On one level this is a political thriller set in Algiers in 1959. The French know that they are going to lose control of the territory and are resorting to torture to hold their ground. On another level it is a study of the complex psychology of a traitor and the inevitable failure of imperalism.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Thriller,
By A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Mysteries of Algiers (Contemporary English Language) (Paperback)
This vastly interesting thriller takes place over several months in 1959-60 in Algeria, at the height of the struggle for liberation from France (1954-62). It would certainly be useful to familiarize oneself with the history of Algeria's colonization by France, and especially the fight for independence (at the very least, rent "The Battle of Algiers" which will get you in the right mood). The story centers on a French army officer who turns out to be an agent for the FLN, his exposure by his neo-fascist lover, and his attempt to go underground. The book is highly effective at showing both the underbelly of the fight for liberation and its flip side on the French side. It's also a believable portrait of a committed Marxist and his adversaries.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
not your usual political thriller,
By David Group (Buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Mysteries of Algiers (Contemporary English Language) (Paperback)
Anyone looking for a James Bond thrill-ride should look elsewhere. True, there are bursts of intense violence and daring, but this is novel is closer in spirit to Albert Camus or Graham Green in that it is an intense psychological study of a fanatical Marxist out to do real damage in French Algiers circa 1959-1960. Some of the situations stretch credulity, but the atmosphere is vivid and convincing and the characters realistically disturbing. There are even some debates about Marxism that are quite interesting and thought-provoking. The ending, however, is a bit puzzling.
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3
books
cite this book:
- The Algerian War and the French Army, 1954-62: Experiences, Images, Testimonies by Martin S. Alexander on page 138, and page 149
- The Zero Train by Yuri Buida in Back Matter
- Tales of the Wandering Jew: A Collection of Contemporary and Classic Stories (European Literary Fantasy Anthologies) by Brian Stableford on page 244
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