Customer Reviews

The Nearest Exit

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Nearest Exit is an excellent follow-up to Steinhauer's The Tourist. Like The Tourist, The Nearest Exit represents a first-class combination of complex, intelligent plotting and multi-dimensional characterization. Although, I have to admit that by the end of the first half of the book I was feeling that Steinhauer's latest was going to fall far short of The Tourist in terms of being a well-crafted espionage thriller. Be assured, however, that the second half of the book is so strong that it more than made up for my doubts and concerns about the first half. The Nearest Exit ultimately delivers an exciting story in which Milo Weaver, faced with the end of his quiet, settled life, has no choice but to turn back to his old job as a "tourist." But before being able to do so, he must prove his loyalty. This catapults him into a dangerous position; one in which he must decide between right and wrong, between powerful self-interested foes, between patriots and traitors and between life and death. Be aware that The Nearest Exit, perhaps even more than did The Tourist, requires the reader to use all of his/her mental abilities to help wade through all the layers of deceit and manipulation that must be uncovered to get to the truth. Further, you should be aware that The Nearest Exit may not be the book to read if you are looking to read a story that will have you physically trying to catch your breath in order to keep up with all the action and adventure. I highly recommend The Nearest Exit to anyone that enjoyed The Tourist, as well as to anyone who enjoys a complex, intelligent, moving spy novel in the best tradition of John Le Carre and Len Deighton (at least in their early days), Graham Greene and Alan Furst. I, for one, can't wait to "travel" with "tourist" Milo Weaver on his next thrilling, mentally-challenging, emotionally charged adventure. I suspect I'll have about a year to prepare myself to tour with Milo.

Having loved The Tourist, I knew that I'd enjoy this sequel, if only to find out what happens to Milo Weaver after he goes on the run in order to clear his name -- and ends up losing his family and his freedom in order to do so. Now Weaver is out of jail and back in the 'Department of Tourism' -- but he's more deeply alienated than ever, and struggling to find a way to do his job in a way that doesn't violate what moral code he has managed to hang on to. The crunch comes when Weaver gets his latest assignment: a kill order for a very unlikely target that he just doesn't understand and can't bring himself to act on.

The plot hangs on that 'kill order', its target and the fallout from Weaver's qualms of conscience -- and it's an excellent and convoluted one, that never left me thinking "yeah, I saw that coming 50 pages ago." Many of the elements that I loved about the first book are still here in abundance -- the nuanced portrayal of characters who are never black and white and always human, such as the German spy who stops off nightly for a bottle of wine and a Snickers bar at her local shop but is quite capable of holding Milo Weaver hostage and using enhanced interrogation techniques on him -- but who later will go out of her way to assist his quest for some kind of justice and retribution for the TRULY villainous. Milo Weaver's world is a gritty, grey one, and even the end of the book doesn't offer much consolation if you're looking for a warm and fuzzy ending to his story. (Perhaps volume #3 in the Milo Weaver saga is in the works?)

I wouldn't suggest reading this book without reading its predecessor. True, the two stories are theoretically able to stand alone, but the characters' actions won't make much sense in isolation, particularly Milo's relationship with his wife and child and his birth father. That shouldn't be a hardship, as the first book is very good, and if you don't enjoy it, you won't like this that much. I've rated this 4.5 stars and rounded down, simply because the plot is even more convoluted, darting back and forth in time and space and character point of view, requiring even more concentration on the part of the reader. (It's not a book to pick up and put down casually, then try to reimmerse yourself in the story hours later...) There are a few loose ends in the plot line -- nothing that really destroys the pleasure of the book, but that can niggle away afterwards.

Highly recommended to spy novel afficionados.

I read The Tourist last year and liked the tongue in cheek style and the witty plotting. The Nearest Exit is the second book to feature Milo Weaver, the reluctant tourist. Both books are a cut above the genre and require the reader to pay a bit more attention than say a James Lee Burke or a Lee Child novel. The author who comes closest to Steinhauer is Charles McGarry. If you'd rather read than watch television and you are looking for some thoughtful entertainment...consider these two. It is best to read them in order.

The Nearest Exit is a pretty good spy novel but not in the same league with The Tourist (the book to which this is a sequel).

I will not restate the plot, others have. Suffice it to say that the plot is far less interesting than that of The Tourist. So too are the characters. We get one interesting new person (Ms. Schwartz) but otherwise we get stock - Oskar (her assistant), her boss, Milo's new boss, Senator Irwin - none of them become real to the reader.

The book bogs down in the middle, including two terrible chapters involving Milo, his wife, Rita, and their couples therapist. These are so bad, they are painful (and boring) to read. None of the dialogue seems even slightly real. The chapters should have been omitted entirely and Milo's epiphany (which takes place in the second of the two chapters) placed elsewhere.

The ending is completely unreal but is suitably complex. The last 100-150 pages of the book, and the beginning, are a good deal better than the rest. The ending leaves room for a third book if the author so chooses.

I am not saying don't read the book, I am just saying it disappoints when compared to the book it follows, the superb "The Tourist."

The Nearest Exit is a solid follow-up to The Tourist (which was excellent); a complex, intelligent, and morally ambiguous spy novel in the spirit of cold war classics by the likes of John Le Carre. The characters are flawed, pragmatic, and calculating, creating an intriguing labyrinth where motives are unclear and each move may or may not be what it initially appears to be. The novel builds momentum well and has plenty of action to keep the reader turning pages, but this is a smart thriller, not a mindless beach read. The ending is particularly brilliant.

While there are many positive aspects to this novel, what especially appeals to me is that the author has created a protagonist who is deeply flawed. Milo Weaver is no square jawed action hero who always does the right thing. In the Nearest Exit the author tests the boundaries of an age old ethical dilemma that the cloak and dagger world faces all the time - is it ok to sacrifice innocent lives for the greater good. In this case, the life of an innocent child is sacrificed to advance American National interests. But of course, the greater good is an abstract notion that is corrupted by power and the interests of those who have become disassociated from the concepts of right and wrong. In the end, grief and loss leads to rage and revenge suggesting that the greater good is an unachievable end. All we are left with in the end, is a repeating cycle of violence.

This is a novel that works on multiple levels. It's an entertaining spy novel that will having you turning pages, but it's also a smart novel that will have you anticipating the real motives behind each character's action, and if you look deeper you'll also find yourself contemplating the novel's larger themes.

The Tourist was a great novel but I think this one may even be a little better. You can have Vince Flynn and Lee Child. I'll take Olen Steinhauer any day.

I picked up Olin Steinhauer's lastest spy thriller "The Nearest Exit" primarily because it was named one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2010. After reading it--and I can't say it was a super quick read--I pretty much have come to the conclusion that the reason it made that exclusive list had more to do with Steinhauer's strong previous book with Milo Weaver "The Tourist" than this book being something super special.

In The Nearest Exit, we once again meet Milo Weaver who after The Tourist was ready to settle into a quiet life far away from the CIA and his "tourist" past. As much as he wanted to not have anything to do with killing and being a part of the the CIA, he is basically told that he cannot retire until he shows that he is still one of them, that he can be trusted, and that he can retire in peace. Milo is forced into a very difficult position that tests his moral boundaries when he takes part in the kidnapping of a young girl. The rest of the story essentially revolves around that and his desire to "do the right thing" when it comes to her. I recommend this book to thriller readers who are comfortable with a complex and often winding plot. It is not a straightforward story and not as easy as a Patterson read. It is definitely something much more akin to a Le Carre.

About halfway through this book an odd realization hit me: "This is even better than the first one." Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed The Tourist just as much as the next guy, but I do feel that The Nearest Exit is one of rare cases where a sequel manages to build on the first novel to reach new heights. The intricacies of the plot, the motivations of the characters, the setting -- all these elements really make this book Steinhauer's best so far.

I can't wait to see what's next.

There's a great deal of good international crime/espionage writing out there to enjoy these days, and I'd put "The Nearest Exit" right near the top of the list in terms of story line, characters and evocation of place. Author Olen Steinhauer is rightly compared to John Le Carre by a lot of high-powered reviewers as he has constructed an intricate plot that doesn't skimp on background details, and has peopled the story with some of the more intriguing characters to appear in international espionage stories in some time.

Steinhauer's agent/protagonist, Milo Weaver, is an experienced professional who hasn't completely lost his moral compass. In the espionage business, the latter quality is considered a fatal flaw and has caused Weaver major career and personal problems. He has been used and abused by his CIA employers, and in "The Nearest Exit" he returns to a kind of entry level job as a gypsy spy ("Tourist") to redeem his reputation and professional livelihood. The use/abuse begins again immediately as Weaver is sent off to Berlin to assassinate an apparently innocent teenage girl. In his business, no explanation for these assignments is ever offered, but this particular job unravels into an international crisis with the reluctant killer becoming the new target of unknown opponents. Among the more interesting opponents that Weaver encounters in this ever more interesting saga, is Fraulein Erika Schwartz, a German spy master of great intelligence, grit and energy. Destined to become Weaver's partner and savior in routing the baddest of the bad guys, Schwartz is vividly sketched by the author as one of the most original characters in the contemporary genre. This book is worth reading just to savor the chapters that she inhabits.

A terrific bit of writing that never fails to respect the reader. One final observation: I read "The Nearest Exit" without having done "The Tourist" first, but didn't have any real trouble following the plot or sorting the characters in the former. Author Steinhauer offers enough backdating info and details to guide the reader through the references to the first book.

Highly recommended.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea - the title of this review was the best sentence in the book, for me.

Paired with The Tourist, The Nearest Exit is a virtuoso addition to the spy genre, fully modernized for the times. I'm an avid reader of the genre and these are two of the best two books I've come across in years.

My Le Carre books have been read to tatters and Steinhauer does write with a similar strong facility for character, structure, and complicated but believable plotting. However The Adventures of Milo stand alone and apart, and are absolutely top notch. I'm a huge fan - highest recommendation.

Another great espionage and spy book! Well written. It picks up after THE TOURIST with Milo and Milo is pushed or should I say has no choice but to get back into "the program" (I don't want to use words that may give out a spoiler).

There are lot of plot twists here, and once again you're taken into the mind of Milo and his thoughts of what he should do, who he can trust, etc. Complete with assassins, spies and that old idea of "keeping your friends close but your enemies closer." And like most jobs/professions in life, there are good people and not so good people, those you can trust and those you cannot trust (with you life).

This is one of those books where I was reading it in my spare time. Or going to bed early, etc.

You probably don't have to, but I'd recommend reading THE TOURIST before THE NEAREST EXIT. I think the TOURIST gives a better background of Milo and sets up this book.