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gfmatt's review against another edition
3.0
Started out okay, second half all action, lacking in character development.
marneyjane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
greybeard49's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed this although a little different from others of his that I have read. The Asian setting, culture and overall atmosphere were really well developed. Hel, the hero, I found appealing and as long as you accept that he is one step down from Superman, then sit back for a whirlwind ride. Quality of writing is very good and the plot is a fast moving 'pull you along'. Would probably have awarded 3.5 stars as I found book overall not quite up to Winslow's excellent standards.
webjoram's review against another edition
3.0
Novela entretenida sin más. Lo que más me ha sorprendido de esta novela es que un autor como Don Winslow haya decidido escribir una precuela de la novela de otro autor. Este creo que es uno de los handicaps de esta novela. Si has leído shibumi hay muy pocas cosas que puedan sorprendente de este libro. Por otro lado el tipo de novela de espías que plantea esta novela quizás tuviera sentido en los 80 o 90 pero hoy en día dan sensación de estar algo desfasado.
A pesar de estos inconvenientes le he dado 3 estrellas porque me ha gustado la ambientación y el ritmo de la historia.
A pesar de estos inconvenientes le he dado 3 estrellas porque me ha gustado la ambientación y el ritmo de la historia.
coldprintcoffee's review against another edition
5.0
To start, I did not read Shibumi but due to the information on the inside flap, researched the origins and gained more of an understanding of what Winslow was trying to emulate. Therefore, it is difficult for me to comment one way or another on if he nailed that aspect and wrote it in a Trevanian-esque voice.
I could not put this down. It had layers of intrigue, impelling me to read on to the point at which I wasn't able to set this down. I carried it in one hand while I cleaned, cooked, watched television shows; it pulled me away from many things, which is not something books do too often, despite my love of reading. However, the layers were revealed and then another one was laid down, all in quick succession. I didn't feel rushed, though. Nicholai Hel, however, is fleshed enough, but I think the gaps are purposeful because, like any good Go player, he doesn't lay out everything in his mind like an open book - even to the readers, which I think improves the pacing.
And, as spies are, it makes sense. Just because we are readers does not make us privy to every detail, and it leaves it open for more expansion and thought. The sparse and precise details of the buildings, the locations, the food, the behavioral nuances of different ethnicities and cultures, the locations, the women, the fight scenes - oh did I mention the locations? Superbly written, though I can't attest to its precise accuracy. It built a wonderful 3D model for my mind, from the ground up, that I could picture as I ran around exploring the worlds for myself.
All in all, I hope Winslow did Trevanian justice, or at least did what he could despite the obvious limitations - after all, no writer can fully carve out another person's creative mind.
I could not put this down. It had layers of intrigue, impelling me to read on to the point at which I wasn't able to set this down. I carried it in one hand while I cleaned, cooked, watched television shows; it pulled me away from many things, which is not something books do too often, despite my love of reading. However, the layers were revealed and then another one was laid down, all in quick succession. I didn't feel rushed, though. Nicholai Hel, however, is fleshed enough, but I think the gaps are purposeful because, like any good Go player, he doesn't lay out everything in his mind like an open book - even to the readers, which I think improves the pacing.
And, as spies are, it makes sense. Just because we are readers does not make us privy to every detail, and it leaves it open for more expansion and thought. The sparse and precise details of the buildings, the locations, the food, the behavioral nuances of different ethnicities and cultures, the locations, the women, the fight scenes - oh did I mention the locations? Superbly written, though I can't attest to its precise accuracy. It built a wonderful 3D model for my mind, from the ground up, that I could picture as I ran around exploring the worlds for myself.
All in all, I hope Winslow did Trevanian justice, or at least did what he could despite the obvious limitations - after all, no writer can fully carve out another person's creative mind.
eb00kie's review against another edition
3.0
I came upon this book after reading [b:Shibumi|607423|Shibumi|Trevanian|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1349011333s/607423.jpg|1326919] due to IMDb. I like the book as one likes fanfiction; it fills in some gaps. Fanfiction is all it is.
Compared to [a:Trevanian|691|Trevanian|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1227586164p2/691.jpg]'s, this book was written with all the literary prowess of the average female YA author. Don Winslow makes a dubious virtue of telling rather than showing, which, together with his slightly obnoxious preference for simplistic superlative expression, yields passages such as:
"...Haverford thought. Compared to Singleton, Machiavelli was a naïve choirboy and the Borgias subjects of a Rockwell painting. Standing beside Singleton, the devil himself would appear as the angel Lucifer before the fall."
What he is showing is a condescending, short-sighted Nicholai Hel-shaped mannequin, that all characters point out as Nicholai Hel whenever one's desire for self-delusion weakens. Its only saving grace is the final showdown.
Compared to [a:Trevanian|691|Trevanian|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1227586164p2/691.jpg]'s, this book was written with all the literary prowess of the average female YA author. Don Winslow makes a dubious virtue of telling rather than showing, which, together with his slightly obnoxious preference for simplistic superlative expression, yields passages such as:
"...Haverford thought. Compared to Singleton, Machiavelli was a naïve choirboy and the Borgias subjects of a Rockwell painting. Standing beside Singleton, the devil himself would appear as the angel Lucifer before the fall."
What he is showing is a condescending, short-sighted Nicholai Hel-shaped mannequin, that all characters point out as Nicholai Hel whenever one's desire for self-delusion weakens. Its only saving grace is the final showdown.
grs909's review against another edition
4.0
What a wild ride! From Japan to China to Vietnam - plenty of spies, assassins, shady characters and underhanded dealings. Don Winslow does an excellent job of carrying on in Trevanian's footsteps and is fast becoming one of my favorite authors.
sjm10430's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jborges13's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tommooney's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
The first half is brilliant, the second less so. But all in all it is great, ridiculous fun.
The first half is brilliant, the second less so. But all in all it is great, ridiculous fun.