Simon Pure

The arch, know-it-all style of this YA novel is likely to irritate most readers. They may not have the patience to follow the book's meandering path to its tiresome conclusion 324 pages later. Simon Storm is a genius and, at 15, the youngest freshman in the class of 1990 at prestigious Riddle University. Although Simon is obviously modeled on Thompson (The Grounding of Group Six, A Band of Angels, etc.), who was also a precocious student, it's difficult to empathize with himor any other characterbecause of the author's snide and supercilious stance. Most of the dialogue echoes Thompson's intrusive narrative styleNoel Coward-cum-Me Generationmaking the characters, from a 14-year-old girl to a bearded psychology professor, all too similar. Nothing much seems to occur in the story either, due to Thompson's writing around the action, rather than writing about it. Ages 13-up. (April)