The Year of Living Dangerously [Mass Market Paperback]

Christopher J. Koch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1995

It is 1965 and Jakarta lies inert, the hot brown twilights and stormy nights smelling of petrol and frangipani. A group of Western journalists carry on with their lives as they wait for the abortive revolution that will leave half a million dead.A novel which became a film starring Mel Gibson.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Christopher Koch is of Irish, English and German ancestry. For a good deal of his life he was a broadcasting producer, working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Sydney. He has lived and worked in London and elsewhere overseas. He has been a full-time writer since 1972, winning international praise and a number of awards for his five previous novels - many of which are translated in a number of European countries. In 1995, Koch was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contribution to Australian literature. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (May 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140065350
• ISBN-13: 978-0140065350
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Multi-Layered Novel, January 25, 2006

By 

Renee Thorpe (Karangasem, Bali) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Year of Living Dangerously (Mass Market Paperback)

Intriguing thriller set in one of Indonesia's most turbulent times follows the basic plot of most of that country's shadow puppet fables. Viz: The earthly balance of good and evil has lapsed, and the clueless but good-hearted hero finds himself aided by the unexpected attentions of a bold dwarf.

There is so much going on, it's to be enjoyed on several levels. Innocence lost, cloak and daggery, true political intrigue, guy meets girl, expatriate sleaze, lessons in Indonesian culture: it's all there. Very nicely written with a perfect pace and memorable characters; Koch seems to be a great observer and decent researcher.

So nicely composed was this book, the subsequent film (featuring breathtakingly fresh performances by youngsters Sigourney Weaver and Mel Gibson) captured the best dialogue and the steamy atmosphere with apparent ease. Destined to be a classic, YLD is a story that takes hold and stays with you a long time.

De rigeur reading for the expats of Indonesia, but also a great book to have along if traveling in Indonesia (the twenty year ban on this book has been lifted by the government, so you can bring it in legally now)!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Keep your air conditioning on, May 24, 2003

By 

gotta run now (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Year of Living Dangerously (Mass Market Paperback)

You will be transported to the steaminess of the equator. This is a wonderful story full of unique characters in the midst of one of the most turbulent times in Indonesia. Sukarno's Indonesia is an edgy place in 1965 and the group of western journalists Koch assembles as his main characters can sense the tragedy ready to erupt. Guy Hamilton, a television correspondent, is joined by Billy Kwan, a Chinese-Australian cameraman who determines that he should "assist" Hamilton. Theirs is an uneasy friendship, enhanced by the remaining cast of characters, whom you will meet when you read the book. Much is made of the fact that Billy is a dwarf, but that is what makes him so interesting. It enables him to get away with things typically sized people would not. He is a fascinating, multidimensional character who is far more an intellectual than people give him credit for, much more political than casual acquaintances would guess, and passionate about Indonesia, something he keeps mostly to himself. Koch weaves a great tale here: part mystery, part political espionage thriller, a little bit of romance (but not enough to put you off), and all of it packed into 300 pages of Indonesian atmosphere. It is a carefully crafted masterpiece of storytelling that I highly recommend. While readily available on shelves in Australian bookstores, it is likely less well known in the states. Too bad, Koch's books are worth every penny.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars *****, December 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Year of Living Dangerously (Mass Market Paperback)

This novel of international intrigue makes an exciting read. It is also a good place to start for Western readers (like me) who don't know much about Indonesia and its history. What sets it apart from all the other hard-boiled romances about journalists in danger is the author's real compassion for his characters, their frailties and their aspirations, as well as for Indonesia itself. The Year of Living Dangerously is thrilling but not manipulative, sensitive but not maudlin. It explains Indonesia to novices without patronizing. It is an important book which goes way beyond the boundaries of any genre.