usbsticky's review against another edition
5.0
Short stories are probably the best format for the Sueno and Bascom series. I love this series because of the character study and the setting. Unfortunately Limon is only average when it comes to writing a good police procedural. But I just love the characters and the 1970's Korean setting so much. If you are a fan of Korea and police procedurals, you must try this series.
There are a lot of short stories in this series. Only a few of them are good as police stories, some of the others don't even have much of a point. And some of them seem to use materials from other of his full length books, recycling names and events but largely different, so they are somewhat confusing.
I give this book 5 stars because I think the short format works well and each story is fast and ends quickly. Please write more shorts!
There are a lot of short stories in this series. Only a few of them are good as police stories, some of the others don't even have much of a point. And some of them seem to use materials from other of his full length books, recycling names and events but largely different, so they are somewhat confusing.
I give this book 5 stars because I think the short format works well and each story is fast and ends quickly. Please write more shorts!
iffer's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars if I had been reading these as short stories. The setting of the 1970s on and near American army bases sets this collection apart. Probably due to his service in Korean for a decade Martin Limon's stories ring true, including the dark humor and portrayal of the absurd that are often found in books about war. Reading this as a complete collection rather than serialized, Limon's improvement as a writer, and the nuance of the characters was more evident. Although the setting and the human elements were still the stars of the story, the mysteries became a bit more twisty as well. Although there were a few times in which I was irritated at the whole, "Korea is foreign!" type statements, and reminder in just about every story that Sueno and Bascom had to take their shoes off before entering people's homes and that Koreans "love their kimchee," Limon likely wrote it this way because it's realistically how a GI would've thought and/or behaved at the time.
darrin's review
4.0
Martin Limón's short stories are as good as his novels. The best of which is "The Woman from Hamhung". Having lived in Korea for 8 years myself I can tell Mr. Limón has a love of the culture that makes me enjoy his books and stories more.
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