Tiger Season: A Novel of Korea

by Gojan Nikolich

An American soldier's life spirals out of control after he makes a fateful discovery on the Korean DMZ and then falls in love with a beautiful brothel courtesan whose tragic past becomes entwined in a volatile confrontation with Communist North Korea.

It's the 1960s, the Vietnam conflict is raging, and a delicate Korean armistice threatens to fall apart at the world's most dangerous border, pushing the US toward the brink of another war in Asia. With his life in danger, GI Eddie Profar must decide if he should reveal his startling secret, which has already caused the deaths of two people. His infantry sidekick, the weed-smoking Korean-Russian eccentric Yevgeny Lee, believes he has the answer to the diplomatic crisis.

Together, the two soldiers become reluctantly entangled with a sinister sex trafficker, a corrupt government-sanctioned red-light district, and a mysterious madame whose retribution for past wrongs may have international consequences.

To complicate matters, a man-eating 500 lb. Siberian tiger is on the prowl, who believes everyone is trespassing on her land.

From the award-winning author of The Gopher King and Ashes in Venice comes this psychological military saga of enduring love and fate set against the controversial and fragile aftermath of the Korean War.

Genres: Historical Fiction

375 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2024

About the author

Gojan Nikolich is a former newspaper reporter and editor and has written for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Pacific Stars and Stripes. He also reported for WGN and WBBM radio.

Abandoning a cushy executive career with an international public relations agency, he dragged his family to the Rocky Mountains, took a 50% pay cut, and worked with his wife as owners of a 100-year-old weekly small town newspaper. He now writes books in his Denver basement.

Nikolich’s novel Ashes in Venice was chosen Best Psychological Thriller of 2022 by BestThrillers.com.

“…his prose is entrancing,” Kirkus Reviews said of his Vietnam War novel, The Gopher King.

He graduated with a B.A. and M.A. in English Literature from DePaul University and served as a decorated U.S. Army sergeant with the 2nd and 4th Infantry divisions.

Reviews

[Cam Torrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story. Gojan Nikolich doesn’t just set the reader at the 1960s Korean DMZ, but rather enlists them into the US Army and puts them on patrol. Nikolich’s novel masterfully weaves together the tumultuous love story of SP4 Eddie Profar and a brothel courtesan with intense geopolitical tension, communist plots, and—possibly—a man-eating Siberian tiger.

With compelling characters and smart dialogue, Nikolich captures the chaos and danger of a world on the brink of another war. 5-Stars!

[Brian Kaufman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once in a while, you find a book that’s so beautifully written, you feel sorry for the next author up in your to-be-read pile. As a writer, you occasionally read a novel so powerful that you either fold your tent or you rededicate yourself to the craft, because you need to become better. Much better.
Gojan Nikolich’s Tiger Season: A Novel of Korea is that kind of book—the best novel I’ve read this year.

Eddie Profar is a soldier stationed in Korea along the DMZ in the late 1960s. He and his partner, Yevgeny Lee, stumble upon a pair of secrets. One is a giant man-eating tiger. The other is a tunnel—a possible staging spot for a North Korean assault. Owing to various mistakes, the chain of command is unaware of the tunnel or the tiger. Meanwhile, an American warship has been captured in North Korean waters, and the Americans must negotiate the return of the sailors.

Near the army base, a kijichon (“camp town”—a bar for prostitution), endorsed and supported by the Americans, represents a huge contribution to the ruined Korean economy. The women there are little more than indentured servants, struggling with a debt to the brothel owner that can never be repaid. While recovering from an exploding mine, Eddie builds an unusual relationship with a beautiful courtesan named Ji—and there lies the heart of the story.

What follows is suspenseful, surprising, and ultimately heartbreaking. Author Gojan Nikolich has a knack for portraying the absurd and the ironic—perfect for a story involving the military. The frigid Korean winter is the right backdrop for multiple conflicts, which include a clash of cultures, the harsh, stupid realities of politics, and the labyrinthian effort necessary to “do the right thing.” Because the author’s vision doesn’t flinch, the ending is inevitable, understated, and emotionally devastating.

About that ending. Expect both cheers and tears.

Five out of five stars is not enough for this stunning tour de force. Brutal and beautiful.

[Sublime Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Rating = 4.58

Storyline & Concept = 4.25
Writing & Delivery = 5
Editorial = 4.5

In 1960s Korea, GI Eddie Profar, with the help of his eccentric Russian-Korean friend Yevgeny Lee, becomes entangled in a political two-step between ambitious generals and the North Korean military that involves a tunnel and an immense tiger who establishes a strange connection with Eddie. When Eddie falls in love with Jia, a beautiful Korean courtesan, and wants to save her from her life and her sleazy pimp, Lee proposes a plan that will benefit everyone, but not without risks.

This novel takes the reader deep into the Korean war and its tenuous afterlife, immersing us into the setting and details of life as an American soldier in this beautiful country, riddled with the scars of conflict. Honest and idealistic Eddie Profar grapples with the corruption and reality of military politics, while his weed-loving friend recounts stories from his many past lives. With exceptional character development, it was easy to become invested in the lives of Eddie, Lee, and Jia. The plot vacillated between heartbreak, humor, gruesomeness, and action, weaving the symbolism of the tiger throughout. The pace increased after the first third of the novel, taking us through Jia’s earlier life and setting the stage for Eddie’s plan. This novel is more than just a history lesson – it’s a rollercoaster of emotions swerving and twisting between humor, loyalty, fear, love, and heartbreak.

Sublime Line: “Get ready to face the beast in this breathtaking novel of action, corruption, and love.”

[Kay Smith-Blum · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment everybody's American soldier, Eddie Profar explained the bone-chilling cold of a Korean winter - "not a single sweet swinging piece of me will ever be warm again” - and- “The snow that gathered on [the] cold dead face did not melt” - I was in and TIGER SEASON didn't let go. Gojan Nikolich weaves in so many revelations about war, and military politics, and Korean culture that your head will spin. But most importantly, this gifted author has conjured a maelstrom of intricately woven backstories - each threatening an entire prequel of their own - starring the bevy of unforgettable characters roving this riveting tale. From an all too realistic commanding officer Cobb, to the new-life pipedreams of young Korean women trapped by their old, to a sidekick Lee who has tale after tale of reincarnation, previous lives prescient to the moment in which he chooses to serve up his past lessons, it's hard to land on a favorite - but I did. I landed in the tiger's corner after the masterful descriptions of her power - and I’m wishing the best for her and this talented storyteller. Well done Mr. Nikolich!! - Kay Smith-Blum, Author, debut novel, TANGLES, coming December 3, 2024

[BooksCoffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikolich delivers a raw and unflinching exploration of war’s brutality and absurdity in his latest novel. In the midst of the tumultuous 1960s, American soldier Eddie Profar’s life is forever altered when he uncovers a dangerous secret at the Korean DMZ. His path soon crosses with that of a captivating brothel courtesan with a tragic past, and together they are plunged into a treacherous confrontation with Communist North Korea. With war on the horizon, Eddie must decide whether to share his dangerous knowledge. His comrade Yevgeny Lee has a unique solution, but their actions have huge consequences.

Nikolich masterfully crafts a slow-building, suspenseful tale, where the characters’ naive responses and genuine emotions render them strikingly relatable. Through the experiences of Eddie and Lee, readers are thrust into the harsh realities of sanctioned camp towns, coerced sexual education, and the deep divide between soldiers and their families.

Packed with suspenseful moments and culminating in a melancholic ending, the novel makes for a gripping read that lays bare the unforgiving nature of war.

[David Rabin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly Written and Deeply Affecting

Tiger Season is indeed a novel of Korea as its subtitle says, but it’s also so much more.

The book paints a vivid picture of a certain place at a certain time – the Korean Demilitarized Zone in 1968. Told from the perspective of an American soldier, the story weaves together the soldier’s life in the DMZ, the culture and history of the area, North Korea’s seizure of a U.S. Navy ship (a fictionalized version of the USS Pueblo incident), a love story, and, last but certainly not least, a deadly Siberian tiger on the prowl in the DMZ.

The author quickly rolls out what seemed to be disparate subplots, and I wondered how, if at all, he would tie them together. Rest assured that he does so in spectacular fashion.

The book is beautifully written and hit me deeply as I read it. For example, I was only five pages in when I came across this gem: “Life never asks for permission to surprise you.” It was an immersive reading experience; I felt like I was in the story, not just a spectator. I’m writing this the day after I finished the book, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I predict I’ll be thinking about it for a long, long time.

[Joseph Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stark but beautifully written, Tiger Season: A Novel of Korea by Gojan Nikolich, stabs your being to the core. Nikolich is a wordsmith and his writing stays with you long after you finish the book. The story is about a soldier, Edward Profar, and his time in Korea. However, it is much, much more. The book is a treasure trove of thought and action. I grew up in Wisconsin, one state east of Minnesota where Profar grew up, and I know cold, snow and ice. But when Profar lands in Korea, the cold, snow and ice take on a whole new meaning, and Nikolich places the reader right there. There is a melancholy in amongst the pages that lures the reader onward to the climax, building ever so slowly until you cannot put the book down no matter how hard you try. One has to finish it, and then once closed, the reader curses that it is over. A tremendous book and a wonderful story. A true 5 Stars and a highly recommend from me. Joseph Lewis, Reviewer/Author of Betrayed, Fan Mail, and Black Yéʼii (The Evil One).

[Gail Olmsted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite having come of age during the Vietnam War years, I knew very little about the continued unrest on the Korean peninsula in the years following the establishment of the infamous demilitarized zone. Tiger Season: A Novel of Korea by Gojan Nikolich, the award-winning author of The Gopher King, takes the reader on a journey during that turbulent time. We get to experience the drama first-hand through the eyes of Eddie Profar, an American soldier stationed at the DMZ, who stumbles upon a secret tunnel whose existence could jeopardize the tenuous truce. When he falls for a beautiful Korean courtesan with a tragic past, Eddie’s life takes a deadly turn as he scrambles to unravel the resulting political conflict that could escalate into another American war in Asia.

And let’s not forget the threat from a 500-pound Siberian tiger with an agenda all her own. Great world-building and terrific character development combine in a well-written military thriller. Don’t miss this one!

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story of the ugliness and brutality of war. Not my normal fare but once I started, I couldn’t put it down. This is the story of an American soldier during the Korean War, his Korean/Russian fellow soldier, the corruption that winds up affecting and ultimately destroys their lives. And a 500 lb hungry, injured Siberian Amur tiger. My understanding of Amur tigers is that they seek revenge on anyone who injures themselves or family, and this tiger does not sway from that. The words are precise, the scenes are vividly described and are crystal clear to the reader, and the characters become a part of you. Well done!

This ARC was provided by the author and BookSirens, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

[Kimberly Tilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by Gojan Nikolich! No other writer conveys the grittiness of life so well. He has a gift for parsing the thoughts of characters who are nearly always on the fringes of society: in this case a soldier.
The story weaves together the destinies of the mighty with those of the lowly, like GI Eddie Profar and an inmate of a Korean brothel. There’s an element of the butterfly effect to the story where seemingly small decisions and chance conversations result in pivotal events that play out in this masterfully crafted story. Highly recommended!
I received an advanced copy of this book but it did not influence my review.

[Michael Veletsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugly truth.

This is a must-read book about the senseless horrors of wars and the tragic cost of human lives.
The story of American soldiers and Korean civilians on both sides of the DMZ and the tiger. And in the middle of all that tragedy, the author finds a place for love or simply human tenderness toward each other.
My favorite character, Yevgeny Lee, provides clear parallels to the past wars, showing how imperfect the world is and how far we still have to go to achieve harmony and peace.

[Michael J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gojan Nikolich brings to life the GI experience operating along the dangerous Korean DMZ in Tiger Season: A Novel of Korea. Reminiscent of James Webb, Tim O'Brien, and other great war novelists, Nikolich’s description of setting, place, and history is superb; his characters are eclectic, colorful, and richly described, and the story is filled with twists, turns, emotion, and tension throughout. Coming away from this book, I felt I was there, experiencing the DMZ firsthand, and vested in the outcome of its characters. I highly recommend this book!

[Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story line, but slow, slow, slow. DNF 55%

[Steve Essick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the description of Gojan Nikolich’s magnificent new book Tiger Season is A Novel Of Korea, I feel it necessary to explain to you the onset of my Korea Phobia. The year was 1962 and John Frankenheimer’s nightmare film of the vestiges of The Korean War, The Manchurian Candidate had just been released. In it, actor Khigh Dhiegh plays a North Korean brainwasher who convinces an American P.O.W. to shoot a compatriot by convincing the soldier he is actually in a room with a ladies garden club. He pulls off the assasination and my 13 year old brain was fried as I carried forth a terror of North Koreans. Then, as an adult, novels abounded such as Adam Johnson’s The Orphan Master’s Son and Ed Park’s Same Bed, Different Dreams which reinforced my fears. Now we can add to them Tiger Season, Gojan Nikolich’s brilliant crazy quilt of a novel telling the tale of two allied soldiers charged with patrolling the DMZ in 1968 with surreal happenings such as an American General with a bizarre plan to undermine his North Korean counterpart in negotiations, a malevolent Korean pimp who explains how young women in the “hospitality “ trade keep the Korean GNP afloat, a gorgeous Korean woman with a limp who trolls The Water Dragon Club searching for men, and a brutal female tiger with a bum leg who stalks the tunnels of the DMZ hunting for male food. Nikolich weaves these tales together in a tapestry of the bizarre that makes us realize that we’re all living dangerously close to our own personal DMZ ( detached mental zones ). Tiger Season is a reading experience not to be missed. Ah Gojan, Ah Humanity.

[Marssie Mencotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love intelligent text and value the rich subtext of superstition and magic within a violent time of conflict, this book is for you. If you are in awe of human connections that are life and afterlife-changing, read this book. It is a riveting read and a rollercoaster of unexpected action, depth of character development, and plot twists. In this affecting story lies selfless humanity, realism, mysticism, abuse, joy, gore, surprise, sharing of food as love, brutality, fear, a fearsome big cat, and always in wartime, a multitude of rats.

This is a well-written and satisfying book and describes a few events similar in style to Catch-22 (by Joseph Heller); e. g. the descriptions of the strange “meetings” between Korean and American military leaders with their twisted dysfunction and the intransigence of their discourse.

In a beautifully painted word portrait, Nikolich introduces the tiger face to face: “She sat with her whiskers incandescent in the glow of the flashlight, her eyes scarlet, and regarded Profar with almost snobbish indifference. As if his visit had been expected and he was not at all what she’d hoped for. She made that odd chuffing sound, not threatening at all. It sounded like a polite greeting.”

Through it all, SP 4 Eddie Profar remains true to himself and his friend Pvt. Lee as they share information with their major, sergeant, and general and struggle with keeping some secrets back. The mistrust among all the characters that live on the base with its bars and redlight district managed by Choi runs deep. Eddie, Jia, and Pvt. Lee know that somehow, they are connected. We come to realize all the characters are trapped and troubled. It is the brilliant but natural way that the author moves and removes them from their situations that mystifies us. They are bundled into a “karass,” the novelist Kurt Vonnegut’s term for a team of people, singly or grouped, that drifts in and out of a person’s life but all collaborate unknowingly on a greater plan. What each character does or doesn’t do profoundly affects the others. In this way, we as readers are immersed and invested in their every decision.

I am trying to identify a singular emotion that mesmerized me while reading Tiger Season. I believe it’s the feeling that as we see much of the world through Eddie Profar’s eyes, it is a world that never makes sense. His view of humanity as generally more good than bad is always being questioned and puts him in a state of indecision about how to progress. He stands outside of life, tracking the changes while reading the signs and observing life moving around him. He rarely takes direct action because of this studied quest. He watches, he considers, he sits, not in judgment of others so much as in self-judgment of what he can reasonably affect and whether the danger outweighs the risk. Then he makes his move. You must read this book to find out what happens. The last 100 pages will knock you down like a 500-pound tiger.

Redacted from my review on Windy City Reviews.