Customer Reviews

Mamista

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Comparing Len Deighton to Tom Clancy works only in that both authors choose from time to time to operate in the shadow world of espoinage. In a Clancy novel there is never any doubt who wears the white hat; it is this distinction that separates Deighton from Clancy. A generation back the comparison between Deighton and Clancy would have been Graham Greene and Ian Fleming. Which you choose says more about the types of novels you read than which story you preferred.

MAMista is a story written by an author quite comfortable examining the moral ambiguities presented, with good detail to his fictional surroundings, direct in his presentation, and very agile in his story-telling abilities. The characters always come alive with the story, including some minor ones you'd rather not have done so. The only complaint; in setting the mood so well, Deighton can go on a bit more than necessary. This is a minor flaw in an otherwise graceful novel.

The book has several nicely built-up and interesting characters, spectacular descriptions of the countryside in "Spanish" Guiana (which, one assumes ia a loosely disguised version of Colombia or Peru), and an interesting (if Machiavellian) plot, which all dissipates into ... something, but I'm not sure what.

Len Deighton loves to display the cynical humanism that believes that there should be a pox on both houses in most conflicts, since neither's objectives are pure. As such, his distaste at the moral ambiguity of the Cold War and post-Cold War conflicts comes through in his novels, as it does in Mamista. However, morally ambiguous plots do not have to leave the reader wildly groping for closure, as this one does.

All too often, one sees movies that start well and then struggle to end well. That perfectly describes this book. What a waste. What a pity.

This book was a huge disappointment in every respect. The characters were very promising, but the story went absolutely nowhere. Details piled upon details and irrelevant background information in the middle of the story do not make a book that is either worthwhile or enjoyable to read. Add to that an ending (of sorts) that left me wondering why I had even bothered finishing this book and wishing that I hadn't, and you have a book that you, dear fellow readers, would be better off skipping. The reviewer who characterized this book as "dreary" got lambasted with a "0 of 4 found this review to be helpful," but the characterization was dead on. In summary, I loved the characters, but nothing about the story itself.

Len Deighton is 3 different writers. His first books (1962-82) are directionless, pointless, storyless, boring.

His Bernard Samson books are good.

After that (mamist, city of gold) he goes into his second childhood with simpleton, stupid, unbelievable plots and characters.

Not recommended

I am quite a fan of Lenny's work, but this was a Barry of the highest order. It goes nowhere, slowly, without a climax. The characters are interesting, but don't do much. Too many unanswered questions. Must say that I really like John Curl.

If you want Deighton go Winter

I read this book right after a Tom Clancy novel, and well, it's hard to compete with the master, Tom Clancy. I would probably have enjoyed this more if I had read it first. The plot just wasn't near as exciting as the the Clancy book, and I think that did play a part in my opinion of this book. All in all though, it was a good book and well written