The Second Law of Dying

Geoff Laundy
iUniverse (2005)
ISBN 0595363334
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (12/06)

Dr. Hugo Haultain began his life as a sickly, weak child.  His adventures were limited to what he read and his own imagination.  Dr. Albert Schweitzer begins appearing to him at this time.  Throughout his life, he appears to Hugo and offers words of wisdom or thoughts to ponder. Hugo defines Schweitzer as a man of many talents. These talents include:  “a mouthpiece for technology, a musician, a winner of international awards, philanthropist, a thinker, a healer of bodies and a minister of the gospel.”  Hugo refers to Schweitzer’s unusual visits to him as, “a bothersome quirk to my imagination, a “volunteer in my delusions.”  Schweitzer’s visits continue after his death at age 90.  

“The Second Law of Dying” is about Hugo’s journeys through his life. Most of his stories are retold to a prison officer while Hugo is locked up in a foreign country.  The conditions that he surrounds himself with on his journey tend to be those of squalor and filth.  Along his way he does encounter some interesting people and finds a true love. Unfortunately, she is committed to another.  Along his travels, Hugo abandons his title of doctor.  He does end up helping many people, especially while he is in prison. 

Hugo has some interesting people in his life.  From his relationships with them, he gleans a great deal of wisdom.  As I read this novel, I reflected on much of what he was experiencing and the thoughts that he was processing.  One thought that had a particular impact upon me in this story was, “…the only experience that traps a man is the regret he has for the bad things he’s done.  It follows that we should move on, before the future becomes as big a prison as the past.”

Hugo also created the second law of dying based upon his idea that we must constantly make an effort to avoid entropy.  Our lives are journeys towards death.  To survive the journey towards death, he feels that we must keep ourselves in top shape and live well.  Our efforts to live well are what fuel our souls.

Geoff Landry has written a very interesting, thought provoking novel.  I enjoyed journeying along with Hugo as he made his travels across the globe.  His adventures were rarely easy, but always resulted in some kind of lesson being learned or taught.  Landry has a great gift for developing interesting characters.  He makes the story very realistic.  I highly recommend “The Second Law of Dying” to readers who enjoy books with depth. 

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