Daniel Mason creates a stunningly brilliant debut, combining his passion and knowledge for writing, history, music, and medicine in his debut novel, The Piano Tuner. First he conjures Dr. Anthony Caroll, that genius of a field physician in Burma whose successes in forging alliances with the locals makes him indispensible to the British Army. This interesting character demands for a rare Erard grand piano to be shipped to Burma, and when this piano, after the arduous journey, needs a tuning, the story begins, with Edgar Drake, a piano tuner whose specialty is with Erards, is commissioned to be sent to Burma.
We then see Burma through his eyes: the politicking within the army; the tiger hunt that has captures the attitude of the British towards their subjects, and the ultimate journey to an obscure village that has become Dr. Caroll's fortress. One cannot avoid the comparisons with Conrad's work, and although Mason is very promising in this, there is something quite lacking insofar as the depth of the main character is concerned. His concern for the piano, fascination with the doctor's work and chaste admiration for Khin Myo are valid, but somehow these things are not given basis.
The counterpoint of the story is the Erard itself, and Mason does excellent research in bringing back to life the piano technology of the 1800s. Of course as a medical student who studied malaria in the area, his elaborations on the medical aspects of the story are excellent.
I said that Daniel Mason has conjured a brilliant story, and at that, a story with an unexpected ending. Whether or not this ending is as successful as the rest of the tale is debatable, but there is no doubt that this story is beautifully done and Daniel Mason is a promising new author to watch out for.
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