The
latest in a series that started for me with Bangkok 8 a few years back. That pseudo-noir novel wowed me then and the
author still awes me today.
This novel
gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into a murder detective’s view of the
corrupt world of Thailand. The main
interaction is with the PRC who have picked up where the CIA left off with the
MKUltra project.
Amazingly
modern and up to date and yet the noir detective genre sets as well in Bangkok
as it does in Berlin or Los Angeles.
Like a
fine meal, there are hints of William Gibson’s interest in slightly futuristic
technology, but the overall flavour is refreshingly Thai.
There
are very few Americans or Eastern bloc agents until the end. It’s mostly oriental except written in
English; and thus you can’t get it published unless there are a few Brits and Americans.
Great drugs,
sex and corruption are an expected reality of modern life and thus hinted at
but never depicted in detail. There’s
violence, of course, in great detail.
It’s
mostly fast-paced action developing a Buddhist plot line (?)
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