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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
An easily readable thriller; an entertaining romp with a satisfying plot. It's better than the previous installment, but for the most part, it lacked real suspense. I quite liked the first John Rain novel, for all its tradecraft and lucid martial arts sequences, but the "soft" characterisation bits in these later novels aren't Eisler's forte. Also, the descriptions of the consumerist high-life are at times very similar to American Psycho, but without the satire.
But the most repulsive feature of the book is Eisler's descriptions of women, because NOT ONE of the female characters in the book was not accompanied by a word referring to their good looks: "pretty", "stunning, "handsome" (once), "very, very sexy". Really, it can't even be attributed to the narrator's viewpoint, because Eisler switches between the first and the third person narratives, and it's always the same. On the upside his central females are strong, relatively independent (as much as anyone; no one can exist in a vacuum) and competent.
But the most repulsive feature of the book is Eisler's descriptions of women, because NOT ONE of the female characters in the book was not accompanied by a word referring to their good looks: "pretty", "stunning, "handsome" (once), "very, very sexy". Really, it can't even be attributed to the narrator's viewpoint, because Eisler switches between the first and the third person narratives, and it's always the same. On the upside his central females are strong, relatively independent (as much as anyone; no one can exist in a vacuum) and competent.
Nu mi-au plăcut niciodată joburile din locuri noi, necunoscute. Nu ştii cum să intri şi cum să ieşi de acolo fără să fii detectat, nu ştii de ce instrumente vei avea nevoie pentru ţintă, nu ştii unde vei fi expus şi unde vei fi în stare să te contopeşti cu fundalul ori să dispari în mulţime.
Pentru a compensa, încep să studiez zona din exterior, pătrund în ea doar când am aflat cât mai multe detalii şi vin întotdeauna suficient de devreme pentru a mă familiariza cu terenul înainte de a sosi momentul să intru în acţiune. Tactici precum acestea m-au ţinut în viaţă, ba chiar şi rezonabil de prosper, în cei peste douăzeci şi cinci de ani de când mă ocup cu acţiunile în care am fost dintotdeauna cel mai bun.
Dar de data asta pregătirile au fost un act reflex, nu o necesitate. La urma urmelor, nu era un job. Terminasem cu viaţa aceea. Sau aproape că terminasem. Mai exista un ultim amănunt, unul important, însă pe acela nu voiam să-l confrunt deocamdată. Barcelona ar fi trebuit să fie un interludiu – plăcere, nu afaceri, şi era tulburător că o părticică a minţii mele părea să nu înţeleagă deosebirea.
Cu toate acestea, în circumstanţe care ne sunt străine, manifestăm tendinţa de a recurge la rutine, aşa că m-am pomenit utilizându-mi abordarea obişnuită. Ar fi trebuit să fi ştiut mai bine. Barcelona era nefamiliară, dar teritoriul real pe care încercam să navighez nu era marcat pe nici o hartă.
Pentru a compensa, încep să studiez zona din exterior, pătrund în ea doar când am aflat cât mai multe detalii şi vin întotdeauna suficient de devreme pentru a mă familiariza cu terenul înainte de a sosi momentul să intru în acţiune. Tactici precum acestea m-au ţinut în viaţă, ba chiar şi rezonabil de prosper, în cei peste douăzeci şi cinci de ani de când mă ocup cu acţiunile în care am fost dintotdeauna cel mai bun.
Dar de data asta pregătirile au fost un act reflex, nu o necesitate. La urma urmelor, nu era un job. Terminasem cu viaţa aceea. Sau aproape că terminasem. Mai exista un ultim amănunt, unul important, însă pe acela nu voiam să-l confrunt deocamdată. Barcelona ar fi trebuit să fie un interludiu – plăcere, nu afaceri, şi era tulburător că o părticică a minţii mele părea să nu înţeleagă deosebirea.
Cu toate acestea, în circumstanţe care ne sunt străine, manifestăm tendinţa de a recurge la rutine, aşa că m-am pomenit utilizându-mi abordarea obişnuită. Ar fi trebuit să fi ştiut mai bine. Barcelona era nefamiliară, dar teritoriul real pe care încercam să navighez nu era marcat pe nici o hartă.
With every book, I dislike John rain more. He's no better than the villains in the books he kills too wantonly. He's never challenged. I want a really hard fought victory but Rain just kills everyone to win.
I've placed myself on partial library restriction while I work through some of the books I have stacked at home. I've had this one sitting around for over a year. This was the only one that I hadn't yet read in the John Rain series.
I agree with others who have said the books in this series got progressively better. Eisler's honing his craft for sure. I read them all jumbled up out of order, which I don't recommend. This book in particular would have been hard to grasp without knowing all the characters and their shared histories.
I had forgotten how good Eisler is at writing dialogue. Very witty and on point. This was (bad pun ahead) a very well-executed (groan!) plot. By the time you get to the last 75 pages, you can't stop reading.
The only thing that bugs me is the way Delilah thinks John Rain is some great catch. He's certainly a guy you'd want on your side. When it comes to his relationships with women, however, he really puts the "ass" in assassin!
I agree with others who have said the books in this series got progressively better. Eisler's honing his craft for sure. I read them all jumbled up out of order, which I don't recommend. This book in particular would have been hard to grasp without knowing all the characters and their shared histories.
I had forgotten how good Eisler is at writing dialogue. Very witty and on point. This was (bad pun ahead) a very well-executed (groan!) plot. By the time you get to the last 75 pages, you can't stop reading.
The only thing that bugs me is the way Delilah thinks John Rain is some great catch. He's certainly a guy you'd want on your side. When it comes to his relationships with women, however, he really puts the "ass" in assassin!
Listened to the audio book. Plot and writing were too formulaic.
Originally published as "The Last Assassin". John Rain #5. Worthy addition to the series.