annieb123's review against another edition
5.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Greeks Bearing Gifts is the 13th, sadly penultimate, Bernie Gunther novel from Philip Kerr. Released 3rd April 2018 by Marion Wood books/Putnam, it's a substantial 522 pages and available in all formats (hardback, paperback, audio, ebook, audioCD, etc). Mr. Kerr had a career that spanned decades. He was a truly gifted artist and writer of thrillers which were written around some historical events and people. The stories are so skillfully written around the actual events that it's difficult to separate the fact from fiction.
This book is full of amazing imagery and so deftly drawn that I found myself re-reading passages after I had finished, just to savor the expertise and craftsmanship of Kerr's writing. This is an amazingly well crafted book.
I really enjoy Bernie Gunther's honesty and intelligence when the world around him and so many of the people he has to deal with are dishonest and cruel. He's just trying to get by as a morgue attendant in Munich after the war when he's recognized from his former life and forced to be complicit in a planned robbery. The ways he manages to extricate himself are as varied as they are impressive.
Wonderfully written, top shelf cold-war thriller. Truly a classic series and this is a worthy entry. I'm just sad that there aren't going to be more of them after the last one (Metropolis) later this year.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Greeks Bearing Gifts is the 13th, sadly penultimate, Bernie Gunther novel from Philip Kerr. Released 3rd April 2018 by Marion Wood books/Putnam, it's a substantial 522 pages and available in all formats (hardback, paperback, audio, ebook, audioCD, etc). Mr. Kerr had a career that spanned decades. He was a truly gifted artist and writer of thrillers which were written around some historical events and people. The stories are so skillfully written around the actual events that it's difficult to separate the fact from fiction.
This book is full of amazing imagery and so deftly drawn that I found myself re-reading passages after I had finished, just to savor the expertise and craftsmanship of Kerr's writing. This is an amazingly well crafted book.
I really enjoy Bernie Gunther's honesty and intelligence when the world around him and so many of the people he has to deal with are dishonest and cruel. He's just trying to get by as a morgue attendant in Munich after the war when he's recognized from his former life and forced to be complicit in a planned robbery. The ways he manages to extricate himself are as varied as they are impressive.
Wonderfully written, top shelf cold-war thriller. Truly a classic series and this is a worthy entry. I'm just sad that there aren't going to be more of them after the last one (Metropolis) later this year.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
modeste's review against another edition
4.0
4,00 flat. Wijlen Kerr doet het iedere keer opnieuw. Geschiedenis vermengen met historische figuren (excuseer nazi’s) en onderwijl Bernie als een geil drankorgel neerzetten, rondzoekend naar de oplossing van dat ene mysterie waarvoor puppetmasters boven hem, hem steeds opnieuw vinden. En ja de mayo pakt. Ook nu weer een boeiende thriller van formaat. Naoorlogse geschiedenis opfrissen was nooit zo plezant als met Gunther.
didactylos's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Becoming very formulaic
beccaalvey's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. Really loved the main character. Very sad to hear the author died and that this was one of the last books he wrote. Very talented.
tsenteme's review against another edition
4.0
Όπως πάντα καλός ο Μπέρνι Γκούντερ. Με ελληνικό ενδιαφέρον λόγω της γνωστής ιστορίας Μέρτεν. Θεωρώ πως ο Κερ αγαπούσε την Ελλάδα, άλλωστε λίγο πριν τον απρόσμενό του θάνατο είχε επισκεφτεί τη Θεσσαλονίκη και φαίνεται στο βιβλίο, ακόμα κι αν δημιουργούνται εντυπώσεις για το αντίθετο.
technomage's review against another edition
3.0
This is the 13th Bernie Gunther novel and the fifth I have read and it could almost be seen as the end of a path Bernie has walked from the first novel toward some form of redemption or at least the inklings of forgiving himself.
Bernie is working in Munich in as a mortuary attendant until he gets paid a "favour" by an old friend and ends up working as an insurance adjuster. Sent to Greece to investigate a claim about a lost ship things start going awry when the claimant is found murdered by Bernie and the police.
His arm twisted by the Greek police he is forced to investigate the murder and uncovers a web of conspiracy betrayal and some many other things that the story soon loses focus and I think it could happily have finished a chapter or two earlier. Another thing, that I may have picked up on because of current events, the novel is set around the time of the setting up of the EEC and the author seems to go out of his way to give his characters especially the unsavoury ones large chunks of dialogue, or is it diatribe, against the proposed economic union and the influence of Germany which I could have done without.
Not the best Bernie Gunther story but it does provide a sort of closure to this tale of a German policeman whose genes took in a bit of grit like an oyster and over time has tried to turn it into a pearl.
Bernie is working in Munich in as a mortuary attendant until he gets paid a "favour" by an old friend and ends up working as an insurance adjuster. Sent to Greece to investigate a claim about a lost ship things start going awry when the claimant is found murdered by Bernie and the police.
His arm twisted by the Greek police he is forced to investigate the murder and uncovers a web of conspiracy betrayal and some many other things that the story soon loses focus and I think it could happily have finished a chapter or two earlier. Another thing, that I may have picked up on because of current events, the novel is set around the time of the setting up of the EEC and the author seems to go out of his way to give his characters especially the unsavoury ones large chunks of dialogue, or is it diatribe, against the proposed economic union and the influence of Germany which I could have done without.
Not the best Bernie Gunther story but it does provide a sort of closure to this tale of a German policeman whose genes took in a bit of grit like an oyster and over time has tried to turn it into a pearl.
zila's review
2.5
Started off well but got bogged down halfway through. Not one of the better Gunther stories
graff_fuller's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Bernie Gunther is NOT lily white. Through the circumstances of his life, he's been put in SO many compromising things...that when you hear his accomplishments (under duress) before the war, during the war and after the war...by the Nazis, or people who are greedy (that use his Nazi affiliations against him)...it gives people pause.
There are probably many readers that have started this series, and haven't finished it EXACTLY because of that connection (and I wouldn't blame them...and neither does the character Bernie Gunther. Especially since...if you've gotten this far...you know that he's attempted suicide, bc of these same things himself).
To walk in the shoes of someone else (which we get to do, when reading about morally grey characters), I think, makes us sympathetic and empathetic. We feel their sorrow and pain, but we also have separation enough...that we even judge them by their actions (for good or for bad).
Obviously, if I could...some how have met Bernie Gunther...I probably wouldn't believe him...and would judge him as being a Nazi and condemn him because of it. BUT, since we know the thoughts and feeling...the actual scenes of what he actually did, or felt at the time...and how he tried his best...we see him differently.
Now, when this series is finished (and I do not know WHEN that will be), it will be interesting IF the author witll reveal to us, his readers...that Bernie Gunther is actually a bad guy, and he's been an unreliable narrator (for he was lying to himself), that would be genius and it would also, in my opinion...break the trust between the author and the readers of Bernie Gunther's tale...so I hope that he doesn't do that.
So, as you can see...I've loved what I've read of this series. I still lack three books. BUT, I will get to them, in time...but they have all been earlier (chronologically) in the series. So, we are now in 1957. What will happen next in his life?
There are probably many readers that have started this series, and haven't finished it EXACTLY because of that connection (and I wouldn't blame them...and neither does the character Bernie Gunther. Especially since...if you've gotten this far...you know that he's attempted suicide, bc of these same things himself).
To walk in the shoes of someone else (which we get to do, when reading about morally grey characters), I think, makes us sympathetic and empathetic. We feel their sorrow and pain, but we also have separation enough...that we even judge them by their actions (for good or for bad).
Obviously, if I could...some how have met Bernie Gunther...I probably wouldn't believe him...and would judge him as being a Nazi and condemn him because of it. BUT, since we know the thoughts and feeling...the actual scenes of what he actually did, or felt at the time...and how he tried his best...we see him differently.
Now, when this series is finished (and I do not know WHEN that will be), it will be interesting IF the author witll reveal to us, his readers...that Bernie Gunther is actually a bad guy, and he's been an unreliable narrator (for he was lying to himself), that would be genius and it would also, in my opinion...break the trust between the author and the readers of Bernie Gunther's tale...so I hope that he doesn't do that.
So, as you can see...I've loved what I've read of this series. I still lack three books. BUT, I will get to them, in time...but they have all been earlier (chronologically) in the series. So, we are now in 1957. What will happen next in his life?
katecks's review against another edition
5.0
Very enjoyable read. I'm so sorry that Philip Kerr has passed away RIP. There is 1 more Bernie Gunther book to come. I will miss this character. Hopefully someone makes a Bernie movie someday
simonmee's review against another edition
4.0
I mean, he's good, really good.
"I can smell a cop the way an elephant can smell water."
Greeks Bearing Gifts is a story from one viewpoint. In the first 50 (generously spaced pages) the main character moves from mortician to pallbearer to robber. 4 pages later he's a preemptive double crosser. In between, he solves a crime. The final reveal is that the whole plot was a misdirection. The dialogue parodies every bad mid-20th Century detective movie. All these things could be flaws. They're not.
He's good, really good.
"But here's the thing. Get them to date the check a week ago. And to let you have a photostat"
"What are you planning?"
"To test the age-old theory that there's no honor among thieves and even less among murderers."
Bernie Gunther/Christof Ganz is a "good German." He was a member of Heydrich's SD but he didn't mean it. He served in Minsk during the worst massacres but he was just hanging around. It's a tightrope. You'll have to suspend disbelief. However, Gunther is an interesting vehicle into Germany's postwar guilt and machinations. Here, he's an insurance adjuster investigating a shipwreck in Greece, where earlier crimes in Germany link with the main story. It's a good yarn, told quickly. While there are twists, it’s pretty tame and makes you feel smarter for it. It's heavy on references to Greek mythology and Anglo-American culture (would a Greek and German make an use Shakespeare to make a point?)
The story's really good.
"This is the home of democracy but we can behave in some very undemocratic ways when we put our minds to it."
As mentioned, Gunther provides a fresh feeling perspective. The rest...well... I guess you have to deliver exposition one way or another, whether by Greek detective or Mossad agent. Kerr keeps the number of characters low. Perhaps too low in the case of Max Merton, who's appearances are separated by about 350 pages and two different personalities.
Even so, it's good to watch selfish characters develop the story in ways that suit them, really good even.
It wasn't that she was ugly or even plain, only that she'd reached a time in her life when romantic love was a loved door that didn't need a key.
There is a problem. Kerr can't write female characters. It is actually incredible how poorly done they are. Yes, it would be nice to have a wider representation than old white dudes. No, it doesn't count if broaden it to women who are really really, outstandingly, mindblowingly hot (with a thing for old white guys), or the ugliest crones you can drag out of a dustbin.
I guess in that case Kerr is really good at being really, outstandingly, bad on that point.
You can crush this book in a weekend, if you have the free time, and you wouldn't regret it. Just don't get any ideas about women with perfect breasts that anyone who liked drawing impressive landscapes like the hills of Rome or the Heights of Abraham could have admired for days on end lusting after your grey nosehairs. They're not that good.
"I can smell a cop the way an elephant can smell water."
Greeks Bearing Gifts is a story from one viewpoint. In the first 50 (generously spaced pages) the main character moves from mortician to pallbearer to robber. 4 pages later he's a preemptive double crosser. In between, he solves a crime. The final reveal is that the whole plot was a misdirection. The dialogue parodies every bad mid-20th Century detective movie. All these things could be flaws. They're not.
He's good, really good.
"But here's the thing. Get them to date the check a week ago. And to let you have a photostat"
"What are you planning?"
"To test the age-old theory that there's no honor among thieves and even less among murderers."
Bernie Gunther/Christof Ganz is a "good German." He was a member of Heydrich's SD but he didn't mean it. He served in Minsk during the worst massacres but he was just hanging around. It's a tightrope. You'll have to suspend disbelief. However, Gunther is an interesting vehicle into Germany's postwar guilt and machinations. Here, he's an insurance adjuster investigating a shipwreck in Greece, where earlier crimes in Germany link with the main story. It's a good yarn, told quickly. While there are twists, it’s pretty tame and makes you feel smarter for it. It's heavy on references to Greek mythology and Anglo-American culture (would a Greek and German make an use Shakespeare to make a point?)
The story's really good.
"This is the home of democracy but we can behave in some very undemocratic ways when we put our minds to it."
As mentioned, Gunther provides a fresh feeling perspective. The rest...well... I guess you have to deliver exposition one way or another, whether by Greek detective or Mossad agent. Kerr keeps the number of characters low. Perhaps too low in the case of Max Merton, who's appearances are separated by about 350 pages and two different personalities.
Even so, it's good to watch selfish characters develop the story in ways that suit them, really good even.
It wasn't that she was ugly or even plain, only that she'd reached a time in her life when romantic love was a loved door that didn't need a key.
There is a problem. Kerr can't write female characters. It is actually incredible how poorly done they are. Yes, it would be nice to have a wider representation than old white dudes. No, it doesn't count if broaden it to women who are really really, outstandingly, mindblowingly hot (with a thing for old white guys), or the ugliest crones you can drag out of a dustbin.
I guess in that case Kerr is really good at being really, outstandingly, bad on that point.
You can crush this book in a weekend, if you have the free time, and you wouldn't regret it. Just don't get any ideas about women with perfect breasts that anyone who liked drawing impressive landscapes like the hills of Rome or the Heights of Abraham could have admired for days on end lusting after your grey nosehairs. They're not that good.