A review by whathillarygraceread
Shadow of a Broken Man by George C. Chesbro

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was written in the  mid 70s and I think it's a madcap thriller that reflects the politics of the day. I originally picked this book up because I was looking for books that feature disabled lead characters and I didn't know much about Chesbro or the Mongo series. I was a little bit apprehensive about an average height person writing a dwarf character (I have a form of dwarfism), but I think Chesbro mostly does a good job. I was initially conflicted about Mongo's past as a circus performer, but it actually serves as a fairly empowering plot device later in the book. I did, however, chuckle every time Mongo was able to rent a car without adaptations or hassle. This is not my reality nor that of any of my friends who have a form of dwarfism.

The story itself is what I would classify as international espionage with a side of low tech sci fi. ESP features prominently in the story and I found out after I finished the book that Chesbro was very interested in the occult and what I would kindly categorize as conspiracy science. These interests all collide for a fun book with a loveable main character.