Suspenseful, interesting and yet very confusing. I've never read any of Johnson's earlier work but thought this might be a good introduction. I enjoyed it but with a caveat...that I have to admit that I felt something was eluding me in either the storyline and/or the characters during most of the book. I understand that subterfuge plays a major role in the book but it was almost too much as I constantly tried to find my way both with and around the characters in an attempt to feel that I was cognizant about where the book was heading. I will say that it was clever and intriguing. there's perhaps nobody better able to take the 'facts' of modern perpetual war on terror and the war on modernism than denis johnson. he does the "powers-that-be-speak" so well, with their bureaucratic-law-speak justifying grotesque perversions of justice while simultaneously chronicling the lives of the downtrodden and dispossessed matter of factly and with compassion. a fun novel of usa and west;s new adventures in africa via military 'interventions' in 'humanitarianism'.
I liked the writing style, and Johnson did a great job developing his characters in a shorter story.
—Rtroman
Goes to show how far one good character (Adriko) can bring an otherwise pretty average book.
—ishanpat
Disliked all of the characters, but would definitely read another of his work.
—ellishop
very goodbut not his best
—Bob
