Complication: A Novel by Isaac Adamson

by Isaac Adamson

A serial killer with a penchant for severed hands. A watch that runs backward and forward – at the same time. An Eastern European gangster known only as Rumplestiltskin. The Nazi invasion of Prague, Soviet-era Czech secret police, 16th century alchemy and black magic – mild-mannered American Lee Holloway never thought any of these would intrude upon his ordinary life.

But that was before he received a mysterious letter from a woman named Vera, a cryptic missive implying Lee’s estranged brother Paul, who disappeared years ago in Prague, was actually murdered in an attempt to steal The Rudolf Complication, a priceless watch commissioned by the eccentric Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, rumored to hold the power of eternal life. When Lee goes to Prague to investigate, his involvement with the enigmatic Vera, as well as the guidance offered from a mysterious travel book, triggers a series of violent and bizarre events that force Lee to confront disturbing truths about his brother as well as himself. Unless Lee can reconstruct the final hours of his brother's life, and separate truth from myth in this haunted city, he might not get out of Prague alive.

Complication is a twisted, mind-bending, contemporary thrill ride– in the spirit of such mind-bending narratives as House of Leaves and Memento.–set in the dark heart of Europe, a place where old ghosts and ancient legends still walk the streets.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller

Paperback

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Isaac Adamson is the author of COMPLICATION, nominee for the 2013 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.

He also wrote TOKYO SUCKERPUNCH, DREAMING PACHINKO, and other Billy Chaka mysteries.

Isaac lives in Portland with his wife and children.

You can follow him on Twitter at @isaacadamson or find him on Facebook.

Reviews

[Stacia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe my brain needs to be sharper or I need to pay better attention when reading, but I may need someone to explain it to me (just like I felt after watching the movie Memento years ago). Lol. I'm mostly on track, I think, but I'm also a bit confused.

I'm ok with the fantastical, the strange, the unexpected, things being off or different. But this one left me more scratching my head (like Memento) rather than in love with the story & the unclear ending (like Inception). And there were definitely some holes or gaps in the story. I think. (Or I missed them & that's why I'm somewhat confused.)

Certainly it is interesting as it rambles around Prague, but a few later chapters were written in different fonts, some of which were not the easiest to read.

It's a mix of modern crime, folk/fairy tales, urban legend, history, alchemy, & the bizarre. It was unexpected (which I liked), but got confusing at times too. I would probably need to go back & reread it to unravel everything & spot all the hints. I'm lazy so I'd rather just have someone else give me the final synopsis. In the end, I think the premise was better than the actual execution, but it was still a decent, mind-bending read. I'll give it 3 stars & say that I'm glad I read it, but I'm not sure it would be to everyone's taste.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a compulsively readable story that takes you down some interesting rabbit trails. The plot has many threads, but this is the type of book that will take a couple of readings to pick up on some of the more subtle clues. The end result was a book that has an ending that hits you between the eyes and you wonder what just happened.

Great story for those enjoying a good mystery.

Reader received a complimentary copy from Good Reads First Reads.

[Tim Hicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, so I am comfortable away from everyday reality. I didn't worry about Lee's idiocy, which starts early with flying to Prague empty-handed. I didn't scoff at Vera sitting in a coffee shop every day for six months. I was patient when this book posited a magic clock, and things happened that didn't make sense. I sat through the travelogue on Prague, which I'm sure will be useful because I hope to visit there soon. I waded through the mystical handwaving about Kelley, in which very little actually happened.
I am patiently read the English what is broke from the ridiculous Soros. I sat through the mysterious little girl with no teeth. And yes, he DOES have sex with Vera, however briefly; not that it was ever in doubt.

Despite all the doubts I had been accumulating, I was sure the book was building to a marvellous confrontation. Then I got to the end, and all that remained was, "there go four hours of my life that I'll never get back." And the persistent two words, "Bobby Ewing."

Don't waste your time with this exercise in complication for complication's sake.
And if you do, don't blame me if at the end you hear the author laughing at you.
Sounding like Nelson in "The Simpsons": HA ha.

Because you know why? As they say in Newfoundland, "C'mere till I tells ya." It's because with that ending, an author can make up ANYthing, any kind of taurine excrement, then ramble on for 300 pages firing off new ideas like fireworks, then wrap it up without having to excuse or conclude anything.

I'm sure the lit'ry crowd will smile condescendingly ask me gnomically, "Is anything real?" I ask in return, " Is this review real? Did I really read the book? Does the book really exist?"

If this is literature, pah and pfui. I'm going back to SF where the authors are constrained by requirements of credibility.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaac Adamson starts his latest book off with a refresher course in the definition of the word "complication', which also happens to be the title of the book. It is also a guidepost for the reader, for in this novel, set mostly in Prague, in various points of time, every single definition comes into play.

The main story line has Lee Holloway, a rather unassuming fellow, who, when cleaning out the detritus of his father's estate, finds a letter which indicates that the disappearance of Lee's younger brother Paul, in the Prague floods five years earlier, may have more mystery involved. (Side note: Two years after the death of my mother, I'm still clearing her estate and the detritus of her life. That Lee could dispose of just about everything so easily made me quite jealous.) Lee abandons his job at the Grimley & Dunballer Recovery Solutions, and heads off to meet Vera, who wrote the letter, at The Black Rabbit, a pub in Prague.

From here the tale becomes curiouser and curiouser, and like Alice down the rabbit hole, things are not always what they seem. There's the basic story line of Lee and Vera, which takes more twists and turns than a Gordian knot, Communist era spies and interrogations, Rumpelstiltskin (or a gangster bearing the same name), alchemy, black magic (complete with John Dee and Edward Kelly), and the eve of the Nazi invasion of Prague, all centered around The Rudolf Complication, a fabled timepiece, built for the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, which runs both backwards and forwards, and grants eternal life.

It's a lot of threads to keep straight, but somehow it all works without derailing the reader's brain. The plot movements are like clockwork -- if the timepiece is The Rudolf Complication, that is, filled with fascinating twists, side-bits, and palindromes. There were moments in the book that just grabbed me for the detail or the phrasing. In hindsight, those moments were ones that gave me clues to unraveling some of the plot, thought I was not able to piece it all together to the end. And what an end. Wow. Complication is fascinating, entertaining, quirky, enlightening, and surprising. This book keeps the reader on all ten toes until the very end.

(4.5 stars, rounded up to 5)

[Kerri-Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it goes without saying that Complication is, well complicated. Still, it wasn't overly so that it was immpossible to follow. It had a smoothe start and I found myself drawn in by the main character. Lee Holloway seemed like your average guy who followed a trail left by his deceased brother and ends up way in over his head. Still he has a determination about him that makes him intruiging. While investigating the true circumstances of his brother's death, he tends to make decisions that seem off. You can make a case that the reason for this is explained at the end, but you spend most of the time screaming at Lee to go to the police, get some help, or something to that effect.
The writing style was good, the story decently paced, and the plot adequately thrilling. The novel was set in the Czech Republic, and towards the end the writing began to take on characteristic of leaving out articles that some of the characters had. As a future English teacher that bugged me a little. During the novel, three other side stories are introduced at various points and while they are related to the the main story and are interesting in their own right,they don't completely link up at the end.
That being said I did enjoy this story and was compelled to continue reading. I think it would be a decent beach read.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well-written novel from Isaac Adamson but if you're expecting Billy Chaka, don't. Complication is a whole new direction. Somewhat darker and with more edge-of-your-seat tension, this book takes you on a frenetic roller coaster ride through Prague (and time via backstory interspersions) with quite the twist as it winds down. I enjoyed reading this and look forward to Mr. Adamson's next novel, wherever it takes me.

[Delphia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this out at my local library and it had to be fate. Complication centers around Lee Holloway Jr. who is flies to Prague after finding a letter in his deceased father's desk concerning the disappearance of his brother Paul. Entwined with real history, I was unable to put it down. Biblical serial killers, flashbacks to momentous times in history, using letters and reports, and a watch. This book has it all. The author lives in the same city and I would love to have coffee with him.

[Erin Shiba · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am easily charmed by eastern european names. but beyond that, this was a well-written, original tale with just enough intrigue and potential for the supernatural that i devoured it in a matter of days. i've never read isaac adamson before, but i'll certainly be picking him up in the future. a reintroduction to the world of mystery and detectives? probably yes.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was ok - big twist at the end but there are so many gaps in the story that bugged me..

[Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are many things going on in this story. Lee's trying to figure out what happened to his brother, Paul, who disappeared in Prague. he takes a flight to Prague with no luggage and discovers that the woman who invited him is a mystery wrapped in an enigma shaped like an attractive, very slender and brittle bohemian (guess where their relationship goes). when she doesn't have the answers Lee was expecting, instead of leaving, he ends up entangled with a weird ex-police officer who cusses a lot and a flippant reporter with a cake box. meanwhile, we get interludes about a watch repairman mulling over his escape from the Nazis and his last customer, who smells like decaying meat, a writer/political agitator(?) being interrogated, and black magic. also, there's a serial killer. IT SOUNDS KIND OF GREAT, RIGHT? that's so many interesting things going in so many different directions.

and yet, somehow, reading the book is a bit of a slow and confusing slog (or at least it was for me; a lot of the reviewers on here really enjoyed the book). Lee has no idea what's going on, so a lot of his narrative is about being confused and not knowing what's going on. the historical bits broke up the story's momentum for me, even if they were crammed full of the information I needed to pull it all together -- information that Lee never gets. so the two stories being told didn't really gel for me; Lee's not investigating the Right Hand of God (the serial killer).

at the end of the book, we're suddenly given some information that throws the whole rest of the book into a different light. it's up to the reader how to feel about it, and I think it invites one to re-read and ponder, which I appreciate. however, I'm not sure if or when I will get around to it.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complication was a book I only picked up because it was set in Prague and having been to that magical city, I had to get my hands on it. And what a book! Such a ride that kept you guessing from start to finish.

It starts with Lee Holloway Jr, an american who finds a mysterious letter amoung his dead fathers things. The writer claims to have known about the death of his brother, Paul, who died under mysterious circumstances in Prague.

Lee takes a plane and finds himself right in the middle of a cunumdrum invovling a serial killer, a watch that runs backwards and forwards and a strange little girl with a foul, toothless, black mouth.

By going backwards and forwards in time, this story was intricatly woven and beautifully written.

The back of the book calls Complication "a mind-bending thrill ride set in the dark heart of Europe." What perfect words to describe this book.

Complication really WAS complicated but I loved every second of it.

[Akeiisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished reading this and still reeling from all the twists and turns that kept me guessing right to the very end. Lee, an American investigating the mysterious death of his brother, wanders through Prague meeting people who all seem to be hiding something. Adamson does a nice job of building tension and setting the scene, so the reader feels just as lost as Lee and uncertain about who to trust or believe. The Complication is an thrilling trip down the rabbit hole, that may need to be revisited to digest it all.

[Christine Broiles · Rating 1 out of 5]

The setting was good and interesting, as was the history. However, none of the back stories linked up to create a full tale. I like the surprise ending, but, as was much of the graphic violence, I felt it was gratuitous. I finished it not knowing the end was coming (ebook) and thought maybe I'd missed something. Clearly it wasn't ending, since there was no tie up of the other stories. It was like one story ended, but 2 or 3 others didn't.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaac Adamson is about to blow your mind with this one. This is the kind of book you finish and then have to start again, just to go over all those moments where hints might have been dropped without your even knowing it. Compulsively readable, even when you feel like you're not entirely sure what's happening.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book which takes place in Prague. It has elements of the occult, history, archaelogy, suspense, and mystery. It keeps you guessing right up until the end.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that makes you happy to be a reader. This is one of those books that gets in the way of all the errands you planned to do on Sunday afternoon (laundry, shower, check work email) because you thought you could carve out just an hour to read a little, but ends with you staying up way past bedtime. This is one of those books that you can’t really explain and I won’t do it justice by trying.

I absolutely love this book. I LOVE IT.

This book is full of mystery and intrigue from beginning to the very last words. You start following one story but the narrative is interspersed with other short parallel events from different generations and storylines. It starts out in Chicago and quickly ends up in Prague (Czech Republic) for the rest of the novel. An American named Lee responds to a mysterious woman’s vague message regarding his brother’s death five years prior, and these events unfold into something more sinister, puzzling, and eerie.

This is a book to read carefully and probably twice, retracing your steps for clues. There is a lot at work in this text about possible serial killers, curses/occult, and a stolen watch. Yes, a watch. This book is definitely complicated as you’re trying to put pieces together, but it is also very witty and I laughed out loud at some of the humorous remarks and one liners.

This book should be next on your reading list!!

[Daniel Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters are a bit hollow, and when they act out of character, the author usually points it out immediately following. The pace starts very slowly, but it does ramp up nicely by the end. Prague feels more like a backdrop rather than an integral part of the plot. The puzzle was held together loosely and didn't have a payoff that inspired a re-read to see the clues with the knowledge the reader gains after the twists. Overall, this book drowns in the multitudes of action novels, but it was an entertaining read.

[Jerjonji · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't many books I reread, want to keep copies around gathering dust on the shelves, lend out to friends, or wish I'd bought in hardback so I can do all these things... Complication is one of those books! I can't really tell you about the story or it will spoil the book for you, but I can tell you about the writing- full of risks and challenges, Adamson left the comfort of his previous world (and style) behind for a new voice and the writing in Complication is rock star quality. You may not agree with all his choices or techniques, but they are spot-on and will leave you wishing every thinking person you knew had read the book so you could discuss it with them. Not an easy read, but one I will never forget... Well done! (a bit of a severe case of writing envy here- if you can't tell)... so... go read it... so we can talk about it!

[Anastasia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Complication is a book about a watch called the Rudolf Complication and about a lot of actual complications. After Lee's father dies he finds out that his brother who died five years ago in Prague may have been murdered. He flies to Prague to find out what happened. During his search people keep dying around him and he thinks he might be next.

I couldn't even finish it. It was confusing and not very interesting. It sounds like it would be, but it really really isn't. I really tried hard to keep reading hoping it would get interesting, but I gave up.

One good thing is all the little history lessons about Prague. It gave me a little bit of wanderlust. Which I have no money or time for, so maybe that's not a good thing.

Anyway, don't waste your time.

[Shozan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herkes gibi her kitapta bir kulp/hata ya da kötü bir yön bulan biri olmamayı tercih eden biri olarak - sonuçta illa ki bize bir şeyler öğretiyorlar- bu kitabın hayatım boyunca okuduğum en güzel kitaplardan biri olduğunu söyleyebilirim. Tarihi kitaplara bayılırım. Özellikle gerçek mekânlarda geçiyor ve bana bilmediğim bir kültürü öğretiyorsa. İçine biraz cinayet de eklerseniz, bundan iyisi Şam'da kayısı derim direkt. Bu kitap, gerçekten adı üstüne başlı başına bir muammaydı benim için. Sayfaları sürekli karıştırmanız gerektiren, sizin bir şeylerin bağlantısını çözdüğünüz bir kitaptı. Son sayfasına kadar bana "mı acaba? Öyle miydi acaba?" Dedirten ve hiçbir karaktere güvenmediğim bir kitaptı. Eminim ki bir kere daha okusam başka bir bakış açısı kazanırdım fakat ne yazık ki kütüphaneye iade etmem gerekiyor. Mutlaka okumalısınız.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird, scary, and also occasionally very funny, Complication follows the misadventures of Lee Holloway when he travels to Prague to see a mysterious woman claiming to have information about his brother's death there five years previous. Interspersed are chapters detailing an interrogation of a woman during Soviet rule about an illegal package delivery and a murder, as well as a chilling story about a terrifying evil little girl with rotted teeth and a watch that can perform magic if it is wound by the hand of a freshly murdered corpse. My only annoyance was how unrealistically unprepared and trusting Lee is, arriving with only the clothes on his back and constantly trusting people he knows nothing about.

[William D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written book with characters who aren't what they seem on the surface. The mysterious and sought-after ancient watch named the Rudolph Complication adds a sinister, supernatural undercurrent to the story. As I read further into the novel, my fear that Adamson had written himself into an inextricable corner was blown away by a brilliant ending.

[Büşra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Çok sıkıcıydı sayfaları atlayarak okudum.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in Prague, there's something wrong with the characterizations but it's impossible to figure out until almost the end and even then, I'm not sure...

[Kin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probabilmente il suo autore lo definisce “un palindromo”, io penso che sia cervellotico. Lo salva uno humour sotterraneo.

[Robert Clopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was reading this book I kept expecting it to turn into a time travel paradox. Was not prepared for the twist at the end.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: mild-mannered Lee Holloway never thought so much danger could come his way. Then he got a mysterious letter about his dead brother.

[Cevizin_kitaplari · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lee holloway babasının ölüm haberini alır ve cenazeden sonra babasının evine gider. Babasının evraklarını toplarken adressiz bir mektuba rastlar, kardeşi Paul'ün ölümünün normal bir ölüm olmadığı yazıyordur. Paul'ün eski sevgilisinden gelen bu mektup üzerine lee prag'a gider. Vera ona abisinin bir saati çaldığını söyler, 2. Rudolf'a ait gizemli bir saati. bir tarihi eseri.
Anlatım çok güzel bir lee tarafından anlatılırken aralarda eliszka ismli bir kadınla yapılan soruşturma ses kayıtlarının dökümlerini okuyoruz. Ses kayıtlarındaki kadın eliszka ve içeriğini bilmediği bir akordeon çantasını bilinmeyen bir adama teslim etmeye kalkıyor. Polis, sorgusunda aslında öyle bir adam olmadığını ve yaptıklarını niçin yaptığını anlatmaya başlamasını istiyor. Gerisinden bahsedersem spoiler vermiş olurum.

Lee holloway aşırı zevzek bir adam bana göre başta zaten babasının ölümüne tutunduğu kayıtsız tutum beni sinir etti. Daha sonra kardeşi paul hakkında sürekli olumsuz düşünceleri delirtti. Anlatım akıcı olsa da ara ara gereksiz bilgilere ya da anılara kayıyor. Anılar belki lee 'yi karakter olarak okuyucuya kazandırma amacında olsa da ben bir kere sevmedim mi sevmiyorum. Ses kayıtlarını okurken anlamlandıramıyorsunuz çok sonra ortaya çıkıyor her şey. Yavaş ilerleyen gizemli bir kitap. Herkesin seveceğini düşünmüyorum. Tarzınıza uygunsa okuyun.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A psychological thriller set in present-day Prague is blended with tales of a Communist era interrogation, a Jewish antique dealer planning his escape from Prague on the eve of the Nazi invasion, a serial killer, a gangster known as Rumpelstiltskin, the alchemists Edward Kelley, and a legendary watch purported to grant eternal life. Lee Holloway travels to Prague to learn the truth behind his brother’s mysterious death there five years earlier, and soon his own life is in danger. Fascinating, quirky, surprising, mysterious, dark and intriguing – this novel has unexpected twists and turns throughout. (And Jepp makes an appearance.)

[Steph AK · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I really did like this story. History, historical figures of controversy, mystery, and psychological thriller all tied together. Yet I wanted more, the ending makes since I guess. It doesnt paint a real clear picture, but I dont think it was meant to either. This is what I refer to as a 'smart' book, meaning you have to already know certain things referred to in this story or you have to be willing to research them as your reading, and you also have to be able to catch the subtle inferences....and I am sure I missed some of these myself, which would have made for a better understanding of the story.