 "Takes Tourism to a whole new level" | 2009-09-28 |
| - Reviewed By pinky622 |
"The Tourist is an intriguing story of Milo Weaver, a CIA agent who is caught up lies, betrayal, and murder. Milo was a "tourist", a term that is used by the CIA for agents deployed around the world as spies. In the beginning of the story, Milo (alias Charles Alexander) was on a job with fellow tourist Angela Yates. They were investigating one of their own who is suspected of stealing $3M of U.S. government money. But at this point of his career, Milo was a burnout and an alcoholic. The job goes awry and he was put in a desk job at the CIA Headquarters by his boss, Tom Grainger. In interim years, he has been trailing the super assassin called "The Tiger". So it was a big surprise when the assassin was caught by the local police in Tennesee for battery. Milo couldn't believe that a veteran like the Tiger would be so careless and he goes to see the man. Their meeting produced such mind-bending information that involved murders of prominent people that didn't make a connection. But while in custody and right in front of Milo, the Tiger, commited suicide using a cyanide capsule.
The Tiger's entry into the U.S. caught the attention of Homeland Security and special agent Janet Simmons accuses Milo of killing the assassin before she could interrogate him. That put Milo on her hot list. Milo was recalled by Grainger to do one job that involved his friend Angela Yates. She was suspected of selling information to the Chinese government. Knowing how patriotic Angela is, he refuses to accept this suspicion so he accepted the job to repudiate the charges.
He goes to Paris to find proof to exonerate Angela and John Einner, a another tourist, was assigned as his shadow. After speaking with Angela, he was convinced that she is innocent, especially since he found out that she was also investigating the Tiger and had actually garnered more information than he did. But right after he saw Angela, she was murdered. And again, Milo is accused of murdering her. Suspected of murder twice, Milo goes on the run and tries to prove his innocence. His journey takes him from France, Germany, Switzerland, and back to the United States.
This is a story full of manipulation and distrust among comrades, including the mutual animosity between the CIA and Homeland Security. The story is further spiced up with subplots on Milo's true identity and the high stakes to keep his family. He was a man whose currency was lies and it came to a point that they would destroy everything that meant anything to him. He finds enemies among friends and allies from the most unexpected places. When the story ended, I felt like I wanted to know more about what happens to Milo Weaver and I hope that Mr. Steinhauer develops his story into another book like this. |
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| "Not great, but quite good." | 2009-09-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3J37FJJZSN6BY |
| I first read Olen Steinhauer's Bridge of Sighs, and was excited to see that he had written an espionage thriller. It is good. Not LeCarre good (which I am discovering is perhaps too high a standard as I make my way through the world of espionage fiction). My biggest problem with it is that it switches narrators simply to advance the plot, and there are times that the twists and turns feel contrived. However, compared to other recent offerings, this book is superior. I hope that Milo Weaver makes another appearance. |
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 ""...due to circumstances beyond our control..."" | 2009-09-06 |
| - Reviewed By joemikejake |
As a contemporary spy novel, "The Tourist" does a great job of taking you into the world where the decisions and actions you're held responsible for may only be known to yourself. For many of us, that would either be scary as hell or quite liberating... depending on how you saw it from your own perspective.
The action takes place in both Europe and the U.S., but Europe is not where Milo Weaver, former "tourist" for the CIA, wants to be. He wants to be attending his stepdaughter's recital; he wants to be at home every night with his wife, but due to circumstances beyond his control, he is forced back into his "tourist" activities... in order to prove his innocence in the murder of another agent who is suspected of selling secrets. In a heartbeat, he is transported from being the hunter to being the hunted - all while he must still hunt for the real killer and the answers he needs.
The action is tightly wound with enough nuance not to be heavy-handed. That keeps the pace of the read moving at a nice clip. The rests in between these action sequences consist mainly of pieces of Milo's personal and family life and provide a nice contrast to the intrigue so deeply ingrained in his professional one. They also serve to set up a tension in Milo's conscience - duty that he does so well... or home and family? He is a man who can tell his loved ones only so much truth about himself. To do so would cause them to be fearful for him constantly... or possibly even make him repugnant to them. At points in the story, it seems Milo's not too keen on facing the truth about himself and what he is tasked with by his government.
It's a fairly intricate story but not hard to follow at all. Most definitely it's a "page turner" and over with far too fast.
Is it just me or are all spy novels this good finished far too soon for anyone's liking?
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| "Not exactly a "beach book" but a great complex page-turner" | 2009-09-03 |
| - Reviewed By oconnellp |
| On the back of the book, I learned George Clooney has optioned this book for a film. Good news. Because as you read "The Tourist" you get a real sense as it skips through time and advances quickly from one sub-plot to the next, that it will make a great movie. It's not a classic James Bond spy thriller with cheesy bad guys. The world is a lot more complex than that, with varying shades of gray and right/wrong. The theory is that everything has changed and that enemies of the US are harder to identify and defeat. But "The Tourist" has an excellent lead character in Milo Weaver, a lot of great supporting spies with complicated personal and professional relationships that may mean his friends today are going to be chasing him around the world tomorrow. There's also a touch of Hitchcock and "the wrong man" running for his life in this story. But above all, it's about geo-political games and who gets caught in the cross-fire. The ending reminded me of James Condon's excellent "Six Days of the Condor," (later filmed with Robert Redford as "Three Days of the Condor." Clooney will make a great Milo Weaver. This is an exciting read. I almost couldn't put it down while on a recent vacation. |
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 "Light Entertaining Read --not Exciting" | 2009-08-25 |
| - Reviewed By villemarette |
Having read all of Steinhauer other books I have to say by comparision this one is his closest to "popular fiction". On the cover one reviewer says "...complex..." I assume the "..." left off the words "not very". There's some playing around with name changes and lots of references to "trade craft" but little indication of any being deployed. Its about as deep as "I always look for the exit or any thing I can use for a weapon...like a fork?"
All and all though if your looking for a light, well written spy book, heavy on the wholesome family man stuff, light on the suspense and violence stuff then this is your book. If your looking for complex -check out any of his earlier works. |
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| "Suspenseful, a spy novel for the new millenium" | 2009-08-20 |
| - Reviewed By dangerous_worth_it |
Milo Weaver used to be a "tourist" for the CIA - a roving spy with no home base - and he was very good at his job. However, that all ended when he fell in love and asked to be retired. Now he works as a middle-level manager in the Company's NY headquarters where he can spend time with his wife and daughter. But then the arrest of an old enemy opens up an investigation into one of Milo's oldest colleagues and shines the light on new layers of deception in his past cases. Milo is unable to resist going back undercover to discover who is jerking the strings, and close the book on this chapter of his life once and for all.
Taut and fast-paced, this novel will keep your attention firmly fixed, and the pages turning way past the hour when you should be sleeping. Expect some late nights and groggy mornings until you finish this most excellent spy novel. |
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