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The Ethical Assassin
Edgar award-winning author of the popular historical novels A Conspiracy of Paper and A Spectacle of Corruption, David Liss showcases his amazing versatility with this brilliant new tale of contemporary suspense: a literary thriller set in Florida, where killing is a matter of conscience.
No one is more surprised than Lem Altick when it turns out he’s actually good at peddling encyclopedias door to door. He hates the predatory world of sales, but he needs the money to pay for college. Then things go horribly wrong. In a sweltering trailer in rural Florida, a couple whom Lem has spent hours pitching is shot dead before his eyes, and the unassuming young man is suddenly pulled into the dark world of conspiracy and murder. Not just murder: assassination– or so claims the killer, the mysterious and strangely charismatic Melford Kean, who has struck without remorse and with remarkable good cheer. But the self-styled ethical assassin hadn’t planned on a witness, and so he makes Lem a deal: Stay quiet and there will be no problems. Go to the police and take the fall.
Before Lem can decide, he is drawn against his will into the realm of the assassin, a post-Marxist intellectual with whom he forms an unlikely (and perhaps unwise) friendship. The ethical assassin could be a charming sociopath, eco-activist, or vigilante for social justice. To unravel the mystery and save himself, Lem must descend deep into a bizarre world he never knew existed, where a group of desperate–and genuinely deranged–schemers have hatched a plan that will very likely keep Lem from leaving town alive.
David Liss skillfully interweaves a gallery of eccentric characters with a multilayered plot characterized by its unpredictable twists and turns. The Ethical Assassin is a brilliant, darkly comic novel that will leave readers in suspense until the very last page.
From the Hardcover edition.
No one is more surprised than Lem Altick when it turns out he’s actually good at peddling encyclopedias door to door. He hates the predatory world of sales, but he needs the money to pay for college. Then things go horribly wrong. In a sweltering trailer in rural Florida, a couple whom Lem has spent hours pitching is shot dead before his eyes, and the unassuming young man is suddenly pulled into the dark world of conspiracy and murder. Not just murder: assassination– or so claims the killer, the mysterious and strangely charismatic Melford Kean, who has struck without remorse and with remarkable good cheer. But the self-styled ethical assassin hadn’t planned on a witness, and so he makes Lem a deal: Stay quiet and there will be no problems. Go to the police and take the fall.
Before Lem can decide, he is drawn against his will into the realm of the assassin, a post-Marxist intellectual with whom he forms an unlikely (and perhaps unwise) friendship. The ethical assassin could be a charming sociopath, eco-activist, or vigilante for social justice. To unravel the mystery and save himself, Lem must descend deep into a bizarre world he never knew existed, where a group of desperate–and genuinely deranged–schemers have hatched a plan that will very likely keep Lem from leaving town alive.
David Liss skillfully interweaves a gallery of eccentric characters with a multilayered plot characterized by its unpredictable twists and turns. The Ethical Assassin is a brilliant, darkly comic novel that will leave readers in suspense until the very last page.
From the Hardcover edition.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
52 people are currently reading
880 people want to read
About the author
David Liss
145 books1,259 followersI am the author of thirteen novels, most recently The Peculiarities, a historical fantasy out in September 2021. I've also written numerous novellas and short stories. My previous books include A Conspiracy of Paper which was named a New York Times Notable Book and won the 2001 Barry, MacAvity and Edgar awards for Best First novel. The Coffee Trader was also named a New York Times Notable Book and was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the year’s 25 Books to Remember. Several of these books are currently being developed for television or film. I have also worked on numerous comics projects, including Black Panther and Mystery Men for Marvel, The Spider and Green Hornet for Dynamite, and Angelica Tomorrow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
May 16, 2013
Set in the 1980's, Lem Altick has just graduated high school and desires nothing more than to escape the cultural vaccum that is Florida by going to college at Columbia. That Lem is actually a nice guy is pretty surprising given the hand that life has dealt him so far: a deadbeat dad who stopped calling ages ago, a mother so zoned out on pills that she naps all day and only awakens to prepare meals and clean house, and a verbally abusive step-father who has reneged on his promise to help Lem pay for an Ivy league college. Desperate to make money quickly so he can pay his tuition, Lem becomes a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman. If he can just get through this summer, then he might be able to escape his dead end life. But life isn't finished screwing with him yet, not by a longshot.
Lem's carefully constructed plan for his future begins to fall apart when an assassin walks into the trailer where Lem is about to close his last encyclopedia sale for the day. Lem watches in horror as the trailer's occupants, Karen and the aptly nicknamed Bastard, are shot in the head. Now a witness to a murder for which he may be blamed, Lem finds himself mixed up in a tangled criminal web that includes an on-the-wagon pedophile, a rapist town cop, a bikini-clad Siamese twin, and an assassin who is, of all things, ethical and the only person Lem can trust. As Lem and the assassin navigate this world of drugs and animal cruelty, Lem learns more about who he is and what he's capable of than most people learn in a lifetime.
This is messed up stuff and Liss is definitely treading on ground traditionally covered by Carl Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed it. There's a dark comic streak throughout the novel and several witty one-liners (and not so witty; I readily admit that my favorite line may have been "It smelled like the shit that shit shits out its asshole"--sophistication is never an adjective to which I've laid claim). In the beginning of the novel, it's a bit confusing as it changes from Lem's 1st person point of view and moves to a 3rd person examination of some of the other key players, but if you let yourself give into it you'll find that Liss is giving background about characters who will be prominent later. He wraps everything up and doesn't leave a loaded gun in the corner unless someone's going to blow someone else's ass off with it. And that's really all I expect from an author.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
Lem's carefully constructed plan for his future begins to fall apart when an assassin walks into the trailer where Lem is about to close his last encyclopedia sale for the day. Lem watches in horror as the trailer's occupants, Karen and the aptly nicknamed Bastard, are shot in the head. Now a witness to a murder for which he may be blamed, Lem finds himself mixed up in a tangled criminal web that includes an on-the-wagon pedophile, a rapist town cop, a bikini-clad Siamese twin, and an assassin who is, of all things, ethical and the only person Lem can trust. As Lem and the assassin navigate this world of drugs and animal cruelty, Lem learns more about who he is and what he's capable of than most people learn in a lifetime.
This is messed up stuff and Liss is definitely treading on ground traditionally covered by Carl Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed it. There's a dark comic streak throughout the novel and several witty one-liners (and not so witty; I readily admit that my favorite line may have been "It smelled like the shit that shit shits out its asshole"--sophistication is never an adjective to which I've laid claim). In the beginning of the novel, it's a bit confusing as it changes from Lem's 1st person point of view and moves to a 3rd person examination of some of the other key players, but if you let yourself give into it you'll find that Liss is giving background about characters who will be prominent later. He wraps everything up and doesn't leave a loaded gun in the corner unless someone's going to blow someone else's ass off with it. And that's really all I expect from an author.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
March 31, 2009
it's like elmore leonard giving a sermon on animal rights in the midst of a screening of the maysles brothers' salesman. witty, vivid, fast-moving, vaguely depressing, and fun... with a big ditch full of pigshit & piss...
January 10, 2008
The title of this book caught my eye, and the corresponding premise was just as intriguing. However, I was disappointed. In reality, the story was a thinly-disguised animal-rights treatise. There were so many great places Liss could have taken the idea of an “ethical assassin” - someone who kills people who do, in fact, deserve to die because they are evil. Instead, the reader receives a language-riddled philosophical discussion about animal cruelty.
I would be interested to read something else by Liss because I do feel he has the potential to be a very good writer. But The Ethical Assassin was far too heavy-handed for me.
I would be interested to read something else by Liss because I do feel he has the potential to be a very good writer. But The Ethical Assassin was far too heavy-handed for me.
August 7, 2007
I have never ready ANYTHING from David Liss that I didn't absolutely enjoy. This is his fourth book and I've put nearly every one of them down and said "Man, that was good." This one's a little bit different from his others -- more of a thriller that takes place in a hardscrabble trailer park cum hog farm outside Jacksonville, FL. A 17-year-old door-to-door encyclopedia salesman is just closing his pitch when someone bursts into the trailer and shoots his prospects in the head. BUT, the assassin is really kind of a nice guy and his reasons for such an act are part of the stories allure.
One of the stay-up-late-to-finish variety - highly recommended.
One of the stay-up-late-to-finish variety - highly recommended.
October 23, 2014
This book is a pretty quick read. It started off very slow for me, but there was something about it that kept me just interested enough that I didn't abandon it. There were some quirky things going on that held out real promise. I was halfway through before it really hooked me, though. Once there, it was quite interesting.
I'd give the last part of the book 4 stars, but it was somewhat rushed - too little, too late to really make the book a good one. The main character finally develops into a person that I could begin to identify with. Until that time, part of the problem was that I really didn't care about anyone or anything in the book. A mild distaste for all involved was my prevailing emotion. So 1 star to the first half for almost turning me off. By the end of the book, I was hoping for more, though.
This is a book about animal rights & the ethical treatment of animals. There wasn't anything in the book that I didn't already know nor was the discussion of the morality of our civilization new to me. Still, it sneaks up on the subject in an unexpected way. 3 stars for the overall theme.
The characters were neat. They were different, not cookie cutter good & bad guys, but quirky individuals who were trying to get by & their morals were as confused as most people. I thought they could have been fleshed out better. Too much is 'told' about them as they're introduced, not developed into the story. The central character develops from a real loser into someone who will make it a little too fast & far for me.
The POV is interesting, but also had a big flaw, IMO. It's told from one kid's POV & he says that after it was all over, he could fill in a lot of what happened by his research into the matter. I found that unbelievable on a couple of levels. Without writing a spoiler, I can't discuss it, so I'll just say I had to suspend my belief on this point & it was OK. Still, it could have been handled better, I think.
It was an interesting read, but I won't be keeping it to read again. I doubt anyone else in the family will be interested in reading it, either. The book was hyped to me, I think mostly because of the Animal Rights angle - not reason enough, IMO. It's OK & I think 3 stars overall is as generous as I can be. 2.5 is closer to the mark.
I'd give the last part of the book 4 stars, but it was somewhat rushed - too little, too late to really make the book a good one. The main character finally develops into a person that I could begin to identify with. Until that time, part of the problem was that I really didn't care about anyone or anything in the book. A mild distaste for all involved was my prevailing emotion. So 1 star to the first half for almost turning me off. By the end of the book, I was hoping for more, though.
This is a book about animal rights & the ethical treatment of animals. There wasn't anything in the book that I didn't already know nor was the discussion of the morality of our civilization new to me. Still, it sneaks up on the subject in an unexpected way. 3 stars for the overall theme.
The characters were neat. They were different, not cookie cutter good & bad guys, but quirky individuals who were trying to get by & their morals were as confused as most people. I thought they could have been fleshed out better. Too much is 'told' about them as they're introduced, not developed into the story. The central character develops from a real loser into someone who will make it a little too fast & far for me.
The POV is interesting, but also had a big flaw, IMO. It's told from one kid's POV & he says that after it was all over, he could fill in a lot of what happened by his research into the matter. I found that unbelievable on a couple of levels. Without writing a spoiler, I can't discuss it, so I'll just say I had to suspend my belief on this point & it was OK. Still, it could have been handled better, I think.
It was an interesting read, but I won't be keeping it to read again. I doubt anyone else in the family will be interested in reading it, either. The book was hyped to me, I think mostly because of the Animal Rights angle - not reason enough, IMO. It's OK & I think 3 stars overall is as generous as I can be. 2.5 is closer to the mark.
March 21, 2012
Synopsis:
Can murder be justified, even called the most sensible course of action in some circumstances? Is the life or animals always worth less than the life of human beings? Should cruelty, corruption and greed of big corporations and individuals be condoned just because there’s no better option? What are prisons really for? Young Lemuel Altick will have to find answers to those questions while earning college money as a door-to-door salesman of worthless encyclopedias.
One day, while trying to sell his wares to the inhabitants of a dingy trailer somewhere in rural Florida, Lem witnesses a double assassination. The perpetrator, Melford Kean, seems to be far from an ordinary ruthless thug, though. Instead of shooting the hapless witness along with the others he suggests a deal: stay quiet, don’t contact the police, and everything will be fine. It is one of these propositions you simply can’t refuse but it is hardly an end of Lem’s problems.
He finds himself drawn against his will into the realm of the assassin, a post-Marxist intellectual with whom he forms a kind of a friendship. Who Melford really is? A charming vegan sociopath, an eco-activist, or a lonely vigilante for social justice? To unravel the mystery and save himself, Lem must descend deep into a bizarre world he never knew existed, where a group of desperate–and genuinely deranged–schemers have hatched a plan that will very likely keep Lem from leaving town alive.
What I liked:
The plot. I love when a mystery is skillfully done and this one was really refined and complex. It starts slowly - at first it seems nothing fits – we meet a bunch of unpleasant guys who do unpleasant things without even a shred of remorse. The more you read the clearer it gets, like a jigsaw puzzle which you try to assemble without looking at a model pic. I found it truly entertaining, intelligent and clever.
The lead characters. Lem is our usual ingénue who grows up while solving a mystery and saving his life but he is not one of these ‘too stupid to live’ boys/girls who must be led by a hand and constantly watched over by an older mentor. It is true that Melford shoves him towards the right direction from time to time but overall the boy can think and take decisions on his own, mainly because he has been forced to do so from his childhood. By the way the title assassin is a joy to read. Does he belong to white or black hats? His actions will make you change your mind more than once but you will enjoy reading about him.
The baddies. They are well-rounded, real-life criminals – those who are successful and skilled, evading the justice by exploring the holes in the system. I liked it very much how the author described mechanisms of different scams, the seamy underworld of an allegedly peaceful backwater town. It ringed true. Even the fact that they used such a foul language didn’t deter me – after all you can’t expect a hardened criminal to speak like the Queen of England or a news anchor.
The pace of narration. After first several chapters you’ll find yourself glued to this book. It is highly readable, as all Liss’s novels I’ve read so far.
Dark comedic undertones – I LOVE this kind of humour.
The death of the major villain. Dear me, it was a bit of justice I wouldn’t have imagined, not in a hundred years – horrible, disgusting, bloody but so right.
The cover - it fits the story.
What I didn’t like:
Female characters. It seems Mr. Liss has a problem here. Compared to two leads, mentioned above (Lem and Melford) the ladies are simply pale and insignificant. Chitra, the fellow encyclopedia peddler from India, is almost like a carton cut-out girl or a prop for Lem – pretty eye candy whose main role is similing, swooning and whispering ‘my hero’. Desiree, the young charge of B.B., a secondary male character, is better but it features in too few scenes to be really a significant player; there is more background to her actions, but she is not strong enough to stand on her own feet. Pity – I would enjoy more of her and generally more gender ballance for sure.
Sometimes the book sounded a bit too preachy but fortunately the author never overdid it.
Final verdict:
David Liss is mainly known as the author of Conspiracy of Paper series (if you can call it that) , three great historical fiction novels which I enjoyed very much. The Ethical Assassin shows that he can write contemporary fiction as well. I recommend this book to all those who like intricate mystery thrillers which focus not only on a simple ‘whodunnit’ but also on more serious issues like animal rights. It is perhaps not a work of pure genius but it will keep you intelligently entertained - you won't regret the time spent with it.
Can murder be justified, even called the most sensible course of action in some circumstances? Is the life or animals always worth less than the life of human beings? Should cruelty, corruption and greed of big corporations and individuals be condoned just because there’s no better option? What are prisons really for? Young Lemuel Altick will have to find answers to those questions while earning college money as a door-to-door salesman of worthless encyclopedias.
One day, while trying to sell his wares to the inhabitants of a dingy trailer somewhere in rural Florida, Lem witnesses a double assassination. The perpetrator, Melford Kean, seems to be far from an ordinary ruthless thug, though. Instead of shooting the hapless witness along with the others he suggests a deal: stay quiet, don’t contact the police, and everything will be fine. It is one of these propositions you simply can’t refuse but it is hardly an end of Lem’s problems.
He finds himself drawn against his will into the realm of the assassin, a post-Marxist intellectual with whom he forms a kind of a friendship. Who Melford really is? A charming vegan sociopath, an eco-activist, or a lonely vigilante for social justice? To unravel the mystery and save himself, Lem must descend deep into a bizarre world he never knew existed, where a group of desperate–and genuinely deranged–schemers have hatched a plan that will very likely keep Lem from leaving town alive.
What I liked:
The plot. I love when a mystery is skillfully done and this one was really refined and complex. It starts slowly - at first it seems nothing fits – we meet a bunch of unpleasant guys who do unpleasant things without even a shred of remorse. The more you read the clearer it gets, like a jigsaw puzzle which you try to assemble without looking at a model pic. I found it truly entertaining, intelligent and clever.
The lead characters. Lem is our usual ingénue who grows up while solving a mystery and saving his life but he is not one of these ‘too stupid to live’ boys/girls who must be led by a hand and constantly watched over by an older mentor. It is true that Melford shoves him towards the right direction from time to time but overall the boy can think and take decisions on his own, mainly because he has been forced to do so from his childhood. By the way the title assassin is a joy to read. Does he belong to white or black hats? His actions will make you change your mind more than once but you will enjoy reading about him.
The baddies. They are well-rounded, real-life criminals – those who are successful and skilled, evading the justice by exploring the holes in the system. I liked it very much how the author described mechanisms of different scams, the seamy underworld of an allegedly peaceful backwater town. It ringed true. Even the fact that they used such a foul language didn’t deter me – after all you can’t expect a hardened criminal to speak like the Queen of England or a news anchor.
The pace of narration. After first several chapters you’ll find yourself glued to this book. It is highly readable, as all Liss’s novels I’ve read so far.
Dark comedic undertones – I LOVE this kind of humour.
The death of the major villain. Dear me, it was a bit of justice I wouldn’t have imagined, not in a hundred years – horrible, disgusting, bloody but so right.
The cover - it fits the story.
What I didn’t like:
Female characters. It seems Mr. Liss has a problem here. Compared to two leads, mentioned above (Lem and Melford) the ladies are simply pale and insignificant. Chitra, the fellow encyclopedia peddler from India, is almost like a carton cut-out girl or a prop for Lem – pretty eye candy whose main role is similing, swooning and whispering ‘my hero’. Desiree, the young charge of B.B., a secondary male character, is better but it features in too few scenes to be really a significant player; there is more background to her actions, but she is not strong enough to stand on her own feet. Pity – I would enjoy more of her and generally more gender ballance for sure.
Sometimes the book sounded a bit too preachy but fortunately the author never overdid it.
Final verdict:
David Liss is mainly known as the author of Conspiracy of Paper series (if you can call it that) , three great historical fiction novels which I enjoyed very much. The Ethical Assassin shows that he can write contemporary fiction as well. I recommend this book to all those who like intricate mystery thrillers which focus not only on a simple ‘whodunnit’ but also on more serious issues like animal rights. It is perhaps not a work of pure genius but it will keep you intelligently entertained - you won't regret the time spent with it.
July 17, 2009
This book is a complete departure from the books that I have read by D. Liss. I felt like I was in the world of Carl Hiaasen with his plastic palm trees, Florida humidity, and sprinkling of wantonly depraved characters, all couched to make one want to hop on a plane and visit every major city in Florida.
That being said, I am impressed that Liss has the ability to go from historical fiction and such protaginists as Benjamin Weaver and take us to mid 80's Florida with Lem Atlick as our schmuck lead character.
The book was described as a Hardy boys adventure on acid. It certainly delivers. The action is fast paced and is absurdly believable. Lem is fresh out of high school and attempting to earn money selling encyclopedias. He run afoul with the local law and is befriended by a sociopathic assassin, who is strangely moral and willingly shares his views with Lem, who finds them oddly compelling, the more he hears.
I don't think that this will be my favorite D. Liss book, but if his goal is to make his readers think, it worked for me.
That being said, I am impressed that Liss has the ability to go from historical fiction and such protaginists as Benjamin Weaver and take us to mid 80's Florida with Lem Atlick as our schmuck lead character.
The book was described as a Hardy boys adventure on acid. It certainly delivers. The action is fast paced and is absurdly believable. Lem is fresh out of high school and attempting to earn money selling encyclopedias. He run afoul with the local law and is befriended by a sociopathic assassin, who is strangely moral and willingly shares his views with Lem, who finds them oddly compelling, the more he hears.
I don't think that this will be my favorite D. Liss book, but if his goal is to make his readers think, it worked for me.
October 11, 2008
To make money for college, Lem Altick gets involved with a drug ring under the umbrella of a encyclopedia sales scheme. This book would translate well into a movie....pulp crime all the way. Great writing; you can almost see the main character growing up in a two day period. To stay alive he has to stay one step ahead of:
-2 crooked cops
-1 half of a Siamese twin
-A encyclopedia pyramid sales team
-Residents at a trailer park
-A Don Johnson styled crime boss
-a love interest
-and a violent animal rights assassin who waxes western philosophy.
Great book. I have a few other projects going on at once but once I got into the story I couldn't put it down.
-2 crooked cops
-1 half of a Siamese twin
-A encyclopedia pyramid sales team
-Residents at a trailer park
-A Don Johnson styled crime boss
-a love interest
-and a violent animal rights assassin who waxes western philosophy.
Great book. I have a few other projects going on at once but once I got into the story I couldn't put it down.
September 15, 2008
Seventeen-year-old Lem Altick is trying to save money for college by working as a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman in South Florida. Things get complicated for Lem when two of his potential customers are murdered during mid-sale and Lem is befriended by their killer--a very ethical, mostly peaceful vegetarian named Melford, who is trying to expose a drug ring and needs Lem's help to do it.
This smart and very suspenseful read has Hiaasen-esque, quirky secondary characters and is very unlike Liss' previously published historical novels. Fast-paced, action-packed and suspenseful to the end. Part mystery/part coming-of-age. Highly recommended.
This smart and very suspenseful read has Hiaasen-esque, quirky secondary characters and is very unlike Liss' previously published historical novels. Fast-paced, action-packed and suspenseful to the end. Part mystery/part coming-of-age. Highly recommended.
October 10, 2018
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In the novel, The Ethical Assassin by David Liss, Lem Altick, a seventeen year old door-to-door salesman, becomes witness to the murder of a couple in a trailer park. Rather than kill Lem as well, the assassin chooses to let him live, and with the assassin’s assistance, Lem embarks on a journey to not only solve the mystery of the trailer park murder, but to shed his veil of ideology.
The assassin, Melford, is a post-Marxist, animal rights activist, who claims that he only murders those who deserve it, explaining why he chose to spare Lem. At the beginning of the novel, Melford poses a question to Lem, asking him why the prison system remains the same, despite knowing that on the whole, it turns those who are incarcerated for petty crimes, into career criminals. Until Lem is able to answer this question, Melford will not explain to him why he chooses to kill those who he deems to act unethically. In this way, Melford is akin to Dexter Morgan, from the television show Dexter, in which Dexter takes it into his own hands to murder serial killers who may manage to slip through the grasp of the police force.
In the novel, Melford explains to Lem that every person in the world sees things through their own ideology. The average person accepts the fact that criminals go to prison as an axiomatic truth, as due to the ideological veil, they have no reason to question this system. Following the climax of the novel, Lem espouses his findings on the question of prisons to Melford. Lem tells Melford that prisons don’t exist in spite of their turning people into criminals, but because of it. Lem explains that criminals are typically on the fringe of society, and stand to gain the least from the dominant culture. With so little to gain, they instead would stand to benefit from overthrowing the current social order and replacing it with something else, become revolutionaries. As these revolutionaries associate with other fringe members of society, criminals typically, they begin to break laws in an attempt to upset the order. When imprisoned, they are turned into hardened criminals, rather than a potential revolutionary. The system can easily absorb criminals, but it cannot so easily absorb revolutionaries. This is why, Lem explains, the prison system exists to turn potential revolutionaries into criminals, rather than exist in spite of it.
Lem’s explanation of the ideological veil in prisons may be applied to animals, as Melford is an animal rights activist. Why is it ok for humans to use animals for food, and to test products and medicines on? Melford explains that this is due to the prevailing ideology. People accept that animals are simply there to serve humans, and do not critically question this assumption. When one introspects on the issue, it becomes easier to see why Melford chooses to adopt a vegan diet. Is there any way to possibly justify the use of animals as food for humans when it is possible to satisfy all nutritional needs through a vegan diet? Melford implies he is a utilitarian, as he states that he has no reason to exclude animals from his moral calculus. Is there any reason other animal life should be attributed lower value than humans, if they too are sentient? For one who has ate meat their entire life without much critical thought into why, this was truly thought provoking, enough so to encourage myself to attempt a vegetarian diet.
While not all of Melford’s beliefs are necessarily correct, they are certainly intriguing and worthwhile to read and consider. Does the hegemonic ideology of the day cloud our vision and stop us from finding a better answer? For myself, in at least the case of including meat in my diet, it certainly did. Perhaps there are many facets of everyday life in which ideology blinds us, and through Melford’s example, people ought to seek out issues on which they are blinded, and find the truth. The mark of a good book is one in which makes the reader consider the theme beyond the context of the novel, and through the brilliant character of Melford, David Liss does this excellently.
In the novel, The Ethical Assassin by David Liss, Lem Altick, a seventeen year old door-to-door salesman, becomes witness to the murder of a couple in a trailer park. Rather than kill Lem as well, the assassin chooses to let him live, and with the assassin’s assistance, Lem embarks on a journey to not only solve the mystery of the trailer park murder, but to shed his veil of ideology.
The assassin, Melford, is a post-Marxist, animal rights activist, who claims that he only murders those who deserve it, explaining why he chose to spare Lem. At the beginning of the novel, Melford poses a question to Lem, asking him why the prison system remains the same, despite knowing that on the whole, it turns those who are incarcerated for petty crimes, into career criminals. Until Lem is able to answer this question, Melford will not explain to him why he chooses to kill those who he deems to act unethically. In this way, Melford is akin to Dexter Morgan, from the television show Dexter, in which Dexter takes it into his own hands to murder serial killers who may manage to slip through the grasp of the police force.
In the novel, Melford explains to Lem that every person in the world sees things through their own ideology. The average person accepts the fact that criminals go to prison as an axiomatic truth, as due to the ideological veil, they have no reason to question this system. Following the climax of the novel, Lem espouses his findings on the question of prisons to Melford. Lem tells Melford that prisons don’t exist in spite of their turning people into criminals, but because of it. Lem explains that criminals are typically on the fringe of society, and stand to gain the least from the dominant culture. With so little to gain, they instead would stand to benefit from overthrowing the current social order and replacing it with something else, become revolutionaries. As these revolutionaries associate with other fringe members of society, criminals typically, they begin to break laws in an attempt to upset the order. When imprisoned, they are turned into hardened criminals, rather than a potential revolutionary. The system can easily absorb criminals, but it cannot so easily absorb revolutionaries. This is why, Lem explains, the prison system exists to turn potential revolutionaries into criminals, rather than exist in spite of it.
Lem’s explanation of the ideological veil in prisons may be applied to animals, as Melford is an animal rights activist. Why is it ok for humans to use animals for food, and to test products and medicines on? Melford explains that this is due to the prevailing ideology. People accept that animals are simply there to serve humans, and do not critically question this assumption. When one introspects on the issue, it becomes easier to see why Melford chooses to adopt a vegan diet. Is there any way to possibly justify the use of animals as food for humans when it is possible to satisfy all nutritional needs through a vegan diet? Melford implies he is a utilitarian, as he states that he has no reason to exclude animals from his moral calculus. Is there any reason other animal life should be attributed lower value than humans, if they too are sentient? For one who has ate meat their entire life without much critical thought into why, this was truly thought provoking, enough so to encourage myself to attempt a vegetarian diet.
While not all of Melford’s beliefs are necessarily correct, they are certainly intriguing and worthwhile to read and consider. Does the hegemonic ideology of the day cloud our vision and stop us from finding a better answer? For myself, in at least the case of including meat in my diet, it certainly did. Perhaps there are many facets of everyday life in which ideology blinds us, and through Melford’s example, people ought to seek out issues on which they are blinded, and find the truth. The mark of a good book is one in which makes the reader consider the theme beyond the context of the novel, and through the brilliant character of Melford, David Liss does this excellently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2008
A random selection at the library, and a totally unconventional summer read for me. Very much liked it.
November 19, 2019
This kept me reading in hopes that the characters would become more interesting and for the teaser in the title (what makes this assassin ethical? what makes this ethical person an assassin?) but it was, truth be told, a little disappointing and shallow. I should have known, given that the book is in the mystery genre, which tends to be lighthearted even when murder is involved. Ultimately, my feeling is that, if you use the word ethical and assassin in the same title, you had better have a very compelling story, more compelling than this one.
August 8, 2025
I found myself enjoying the story, but the performance alone added a star to my rating. The author is clearly trying to make a statement, causing the dialogue in a couple passages to get bogged down. Are the characters talking to each other or to the reader?
April 23, 2008
I was pretty intrigued at the idea of this book--- a mystery novel centered around an animal rights assassin. I have to admit that the book was written in a very readable style--- I finished it in two days. Although apparently I was rapt enough to speed read it so I could find out what happens, I was nonplussed by the political content. Perhaps I shouldn't have been. An award-winning novelists writes a book for a mainstream fiction audience--- I can't expect it to be written for me.
That being said, I think that the exploration of ideology is the thing I found the most interesting in this book. The two main characters talk a lot about ideology and how the effect it has on how you perceive your own behavior and the people (and animals) around you.
For example (from the book), if you perceive torturing animals as a normal act, that ideology will completely color how you behave around them. Conversely though, if you perceive food choices as a moralist argument, that will also influence how you act around the people you come into contact with.
Another example from the book is the protagonist's boss, who has surrounded himself so thickly with the belief that people are good that he manages, it seems, to live a happy life. He believes people are good, and so he perceives them as being good and is therefore happy. This, by the way, is the "positive thinking" argument--- if you have a positive attitude, then good things will happen to you.
However, there's also the matter of the love interest in this novel, a beautiful and sweet young woman. The reason, the protagonist surmises, that she is so sweet is due to the fact that as a beautiful young woman she gets treated well and therefore believes people to be good. This may seem similar to the boss scenario, but I think it's a lot different because it's not an intentional ideology. It's a matter of happenstance of birth.
This brings me back to the "positive thinking" ideology and its association with free will, something I think about a lot. Is it really all about positive thinking? When hurtful stuff happens to people, is it because they weren't posi enough? Really? It has nothing to do with luck at all? Really? Not whether you were born into a mobile home with nary an encyclopedia in sight? Or whether you were in the crosswalk when the drunk driver ran the stop sign?
I sometimes wonder if the struggle is in fact between those with a will to power and those who acquiesce or a war between the lucky and the unlucky.
That being said, I think that the exploration of ideology is the thing I found the most interesting in this book. The two main characters talk a lot about ideology and how the effect it has on how you perceive your own behavior and the people (and animals) around you.
For example (from the book), if you perceive torturing animals as a normal act, that ideology will completely color how you behave around them. Conversely though, if you perceive food choices as a moralist argument, that will also influence how you act around the people you come into contact with.
Another example from the book is the protagonist's boss, who has surrounded himself so thickly with the belief that people are good that he manages, it seems, to live a happy life. He believes people are good, and so he perceives them as being good and is therefore happy. This, by the way, is the "positive thinking" argument--- if you have a positive attitude, then good things will happen to you.
However, there's also the matter of the love interest in this novel, a beautiful and sweet young woman. The reason, the protagonist surmises, that she is so sweet is due to the fact that as a beautiful young woman she gets treated well and therefore believes people to be good. This may seem similar to the boss scenario, but I think it's a lot different because it's not an intentional ideology. It's a matter of happenstance of birth.
This brings me back to the "positive thinking" ideology and its association with free will, something I think about a lot. Is it really all about positive thinking? When hurtful stuff happens to people, is it because they weren't posi enough? Really? It has nothing to do with luck at all? Really? Not whether you were born into a mobile home with nary an encyclopedia in sight? Or whether you were in the crosswalk when the drunk driver ran the stop sign?
I sometimes wonder if the struggle is in fact between those with a will to power and those who acquiesce or a war between the lucky and the unlucky.
August 3, 2015
The parts of this book that are clearly about me, skinny Jewish kid who can't help mouthing off to people far tougher than he is, while he's selling encyclopedias in the burning hot summer to make money for college, and wondering when he'll lose his virginity, will find, like I did, that the central character is based on them. The entry of the title character,"The Ethical Assassin" ads a wondrous weirdly existential double toasted-twist to the whole story but, you might wind up wishing the guy was your mentor too, especially if you believe animals are people too. I suppose it's a rites of passage novel for a college kid--the kind of rites that are moral, sexual, adventurous, and damned dangerous--and aren't those the best kind. But Liss bases it in such a very real life-experience (at least my life-experience) that there's no trouble believing even the most outrageous parts are true. Even the killings--and the learning how to fight back which all of us skinny Jews had to learn to do sometime--either that or get left dead in a ditch by the road. Viet Nam happened. Kent State Happened. The 1968 Chicago Democratic convention happened. Well so did this book, and we should have all read it then. even if it wasn't quite published yet. (assuming we weren't frat jocks) and a lot ofthe younger folks should be reading it now. Life's crazy. You might not understand it. But Live it, fight, and love while you've got the chance--even if you go down trying. After all there's always some stupid yahoos out there who want to kick your ass--so learn to take them on by taunting them, fighting them, or running your skinny little ass off. Just don't let them run your world.
March 16, 2009
I had read a couple of David Liss' books prior to this one, and while I enjoyed those books, I was apprehensive about reading this one because it didn't fall into the category I was used to reading (historical fiction). However, I should have known better - I loved this book. It kept me turning the pages and I couldn't get through it quickly enough.
In this novel, Lem, a college student on summer break, is trying to earn a few extra bucks as an encyclopedia sales man. He turns out to be pretty decent at his job. But, he soon finds himself wound up in a murder plot trying to figure out who the good guys really are and whom he could trust. Though a little bit graphic (the pigs just might get you), it didn't seem to be written just for shock and awe. I truly enjoyed this novel.
I found that the character development was wonderful, the story was well thought out and I was not wanting at the conclusion of this novel - which seems to happen way too often (many authors seem to feel like they've written enough and just want to end the book).
In this novel, Lem, a college student on summer break, is trying to earn a few extra bucks as an encyclopedia sales man. He turns out to be pretty decent at his job. But, he soon finds himself wound up in a murder plot trying to figure out who the good guys really are and whom he could trust. Though a little bit graphic (the pigs just might get you), it didn't seem to be written just for shock and awe. I truly enjoyed this novel.
I found that the character development was wonderful, the story was well thought out and I was not wanting at the conclusion of this novel - which seems to happen way too often (many authors seem to feel like they've written enough and just want to end the book).
July 31, 2007
I liked David Liss very much for his historical novels and decided to give this a try. It's very, very readable, and is superb at evoking the seamy underworld of small-time criminals in the hot, muggy South, as their lives collide with a young encyclopedia salesman for the summer working in exploitative conditions. I think Liss was trying to go for something special with the title character, but I'm not sure he achieved it. I also think he had a movie deal in mind, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had already optioned it, but I haven't heard any chatter about a film being on its way. So I say, good, full of action, vivid, but not great.
February 27, 2008
I read this so I could say that I sometimes read fiction. This book is about someone that kills animal exploiters and meth dealers. The book was an easy read and kept me reading (Which isn't too hard- I mean I usually curl up with political theory) but I felt like it took too long to get going. The character are great. I don't know, I can't really judge fiction. It amused me but was slow going- that's why it only gets 3 stars, I would give it 3.5 if possible
March 22, 2019
Yes, he hits the animal rights issue pretty hard; awkward for those who haven't grappled with it before reading this, I'm sure. Fortunately, I'd long since covered the issue myself, so it didn't phase me. There is a great truth revealed in this novel and it has nothing (well, very little) to do with animal rights. Pay attention. The book suffers a bit in the character development department, but I forgive it that for the larger issue it tackles. I sincerely recommend it to everyone.
January 28, 2018
This is a quirky mystery novel which changed my life. Since reading this book, I have sworn off pork. Read the book to find out why!
It is a murder mystery with an impossibly nasty southern sheriff. An group of outlaws who cross and double-cross, an awkward teenager, and an assassin who is vegan and loves animals.
It is a murder mystery with an impossibly nasty southern sheriff. An group of outlaws who cross and double-cross, an awkward teenager, and an assassin who is vegan and loves animals.
September 8, 2007
Was not sure I wanted to read about meek Jewish boy trying to sell encyclopedias in redneck Florida especially after the corrupt cops and drug sellers got into the picture but it was compelling. Well written. Heavy on animal rights.
March 30, 2012
Why do we have prisons? To turn revolutionaries into murderers. Animal rights. Convoluted mystery with corruption and drugs and encyclopedia salesmen. Did Lem eat a hamburger at he end?
December 14, 2017
Well, this is definitely one of the best books I read ! I got totally absorbed by the story, it was like i was part of that world, sharing all lem's feelings. I liked mostly melford's character (I think I developed some kind of crush on him too lol). His ethics, the way he sees ideology, and the world, I even got encouraged to start being vegetarian. His character was strongly built that it absolutely leaves the reader to wonder and think.
Reading this novel demanded a mental effort, it made me reconsider the ways I used to look at things, it somehow opened my eyes, in the other hand, it wasn't boring at all, an intellectual but fun novel!
I highly recommend this novel, it's a must-read one!!
Reading this novel demanded a mental effort, it made me reconsider the ways I used to look at things, it somehow opened my eyes, in the other hand, it wasn't boring at all, an intellectual but fun novel!
I highly recommend this novel, it's a must-read one!!
May 24, 2019
When you just pick up a book at random and it sits on your shelf for ages and then you read it and it's one of those that you don't want to finish, because it's so good.
I'm no David Lynch fan but the comparisons are inevitable. David Lynch meets Elmore Leonard in this swampy black comedy stuffed with rural Florida trailer park rednecks, corrupt cops, encyclopaedia salesmen, killers with a conscience, meth lab operators and drug cartels, pig farms and animal rights activists and it's all happening in 1985.
A classic example of a book where the author knows his story, knows his characters and ties everything up.
This one is now in my top ten.
I'm no David Lynch fan but the comparisons are inevitable. David Lynch meets Elmore Leonard in this swampy black comedy stuffed with rural Florida trailer park rednecks, corrupt cops, encyclopaedia salesmen, killers with a conscience, meth lab operators and drug cartels, pig farms and animal rights activists and it's all happening in 1985.
A classic example of a book where the author knows his story, knows his characters and ties everything up.
This one is now in my top ten.
January 3, 2025
I did not finish this book. I put a good effort to engage with it, but I just couldn’t do it!
The main character was an encyclopedia salesman who faced several moral choices. The supporting cast was not to my liking. I found some of the descriptions to be distasteful and when the subject appeared to be pedophile grooming, I just had to stop. Apparently, one of the main plots in the book was the ethical treatment of animals, but I got about half-way through it, and did not find that to be present.
The main character was an encyclopedia salesman who faced several moral choices. The supporting cast was not to my liking. I found some of the descriptions to be distasteful and when the subject appeared to be pedophile grooming, I just had to stop. Apparently, one of the main plots in the book was the ethical treatment of animals, but I got about half-way through it, and did not find that to be present.
September 9, 2025
Een lijvige thriller die gebeurtenissen beschrijft die zich slechts gedurende enkele dagen afspelen. Er wordt dus veel beschreven, maar op geen enkel moment heb ik het gevoel gehad dat er nog moest geschrapt worden in dit boek. En geloof me, dat gevoel heb ik wel bij veel dikke boeken. Hier dus niet. De spanning zit er zeer snel in. Het verhaal blijft interessant door de verschijning van de vele personages waar meestal een hoek van af is. Voor wie even iets ontspannend wil lezen, dat goed geschreven is: een aanrader.
May 19, 2020
Just a random pull from half-price that turned out better than expected. The setting feels absurd, dark, and humorous all at once, and I was genuinely intrigued by the characters throughout. The last star is missing because I found the ending peculiar (which I'll avoid discussing for spoilers sake). Mild spoiler: the moral of the story hit suddenly and with a heavy hand; it felt a little jarring to me, personally.
October 2, 2023
i picked it up bc i liked the title tbh but wow was i not prepared to love it?? It started off a little slow but wow reading it feels like you're assembling a puzzle every chapter aided by how the pov is from like 5 different characters (and the main character is very fleshed out and realistic i think) PLUS it's really morbidly funny ! The two biggest female characters could've been fleshed out a lot better but I liked it a lot I'd give it like a 4.5 it kept me very engaged and I loved the gore
August 5, 2024
Fun read with a lot of weirdness, grossness, crazy characters. The assassin making a very persuasive argument for vegetarianism, though, I'm still not quite there. I wonder if that was on the author's agenda? Or was he just having fun with it. Worth a read, though - like his other books that I've read he really has no idea how to develop female characters. They are always portrayed only through the eyes of men, often yucky men. He needs to do better.
June 18, 2018
This book was a book for my book discussion group. Otherwise I probably would not have finished this. The writing is excellent. It's just that I don't enjoy stories about this type of scumbag segment of society that has no regard for life, animal or human. Even though Lem is a "good guy" I somehow just did not connect with him.
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