the more devoted X-Philes out there squirm in their seats. For example, despite being advised to wear more casual clothes in the New Mexico heat, Mulder and Scully show up one day in suits, put on out of habit. Okay, maybe I could buy Scully doing this, but, Mulder? Mulder’s never struck me as being a suit-addict, in fact, he’s worn jeans and a shirt in more than one episode.
All in all, Grant manages to come up with a fairly decent story, but it certainly isn’t classic X-Files. I give it two out of four stars, but if you’re new to the X-Scene, you can add a star — especially if you’re suffering from the rampant XFDS (X-Files Deprivation Syndrome) this summer.
