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sleepy_owl_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
creeker868's review
3.0
Nguyen survived the Vietnam War and managed to escape Vietnam. His escape was not easy as his two oldest daughters were killed by Thai pirates during the escape. His wife and youngest daughter escaped after and joined him in England but then they are killed in an IRA bombing. He is then forced to put his former skills in jungle warfare to use in his search for retribution.
justaguy's review against another edition
3.0
Umm
I watched the movie first before the book. Due to that admitting, I think the book was underwhelmed in comparison to the movie. However, when I read this book and I noticed there’s a lot of open endings for specific moments. This really dampens the story because this is a stand-alone story opposed to series. Too many open endings spoiled the closure. Also, chinaman basically vanished...little meh.
I watched the movie first before the book. Due to that admitting, I think the book was underwhelmed in comparison to the movie. However, when I read this book and I noticed there’s a lot of open endings for specific moments. This really dampens the story because this is a stand-alone story opposed to series. Too many open endings spoiled the closure. Also, chinaman basically vanished...little meh.
vulco1's review against another edition
5.0
So good. The movie was a pretty good adaptation of this novel. Really enjoyed it. Kind of thought-provoking. Good action,
omnibozo22's review against another edition
5.0
This was what I've come to recognize as Leather's standard approach to a thriller. Multiple interesting storylines that slowly converge. This was his first in a three novel series. I hadn't checked that out before reading the third one, but went back and got caught up. Only one chapter in I realized that I had seen the film version of this, the more polite "The Foreigner." Aging Jackie Chan held back on the mostly comic fighting moves employed in his earlier films, to play a straight on determined guy. Since I'd seen the film, I was easily able to speed read the rest of the book, even though lots of Leather's side stories were ignored, of course.
angelahayes's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars
The Chinaman is the first book in the Mike Cramer Series by Stephen Leather. This was quite a gripping and intense thriller- with violence, bombing, explosions, mystery, crime, IRA/Political elements, grief, heartbreak, loss, revenge, drama, action, and intrigue.
The story kicks off with a bang and holds the intensity the whole way through. We follow Nguyen (the Chinaman) when his world is torn apart, where he feels forced to look for answers and deliver his own form of justice on those responsible for his grief.
A gripping and intense story!
Thank you, Mr. Leather!
The Chinaman is the first book in the Mike Cramer Series by Stephen Leather. This was quite a gripping and intense thriller- with violence, bombing, explosions, mystery, crime, IRA/Political elements, grief, heartbreak, loss, revenge, drama, action, and intrigue.
The story kicks off with a bang and holds the intensity the whole way through. We follow Nguyen (the Chinaman) when his world is torn apart, where he feels forced to look for answers and deliver his own form of justice on those responsible for his grief.
A gripping and intense story!
Thank you, Mr. Leather!
justaguy's review against another edition
3.0
Umm
I watched the movie first before the book. Due to that admitting, I think the book was underwhelmed in comparison to the movie. However, when I read this book and I noticed there’s a lot of open endings for specific moments. This really dampens the story because this is a stand-alone story opposed to series. Too many open endings spoiled the closure. Also, chinaman basically vanished...little meh.
I watched the movie first before the book. Due to that admitting, I think the book was underwhelmed in comparison to the movie. However, when I read this book and I noticed there’s a lot of open endings for specific moments. This really dampens the story because this is a stand-alone story opposed to series. Too many open endings spoiled the closure. Also, chinaman basically vanished...little meh.
tirana_mutiara's review against another edition
4.0
Kisah seorang ayah yang menuntut bela atas kematian anak perempuan dan isterinya.
aydotjaydot's review against another edition
3.0
I read this because it's the book that the recent Jackie Chan film "The Foreigner" was based on. It was a good, solid reminder of how different eras of literature/writing have very specific styles and cultural short-hand included within them. It's also a good reminder of how much point of view has changed since the early 1990's in terms of cultural consideration. It also unintentionally made a good point about how war and political intrigue is ultimately useless, pointless, and hopeless in the face of humanity's desire to destroy.
It's a book that does a whole lot of work to establish character only to kill everyone (or intimate they are not long for the world) who has a POV. It works as a literary convention, it just also reminded me that espionage/revenge stories aren't ones I'm super interested in.
Basically, I liked the movie better, but that was also due to the update into modern tropes and pov. Also, Jackie Chan is awesome.
It's a book that does a whole lot of work to establish character only to kill everyone (or intimate they are not long for the world) who has a POV. It works as a literary convention, it just also reminded me that espionage/revenge stories aren't ones I'm super interested in.
Basically, I liked the movie better, but that was also due to the update into modern tropes and pov. Also, Jackie Chan is awesome.
adrianwelsh's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
If a movie about this book didn’t come out last year (one starring Jackie Chan) then I likely would have never heard of this book. This was a fun book and I am curious to see the movie now. I felt like the book was pretty long and much of it could have been omitted. I suppose I didn’t pay super close attention since I am eager to see the movie (though, it likely does not follow the book as well as I would like it to).
As this book went on, it felt like your typical 1990s Steven Seagal film (or 1970s/1980s Chuck Norris film). Which is fun, for a brainless-popcorn-type of movie. However, the ending of this book was weird. It’s like as if the author decided to change the plot enough to churn out another book by adding several new characters and a whole new plot. I did not like that.
Audiobook narrator [a:Russell Boulter|423475|Russell Boulter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] rating: 4.5 stars
I’m pretty impressed by the narrator. He not only has a good English voice, but plays the Irish and “China Man’s” voice really well. He made it enjoyable.
If a movie about this book didn’t come out last year (one starring Jackie Chan) then I likely would have never heard of this book. This was a fun book and I am curious to see the movie now. I felt like the book was pretty long and much of it could have been omitted. I suppose I didn’t pay super close attention since I am eager to see the movie (though, it likely does not follow the book as well as I would like it to).
As this book went on, it felt like your typical 1990s Steven Seagal film (or 1970s/1980s Chuck Norris film). Which is fun, for a brainless-popcorn-type of movie. However, the ending of this book was weird. It’s like as if the author decided to change the plot enough to churn out another book by adding several new characters and a whole new plot. I did not like that.
Audiobook narrator [a:Russell Boulter|423475|Russell Boulter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] rating: 4.5 stars
I’m pretty impressed by the narrator. He not only has a good English voice, but plays the Irish and “China Man’s” voice really well. He made it enjoyable.
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