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A review by sherwoodreads
The Last Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
This book is tough to review for two reasons.
First, avoiding spoilers. A thriller like this especially needs to be encountered without knowing what to expect, to get maximum fun. At least my theory is that spy thrillers work best at that tension point between suspense and surprise, and this one handles that like a champ. I'll just say that everyday words like "library," "tourist," and "nexus" are going to give me shivers for some time to come.
But the second reason is because it was a tough go. This turned out to be the fourth book in a series, something I didn't know when I opted for it on NetGalley. The opening is clear enough--main character does a great job of introducing himself, the mission, and the emotional complexity of his personal life. But once we land overseas, whoa, faces and names come at you like those popup clowns on a roller coast ride.
This is NOT the book to read last thing before bedtime, at least it wasn't for me. I frequently had to go back and remind myself who was who, and who had double-crossed whom, but doing so was worth it. The story is a wild ride into the weird world of contemporary spies, wherein the tech is so advanced it's faster than the humans who use it, and wherein the government heads are using lies as part of their everyday toolkit on their way to becoming this century's crop of dictators.
The thing that made it really stand out for me is that Steinhauer doesn't create character who seem to have sprung out of a box as thirty-somethings, without families or connections in the past. These people have families.
That can add exponentially to the tension.
Copy provided by NetGalley
First, avoiding spoilers. A thriller like this especially needs to be encountered without knowing what to expect, to get maximum fun. At least my theory is that spy thrillers work best at that tension point between suspense and surprise, and this one handles that like a champ. I'll just say that everyday words like "library," "tourist," and "nexus" are going to give me shivers for some time to come.
But the second reason is because it was a tough go. This turned out to be the fourth book in a series, something I didn't know when I opted for it on NetGalley. The opening is clear enough--main character does a great job of introducing himself, the mission, and the emotional complexity of his personal life. But once we land overseas, whoa, faces and names come at you like those popup clowns on a roller coast ride.
This is NOT the book to read last thing before bedtime, at least it wasn't for me. I frequently had to go back and remind myself who was who, and who had double-crossed whom, but doing so was worth it. The story is a wild ride into the weird world of contemporary spies, wherein the tech is so advanced it's faster than the humans who use it, and wherein the government heads are using lies as part of their everyday toolkit on their way to becoming this century's crop of dictators.
The thing that made it really stand out for me is that Steinhauer doesn't create character who seem to have sprung out of a box as thirty-somethings, without families or connections in the past. These people have families.
That can add exponentially to the tension.
Copy provided by NetGalley