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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
This series keeps getting and better.
This time we are deeply immersed in the political and social agitation generated by Gandhi's non-violent protests and I love how uncomfortable Sam is with this different kind of revolutionary.
Surrender-not is in a very difficult position, his family has distanced themselves because he hasn't resigned to the Imperial Police Force (mostly, due to Sam's convincing) and the situation, with the arrival of Prince Edward to Calcutta and the rebel's planned demonstrations, British's rulers' wishes notwithstanding, is frankly untenable.
And Sam... Sam is now a full opium fiend. And Section H will take good advantage of this.
Meanwhile, Sam and Surrender-not are investigating a string of strange murders with consistent mutilations but not so consistent victims. Once again, the mystery is deeply rooted in history and wow! Just... extraordinary.
And I'm SO happy that Sam, finally! got over his prejudices and actually talked to Surrende-not! It was about time.
Another magnific story in a series that has become one of my favourites.
Oh, and Simon Bubb is still doing a wonderful job with the narration.
This time we are deeply immersed in the political and social agitation generated by Gandhi's non-violent protests and I love how uncomfortable Sam is with this different kind of revolutionary.
I hated this new breed of pacifist Indian revolutionary. So often they acted like we were all just good friends who happened to disagree about something, and that once the issue was resolved – obviously in their favour – we’d go back to taking tea and being the best of chums. It made punching them in the face morally difficult. Give me an old-fashioned terrorist any day. At least you knew where you stood with them. They might try to murder you, but at least they had the decency not to engage you in debate first.
Surrender-not is in a very difficult position, his family has distanced themselves because he hasn't resigned to the Imperial Police Force (mostly, due to Sam's convincing) and the situation, with the arrival of Prince Edward to Calcutta and the rebel's planned demonstrations, British's rulers' wishes notwithstanding, is frankly untenable.
And Sam... Sam is now a full opium fiend. And Section H will take good advantage of this.
Meanwhile, Sam and Surrender-not are investigating a string of strange murders with consistent mutilations but not so consistent victims. Once again, the mystery is deeply rooted in history and wow! Just... extraordinary.
And I'm SO happy that Sam, finally! got over his prejudices and actually talked to Surrende-not! It was about time.
Forget India, Surrender-not was the closest thing I had to a friend anywhere. If anyone deserved to be taken into my confidence, it was him.
Another magnific story in a series that has become one of my favourites.
Oh, and Simon Bubb is still doing a wonderful job with the narration.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plenty of little spots where it felt like the author was looking out directly and talking from the page--mostly I appreciated. Humorous. Wry protagonist, bit dour. With one exception, tightly plotted. Beginning had to reread a few times to get bearings, as went backwards a couple times...and then there were more flashbacks later. Did not guess the ending, may be over the top, but the character work and interpersonal conversations we did get were top notch.
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Trigger warnings: drug addiction, murder, eyeball trauma, colonialism, war (in the past), death of a spouse (in the past), gun violence
I love this series. The way Mukherjee handles colonialism in post-war India is fantastic, especially when you've got Sam's opium addiction complicating his investigations. The changing dynamic between Sam and Banerjee is brilliant, and I'm really loving the way that they're becoming a team. The mystery in this one was both compelling and informative as I know very little about the Indian independence movement. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing with the series and seeing how things play out from here!
I love this series. The way Mukherjee handles colonialism in post-war India is fantastic, especially when you've got Sam's opium addiction complicating his investigations. The changing dynamic between Sam and Banerjee is brilliant, and I'm really loving the way that they're becoming a team. The mystery in this one was both compelling and informative as I know very little about the Indian independence movement. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing with the series and seeing how things play out from here!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sam is still struggling with his opium addiction and comes to consciousness in an opium den, with the help of one of the women working there, when the police raid the place. He escapes through a funeral parlor where the body of a man is laid out for burial. He has been attacked in what looks like a ritual which includes gouging out his eyes. He's still alive but just barely and Sam makes a narrow escape back to his rooms. He can't say anything about having seen the body, but then another body is found with the same kind of wounds: knife wounds in specific areas and the eyes gouged out.
Meanwhile, a family friend of Surrender-Not's estranged family is making waves with his peaceful protests. He has thousands of followers.
On top of it all, the Prince of Wales is coming for a visit. Sam tries to convince the authorities to cancel the visit, but the show must go on. After all, it's about Empire even if it IS fading by 1921.
About a little less than halfway through, I hazarded a guess at the reason for the killings in this book, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment at all. Personally, I found this one to be the most interesting and fast paced one. The author seems to be getting better at his craft.
Of course, I loved his dedication: "For Mum, Hope this makes up for not being a doctor." That made me laugh. The author has had what is apparently a successful career as an accountant. Obviously, he's much better suited to the writing life.
These books seem to be meticulously researched. The writing is a terrific combination of irony and drama. Without giving the plot away, I can say "Good luck, Sam." A new book in the series is coming out in November in Great Britain. I hope it hits the shores of the USA soon thereafter.
Meanwhile, a family friend of Surrender-Not's estranged family is making waves with his peaceful protests. He has thousands of followers.
On top of it all, the Prince of Wales is coming for a visit. Sam tries to convince the authorities to cancel the visit, but the show must go on. After all, it's about Empire even if it IS fading by 1921.
About a little less than halfway through, I hazarded a guess at the reason for the killings in this book, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment at all. Personally, I found this one to be the most interesting and fast paced one. The author seems to be getting better at his craft.
Of course, I loved his dedication: "For Mum, Hope this makes up for not being a doctor." That made me laugh. The author has had what is apparently a successful career as an accountant. Obviously, he's much better suited to the writing life.
These books seem to be meticulously researched. The writing is a terrific combination of irony and drama. Without giving the plot away, I can say "Good luck, Sam." A new book in the series is coming out in November in Great Britain. I hope it hits the shores of the USA soon thereafter.
Great fun with unknown and interesting historical content.
The strongest outing yet for Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Banerjee, who I noticed he did start to call "Suren" in this book - an abbreviated version of his full Indian name rather than the the anglicisation "Surrender-not" which sounds like a slur to my ears but also sounds typical of the colonial period and the British treatment of anything they couldn't be bothered to understand.
Calcutta in the 1920s really came to life here; from the grand mansions to the opium dens to the military enclosures to the boatmen on the Hooghly river, and the city is populated by groups from all parts of India, including peacefully protesting followers of Mahatma Gandhi, the ever-present British military and the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) is about to visit. What could go wrong?! I like the way the author shows all the diversity within the population, no one's ever just an "Indian", you learn all about the different peoples who make up India along the way. I think I said in writing about one of the earlier books that Sam (as a white British man) seems too liberal for his time, but I think it works better than way for the modern reader.
The plot in this book took a bit of getting into, there's a real web of plot lines being spun and they all get tangled up together very knottily. I liked how Sam covering up his increasingly worrying opium habit was an essential part of the conundrum rather than just period and place specific decoration to the story.
I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Calcutta in the 1920s really came to life here; from the grand mansions to the opium dens to the military enclosures to the boatmen on the Hooghly river, and the city is populated by groups from all parts of India, including peacefully protesting followers of Mahatma Gandhi, the ever-present British military and the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) is about to visit. What could go wrong?! I like the way the author shows all the diversity within the population, no one's ever just an "Indian", you learn all about the different peoples who make up India along the way. I think I said in writing about one of the earlier books that Sam (as a white British man) seems too liberal for his time, but I think it works better than way for the modern reader.
The plot in this book took a bit of getting into, there's a real web of plot lines being spun and they all get tangled up together very knottily. I liked how Sam covering up his increasingly worrying opium habit was an essential part of the conundrum rather than just period and place specific decoration to the story.
I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes