Happy Reading

Toni's bookshelf: read

The Godfather of Kathmandu (Sonchai Jitpleecheep, #4)
Ape House
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
Operation Napoleon
Walking Dead
The Sentimentalists
The Heretic Queen
The Midnight House
Cross Fire
Peony in Love
Absurdistan
Nefertiti
Finding Nouf: A Novel
City of Veils: A Novel
First Daughter
A Place of Hiding
Amagansett
Peter Pan


Toni Osborne's favorite books »
}

Thursday, August 26, 2010

"Kamikaze", by Michael Slade


Book 12 in the Special X series

The story brings together two men whose paths crossed at Hiroshima during the last days of WW11.

Genja Tokuda, the only survivor of the bombing that wiped out his entire family made a bushido oath to avenge this horrific event, his target is Joe Hett a crew member on the Enola Gay. His plan is to fulfill his long time oath to his ancestors at the “ Pacific War Vets Convention” in Vancouver where Joe is one of the honoured guest speakers. Genja feels murdering Hett and his entire family in a most gruesome way would bring a much needed sense of closure. Hearing of this, Special X forces get involve to save the day…

The plot goes back and forth in time. A large component in the storyline is the Pacific campaign. The author highlights atrocities committed by both sides such as Pearl Harbor, St-Stephen’s College Hospital Hong Kong Okinawa, Hiroshima and others. I found this, one of the most interesting parts but I am sure die-hard historical buffs would prefer reading a non-fiction account of these events.

I found this novel to lack lustre and imagination, it is a little bare bones. The numerous characters are bland and the narrative style doesn’t help. This novel seems to have been rushed, it is missing the bloodthirsty police procedurals and the brilliantly executed plots. The intrigue, twits and turns and many surprises that peak ones interest are lacking…. Yes you will find blood and guts, hara-kiri and all the samurai stuff…so predictable.

This is one novel I was happy to have zipped through in no time….

No comments: