YACE. Der Preis der Macht: Thriller (German Edition)

But the news cycle kept pulling me out of the grip of fiction and long-form nonfiction. The piece of writing that resonated for me the most was years old. The narrative concerns an avaricious businessman named Vasilly Andreich Brekhunov who takes a dull-witted servant named Nikita on a long treacherous journey to make what amounts to a dubious real estate deal shades of one of our current world leaders! On the way back, Vasilly, impatient to get home, makes a wrong turn. The two men find themselves lost in the woods in the middle of the night, with shivering horses and torrents of snow coming down.

I was reading the story on a long dark night of the soul when I got to the part where Tolstoy describes how his anti-hero tries to fool himself into thinking his ordeal is almost over because the sky is brightening and dawn must be near. He decides to leave his servant to die of hypothermia, but then has a spiritual revelation and tries to save Nikita the peasant with the warmth of his own body.

In doing so, he dies and Nikita goes on to live an unremarkable life. In the hands of a lesser writer, it would have been a sentimental conclusion. But the way Tolstoy renders it, the conclusion is devastating. The other work that moved me this year was by a different kind of Old Master. Ray Davies was, of course, the main songwriter and vocalist for the British Invasion band, the Kinks. Acutely observed, occasionally bitter and ironic, and not infrequently heartfelt and tuneful. Partly because he has backing vocals and instrumentation from the American country-rock group the Jayhawks, Davies sounds a bit different than he has on his previous records — especially when he shares the singing with keyboard player Karen Grotberg and allows her to give a warm womanly voice to his words.

Reading ahead 12 von Alf Mayer: Nicht mehr im Krieg, sondern jetzt hier. The star is Titus Welliver, an actor previously unknown to me, and perfect for Harry Bosch. Bosch on TV is tough-minded, dark, and with plot threads that are at once richly complex and not difficult to follow. Bosch himself, it must be said,can be a real pain in the ass.

Judgmental, unforgiving, and, in a hotly contested field, his own worst enemy. This is a wonderful series. My Frequent Companion and I breezed through all three seasons in a mere two weeks—ah, the joys of streaming video. His German newsletter gives information about what books are availabe in translation. Larry Block is in close contact with his German translators. Irgendwo muss man ja anfangen. Bester Witz des Jahres: Im Dezember ist es demnach durchaus erlaubt, so etwas wie Euphorie zu empfinden.

Die Tage zwischen Heilig Abend und dem zehnten Januar gibt es eigentlich nicht. Oder haben Sie in diesem Zeitaum schon mal jemanden in einer Werbeagentur angetroffen? Oder an einer Schule?

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Oder in einem Verlag? Zum Beispiel bei SchriftstellerInnen. Mit jedem Tag und Monat, mit jedem Jahr. Sie sind so gut wie tot. Eine Frau siegte beim Eurovision Song Contest. Eine Frau gewann die Vierschanzentournee und kurz danach die Tour de France. Frauen gewannen und moderierten den Superbowl. Aus Sicht einer Frau. Ich stellte ein Foto nach, auf dem ich selbst — zusammen mit vielen anderen Frauen, die aussehen wie ich — einen Preis erhielt. Erfreulich auch, dass eine Frau den Literaturnobelpreis erhielt. Eine deutsche Altkanzlerin verstarb in Oggersheim.

Wie war Ihr Jahr? Was ging Ihnen tierisch auf den Sack? Later on, or right away from the back cover if you tend to read them, we learn that Burn is a bank robber running from the law.

And then even later we are hinted that he has some sort of military background, of sorts, or something. Still, Burn can be a pretty badass. But also a loving father.

Yeah, it doesn't work at all. The biggest problem might be that the tone is all over the place. The book is dark as it can get in many places and as a reader you can't care about any of them. Everyone has their own bloody ghosts: There's not that much of graphic violence but damn is it dark and depressing.

Reading it is an effort itself, cause it's not like the story is that interesting. Something is happening on multiple places and everything is somehow tied together and still it lefts you unsatisfied. It's not a bad book, to say, and at the same time it's not worth your time. This sort of dark crime could work, but when the focus is only on things that are plain awful, rather than violent, horrible and cool at the same time, it doesn't work. Feb 08, Anindya added it.

An American attempting to outrun his past runs afoul of Cape Town locals on both sides of the law in this debut thriller. After Jack Burn participates in a bank robbery that leaves a cop dead, he and his pregnant wife decide to start a new life with their four-year-old son in this bustling city on Africa's southern tip. Things are going well until two small-time gangbangers, high on crystal meth, decide to break into Burn's house, terrorize his family and take what they want from his home. Of cou An American attempting to outrun his past runs afoul of Cape Town locals on both sides of the law in this debut thriller.

Of course the gangsters don't know about Burn's criminal past or his military training. Before things have a chance to get really ugly, both gangsters wind up dead on the floor, victims of Burn's skills with a kitchen knife. Being a wanted fugitive, he can't go to the police, so he's forced to dispose of the bodies himself. This sets off a complicated chain of events that thrusts Burn into the midst of Cape Town's dark, confusing underworld. He finds himself caught amidst three opposing forces: Rudi "Gatsby" Barnard, an obese, foul-smelling crooked cop; Benny Mongrel, a gangbanger turned security guard who witnessed the break-in from his post at a building site across the street; and Disaster Zondi, a reformer from the capital who is trying to clean up the local police department.

Smith does an outstanding job of bringing Cape Town to life, taking us through the twists and turns of the local criminal world and the confusing labyrinth of racial identity in post-apartheid South Africa. His prose is crisp and efficient, but unfortunately, beneath this book's fascinating and vividly conjured location lies a pretty standard story peopled with pretty standard players.

Genre fans will find nothing objectionable, but others may long for something new or at least for with more Jan 17, Toni Osborne rated it it was amazing. Book 1, in the Cape Town series This fantastic story almost impossible to put down recounts how, why and what happened to Jack Burns, an American who relocated to Cape Town, South Africa with his family. Blackmailed into participating in a bank heist that went terribly wrong in his home town of Milwaukee Jack realizes he needs to get out of town and go into hiding with his wife and son. At first everything seems to be going well, then one evening all hell breaks loose when Jack is forced to defend Book 1, in the Cape Town series This fantastic story almost impossible to put down recounts how, why and what happened to Jack Burns, an American who relocated to Cape Town, South Africa with his family.

At first everything seems to be going well, then one evening all hell breaks loose when Jack is forced to defend his home and family, his killer instincts kick in with his wife and son as witnesses. From this point on Jack's life spirals out of control, this drastic act of self defense leaves him alone unable to go to the police because of his international fugitive status and targeted by street gangs who want revenge and a rogue cop who has his own agenda and is insanely corrupt.

All this only scratches the surface of what life has in store for Jack and his family, there is no shortage of suspense and drama from one end to the other. There is little time to catch a breath between chapters. This fast paced action packed plot is a continual barrage of events that just keep on coming. This solid thriller is definitely plot driven and provides an intense sense of place and excellent characterization.

It also has a witty side while it explores Paradise Park and Cape Town and brings everything to life through the twists and turns of the criminal world and the confusing racial identity. Roger Smith has definitely earned a place on my TBR list. Nov 26, J. I must preface this review by saying this book may not be for the faint of heart because the book is riddled with drug, prostitution, rape, and gang reference, to name a few. If that doesn't bother you, this book is a fantastic read from start to finish.

The story follows many unique characters from significantly different backgrounds. We have a gang officer trying to make a better l Gritty and Intense We have a gang officer trying to make a better life for himself; a husband trying to stay away from his past with a family, a corrupt cop with no moral alignment other than his devout relationship with God; and several other people who have no way out of their life other than drugs, selling sex, and killing people.

All these people are thrust toward each other after a random incident. With all the trouble that is brewing, it is difficult to put down this story because the reader knows that something major is always just around the corner. Some of the characters are simply disgusting. Some are compassionate, even for the wrong reasons. Mixed Blood is a wonderful tale with unique character development, through a city so corrupt that it is hard to believe.

I have never read a book like this, and was very impressed with every chapter and every viewpoint. If you are looking for something dark and gritty this is certainly the book for you. Jan 25, Doug Cornelius rated it really liked it Shelves: Roger Smith has written a gritty, violent thriller full of deeply-flawed people trapped in bad luck and the violence of Cape Town, South Africa. Some books slowly weave a tapestry of ideas.

Mixed Blood is not one of those books. The background and flaws of the characters are fired with the staccato of a machine gun into the narrative. Most of th Roger Smith has written a gritty, violent thriller full of deeply-flawed people trapped in bad luck and the violence of Cape Town, South Africa. Most of them are bad people. Jack Burn is bad gambler willing to kill. Benny is gang member who places little value on human life. Even not liking the characters, you do care what happens to them.

They are flawed, but incredibly human. Several are either fighting for survival or for a chance at a new life. Will they find redemption or death of both? You will keep turning the pages to find out. There is lots of death and violence in the book. I read his second, Wake Up Dead, back in January.

The publisher was nice enough to send me this copy. Oct 14, William rated it really liked it. This is one book that truly lives up to the sobriquet, a thriller. A page turner that is violent, entertaining, scary, and a joy ride. The words brutal and brutish keep coming to mind when I think of this book. Set in the Cape Flats section of Capetown South Africa, its the South Africa thats never seen by tourists unless they've made a dangerous wrong turn. Some of the language at first gave me serious reservations but after being assured by people you live there that yes, calling people half-b This is one book that truly lives up to the sobriquet, a thriller.

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Some of the language at first gave me serious reservations but after being assured by people you live there that yes, calling people half-breeds and the like is the everyday style of communication, I let myself be immersed in the thrilling story. I've even been assured that the real shanty towns and townships are even more brutal and the cops even more corrupt.

The story centers around an American on the lam from US law and how he manages to get sucked into the South African world of corrupt cops, ex prisoners, gangsters and drug addicts. And how his young son and family pay the price for his misdeeds. Ultimately its a race against time and circumstance. None of the characters are without sin except perhaps the kidnapped son and the details and intricate weavings of the plot make for an incredible read.

A friend of mine recommended this one to me based solely on my penchant for grit lit and George Pelecanos's urban noir. But I've got to say, the Cape Town thugs and corrupt cops in this one make the characters in a Pelecanos story look like the lollipop guild. I read this book in two days, definitely getting that can't-put-it-down sensation you get from a good, fast-paced crime story.

I did take issue with the fact that pretty much all of the characters were detestable in one way or another, jus A friend of mine recommended this one to me based solely on my penchant for grit lit and George Pelecanos's urban noir. I did take issue with the fact that pretty much all of the characters were detestable in one way or another, just completely incapable of gaining your sympathy. Apart from the victimized children, there are no innocents in this novel. Everyone was greedy and violent, leaving a prevalent bloodlust throughout the entire story, which is probably what the writer was going for; simply illustrating the effects that one of the world's most dangerous cities has on its inhabitants.

The police officer, Rudi Barnard, aka. Regardless of my minor complaints, overall I thought this was a well-written and fascinating story, and I loved the South African ghetto backdrop. Definitely not recommended for the faint of heart. Mar 03, Mark rated it it was amazing. In Mixed Blood Smith has a way of taking the most obnoxious, despicable character and painting them in such a fashion that you find yourself rooting for them, all of them.

As each main character is introduced, each one worse than the previous one, you are able to find some unbidden trait that makes you want to see them succeed.

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From Jack Burn, the American bank robber, hiding out in Cape Town under an assumed name, to Benny Mongrel the ex-jail-bird and long time gang-banger to the slime-ball, po In Mixed Blood Smith has a way of taking the most obnoxious, despicable character and painting them in such a fashion that you find yourself rooting for them, all of them. From Jack Burn, the American bank robber, hiding out in Cape Town under an assumed name, to Benny Mongrel the ex-jail-bird and long time gang-banger to the slime-ball, power hungry Boer cop Rudi Barnard, each one reels you in. Jack's pregnant wife, coerced into his drama after the botched robbery, is wanting a divorce to move home and turn herself in.

Benny has taken a real job and found a dog, the first thing he ever loved and is trying to stay on the straight and narrow. Rudi, for all the hard-nosed tactics he takes is just another Bible-thumping fat slob whose hemorrhoids ache and who never gets laid since his wife moved out.

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Something to feel for with each character, which makes the end result for each of them even more memorable. This in-you-face gritty crime drama will keep you turning pages until the book is done and well worth the time. May 06, Rob Kitchin rated it it was amazing.

Mixed Blood starts at a nice quick pace and steadily gathers more speed, rattling and twisting along like a rollercoaster by the end. This pace, however, is not at the expense of plot, sense of place or characterisation. Indeed, Smith manages to pack an awful lot into three hundred pages and Mixed Blood is a masterclass in tight, taut and tense writing. Smith perfectly captures the troubled post-Apartheid politics and geography of Cape Town, its racism, poverty, crime and corruption.

The charact Mixed Blood starts at a nice quick pace and steadily gathers more speed, rattling and twisting along like a rollercoaster by the end. The characters of Benny Mongrel and Rudi Barnard are very well penned, as are their back stories. The only characters I had trouble buying into were Jack and Susan Burn, who seemed a little shallow and thin. Otherwise, this is a cracker of a story. The Cape Town tourist industry probably won't thank him for his efforts, but anyone who likes noir will thoroughly enjoy this dark tale.

I'll certainly be tracking down his other books. One of my discoveries of the year. This is my second novel by this author and it was fantastic! I must admit that I read Capture about a year ago and instantly liked Mr. This was the first novel published in North America by Smith and so I requested this book for Christmas. Now, the first few pages had me believing that I had read this book before but with continuance reading I realized that it started off similarly to Capture but then went on its own wild roller coaster ride into corruption and life in the This is my second novel by this author and it was fantastic!

Now, the first few pages had me believing that I had read this book before but with continuance reading I realized that it started off similarly to Capture but then went on its own wild roller coaster ride into corruption and life in the Cape Town area of South Africa. Smith gets down and dirty fast! It is very hard to like any of the characters but that is what makes these novels great. Santa brought this one and believe me, it was well worth the wait! Will definitely be looking for another Cape Town thriller from this author! Feb 07, K rated it liked it Shelves: Set in contemporary Cape Town, South Africa, with most of the action in the lawless Cape Flats, where the apartheid regime relegated the city's non-whites.

Stuff goes down in a rapid and violent fashion when one dude murders two other dudes and another dude sees it. Had a hard time reading the first third of the book because there's a disfigured ex-con character who really loves a dog and it's the first time he's ever loved anything etc, so I was in constant dread that something bad was going to Set in contemporary Cape Town, South Africa, with most of the action in the lawless Cape Flats, where the apartheid regime relegated the city's non-whites. Had a hard time reading the first third of the book because there's a disfigured ex-con character who really loves a dog and it's the first time he's ever loved anything etc, so I was in constant dread that something bad was going to happen to that dog.

So watch out for that if you have difficulty bearing animal-suffering based suspense.

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There are also some shallow aspects to the book, ex I question the choice of making the villain so outrageously disgusting. But cleanly written suspense overall, and I was fascinated by how the considerable moral flaws in characters like Disaster Zundi and Benny Mongrel were shaped by the country's particular history. Sep 06, D. Meredith rated it it was amazing. This is the brilliant first novel from Roger Smith and I have just ordered the others. Smooth as silk in structure, it connects like an Alan Altman film.

Extremely visceral writing, laugh out loud moments combined with action packed plot and some of the best hard boiled prose I've read in years. Very very violent in action and images, so be warned because Roger Smith pulls no punches in his depiction of Cape Town. Dante's Inferno, more like and to quote one of his characters, the quite unbelieab This is the brilliant first novel from Roger Smith and I have just ordered the others.

Dante's Inferno, more like and to quote one of his characters, the quite unbelieably horrible Barnard, "you get me? He stays within the rules of the genre but boy oh boy, its good. Sep 14, M. Thor rated it liked it. So gut ist es. Seine Mutter, eine Bibliothekarin, und sein Vater, ehemaliger Offizier bei der Er beherrscht sein Handwerk. Das macht "Corruption" zu einem furiosen Thriller. Und die dramaturgische Triebfeder dieses monumental-rasanten, tragisch-sarkastischen Thrillers ist das moralische Dilemma.

Am Ende seines Buches inszeniert Winslow eine fulminante Abrechnungsszene.