Havana Bay (Arkady Renko Novels, No 4)
by Martin Cruz Smith
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Book Reviews of Havana Bay (Arkady Renko Novels, No 4)
Book Review: Havana Bay weaves a spellbinding tale ...
Summary: 5 Stars
... that challenges your willpower to put the book down at the end of the day.A solid read written in such a manner that you can feel on your skin the soft breezes coming from the open Bay and the sweaty air of the close quarters in Havana, in your soul the characters' pains from the circumstances in which they find themselves, and in your mind the belief that you too are under the ever-present, watchful eye of the Bearded One as you follow each character through the Cuban venues so vividly illustrated by the author's words.
This story starves you to read or re-read the author's other works that allow you to follow the steps of Arkady Renko.
Book Review: A Russian in Cuba
Summary: 3 Stars
Arkady Renko, our hard-bitten Russian Investigator makes his fourth appearance in this series that started with the amazing book Gorky Park, and its impressive sequal Polar Star. Havana is not quite up to these standards, but is still a highly readable book with plenty of action and snappy dialogue -- as is almost everything written by the very professional Martin Cruz Smith, who never fails to capture the exotic appeal of interesting people in remote places. However, readers interested in this genera might do better to skip to another Smith masterpiece -- Rose.
--Auralgo
Book Review: Another wonderful Renko novel
Summary: 4 Stars
Taking Renko to Cuba for an entire novel seemed a bit of a risk, but it worked out beautifully since so much of his cynicism about the Soviet system translated to the situation he found in Cuba. Smith's manner of offering settings and dialogue also continued to provide great fun. Some have complained about not fully understanding the plot until near the end, but that was one of the things I loved. My only complaint was how quickly and conveniently some characters got dispatched at the end. Still, I certainly had a good time with this, and can strongly recommend it.Book Review: Finding a meaning to live in a very strange place ... at the end of a baseball bat.
Summary: 3 Stars
This isn't Michael Chabon, but it could have been?
There is existential realism in this novel.
With Russia in a very "lost" era
one can ask :
"Is Cuba a Communist Heaven or Hell?"
A very strange death in an an inner tube
( could be symbolic?) of a fellow who isn't so much
a friend as being as being not an enemy in a way rescues the lost
Arkady. Reluctant romance should be no surprise, but is.
My bone with this book
is that the author has better in him
and choses to write popularly.
Book Review: Great Arkady Renko Tale
Summary: 5 Stars
The fourth in Smith's intelligent series about Moscow detective Arkady Renko is set in Cuba. Renko's ennui brings him to Havana to look into the death of an old friend. As usual, he gets knocked around a bit, unravels complicated conspiracies, bumps into interesting women, and utters some precious self-deprecating one liners. Readers will also learn more about the fate of his truest love, Irina. A great addition to the Renko series.