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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Excellent book about being a spy - a secret spy (u.s. calls them tourists). Who can you trust? How do you have a family with all of these secrets? Keeps you guessing until the end. Excellent!
Good start, weak middle and finish, all rushing about and reporting secret histories. What resonates a little, though, today, is the complexity and unknowability of the new world disorder.
Given how lauded this book was when it debuted in 2009, I had high hopes for this one, but I felt very "meh" about the whole experience. Perhaps I've seen too many spy movies, but I really wasn't very impressed. My heart did not race even once while reading, I was not worried about the life of the protagonist (it never hung in the balance), and I didn't really care about the outcome either way.
That said, I think this was part of the originality of this novel: the reality of it. The protagonist is a mostly retired spy, so he's not going to have a bag of tricks up his sleeve to be thwarting those in pursuit left and right - he's out of practice. And he has something to lose, rather than nothing (he has a family, so he wants to be careful about how he handles situations). Plus, in real life, I'm sure there aren't gunfights on every corner, and men throwing themselves off of bridges (I'm thinking of the Bourne films, otherwise known as The Holy Grail because I love them so). So, in that respect, I found this novel quiet refreshing in its banality. Will I read another novel by Steinhauer? Probably not.
That said, I think this was part of the originality of this novel: the reality of it. The protagonist is a mostly retired spy, so he's not going to have a bag of tricks up his sleeve to be thwarting those in pursuit left and right - he's out of practice. And he has something to lose, rather than nothing (he has a family, so he wants to be careful about how he handles situations). Plus, in real life, I'm sure there aren't gunfights on every corner, and men throwing themselves off of bridges (I'm thinking of the Bourne films, otherwise known as The Holy Grail because I love them so). So, in that respect, I found this novel quiet refreshing in its banality. Will I read another novel by Steinhauer? Probably not.
The beginning of the book consists of what seem like unrelated incidents and I was wondering what this was all about, but later on it picks up and things tie up together and become interesting.
A few things that bothered me-
The “travel agency” did not check the story of his parents, and the foster care system????? Really? Because the whole book, the trilogy, is based on where Milo was for his teens.
And Tina???
A few things that bothered me-
The “travel agency” did not check the story of his parents, and the foster care system????? Really? Because the whole book, the trilogy, is based on where Milo was for his teens.
And Tina???
My rating of this book may be coloured by the fact that I read this out of order so I knew some of the secrets already. Secrets are important when reading spy thrillers. So definitely, read this before The Nearest Exit and An American Spy.
A classic thriller in the style of Robert Ludlum (albeit plotted slightly more carefully), somewhat updated for 21st century intelligence budget cutbacks, competing US agencies, and cell phones.
The first act is a fun run and gun, the second drags a bit as the mythos grows and everyone's on the lam, and the third picks up as a political thriller.
The first act is a fun run and gun, the second drags a bit as the mythos grows and everyone's on the lam, and the third picks up as a political thriller.
Spoiler
I appreciated Steinhauer not stooping to threatening the family. I could have done without the asides of three 13-year olds being raped and wasn't as impressed with all of the female agents being gay or "folding their arms under their breasts" as the characters in the book were.
The plot finally got going 3/4 of the way thru. Up til then it was posturing and running around in big circles, unfortunately, it never really grabbed my attention. Another of those American spy stories that seem written for the screen rather than as a reading venture.
A very engaging spy novel. Really a 4.5 for me because there was one part I wasn't crazy about (won't spoil it by saying which) but I definitely recommend it if you're into spy novels.
Struggling a bit to stay motivated to finish this book. I just don't care about the main character. I'm going to give it a few more chapters to hook me. Maybe I'm just not in the mood for a spy novel right now.
Very glad I stuck with it. I couldn't put it down for the final three fourths. A lot of twists and a likable hero in Milo. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
Very glad I stuck with it. I couldn't put it down for the final three fourths. A lot of twists and a likable hero in Milo. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
Just read the advanced copy on he beach - a quick-paced current spy tale involving Dafur, China, the US and old Russia. Excellent cast of characters, enjoyed the plot, and learned a thing or two.