Scan barcode
cgmcintosh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
belanna2's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
ericfheiman's review against another edition
3.0
The seventh in the always-appealing Bernie Gunther series, Field Gray is probably the one least entrenched in the usual trappings of the hard-boiled detective genre. Instead, it's both a fascinating journey into the underbelly of World War II European history, and a meditation on the horrors of war, whether as a participant or onlooker. It's a testament to Kerr that he manages to keep the narrative rolling along while forcing the reader to consider the larger moral issues at play.
ridgewaygirl's review against another edition
3.0
Philip Kerr wrote a brilliant trilogy published in an omnibus edition as Berlin Noir about a detective in the hardboiled tradition. Bernie Gunther had a talent for witty banter that got him punched more often than not, an independent spirit and an eye for the ladies. The twist? Bernie lived and worked in Berlin in the 1930s and 40s, where survival often depended on one's ability to toe the line and no one's hands were clean.
He smiled without smiling--the sort of expression a snake has when it opens its mouth to swallow something whole. He was smaller than me, but he had the ambitious look of a man who might eventually swallow something larger than himself.
Field Gray is the seventh installment in the Bernie Gunther series. It's different from the earlier books, which concentrated on single cases or discrete series of events, and can be read as a stand alone novel. It takes Bernie from Cuba in 1954, back to the days of World War II and beyond, as Bernie tries to survive the attentions of everyone from General Heydrich to the CIA, from Paris in 1940 to a Soviet prison camp.
While the scope of the story is larger than before, Kerr still writes with his characteristically noir style. The plot, however, has grown in scope and intricacy. It's a ride as fast and as twisty as a roller coaster.
He smiled without smiling--the sort of expression a snake has when it opens its mouth to swallow something whole. He was smaller than me, but he had the ambitious look of a man who might eventually swallow something larger than himself.
Field Gray is the seventh installment in the Bernie Gunther series. It's different from the earlier books, which concentrated on single cases or discrete series of events, and can be read as a stand alone novel. It takes Bernie from Cuba in 1954, back to the days of World War II and beyond, as Bernie tries to survive the attentions of everyone from General Heydrich to the CIA, from Paris in 1940 to a Soviet prison camp.
While the scope of the story is larger than before, Kerr still writes with his characteristically noir style. The plot, however, has grown in scope and intricacy. It's a ride as fast and as twisty as a roller coaster.
nightchough's review against another edition
4.0
Quite possibly my favorite in the series. Highly recommended.
pdxpiney's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
binstonbirchill's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second Bernie Gunther novel I've read and I'm starting to like the series quite a bit. Of course there are a few cliches 'love interests abound' but the strength of this book is the historical context. Gunther travels all over Europe and each and every stop is littered with period details and, of course, Nazis & Bolsheviks.
jimmypat's review against another edition
2.0
The worst Bernie Gunther novel yet, by a long stretch. The last few books have been middle of the road, but still entertaining. This book was drop dead boring and read like nonfiction and not hard boiled crime. Very disappointing.