Very, very interesting.

Some empty shells of a very powerful weapon on a rural zone are the only leads available. Harry Hole, the controversial and problematic detective from Oslo, will be part of a hunt for an elusive sniper. A shadow from history with a very dark past, from WWII to the present day. And when the corpses start piling up, the search turns into a frenetic pursue to stop the assassin from killing his final target.

This was very very good! A highly entertaining sequel, quite emotional and enthralling. Perfectly thrilling and with a touch of romance. One of the best of Nesbo, that I'll keep in my memory with #1 and #7. The coming and going between the different timelines was well spaced and executed. A bit lengthy, most of his works, but well worth the time. I really enjoyed the introduction of Rakel and Oleg and everything they brought to the series. And oh Ellen Gjelten, a whole lot of pain <\3 . This installment also marks the beginnings of the rivalry with Ton Waaler. A satisfactory resolution, and a tremendously gripping ending that had me glued to my seat until the very last second. Recommendable.

-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2000] [519p] [Crime] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------

????? 1. The Bat
????? 2. Cockroaches
????? 3. The Redbreast
????? 4. Nemesis
????? 5. The Devil's Star
????????? 6. The Redeemer
????? 7. The Snowman

-----------------------------------------------

Muy, muy interesante.

Unos cartuchos vacíos de un arma muy potente en una zona rural son las únicas pistas disponibles. Harry Hole, el controvertido y problemático detective de Oslo, se verá en la caza de un elusivo francotirador. Una sombra de la historia con un pasado muy oscuro, desde la segunda guerra mundial hasta el día presente. Y cuando los cadáveres empiezan a apilarse, la búsqueda se vuelve una persecución frenética para evitar que el asesino alcance su último objetivo.

¡Esto estuvo muy muy bien! Una altamente entretenida secuela, muy emotiva y atrapante. Perfectamente suspensiva y con un toque de romance. Una de las mejores de Nesbo, que guardaré en mi memoria junto con #1 y #7. El ir y venir entre las diferentes líneas temporales estuvo bien espaciada y ejecutada. Algo extensa, como la mayoría de sus obras, pero que valen el tiempo. Realmente disfruté la introducción de Rakel y Oleg y todo lo que trajeron a la serie. Y oh Ellen Gjelten, mucho mucho dolor <\3 . Esta entrega marca también el principio de la rivalidad con Ton Waaler. Una resolución satisfactoria y un final tremendamente emocionante que me hizo agarrar del asiento hasta el último segundo. Recomendable.

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NOTA PERSONAL :
[2000] [519p] [Crimen] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------crime favorites424 s70 comments Lyn1,917 16.9k

Jo Nesbo ups his game. Way up.

The third of NesboÂ’s Harry Hole novels, this one published in 2000. In my review of the second novel, Cockroaches, I opined that as good a writer as Nesbo is, his best work lay in the future.

Every now and then I am right about something and this time I was, The Redbreast is head and shoulders above his previous two books. This is inspired, confident and mature – almost as if he were shrugging off his Journeyman title and moving towards the ranks of master writer.

And The Bat and Cockroaches were both good books, both introducing a charismatic protagonist and told a good story, making a reader want to come back.

The Redbreast is even better.

Set in and around Oslo we find Harry Hole stumbling and bumbling through his career. Nesbo has drawn Hole as a very real hero, with bumps and ugly problems (which is somewhat cliché as this kind of lead character seems prerequisite for a crime novel – the tough but tortured loner cop out on the edge, driven by his own demons and suffering under bureaucratic and legal obstacles that keep him from doing what is right) but he has also created in Hole a very likable and approachable protagonist, a lead actor whom the reader can get behind.

In John Steinbeck’s wonderful 1942 short work The Moon Is Down, we are introduced to the Nazi invasion of Norway and are given to the idea of a united Norwegian front against the invaders. Nesbo – and history – tells a different, more complicated story. Some Norwegians joined the Germans, fought alongside the Nazis in bright green uniforms, were cheered as keeping out the invading Russians. It is in this more complex field of competing loyalties that Nesbo illuminates and enthralls.

Nesbo tells The Redbreast in two alternating story lines, HoleÂ’s present day investigations into neo-Nazi murders, and a second narrative from 1944 along the Eastern German front, in the trenches surrounding Leningrad. Nesbo weaves these two narratives into a plot structure that slowly grows together and draws in several interconnected sub-plots, blending group dynamics and character interactions into a denouement that is profound and mesmerizing.

A very, very good book and highly recommended.

** 2019 addendum - I've read several of these and still believe The Redbreast is his best.

(143 s Harry319 415

Here's the thing about the recent popularity of Scandinavian writers and if you're a Nordic Thriller aficionado you couldn't care less about the distinction: the novels are depressed, somber, filled with ennui, a lack of humor, with flawed characters if not suffused with a strong tendency towards determinism; in short, whether you're reading Stieg Larsson, Henning Mankell, or Jo Nesbo you are ly reading Literary Naturalism. If you live in Scandinavia you might consider this par for the course, ennui is imbued into the populace (as it is also reflected in the works of prominent Russian writers - Anna Karenina comes to mind). Just as we continue to struggle here in the States with our history of slavery and the resulting racial tensions, so do Europe and Scandinavia struggle in coming to terms with Nazism and the Bolshevik revolution (More than a few reviewers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Nordic writers' pre-occupation with Nazism). And yet, the rise in popularity of these Nordic thrillers here in the States is puzzling given our strong tendency towards literary Romanticism. We for the good guys to win, we emotion, we our heroes (as opposed to anti-heroes) we enjoy free will, and in general consider ourselves in control of our own lives.

Having said that: there is excellence in Literary Naturalism. The above doesn't mean we can't enjoy a well written novel, an intriguing mystery, a flawed anti-hero, a well crafted story written in the style of literary Naturalism. It doesn't mean we can't enjoy the works of Jo Nesbo. I did.

In Jo Nesbo's words: "I come from a family of readers and story tellers." With a librarian mother and a father who sat before the fire and told the kids stories they wanted to hear (each repetition bringing something new to the tale) Jo's foundation was carved in stone. Again, in his own life story we sense the determinism filtering into his life: he wanted to be a soccer star but an injury put a quick stop to this; with a dreadful feeling of fate guiding his life he entered the military in the hopes something would happen (what happened was "Self-Discipline"); thinking he might want to be an economist he entered the world of finance which he abandoned as well; someone told him he could play guitar (he only knew 3 chords) and he formed several bands, Di Derre being the most successful; and finally he wrote (on an airplane to begin with) and he never stopped.

The Redbreast is Jo Nesbo's third Harry Hole (pronounced "Hooleh") novel (the other two not being translated for a US audience as of yet) and is Nesbo's claim to fame. So, this is where we start. Yes, the books should be read in order! For an American audience, Harry Hole can be ned to Harry Bosch; he defies authority, is an outcast within his own organization, is best left alone to do this job (his office is at the end of the hall), is more of an anti-hero than a hero, has trouble with his romantic life, lives alone, has a fierce propensity for justice (as opposed to the Law) and once let loose is a pit bull with a bone fastened to his jaws. But perhaps the most compelling reason why Harry Hole has such a following is Nesbo's devastating characterization of what exactly comprises a flawed hero. Upon reflection, American hard-boiled writers don't come close to accomplishing the same. This is not too dissimilar to the way Nesbo sees himself.

Bjarne Møller, my former boss, says people me always choose the line of most resistance. It's in what he calls our 'accursed nature'. That's why we always end up on our own. I don't know. I being alone. Perhaps I have grown to my self-image of being a loner, too....I think you have to find something about yourself that you in order to survive. Some people say being alone is unsociable and selfish. But you're independent and you don't drag others down with you, if that's the way you're heading. Many people are afraid of being alone. But it made me feel strong, free and invulnerable.

And...ah, yes, there is the matter of plot! So how do we justify this decided streak of fate/determinism within the novels with Nesbo's apparent mastery of plot? The two seemingly ought to contradict each other. On the one hand, we have Nesbo's almost Shakespearean tendency to cast characters as marionette puppets on the strings of fate (the very opposite of plot), while on the other hand we are riveted by the very complex actions and reactions made by Harry Hole during his investigations (Nesbo is a master at not adding anything superfluous to his novels). Perhaps it is an unholy marriage between the two that transfixes us. His plots are intricate, very complex, the seemingly irrelevant details exposed throughout the novels become larger than life as the story closes, and they can weave through time, forward and backward, as the story unfolds. But, with a little alacrity, we can remember we are reading Naturalism and so it isn't always Harry Hole making events happen, but rather the reverse, it is the events that move Harry Hole. Again, it is a matter of preference but in Nesbo's case it is done with utter expertise as a writer.

The exposition/setting is often Scandinavia: the weather is somber, the descriptions grey-, the people absorbed with alcohol and withdrawn, if not bundled and sequestered. And yet, the dialogue and scenes are full of references to other millieus', continents, languages, and cleverly hidden philosophical references that speak to a widely cultured audience (as opposed to American writers of this genre who rarely venture beyond the borders of their land, if not their own State). And as with plot, there are no superfluous details. Everything in the novels matters and Nesbo does not forget even the tiniest detail to which he's made a seemingly furtive reference earlier on in the story. This is one of the biggest reasons why I love Jo Nesbo.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jo Nesbo's The Redbreast and am currently reading the remaining Harry Hole novels. I remain intrigued by events left undone (such as the fate of our undiscovered villain in this and other stories). You'll just have to read the novels to find out more.

Oh, yes, as with other series this review is ly to be repeated for all (unless there is a drastic divergence from what I have written here). So, if you've read this review, you've read 'em all. Enjoy!








detective-mystery favorites nordic-crime-fiction110 s Baba3,770 1,176

Harry Hole mystery No. 3: Harry's interest is aroused when he hears a report of a dangerous gun having been smuggled into the country; two murders later (one of the victims is close to Harry) Harry realises that this killer is just getting started! As part of the investigation Harry first gets to know a certain Rakel and her son Oleg.

This is such a neat blend of modern Nordic urban squalor; the legacies of far-right Norway's involvement in the Second World War; internal police politics; and the fight of one man, Harry, to maintain control of both his career and life. The long-form story plotting in this early book in the series is to be admired once more of the series is read. The antagonist's story is the only weak spot in this book, as it feels a tad contrived, as well as convoluted. Although the 3rd book in the Detective Harry hole series, this was the first translated into English. 7 out of 12- Three Stars.

2023 and 2012 readnordic-noir105 s6 comments Bibliophile771 48

The Redbreast is actually the third of Jo Nesbø's detective novels featuring the alcoholic Harry Hole (who is on the wagon for most of this particular novel), but alas, it was the first to be translated into English. Nevertheless, it works fine as a standalone, though the impact of one particular event might have been greater had we been able to read about the character in the two previous novels. Anyway ... back to The Redbreast, which involves Nazis, both Old Skoole and Neo-, a couple of touching love stories, mistaken identities, corrupt police officers and a marvelous and beautifully written evocation of wartime on the Russian Front during World War II. Though perhaps there are occasions where Nesbø relies a tiny bit too much on coincidence, this is a fantastic mystery - I was kept guessing until the very last page and I had to read this lengthy novel quite compulsively until I finished it. (One particular mystery that we, the readers, know the answer to is not actually solved in the book, so clearly it will be a theme for later.)

I seem to read a great deal of Scandinavian crime fiction, but The Redbreast really stood out for me in terms of plot, character development, and writing style. I know I am reading everything in translation, but Nesbø's writing seems far, far more elegant and crisp than Henning Mankell's for example, and it is miles away from the total infelicity of Stieg Larsson's efforts which I always felt would have been best served by some seriously tough love in the editing department. Indeed, because there was a similar sort of Nazi subplot in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I couldn't help but mentally compare that novel to this one, and yet again, I cannot fathom the undeserved popularity of the Larsson books compared to something this which is actually well-written, has believable characters and a plot that makes sense. Nesbø manages to stay away from the tedious accumulation of unnecessary detail of which both Larsson and Mankell are guilty; all of his characters seem real people, rather than random collections of cliched plot devices, and wonder of wonders, Harry doesn't actually solve one of the biggest mysteries of the story. Indeed, he only solves the main plot because the criminal wants him to, as opposed to all those amateur detectives who solve cases that have baffled the professionals for years - yes, I AM looking at you Mikael Blomqvist.

In short, highly highly recommended for everyone who s their mysteries Nordic, their characters fascinating and their writing excellent!2010 fiction mystery-and-suspense ...more106 s Arah-Lynda337 591

According to goodreads alone, 7800 people gave this on average, 3.8 stars.


I should have d this, but to be honest it was a struggle for me to even finish.

The story seems fractured, moving as it does, between two different time periods, the latter days of WWII and present day Oslo.

Nesbo writes with the kind of authority that assumes every reader would be familiar with the history of Norway and why Norwegians were mixed up with the Germans on the Eastern Front.

I kept looking, lo these many pages, for a character that I d or didnÂ’t, for that matter. I was looking for someone to connect to. I finally found one in Ellen, but sigh we see and hear way too little of her.


For me it all got confusing.

It gave me a headache.

I put it down.

And read another book (a good one)

I picked this back up.

The last 100 pages were good and I read them quite quickly.

Still too little, too late.

More bitter than sweet.
i-said81 s Marty342 6

I'm quitting after four chapters. There have been four different scenes, a couple dozen characters and at least two dates (out of time sequentially). I HATE books written this way. Hate them. I already don't remember the characters. I don't remember which character goes with which scene. I don't want the first chapter preview of things yet to come. Mysteries are supposed to have confusing plots, not generate confusion by having the chapters in random order. I'm done with books written this way and authors who write this way.

I do not read as an exercise to see how many scenes and minor characters my short term memory can hold. I do not read to see if my brain can sort chapters presented out of sequence. I want a character I can identify with. I operate in a universe in which time moves monotonically forward.48 s James ThaneAuthor 9 books6,987

Jo Nesbo may be the best Scandinavian crime fiction writer going these days. He's created in Detective Harry Hole an interesting, deeply flawed protagonist who may remind American readers of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch.

The Redbreast is the third novel to feature Hole, and it's a complex story that moves back and forth between the Second World War and the turn of the Twenty-First Century. In the earlier action, a group of Norwegian soldiers are fighting for Hitler's Germany on the Eastern Front. The tide of the war is turning against them; casualties are increasing, and the ties among the men are tested severely. One of the Norwegian soldiers winds up wounded in a hospital where he falls in love with a beautiful nurse and begins a romance that will reverberate through the next fifty years.

In the present day (actually, 1999 and 2000) Oslo Detective Inspector Harry Hole makes a tragic, if unavoidable mistake. For this, and to save the government from being embarrassed, he is "promoted" into the Security Service. He becomes involved in an investigation of the neo-Nazis who are active in Oslo. One of them, a thug named Sverre Olsen, has been recently acquitted of a brutal assault on a small technicality, but clearly other crimes are in the works.

Along the way, Harry discovers that someone in Oslo has recently come into possession of a very rare and extremely expensive sniper's rifle. He has no idea who the owner is, or what he intends to do with the rifle. Harry only knows that this can't possibly be good.

As Hole tries to track down the rifle and figure out what the neo-Nazis are up to, the two story lines collide, leading to a great climax. The story is very well-told; the characters are fully developed, and the suspense is virtually non-stop. Any reader of crime fiction is almost certain to enjoy it.

A word of caution: If you are interested in reading any of Nesbo's Harry Hole books, it is critically important that you read them in order. There are developments in each of the books, particularly regarding the characters, that will spoil a good deal of the suspense if you read the books out of sequence.

crime-fiction jo-nesbo scandinavian46 s Matt4,043 12.9k

With Harry Hole focussing his attention on Norwegian soil, Nesbø brings the third book in the series to the writer's attention. After a heroic act during a political summit, Hole is promoted to inspector and moved to the POT, a security directorate. In his new role, Hole begins an investigation into rumours that a high powered rifle has been brought into the country and may be used in an assassination attempt of some sort. Working in conjunction with his former partner, Ellen, they discover that all roads lead back to a man named 'the Prince', though Hole is unable to uncover this individual's real identity. Ellen inadvertently stumbles upon a major clue, but is attacked before she can pass it along to Hole, who grasps at any clue he can to close the case. At this same time, Hole becomes involved with a colleague, Rakel, and her son, Oleg. This relationship blooms and fades throughout the novel, as Hole tries to synthesise all that is going on in his professional and personal lives. Alongside this storyline, Nesbø tells a tale of a handful of Norwegian soldiers who chose to fight with the Reich after Norway's capture by German forces in World War II. These men and their lives weave a complex story that spans sixty years, one which eventually pulls Hole into the centre, as the soldiers are being murdered, one by one. Who is the Prince and how does it tie into the rifle imported from South Africa? Will Rakel be a new addiction that Hole cannot shake? Will these traitorous soldiers ever be safe in the country on which they turned their backs? Nesbø has answers, but also a handful more questions, for the reader, as the novel takes turns never seen in the series to date. A must-read by all series Harry Hole fans, thought its depth and complexities leave the previous two novels in the proverbial dust.

There is no question why or how Nesbø won significant awards for this novel. Its complexities and detailed plot lines make this a stellar piece of writing, no matter the language in which it is read. Nesbø finally shows off how Scandinavian writing is so much more nuanced and complex, and forces the reader to dig deeper to pull out all the clues to craft a successful thriller. Hole and his character receive a multi-faceted exploration, alongside a rich and controversial historical review of Norway at the height of World War II. Nesbø adds a number of characters whose importance will become apparent in subsequent novels (so I have heard) and does so in a fluid manner, setting the scene for some Oslo-based mysteries, rather than flitting off to the vast reaches of the globe. While the historical story seemed to drag at times, its importance becomes readily apparent as the climax of the novel approaches and the patient reader will be rewarded for the delay. A thoroughly stunning piece of work that has breathed new life into the series for me and those who have come to respect Harry Hole up to this point. No matter what his past has shown, Hole is a man who has much more to show and with seven more novels, Nesbø has the time to peel away new layers to entice his fans.

Kudos Mr. Nesbø for this novel that does not give up from the beginning until the final sentence. You are to be applauded for your hard work and significant effort.

/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
43 s ??? ?????Author 1 book5,048

????? ??????

??? ???? ?? ????? – ???? ????? ??? ? -? ??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ???????? ?????????? ???? ???? ????? ???????? ????? ???????? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ???????.

???? ?? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?????.

??? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ????????? ???? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ????????? ????? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ????????? ????????? ??????? ????????? ?????? ???????? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ??????? ????????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??????.

???? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ??????? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ????!! ?? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?? ???????? ???????? ????????? ????? ??????? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???????? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? – ???????? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? – ???? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ???????? ???????.

????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ????????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ?? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ???? ????????.
fiction-crime-scandinavian43 s Ginger845 446

Fantastic!! I must love Norwegian mysteries and flawed detectives!!
Going with 4.0/4.5 stars on this one!

The Redbreast is the 3rd book in the Harry Hole series and I really enjoyed this one. I think you can read this as a stand-alone because I havenÂ’t read books, #1 The Bat & #2 Cockroaches.

I read The Redbreast for my book club selection for July. IÂ’m really happy they picked this mystery because it was complex, suspenseful and I enjoyed it all the way through.
Thanks Terry for joining me in a buddy read for this! It was even more fun to share the WWII madness and Neo-Nazi craziness with you.

The book starts off with Harry Hole embarrassing the force (not really, but politics is a bitch) and heÂ’s been reassigned to do simple surveillance tasks. He comes across a high-powered rifle being bought on the black market. ItÂ’s the type of rifle that can be traced back to WWII that was used by Nazi soldiers and allies to Germany.

WhatÂ’s up with this type of rifle being brought into Oslo, Norway under questionable circumstances? WhatÂ’s it got to do with Neo-Nazi activities?

And this is the beginning of a slow burn with a fantastic ending!

There's the mystery of the soldiers fighting on the Eastern Front between Russia and German Allies. Norway at the time was invaded by Germany and they were sending Norwegian men to the front lines. When the war was over, these men came back as traitors to their country.

IÂ’ve got to say, I really enjoyed the past to present format in this book. I love how it kept progressing the mystery of the men fighting in 1944 and to present time with Harry Hole trying to figure out Neo-Nazi conspiracies and motives.

I really didn’t see the plot twists or who was behind the killings until Joe Nesbø laid it all out for me at the end. Fantastic writing for me not to figure out a thing!

Definitely recommend this to crime detective fans and people who love Norwegian mysteries. Stick with it though if you can handle the slow burn. It delivers in the end!2019 book-club40 s2 comments Anna593 118

??? ????? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ?? ????. ?? ? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?????????? ??????????? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ??????????, ????? ??????? ???? ??? ???????? ?? ????????? ??? ??? ??????????? ???? ??? ??? ?????????? ????? ??? ???????: ???? ?????????? ??? ?? ???????????, ???? ??????????? ?? ?????????? ??????? ???????????, ??????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ?????????Â… ???? ? ????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ? ?????, ? ??????? ??? ???? ???, ??? ???? ??? ?????, ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??????, ???? ??? ?? ??? ???.
???? ????????????, ??????, ? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ?? ??????????? ???, ?? ?? ????????? ?? ??? ????????? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ????????? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ???????? ???. ??? ??? ?? ?????, ?? ?? ??????????: ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????? ??? ??? ???. ? ????? ????? ??????? (??? ????? ??? ??? ?????) ????? ???????? ???? ????????? ??? ????????? ?? ???????????. ??????, ????? ????????????? ??? ? ?????????? ???????? ???? ??? ???????? ? ????, ????, ??? ?? ???? ?? ?????, ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?????????.
??? ?????????? ????????? ???????? ?? ?? ????? ?????????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ????????? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ??????????? ?????????????, ????????? ? ????????? ?????????????.
?? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ??????, ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ??????????????? ??? ???? ?? ?????????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???????????? ??? ??? ??????? ??????. ???? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?????, ???? ?????????? ??? ??? ????????????, ???? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ??????? ??? ?????????. ???, ??????, ?? ??????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????, ??????? ?? ?? ???? ??????? ????????? ??? ??????????, ???? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ???, ????? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?????-???? ??? ?????????, ????? ????? ?????????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???? 50+ ?????? (????? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ????????? ??????) ??? ????????? ????????? ??????????? ??? ???? ???. ???????? ??? ???? ???????????? ??????? ???, ??????? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????????!
scandinavian-crime40 s Suz1,297 684

I wholeheartedly embraced Harry this time around, having rated the first two in this hefty series at three stars. I enjoy the audio format for these as the name pronunciations and accents would be lost on me.

Harry Hole (pronounced hoola as in the hoop) is an alcoholic, a renegade, a hard arse. Pretty much friendless. He is gruff, unlikable to his colleagues. The sort of guy that would say night shift suits him, an office at the end of the hall, and someone that receives few messages on his answer phone over many years.

A very smart detective, one that makes mistakes, he is moved around the police force to suit those above him, to hide away due to his difficulties. A people person he his not.

This instalment takes us from the Eastern Front in WWII to early 2000Â’s Norway. I donÂ’t know a lot about neo-Nazism of Norway, but there certainly is a problem there. Very troubling indeed. Harry handles himself well, the image of him kicking a chair out of the feet of a young skin head without breaking stride leaves me knowing we are in capable hands.

Harry may be gruff but he is a feeler, he loves those very few close to him, and it is heartbreaking when he does lose one he loves. The inclusion of two very important women in his life made this rewarding and satisfying reading. I love the character of Harry, faults, and all, he is brilliant and flawed, an appealing mix for this reader.

Add in the skill of this author, never a word is wasted. I must not forget to mention Sean Barrett, a highly skilled narrator in every sense. Just the narrator in the Reacher series, he knows his stuff and it adds immeasurably to the experience.

Not leaving so long between drinks this time, 3 years is too long. Harry I miss you!
audio-cloud-library books-i-gave-away-to-listen-on-audi library-frankston-city ...more40 s Algernon (Darth Anyan)1,609 1,034

[7/10]
ThereÂ’s nothing wrong with this Scandinavian crime thriller, possibly the most popular of its category in recent years. Yet its technical achievements (pacing, characterization, research, atmosphere, etc) may have been what kept me being fully emotionally involved in the story. With a few exceptions of great character sketches, the story felt contrived and to clever for its own good. I would even go so far as call the plot forgettable if it were not for the numerous flashbacks to the World War II seeds of the current crisis.

The feeling IÂ’m just along for the ride, with a big bag of popcorn beside me started with the prologue, and continued to the last page. We meet Harry Hole (in my case for the first time, because I skipped his first two novels in the series) as a burned out policeman, a bag of nerves that manages to shoot at a friendly target during a US presidential visit to Oslo. In order to avoid an international scandal, his superiors promote him to a special investigations desk, where instead of laying down quietly, he starts tracking the links between skinhead gangs violence, the purchase of a very exensive sniper rifle and resentments inherited from past collaborations of Norwegians with the Nazis in WWII.

Now for the good stuff:

- Harry is a great choice for the main character of a multi volume series. He is flawed, depressive, introspective, vulnerable in his personal life, a loner among his colleagues. Yet we see under all the darkness the flashes of a sunnier core, in his friendly bantering with his partner Ellen, in his tentative wooing of a woman he interviews during his investigations. The sense of humour is so much more precious and hard won, given his post-traumatic stress (I feel I should read at lest the two preques, to give him a better chance of winning me over)

- Born in 1965? You look older than that, Inspector Hole.
- Bad genes.
- Bad luck for you.
- Well, they let me into eighteen-certificate films when I was fourteen.

I laugh from tie to time, But HarryÂ’s song is sung moe often than not in a key of sadness I was angry beyond words at the killing of Ellen, a gratuitous tug on my sympathy after putting a lot of hope in her continued presence in the series as a counterweight to HarryÂ’s morbid apathy

Ellen had said he lacked natural buoyancy, or whatever it was that meant most people could struggle to the surface again. After his return from Bangkok he had been down for so long that he had considered giving up ever returning to the surface. Everything had been cold and dark, and all his impressions were somehow dulled. As if he were deeply immersed in water. It had been so wonderfully quiet. When people talked to him the words had been bubbles of air coming out of their mouths, hurrying upwards and away.

- the controversy surrounding the role of Norwegians collaborators in WWII, and how history is rewritten by the victors, creating resentments and pushing waves of hatred far into the future, is a better and more original anchor to the novel than the terrorist with a big gun cliche. The historical flashbacks to the siege of Leningrad, to a hospital in Vienna, or to Hamburg after carpet bombing, worked much better for me thn the contemporary pieces.

... writing the history that the authorities felt postwar Norway deserved. By keeping quiet about the widespread collaboration with the Germans and focusing on the little resistance there was. For instance, Juul devotes five pages to the sinking of the Blucher on the night leading to 9 April in his history book, but he quietly ignores the fact that prosecutions against almost 100,000 Norwegians were being considered at the trials. And it worked. The myths of a Norwegian population fighting shoulder to shoulder against Nazism live on today.

- in line with other Scandinavian writers, Nesbo is aware and skillful in weaving together the individual with the larger social problems of his time. Harry HoleÂ’s depression is rooted not only in his personal experiences in Australia and Bangkok, but also in the existential alienation of the modern man. To the issue of Nazi collaboration we can add the Israelo-Palestinian conflict, the Apartheid regime in South Africa, digs at the Russian and American superpower claims and more. A poster in his derelict apartment quotes Bjornebee:

And this acceleration in the production of horsepower is again just one expression of acceleration in our understanding of the so-called laws of nature. This understanding = angst.

- It may be a secondary plot in the novel, but once again, for me it was more important that the race to stop the killer: the abuse of women (read ‘rape’) by men in a position of authority. One case in Vienna in 1942 is echoed by another one in Oslo in 1999, almost mirror . One sadist gets his just deserves, the other’s fate is left out for a sequel.

In conclusion : maybe the novel deserves a better rating than my three and a half stars, but I was a bit disappointed in the predictable ending and a few loose ends. Harry Hole is a great protagonist, and I may rate his higher after I read the two prequels I skipped. Recommended for fans of Nordic crime novels.
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INCREDIBLE. Really just a work of art! You know when I read any Harry Hole detective mystery/thriller by Jo Nesbo I actually think that I am reading not a Harry Hole novel but a Jo Nesbo detective thriller as I find him synonymous with Harry Hole. I tend to think that when an author becomes consumed with a series itÂ’s a bad thing though I read many such novels. Yet let me tell you that with the Redbreast Nesbo shows that he can write on par with the best of them. And yes I know he has stand alone novels as well, maybe itÂ’s just me that has such a strong association with Hole/Esbo but how canÂ’t you?

I have to admit that though I loved this book it is not one of my favourite novels but I do admire, really admire what Nesbo has done here. It is a 600 pager and has so much material in it. I have to admit though that the subject matter is right down my alley way. I am a poli sci major and focused on international relations. I love mid east politics and studied WWII at length in university and IÂ’ll get to why thatÂ’s important shortly. Having such a history of world politics helped with this book in the same way that watching Jurassic Park only enhanced my reading experience of that novel. Do you need a grasp of politics for this book? Well of course not, but it did aid me and yet I donÂ’t think this book is overly political. ItÂ’s a great read for anyone.

So the book opens in 1999 with a presidential visit by the U.S. president, the Israeli leader, and of course an Arabic entourage. They come to Norway where Hole is assigned to this detail. So it starts off kind of comical with Harry Hole messing up big time. Of course as the mess up involves politics the real truth as to how Harry screwed up cannot become public and all involved countries come up with a cover story so as to not embarrass anyone over what happened. Hole gets promoted to inspector out of this and I had a good laugh on how Nesbo formulated all this.

Then the book moves to WWII in 1944 which I found odd. Here Nesbo takes us to the eastern front and specifically we are in Norway where a group of Norwegians are fighting with the Germans against the invading/liberating Russians. So they are NaziÂ’s. Here Nesbo illustrates that at the time many Europeans had given up on democracy and were choosing sides between Nazism and Communism. Nesbo is very realistic in how he portrays the fighting and conditions here. How the Russians took heavy losses and yet somehow just kept coming. Note that historians will tell you that it was in fact it was the Russians who won WWII. They lost 22 million (basically the population of Canada) men in that war and were so sick and tired of being invaded by the West which is the reason they hung onto the Eastern European countries as a buffer zone against possible future invasion. In fact many believed that Russia was going to continue west so as to occupy all of Europe so as to control it and many believe that when the U.S. nuked Japan it was in fact to send the RussianÂ’s a message that should they be thinking about occupying all of Europe they too would suffer nukes. The U.S. was not about to let the Russians travel and occupy any further west. PS while at University I saw several videoÂ’s of Japanese recordings of Japan being nuked. Winds that made type 1 hurricanes look a rainstorm. People being incinerated alive. Hard to find this kind of footage but it should be mandatory viewing especially for our friend Putin who just talks about it as an optionÂ…Â…. Makes you really wonder and question nukes as an option, just no way.

Regardless, Nesbo takes us from themes of Nazism and fierce fighting to a bit of a love angle with his Russian front. While reading the first part of the novel it reminded me of reading Catriona Ward in that I didnÂ’t know where things were going. PS Nesbo was well ahead of Ward but I had not encountered this style from him yet and have encountered it through my numerous Ward readings. I love this style as I find it engaging. Reading and wondering, where the f is this going? Well at about the 130 page marker it all comes together. One of the characters from the Russian front is angry and is going to take out someone or someones from a Penthouse suite in Oslo in the spring. Who this person might be is shrouded in mystery and following the clues through Harry Hole was a lot of fun. Again our suspect appears to be of a Nazi persuasion and for his assassination(s) he is after a rare killing rifle called a Marklin. He goes through various channels to secure this weapon and it is very very expensive. There is a lore tied to this weapon.

The book continues along the dark themes of Nazism. A lot of behind the shadow dealings. Then a real tragedy befalls Harry. The book is written in parts as well as chapters and Part 5 deals with Harry after the tragedy leaving phone messages on a machine of the dead person he so cared about so as to hear that persons voice and to speak to that person. ItÂ’s only about 7-8 chapters within that Part but man Nesbo has you really feeling HarryÂ’s pain.

So the novel builds on the themes of WWII and the love triangle. It also builds off of the anger for those who fought on behalf of the NaziÂ’s and were all persecuted by the government of Norway post war, when in their eyes they were just fighting on behalf of the NaziÂ’s to stop the Russians from occupying Norway. I have to admit that even I learned a thing or two about this part of the war from Nesbo. Nesbo easily and effortlessly explains this aspect. So our suspect is full of hate due to the punishment he faced for fighting along side the NaziÂ’s (they were all jailed for 2-3 years minimum and a lot more if you did really bad things) and for losing out on his girl during WWII because of the associated politics. All this hate has been building up in him for years and fate has dealt him a card that makes him feel he should act out on that hate.

So as Hole starts piecing things together there are many great twists and turns that happen. Most were quite surprising to me, especially those centering on Hole’s love interest – seems to be one in each novel – good for Harry
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