Using a traumatized Middle Eastern War veteran as a main character, Blauner goes just a little over the top with including too many "hot topics" in one novel. A story of betrayals, drug trade, murder, and PTSD the story is obscured a bit by a little too much "screen writing." Blauner left a successful career as a novelist to work in television as a producer/writer for both Blue Bloods and Law and Order. His credentials for understanding crime, particularly drug related crime, are impressive. As a journalist for New York Magazine and several smaller newspapers he decided to expand his background experience and worked as volunteer probation officer. I think we can assume that he writes with some authority on these topics.
The story of a Vet returning to the States and dealing with some well-deserved PTSD is timely. I know that we have been "protected" from really understanding the challenges our service people and veterans of this particular war are facing. Blauner's portrayal of PTSD was convincing and I expect probably well researched. I could have done with one or two fewer plot twists. I hope that now that Blauner is returning to print that he will focus the next book a little more carefully.
I'm not accustomed to reading novels so thoroughly influenced by screenwriting traditions. As a reader I was challenged to appreciate some of the nuances of this style. Particularly some of the dialect work caused me to reread some passages.
I will however, keep an eye out for the next book. I'd like to find out what the main character, Natty, does next. This one of Nancy Pearl's summer reading suggestions gets a "thumbs up" from me.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
The Defectors" by Joseph Kanon
I've been trying to widen my reading a bit. Seems like I've been sort of stuck in fantasy and science fiction (also reading many of my "go to" detective fiction novels). Nancy Pearl's (NPR) recommendations for summer reading sounded like a well advised plan so I began to work my way through them.
The Defectors is, as promised, a "classic" 1950's spy novel. I was a bit young to remember all the anxiety about Russian spying in the U.S. but certainly remember the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis. Thus, reading about the "insider's" view of Russian spy-craft was interesting. I haven't really be reading any spy novels for a long time---not since Ian Flemming's James Bond books. Generally I found it somewhat slow going. The plot line is intended to keep tension tight by making it difficult to know where reality lies. Indeed I felt the tense but did not find it particularly thrilling. I had a little trouble following the plot because much of it was transacted through dialogue. Kannon sometimes lost me...who was speaking. It's rather classic period dialogue, just think James Bond. However, it was somewhat frustrating for me to have to return and reread dialogue to untangle just who said what.
The visual images and history of Russia did however make this a worthwhile use of time. Especially right now as we try to understand the Russian hacking and propaganda that appears to have influenced the 2016 presidential election. If Kanon is correct about the expertise of the Russian intelligence services then we do indeed need to be worried.
The Defectors is, as promised, a "classic" 1950's spy novel. I was a bit young to remember all the anxiety about Russian spying in the U.S. but certainly remember the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis. Thus, reading about the "insider's" view of Russian spy-craft was interesting. I haven't really be reading any spy novels for a long time---not since Ian Flemming's James Bond books. Generally I found it somewhat slow going. The plot line is intended to keep tension tight by making it difficult to know where reality lies. Indeed I felt the tense but did not find it particularly thrilling. I had a little trouble following the plot because much of it was transacted through dialogue. Kannon sometimes lost me...who was speaking. It's rather classic period dialogue, just think James Bond. However, it was somewhat frustrating for me to have to return and reread dialogue to untangle just who said what.
The visual images and history of Russia did however make this a worthwhile use of time. Especially right now as we try to understand the Russian hacking and propaganda that appears to have influenced the 2016 presidential election. If Kanon is correct about the expertise of the Russian intelligence services then we do indeed need to be worried.
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