Books: The Righteous Men

The Righteous Men. Sam Bourne. Modern thriller with historical religious theme.

I'm writing this in a small restaurant in Genoa, with just a small way to go before I finish the book.

It is almost as if I don't want to finish it, because I've put it down with mere pages to go. And through the day when I was travelling between Lisbon and Milan, and then by train to where I am now, I kept doing the same thing. It is kind of the reverse of the 'unputdownable' thesis. But not because the book was bad, rather 'saving' it to savour it. That's not my style.

Which doesn't mean it is a really great book. The writing needs a bit of tighter editing, and some of the descriptive narrative is naively drawn.

But it's a good yarn. A compelling one if, as I am, you have an interest in the conspiracy potential of organised religion. They've put a 'Dan Brown' comparison on the cover, so you know where it's coming from.

Brown's commentary was based on Christianity, specifically the Catholic Church. Sam Bourne's tale brings us into the arcane parts of the Hassidic Jew ethos, therefore going before Brown. And, believe me, there's an awful lot more stuff in Jewish tradition for convulated fiction than the Vatican could ever be the prime source of.

The simple storyline is about a New York Times journalist whose wife is kidnapped, and in his attempts to find her he uncovers an 'end of the world' scenario in which good people around the globe are being deliberately assassinated to bring about that very thing.

It's cleverly done. It offers a lot of thought-provoking interest. And it is fast-moving to the point that you put it down so that you don't get left behind.

At the time of writing, I still don't know where the kidnapping of the protagonist's wife fits into the story. I'll find out before I sleep tonight

You'll have to wait until you pick up the book from Julie at the Kilcullen Library. Tell her I sent you.

But wait until I get a chance to bring it back.

Brian Byrne.