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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
The “Department of Tourism” is a somewhat secret black-ops division of the CIA, and the main character of this novel is Milo Weaver who is/was a field agent or a Tourist. This novel is more of a character study than a book of political intrigue. We meet Milo on 9/11/01 as an wreck of a man broken down by the world of black-ops and espionage and ready to end it all. The story then picks up six years later and Milo has taken a desk job with the CIA and has become a husband and step father. Milo goes into the field again to help a friend and ends up on the run and accused of several murders. The toll that Milo's secret life and the world of espionage has on him and his family focal point of the novel, with the resolution of the main conspiracy being minor and vague in the end. The novel slows down toward the end and if you are looking for an ending that ties everything together neatly you will be disappointed, but I enjoyed the depiction of the uncertain world of espionage and political intrigue.
I have to say, this was a major disappointment for me. It's not badly written per se, and it's got a nicely twisty plot and some good spy tradecraft, but the characters are completely underbaked. I didn't care about any of them, which meant there wasn't that much tension for me because I honestly didn't care if any of them lived or died. And also, the lead character had a six-year-old step-daughter that acted like no real six-year-old I've ever met.
I normally don't read CIA/Espionage type books, but this has crossed my path a few times over the last couple of years. I think it's a good book, written well,and if I find myself craving another espionage journey, at least now I know an author I enjoyed.
I was pleasantly surprised by this first book in the Milo Weaver series. It started out very slowly and I came close to turning off the audio, as I also didn’t care for the narrator, but I’m glad I stuck it out. I never came to care for the audio narrator, but I found myself getting sucked into the story. This is a solid spy thriller where everyone is suspect and it’s tough to discern the various characters’ motives. I’m looking forward to starting book two and hoping the new audiobook narrator is more my taste.
A suspence thriller that keeps you up reading all night. I am usually not a big fan or spy novesls, but this one proves the exception. An inside look at the "Tourist" branch of the CIA. Milo, a Tourist leads you through a convulted trail of twists and turns across the US and Europe, always keeping you guessing.... who is the bad guy and who is the good guy? A bit hard keeping details straight in the first few chapters, but never a problem after that. One surprising jewel of the book is that Milo is not your typical macho, women fall at his feet spy. I find that a common failing of many european authors with their male characters. You will see Milo fall apart, screw up and literally be a human. That is what makes this a beleivable, yet exciting read. I highly recommend.
First half was standard fare, then the story started taking all kinds of twists & turns. Not Robert Ludlum, but still an interesting summer read.
An engaging if straightforward spy thriller focused more on domestic anti-terrorism agencies (including the here newly created Department of Homeland Security) than on any far reaching international plot. Tourist Milo Weaver's family serves as the novel's moral core, again making this a more introspective view of post-9/11 America than perhaps is obvious at first. Psychologically, the novel presents an American world view that is introspective to the point of isolationist, reflective while not looking too deeply for serious flaws, and so focused on ideals of family that they quickly overtake all other logistical concerns. The book is revealing in this way, but not necessarily aware of its own portrayal. Instead, the book provides easy thrills, the familiar tropes of spycraft, and a character that was literally created around George Clooney. There is no question that The Tourist entertains, but it doesn't reach high or far for its topical fruit.
So glad that's over with. Not really my thing - secret CIA divisions, long lost Russian fathers, conspiracies. So happy to be moving on to something more up my alley.
I read this for my book club - it's not the kind of book I normally gravitate towards. I have read a few spy thrillers in the past, but it's a genre I usually prefer to watch. I find the action sequences more interesting on screen, and often it seems like new information is 'discovered' by just sort of... asking someone? And they just tell you? And I find that really boring to read. The 'reveal' of information by dialogue makes my eyes drift closed...
That being said, overall I did like the book, though I don't plan to continue the series. I thought the characters were really well done and that got me through a lot of the less interesting passages. I particularly liked the final part of the book, where we got to see the story unfold from a bunch of different perspectives.
The book definitely suffered from the pace at which I was reading it - because I was devouring about 100 pages in a go and then not picking it up for a week, by the time I got back to it I had forgotten character names (I'm never great with names which I think is part of why this genre doesn't play well for me), so there would be a big reveal that X character had turned out to be involved and I was like.. who is that?! There were two Russian characters and I thought they were the same person for about 3/4 of the book (boy, was I confused...)! So, yeah. I am not great with spy mysteries.
If you like this style of book I think you would really like this one. It was intelligent and fun and the twists were believable but still surprising.
That being said, overall I did like the book, though I don't plan to continue the series. I thought the characters were really well done and that got me through a lot of the less interesting passages. I particularly liked the final part of the book, where we got to see the story unfold from a bunch of different perspectives.
The book definitely suffered from the pace at which I was reading it - because I was devouring about 100 pages in a go and then not picking it up for a week, by the time I got back to it I had forgotten character names (I'm never great with names which I think is part of why this genre doesn't play well for me), so there would be a big reveal that X character had turned out to be involved and I was like.. who is that?! There were two Russian characters and I thought they were the same person for about 3/4 of the book (boy, was I confused...)! So, yeah. I am not great with spy mysteries.
If you like this style of book I think you would really like this one. It was intelligent and fun and the twists were believable but still surprising.
This was a spy novel like no other. Milo Weaver is not James Bond. In fact, he seems rather ordinary except for his multiple passports and use of duct tape. He's having some trust issues with some of his fellow agents.
He's right. And Milo's wife and daughter are on the losing end while he's hither and yon trying to sort things out.
This is a longer book than I anticipated but I enjoyed every bit of it and plan to read the next book in the series. Steinhauer does an excellent job portraying Mil0, not as a superhero as commonly seen in spy novels and movies, but as a husband and father with a really dangerous job. Is it worth it? I think Steinhauer leaves that for the reader to decide.
He's right. And Milo's wife and daughter are on the losing end while he's hither and yon trying to sort things out.
This is a longer book than I anticipated but I enjoyed every bit of it and plan to read the next book in the series. Steinhauer does an excellent job portraying Mil0, not as a superhero as commonly seen in spy novels and movies, but as a husband and father with a really dangerous job. Is it worth it? I think Steinhauer leaves that for the reader to decide.