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Executive Times |
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2008 Book Reviews |
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Watchman
by Ian Rankin |
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Rating: |
*** |
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(Recommended) |
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Click
on title or picture to buy from amazon.com |
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Spies Well-known
for his Inspector Rebus detective novels, Ian Rankin wrote Watchman
in 1988 as his second novel. Published in the U.S. at the end of 2007, Watchman
shows early Rankin and his exploration into writing a spy novel. The
protagonist is Miles Flint, a domestic British spy who bumps into a scandal
within his organization, and winds up engaging in a mole hunt that brings him
to London, Ireland and Scotland in search of answers. The writing is simple and
leads readers to wondering what might have happened if Rankin had stuck with
spy novels. Here’s an excerpt, from
the beginning of Chapter 3, pp. 22-23: All
in all, thought the Israeli,
it had been a successful if not an enjoyable evening. He did not enjoy mixing
with people. They could be such treacherous animals, their claws hidden by
smiles and bows, handshakes and pats on the back. A pat on the back usually
heralded some conspiracy or other, one's opponent touching one for luck. The
alcohol had been very pleasant, however, and Nira had been there, flaunting
her beauty as though she were a display case and it her precious diadem. Ah,
but she would not believe that he could know such words as
"diadem," or have such cultured thoughts. His outward appearance
bespoke a large, earthy, and vaguely unpleasant appetite, and this had aided
him in his life's work, if not in love. He might be all things to all women,
if only they would allow him the opportunity of pleasuring them. He knew the
most intricate paths of delight, but to taste them alone was to taste
nothing. The
taxi dropped him at the end of his street so that he could catch a few gulps
of brisk night air before retiring. There had been talk tonight both during
and after dinner which he should file in his memory before going to sleep,
but it could wait until morning. Not an interesting night then, but successful
insofar as he had met Nira again, and had spoken with her alone for a few
moments, and had registered in the strongest terms his interest in her. She
had been embarrassed, of course, and had walked away at the first possible
and excusable moment, but it was done. He could afford to take his time over
such a challenging seduction, when the prize would be so wondrously sweet. He was fumbling for the bunch
of keys in his trouser pocket when, staggering backwards, he began to choke,
his tongue swelling to fill his throat, brain squeezed with blood. The professional
within him knew in a final moment of lucidity that he did not have time to
resist the wire that now melted through his neck. Spinning toward a
blackening vertigo of spirit, he hoped instead for heaven and redemption. The
Arab, job done, did not even smile this time. Watchman
provides relaxing entertainment especially for readers to enjoy spy novels. Steve
Hopkins, June 20, 2008 |
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Go to Executive Times Archives |
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The recommendation rating for
this book appeared in the July 2008 issue of Executive Times URL for this review: http://www.hopkinsandcompany.com/Books/Watchman.htm For Reprint Permission, Contact: Hopkins & Company, LLC • E-mail: books@hopkinsandcompany.com |
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