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jdarnold's review
I returned The Third Reich yesterday, as I was kind of stuck on it. I enjoyed the beginning of it, as the writer talks about wargames in a very intelligent fashion. Set in the mid-80s, this would have been the height of wargame popularity, such as it was. The main character is an expert in the eponymous Avalon Hill game. I personally have never played it (not really big on strategic World War 2 games, even back when I was playing longer games), but I know of it and about it and the book does a good job of describing it. I really loved the part where he is a bit embarrassed to talk about his hobby in public, as many of us wargamers are. Most people think we are weird or nuts to be pushing pieces of cardboard around that simulate some of the bloodiest battles in history. At least those few who do know what it is. Most have no idea.
The translator has some problems with some of the terms, even the most basic one of 'wargamer'. She translated it to 'war games players', when just plain 'wargame players' would work. And she also talked about soccer teams as 'sections' - they watched a soccer game that had the "East German section" playing, which was really odd.
But I ran out of steam about halfway through the book, on page 126. The narrator, who was writing a journal about his vacation to the Spanish coast with his girlfriend, wasn't really all that attractive. Kind of a narcissist and really not all that likable. Makes you wonder how he would have ever hooked up with a very good looking girlfriend. And they meet up with another German couple who have a bad relationship, as well as a couple of other pretty bizarre sounding local characters. And when one of them disappears, many of them act in very illogical fashions. After I couldn't really bring myself to read it for a few days, I decided it was time to move on. I think it could be finished if I was in the right frame of mind, so I'm not going to give it the bottom score that I usually reserve for books that I give up on. I still might try it again.
The translator has some problems with some of the terms, even the most basic one of 'wargamer'. She translated it to 'war games players', when just plain 'wargame players' would work. And she also talked about soccer teams as 'sections' - they watched a soccer game that had the "East German section" playing, which was really odd.
But I ran out of steam about halfway through the book, on page 126. The narrator, who was writing a journal about his vacation to the Spanish coast with his girlfriend, wasn't really all that attractive. Kind of a narcissist and really not all that likable. Makes you wonder how he would have ever hooked up with a very good looking girlfriend. And they meet up with another German couple who have a bad relationship, as well as a couple of other pretty bizarre sounding local characters. And when one of them disappears, many of them act in very illogical fashions. After I couldn't really bring myself to read it for a few days, I decided it was time to move on. I think it could be finished if I was in the right frame of mind, so I'm not going to give it the bottom score that I usually reserve for books that I give up on. I still might try it again.
bean_season's review
Told my husband a bit about the plot he and asked me if a man wrote it. š
I'm not the one generalizing!
This is my first BolaƱo, and I hadn't realized he'd written it early and purposefully never published it, but it was intriguing enough that I'm still keen to read more.
I'm glad I didn't know he had made such nasty remarks about Isabel Allende or I might not have checked him out. When asked what she thought of him, she said "Roberto BolaƱo has been translated in the US receiving positive criticism and success, it is a pity that he passed away. For us as Chileans it is an honor that BolaƱo represents us. However, we have to remember that BolaƱo considered me to be garbage but that doesnāt take any merit away from him." [not my translation]
This is my first BolaƱo, and I hadn't realized he'd written it early and purposefully never published it, but it was intriguing enough that I'm still keen to read more.
I'm glad I didn't know he had made such nasty remarks about Isabel Allende or I might not have checked him out. When asked what she thought of him, she said "Roberto BolaƱo has been translated in the US receiving positive criticism and success, it is a pity that he passed away. For us as Chileans it is an honor that BolaƱo represents us. However, we have to remember that BolaƱo considered me to be garbage but that doesnāt take any merit away from him." [not my translation]
figaro's review
3.0
I came to this novel from a different place than most people--I'm an avid gamer, and I learned there was a novel by a well-respected author in which a wargame played an integral role. I had to check this out for myself.
The novel was not quite what I expected, though it was compelling and certainly thought-provoking. And as a gamer, a little unsettling.
The novel was not quite what I expected, though it was compelling and certainly thought-provoking. And as a gamer, a little unsettling.
nedpatrick's review
4.0
I have to admit that the only reason I had to read this book was that the main character is a hex-and-counter wargamer. This was definitely and interesting tale of obsession and weirdness. The main character is a German wargamer who decides to vacation in Spain. Weird stuff happens and he plays a game of Third Reich with a beach bum. I would recommend this book to wargamers as how many times do you get to read a serious literary novel that references The General?
lyndhurstman's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad. Interesting Ballardian edge-of-the-Med/edge-of-reality psyche test.
wordcommando's review
4.0
While many BolaƱo books are obsessed with the relationship between poetry and fascism, this one swaps out poetry for gaming. The mysterious Quemado is most likely BolaƱo. Just the word "gamer" makes my eyes glaze over... still, BolaƱo somehow pulls it off with mixed results.
twubs165's review
3.0
I have some exposure to the game which helps and he is an excellent writer, capturing tension and feeling. However, for me, it just wasn't that interesting of a story. Three stars
paradaisboi's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
tmackell's review
3.0
the fascist nature that the obsessive pursuit of an artform (like writing) can create. Fascism as a game, as a way of life, as an annoying and lame personal hobby that no one cares about. Some interesting inversions of and allusions to detective novels/mysteries and to Nazis post-WWII in South America and elsewhere. also some possible very loose connections to the last part of 2666 but overall this was kind of a slog for me and the first BolaƱo I've read that's made me think that maybe the whole posthumous industry around publishing all his lost and found papers is kind of a racket, or maybe I've just been reading too much BolaƱo but this one is very different in style than his others.