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sandin954's review
4.0
The fifth book in the series that features travel writer Poke Rafferty and set in Thailand. This was an engrossing tale with lots of action and suspense. Listened to the audio version which was well narrated by Victor Bevine.
liberrydude's review
4.0
Poke just wanted to paint his apartment and ends up having a man die in his arms on the way back from the hardware store. He's soon in the hands of the Homeland Security types of Thailand along with a few American spooks. Poke is now playing in the big leagues and this story takes on a spy thriller motif as the amateur goes against the professionals. We have whispers of the Phoenix Program from the Vietnam War along with Muslims in the south of Thailand. Meanwhile his family is safely away on vacation when all this erupts. But Poke needs some help from family and his half sister flies out to assist. They make a formidable duo. Some interesting and surprising twists in this cat and mouse pursuit of truth and you wonder as you are reading how Hallinan is going to wrap this up. I see some exciting plots in the future for Poke now too.
coldprintcoffee's review
5.0
[SPOILERS]
As usual, it was gripping from beginning to end; the opening is typically off-beat and reflective of the aura of Bangkok, and the ending, of course, made my jaw drop. I have no idea why, but there was a nagging feeling that it would all end up perfectly tied with a bow, particularly upon the debut of Treasure; Poke seems to have a super soft spot for taking responsibility for the girls and women pushed around by the looming entity of Bangkok's underground. Pim, Miaow, and his endearing panic-protection over Ming Li (I think his wife Rose has finally come into her own enough that Poke saves his worry for the younger waywards) consistently reminds us that although Poke is supposedly in his element, he simultaneously struggles with the constant, toiling underbelly of a place so diverse and cloak-and-dagger as Thailand.
The absence of Rose and Miaow is palpable, because not only does Poke mention it several times, we, as readers invested in a series, miss them as well, particularly after Queen of Patpong. I enjoyed Arthit's role greatly, even if the character himself knew the path he was taking was a bit treacherous, and possibly wrong. He's a cop, so I am glad the narrative made it clear that he understood himself enough, even in his state, to realize the direction his relationship with Anna was taking. And I was distraught over Anna's role because I felt, later, that despite the nagging feeling that it was too good to be true, I wanted her to be good and angelic; I wanted Arthit to be brought back into happiness. Poke having to lie to him was painful to read, and that was obvious at the end of the novel. Of course, that makes me want the next one as soon as possible.
Appreciating the historical narrative woven throughout, it brings my mind to current events and parallels surface among the struggle of the present-day hegemonies, jostling for power and having many prongs. The rise of Asia economically, as well as BRIC countries, and finally, the clean-up and hidden history that those regions possess; they are old compared to the United States, and rich culturally in a way that can be difficult for Americans, where we are ALL young in that sense, to wrap our minds around. Slightly related, Murphy's insanity was written well, his anger, and his home life to flesh out the picture of a known torturer that still has a relatively normal facade and life.
Vladimir - I adore him, plain and simple, and hope he returns. He, Ming Li, Arthit, and Murphy are all written in a wonderful, multifaceted, shattered mirror of emotions and motives. They're just so layered, and Treasure was written quite well, as a layer of Murphy and as her own entity wrapped in her own symbolism. Needless to say, I hope she is the one who escaped the flames at the end; my heart might break otherwise. And Pim? Poor thing. Maybe she will resurface too.
Oh, before I forget - Andrew! He's a sweetheart and such a lighthearted and adorable addition to the story, balancing out the darkness of Treasure regarding children-characters. Keep him.
As usual, it was gripping from beginning to end; the opening is typically off-beat and reflective of the aura of Bangkok, and the ending, of course, made my jaw drop. I have no idea why, but there was a nagging feeling that it would all end up perfectly tied with a bow, particularly upon the debut of Treasure; Poke seems to have a super soft spot for taking responsibility for the girls and women pushed around by the looming entity of Bangkok's underground. Pim, Miaow, and his endearing panic-protection over Ming Li (I think his wife Rose has finally come into her own enough that Poke saves his worry for the younger waywards) consistently reminds us that although Poke is supposedly in his element, he simultaneously struggles with the constant, toiling underbelly of a place so diverse and cloak-and-dagger as Thailand.
The absence of Rose and Miaow is palpable, because not only does Poke mention it several times, we, as readers invested in a series, miss them as well, particularly after Queen of Patpong. I enjoyed Arthit's role greatly, even if the character himself knew the path he was taking was a bit treacherous, and possibly wrong. He's a cop, so I am glad the narrative made it clear that he understood himself enough, even in his state, to realize the direction his relationship with Anna was taking. And I was distraught over Anna's role because I felt, later, that despite the nagging feeling that it was too good to be true, I wanted her to be good and angelic; I wanted Arthit to be brought back into happiness. Poke having to lie to him was painful to read, and that was obvious at the end of the novel. Of course, that makes me want the next one as soon as possible.
Appreciating the historical narrative woven throughout, it brings my mind to current events and parallels surface among the struggle of the present-day hegemonies, jostling for power and having many prongs. The rise of Asia economically, as well as BRIC countries, and finally, the clean-up and hidden history that those regions possess; they are old compared to the United States, and rich culturally in a way that can be difficult for Americans, where we are ALL young in that sense, to wrap our minds around. Slightly related, Murphy's insanity was written well, his anger, and his home life to flesh out the picture of a known torturer that still has a relatively normal facade and life.
Vladimir - I adore him, plain and simple, and hope he returns. He, Ming Li, Arthit, and Murphy are all written in a wonderful, multifaceted, shattered mirror of emotions and motives. They're just so layered, and Treasure was written quite well, as a layer of Murphy and as her own entity wrapped in her own symbolism. Needless to say, I hope she is the one who escaped the flames at the end; my heart might break otherwise. And Pim? Poor thing. Maybe she will resurface too.
Oh, before I forget - Andrew! He's a sweetheart and such a lighthearted and adorable addition to the story, balancing out the darkness of Treasure regarding children-characters. Keep him.
susansdg's review
5.0
Loved the setting, the characters, the uncertainty and the resolution. Gruesome torture.
Beautiful family dynamics. Have already got his next.
Beautiful family dynamics. Have already got his next.
kerrynicole72's review
3.0
I read this book because its set in Bangkok, where I will be going in October. Its a bit choppy and uneven for my tastes, but it was fast paced and had enough to keep me interested, even though I doubt I will read another in this series.
catmum's review
5.0
The Fear Artist, Tim Hallinan, A+
Poke Rafferty #5
Bangkok, 2011
First line: Two two-gallon cans of paint weigh about five times as much as he'd thought they would.
Coming out of the paint store with said cans of paint, Poke finds himself caught up in a mini-riot which winds up with a farang dying in his arms of gunshot wounds. Before he knows what hit him, Poke is on the run from the Thai version of the CIA, a rogue American mercenary and the entire Bangkok police force.
Tim has out-done himself with this entry. For all the thriller plot points listed above, this is a book about people, people you grow to care very much about. From semi-retired KGB spooks to psychotic children to old women still dealing with the wounds of VietNam. Absolutely the best book in the series.
Poke Rafferty #5
Bangkok, 2011
First line: Two two-gallon cans of paint weigh about five times as much as he'd thought they would.
Coming out of the paint store with said cans of paint, Poke finds himself caught up in a mini-riot which winds up with a farang dying in his arms of gunshot wounds. Before he knows what hit him, Poke is on the run from the Thai version of the CIA, a rogue American mercenary and the entire Bangkok police force.
Tim has out-done himself with this entry. For all the thriller plot points listed above, this is a book about people, people you grow to care very much about. From semi-retired KGB spooks to psychotic children to old women still dealing with the wounds of VietNam. Absolutely the best book in the series.
borisfeldman's review
4.0
Arguably the best of the Poke Rafferty series. Vietnam War comes to Bangkok.
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