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Inspector O #6
The Gentleman from Japan
Church returns with the latest Inspector O thriller, once again set between North Korea and China—one of the most harrowing borders in the world.
James Church’s Inspector O novels have been hailed as “crackling good” (The Washington Post). Now Church—a former Western intelligence officer who pulls back the curtain on the hidden world of North Korea in a way that no one else can—comes roaring back with an unputdownable new novel.
A Spanish factory near Barcelona is secretly producing—under the guise of a dumpling maker—a key machine for the production of nuclear weapons. Western intelligence has gotten wind of this and believes that the machine is meant for North Korea. It is deemed imperative either to disable the machine before it leaves the factory or intercept it. Inspector O is recruited by an old friend to take part in an operation to disrupt the plans for shipping the machine.
The buyer of the machine has constructed an elaborate double-blind story, making it appear as if the purchaser is a Japanese criminal organization acting on behalf of the North Koreans. Information has been carefully planted and events set up to lead Western intelligence operatives to that conclusion. The feints include a flurry of murders in the northeast Chinese city of Yanji, on the border with North Korea, where O’s nephew is the chief of State Security.
Church's latest Inspector O novel full of suspense, is not one that you will be able to stop reading.
James Church’s Inspector O novels have been hailed as “crackling good” (The Washington Post). Now Church—a former Western intelligence officer who pulls back the curtain on the hidden world of North Korea in a way that no one else can—comes roaring back with an unputdownable new novel.
A Spanish factory near Barcelona is secretly producing—under the guise of a dumpling maker—a key machine for the production of nuclear weapons. Western intelligence has gotten wind of this and believes that the machine is meant for North Korea. It is deemed imperative either to disable the machine before it leaves the factory or intercept it. Inspector O is recruited by an old friend to take part in an operation to disrupt the plans for shipping the machine.
The buyer of the machine has constructed an elaborate double-blind story, making it appear as if the purchaser is a Japanese criminal organization acting on behalf of the North Koreans. Information has been carefully planted and events set up to lead Western intelligence operatives to that conclusion. The feints include a flurry of murders in the northeast Chinese city of Yanji, on the border with North Korea, where O’s nephew is the chief of State Security.
Church's latest Inspector O novel full of suspense, is not one that you will be able to stop reading.
273 pages, Hardcover
First published December 6, 2016
34 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
About the author
James Church
7 books76 followersJames Church is the pseudonym of the author of four detective novels featuring a North Korean policeman, "Inspector O." Church is identified on the back cover of his novels as "a former Western intelligence officer with decades of experience in Asia". He grew up in the San Fernando Valley in the United States and was over 60 years old in 2009. His "Inspector O" novels have been well-received, being noted by Asia specialists for offering "an unusually nuanced and detailed portrait" of North Korean society. A Korea Society panel praised the first book in the series for its realism and its ability to convey "the suffocating atmosphere of a totalitarian state". A panelist as well as The Independent's and the Washington Post's reviewers compared the protagonist to Arkady Renko, the Soviet chief inspector in Martin Cruz Smith's Gorky Park, for providing "a vivid window into a mysterious country".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 6, 2017
If you enjoy reading books that are incomprehensible then this series is for you. The author, James Church, is a former CIA employee and his name is a pseudonym. There aren't many mystery or police procedurals set in North Korea so this is a rarity. This is the sixth book in the series and it's set in China, Spain, and Portugal. The title is the identity of Inspector O while on a mission. In fact we wonder where Inspector O is at the beginning of the book. Inspector O is the principal character who has been exiled out of the North Korea. He is a former police officer from Pyongyang who couldn't stay in his lane. There are four parts to this one with parts I and IV being narrated by Inspector O's nephew, Major Bing, who is with the Chinese Security Service in a city in Manchuria near the North Korean border. Parts II and III are narrated by Inspector O while on a mission in Europe. This mystery is a labyrinth of unknowing. We have the inscrutable Asian stereotype going full speed. Bing is like his uncle but more caustic while dealing with a murder wave that is not his concern. We go from murders in an unimportant Chinese city to international intrigue in Europe involving the shipment of machined parts instrumental in the nuclear industry. At the end you are left shaking your head and wondering what was the point. It reads like Ludlum or Le Carre with the spy intrigue. Nevertheless it is so unique and different it's a compelling read. Inspector O is a character much like Inspector Arkady Renko in Martin Cruz Smith's Russian police series. Both try to solve crimes in societies that technically won't acknowledge the existence of crime as they are socialist paradises. Inspector O loves to work with wood and is almost Zen like in his lifestyle. The ending of this book has me looking forward to his next adventure as he is crossing the border.
July 29, 2018
Enjoyable, as all the Inspector O novels have been, but this one wasn't his best, mainly for three reasons: None of the action takes place in North Korea; the beginning and end of the novel are told as first person from the point of view of Inspector O's nephew, who is a Chinese border cop, but acts exactly as Inspector O would; and the plot is repetitive -- Inspector O has to break into a secretive factory making something nefarious, which he does, and then has to break in again. I wanted to see Inspector O, not his nephew, doing his thing in North Korea, not China and Spain. Fortunately, Church seems aware of his missteps and has set up room for a return to form should he wish to continue the series.
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newsletter with book recommendations galore for the Japanophile, crime-fiction-lover in all of us.
March 8, 2017
I have read hundreds of books in this genre, and write very few reviews.
This is the worst book I've ever read. I haven't read anything else from this author, and have no intention to.
The writing style is extremely basic, and the plot is unsophisticated and disconnected. The words are written in a very academic style, with virtually no emotion or personality.
The story was so broken up, it seemed as if the author randomly removed chapters to reduce the size of the book.
Yet I stuck with it to see how it all wrapped up, and the ending was a total let down.
I should have followed my wife's advice: "There are so many good books to read, why finish a bad one!"
This is the worst book I've ever read. I haven't read anything else from this author, and have no intention to.
The writing style is extremely basic, and the plot is unsophisticated and disconnected. The words are written in a very academic style, with virtually no emotion or personality.
The story was so broken up, it seemed as if the author randomly removed chapters to reduce the size of the book.
Yet I stuck with it to see how it all wrapped up, and the ending was a total let down.
I should have followed my wife's advice: "There are so many good books to read, why finish a bad one!"
February 2, 2018
The crime:
The investigators:
I love the Inspector O novels. This one he's back with his Chinese nephew Bing, but the end The stuff in Barcelona got convoluted, but that's par for the course with Inspector O, and anyway, the fun of it all is working through all the insinuations in your head.
I think I've come to appreciate Bing more, too. He's more Chandleresque, good with metaphors. As opposed to O, who is more of an elderly, North Korean James Bond.
The real mystery here is who is James Church. For a while, I had my own elaborate, convoluted theory that he was Stephen Bosworth, but that can't be the case because Bosworth died before the most recent Inspector O article was posted at 38north.org. I kind of think maybe Tim Shorrock? But it's not a strong suspicion like it was with Bosworth. I don't know.
My favourite lines:
O doesn't know who he's working for, but he has a hunch:
On peninsular life:
Inspector O acts like a millennial by getting sensitive about pronouns:
The investigators:
I love the Inspector O novels. This one he's back with his Chinese nephew Bing, but the end The stuff in Barcelona got convoluted, but that's par for the course with Inspector O, and anyway, the fun of it all is working through all the insinuations in your head.
I think I've come to appreciate Bing more, too. He's more Chandleresque, good with metaphors. As opposed to O, who is more of an elderly, North Korean James Bond.
The real mystery here is who is James Church. For a while, I had my own elaborate, convoluted theory that he was Stephen Bosworth, but that can't be the case because Bosworth died before the most recent Inspector O article was posted at 38north.org. I kind of think maybe Tim Shorrock? But it's not a strong suspicion like it was with Bosworth. I don't know.
My favourite lines:
O doesn't know who he's working for, but he has a hunch:
On peninsular life:
Inspector O acts like a millennial by getting sensitive about pronouns:
May 7, 2019
I really hope this is the last book in the series. I really didn't enjoy this as I had the previous books in the series. The setting has changed from North Korea to 'over the border' in China, and the main character role has been split in two--no longer the eccentric Inspector O, but also his nephew, Bing, also a policeman of sorts. The point of view is split between the two of them and I found it just very annoying. The story was also more convoluted and difficult to follow than the others...it's hard enough trying to absorb and understand a *totally* foreign culture like North Korea, but to include another one, China, was just a bit much.
September 7, 2017
Smoke and mirrors. My first but hopefully not last Inspector O book.
The Inspector is sent on a mysterious mission from his home in Yanji in northern China across the river from North Korea, to track a mysterious dumpling machine which may have other more sinister purposes.
His quest takes him to Lisbon and from there to the factory in Barcelona where the dumpling machines are made. For some reason his handlers ask that he pretend to be Japanese which he, a Korean, finds annoying.
A suspenseful and entertaining read.
The Inspector is sent on a mysterious mission from his home in Yanji in northern China across the river from North Korea, to track a mysterious dumpling machine which may have other more sinister purposes.
His quest takes him to Lisbon and from there to the factory in Barcelona where the dumpling machines are made. For some reason his handlers ask that he pretend to be Japanese which he, a Korean, finds annoying.
A suspenseful and entertaining read.
November 22, 2017
This is the first book from this author that I have read and I'm not sure what I think about it-I mean I don't know if I liked or disliked it. I could not really follow along well enough to figure out the book. Maybe this is one where the reader needs to have read the previous book or two. I could not really get into the book-obviously since I had a hard time following it. It was not a hard book to read in the sense that the writing was basic.
I received this book free from Goodreads Giveaway.
I received this book free from Goodreads Giveaway.
October 28, 2018
I am done with James Church and his Inspector O series. I started with number one because I like mysteries and I wanted to learn somethings about North Korea. This book took place in China and Spain, which does not interest me at this time.
March 27, 2018
In a way, I am a little sad this ends the series written by a former CIA agent in Asia. On the other hand, this last novel is also a crap, and it mostly takes place in Yanji, China (when not in Europe), and exactly zero seconds in North Korea—the promise that made me read through the series.
This one is also about Major Bing, but unlike #5 in the series, the retired Inspector O (“Uncle O”) plays a more active role. Obviously, this doesn’t make the plot more realistic—quite the contrary, actually. After being in China “A couple of years, I suppose, three maybe,” Inspector O must be approaching the age of 75—hardly an age to be a James Bond.
The story itself starts in Part I as being told by Major Bing, but Inspector O takes the wheel at the beginning of Part II. It’s only in Part IV that we get back to China and to Major Bing. We’ll also meet some old friends—Mike, Tuya, Luis. Still, whereas in Part I the plot seemed quite fine and credible, it will soon prove to be such an idiocy that I can’t even describe it. Inspector O himself puts it this way at some point: “Why make something so simple into a dangerous high-wire act?” Well, yeah. Exactly so.
I suspect the author doesn’t know that much on DPRK, and eventually he found himself more at ease when the action takes place elsewhere. I guess he was assigned to China, actually. And, at some point, to Romania, as it always adds unnecessary references to it: She didn’t agree, and left to join a small circus, where she learned acrobatics and fought off a greasy Romanian trapeze artist for a year before going home. And: On one trip, in Romania, I’d assumed Japanese identity for two days. I told the Ministry that if they ever made me do that again, I’d drink poison.
A quick selection of nicely put phrases:
—“You know that the only time you’re supposed to call me at home is if the entire North Korean Politburo paddles across the river in a rubber boat and asks for asylum.”
—I thought of what my grandfather would say when I complained he was always negative. “Being positive doesn’t get you across the river.” He’d look up from the piece of wood he was measuring. “Being positive wastes time. Do you think birch trees spend their time running about with smiles on their faces? They do not, boy, and neither will you when you realize what life is about.”
— “Listen, the Romans may have thought they conquered the world, but there was a lot of the world they never saw. Europe is not the center of the universe, not even close.”
Now, I have to find an author who can write really good spy stories. Too bad nobody writes about North Korea...
This one is also about Major Bing, but unlike #5 in the series, the retired Inspector O (“Uncle O”) plays a more active role. Obviously, this doesn’t make the plot more realistic—quite the contrary, actually. After being in China “A couple of years, I suppose, three maybe,” Inspector O must be approaching the age of 75—hardly an age to be a James Bond.
The story itself starts in Part I as being told by Major Bing, but Inspector O takes the wheel at the beginning of Part II. It’s only in Part IV that we get back to China and to Major Bing. We’ll also meet some old friends—Mike, Tuya, Luis. Still, whereas in Part I the plot seemed quite fine and credible, it will soon prove to be such an idiocy that I can’t even describe it. Inspector O himself puts it this way at some point: “Why make something so simple into a dangerous high-wire act?” Well, yeah. Exactly so.
I suspect the author doesn’t know that much on DPRK, and eventually he found himself more at ease when the action takes place elsewhere. I guess he was assigned to China, actually. And, at some point, to Romania, as it always adds unnecessary references to it: She didn’t agree, and left to join a small circus, where she learned acrobatics and fought off a greasy Romanian trapeze artist for a year before going home. And: On one trip, in Romania, I’d assumed Japanese identity for two days. I told the Ministry that if they ever made me do that again, I’d drink poison.
A quick selection of nicely put phrases:
—“You know that the only time you’re supposed to call me at home is if the entire North Korean Politburo paddles across the river in a rubber boat and asks for asylum.”
—I thought of what my grandfather would say when I complained he was always negative. “Being positive doesn’t get you across the river.” He’d look up from the piece of wood he was measuring. “Being positive wastes time. Do you think birch trees spend their time running about with smiles on their faces? They do not, boy, and neither will you when you realize what life is about.”
— “Listen, the Romans may have thought they conquered the world, but there was a lot of the world they never saw. Europe is not the center of the universe, not even close.”
Now, I have to find an author who can write really good spy stories. Too bad nobody writes about North Korea...
November 8, 2017
Not sure what i thought of this one. I have read and enjoyed all the prior books in the series. Unlike some commenters, I approve of the introduction of Bing. But this one sonehow did not grab me tbe way earlier Inspector O books did. Not that it was poor or anything, but the best metric was the number of nights I decided to listen to a podcast rather than pick the book up.
Decent, but not memorable. Given the quality of earlier books, I am willing to give Church a pass on this one.
Decent, but not memorable. Given the quality of earlier books, I am willing to give Church a pass on this one.
October 23, 2016
I normally enjoy this series, but I missed book 5, and was thus quite confused in this one. The setting was China & Portugal, unlike the usual North Korea.
December 23, 2016
Two and a half stars--a labyrinth of a spy story that has me still scratching my head as to what was going on.
June 16, 2024
I'm sad it's over, and the ending was lackluster and very vague, BUT I fully enjoy the ride. I was happy to get back in the universe and all the weirdness.
I know a lot of people were put off by how everything is left unsaid all the time, and how everything is confusing, and I understand. The series and this book is just not for you. From book 1, we know detective work and other extra curricular activities in those places are full of politics so obscure no one can voice any of it clearly unless they want to wind up dead. And I'm going to miss these kind of layers upon layers of what feels like a bizarro land cake of mysteries and secret services shenanigans. I'm absolutely looking for another series with the same vibes. There's something somehow refreshing about mystery and crime set with a fucked up political regime in the background. Also, one could say each culture has it's own way of communicating and conducting business, and I find that fascinating.
While detective like Poirot, Bosch or Columbo all have their own style and their own little issues with the world around them, Inspectof O and his nephew are not even on the same planet it seems like. It's a completely different code of conduct, language (in a metaphorical way), world understanding, etc. Every person they meet is both a foe and an ally, and a secret third thing in between. You almost cannot even trust your own self. Everything is up in the air all the time and they have to juggle with knives that have no handle; what ever you do, one thing is sure; you gonna get stabbed. And since I'm so far remove from this kind of miasmatic universe, that is still presented in somewhat of a lighthearted way nonetheless, I find a good deal of escapism in this series.
Now this book wasn't perfect, and it wasn't even one the best of the series etheir. I miss Inspector O POV in the last book, but the dual POV here could have been handle better. I also think there were parts towards 3/5 or 4/5 of the book that dragged a little. I've already talked about the ending, but my issue is also partially because I don't feel like it's a good ending for the series. There's still stuff that could have been expanded or that felt like they needed a nice bow on it, which we didn't get. I know the series doesn't really gave out that many bows, but still. We do have some kind of closure on Inspector O seemingly taking a real retirement tho. That being said, I like the whole "noodle-dumpling" mystery, even if I don't feel like it was resolve at the end. How just the mention of dumplings became kind of dangerous, something so banal becoming a source of tension (with a hint of wtf and hilarity). I'm still unsure about the machine tho: who ordered it and to do what exactly. We do have answers, but it's somehow not super clear as to what the real purpose and results. It mostly feels like Inspector O and Major Bing don't have to handle it anymore so it doesn't concern them, "hoping for the best, tee-hee".
Anyway, on to the next fucked up little detective world!
I know a lot of people were put off by how everything is left unsaid all the time, and how everything is confusing, and I understand. The series and this book is just not for you. From book 1, we know detective work and other extra curricular activities in those places are full of politics so obscure no one can voice any of it clearly unless they want to wind up dead. And I'm going to miss these kind of layers upon layers of what feels like a bizarro land cake of mysteries and secret services shenanigans. I'm absolutely looking for another series with the same vibes. There's something somehow refreshing about mystery and crime set with a fucked up political regime in the background. Also, one could say each culture has it's own way of communicating and conducting business, and I find that fascinating.
While detective like Poirot, Bosch or Columbo all have their own style and their own little issues with the world around them, Inspectof O and his nephew are not even on the same planet it seems like. It's a completely different code of conduct, language (in a metaphorical way), world understanding, etc. Every person they meet is both a foe and an ally, and a secret third thing in between. You almost cannot even trust your own self. Everything is up in the air all the time and they have to juggle with knives that have no handle; what ever you do, one thing is sure; you gonna get stabbed. And since I'm so far remove from this kind of miasmatic universe, that is still presented in somewhat of a lighthearted way nonetheless, I find a good deal of escapism in this series.
Now this book wasn't perfect, and it wasn't even one the best of the series etheir. I miss Inspector O POV in the last book, but the dual POV here could have been handle better. I also think there were parts towards 3/5 or 4/5 of the book that dragged a little. I've already talked about the ending, but my issue is also partially because I don't feel like it's a good ending for the series. There's still stuff that could have been expanded or that felt like they needed a nice bow on it, which we didn't get. I know the series doesn't really gave out that many bows, but still. We do have some kind of closure on Inspector O seemingly taking a real retirement tho. That being said, I like the whole "noodle-dumpling" mystery, even if I don't feel like it was resolve at the end. How just the mention of dumplings became kind of dangerous, something so banal becoming a source of tension (with a hint of wtf and hilarity). I'm still unsure about the machine tho: who ordered it and to do what exactly. We do have answers, but it's somehow not super clear as to what the real purpose and results. It mostly feels like Inspector O and Major Bing don't have to handle it anymore so it doesn't concern them, "hoping for the best, tee-hee".
Anyway, on to the next fucked up little detective world!
November 16, 2021
I read the first book in the “Inspector O” series (A Corpse in the Koryo) and didn’t like it much but there was something there. I decided to try again with a later book but as an audiobook this time. The Gentleman from Japan was more enjoyable but I still found some problems with it. One of the more enjoyable things is that it’s set not in a bleak, oppressive, depressing setting but actually takes the reader to other countries.
One of the problems may be due to it being an audiobook. The language of the book is quite “American” in tone, a bit old-fashioned like Sam Spade, with a lot of aggressive verbal sparring and smart-alec remarks. This effect is reinforced by the performer, who has an obvious American accent and chose to speak much of his dialogue in Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” voice. I had to keep reminding myself that the character was supposed to be North Korean and living in China.
There are some good moments but the book isn’t really engaging. To be honest, I still haven’t figured out what Inspector O is supposed to be doing. He doesn’t seem to be a North Korean adherent but he also seems to be loyal to North Korea even when he keeps things to himself that would not endear him to the regime. Considering the tensions implicit in working the border between North Korea and China, there is surprisingly little sense of this.
The story is based on an interesting premise. A Spanish factory near Barcelona is secretly producing a key machine for the production of nuclear weapons under the guise of a machine for making dumplings. Western intelligence has gotten wind of this and believes that the machine is meant for North Korea so it was imperative to disable the machine before it leaves the factory or intercept it. Inspector O is recruited by to take part in an operation to disrupt the plans for shipping the machine and he does so under the guise of a gentleman from Japan, working for a Japanese criminal organization acting on behalf of the North Koreans. It is a bit convoluted and only moderately engaging but better than the first novel in the series. I still am not sure who Inspector O is really working for but I am pretty sure I don’t really care.
One of the problems may be due to it being an audiobook. The language of the book is quite “American” in tone, a bit old-fashioned like Sam Spade, with a lot of aggressive verbal sparring and smart-alec remarks. This effect is reinforced by the performer, who has an obvious American accent and chose to speak much of his dialogue in Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” voice. I had to keep reminding myself that the character was supposed to be North Korean and living in China.
There are some good moments but the book isn’t really engaging. To be honest, I still haven’t figured out what Inspector O is supposed to be doing. He doesn’t seem to be a North Korean adherent but he also seems to be loyal to North Korea even when he keeps things to himself that would not endear him to the regime. Considering the tensions implicit in working the border between North Korea and China, there is surprisingly little sense of this.
The story is based on an interesting premise. A Spanish factory near Barcelona is secretly producing a key machine for the production of nuclear weapons under the guise of a machine for making dumplings. Western intelligence has gotten wind of this and believes that the machine is meant for North Korea so it was imperative to disable the machine before it leaves the factory or intercept it. Inspector O is recruited by to take part in an operation to disrupt the plans for shipping the machine and he does so under the guise of a gentleman from Japan, working for a Japanese criminal organization acting on behalf of the North Koreans. It is a bit convoluted and only moderately engaging but better than the first novel in the series. I still am not sure who Inspector O is really working for but I am pretty sure I don’t really care.
September 30, 2023
I have been hoping to read one of James Church Inspector O stories for some time, when I had read a brief summery and overview of the first Inspector O novel, "A Corpse in the Koryo." There aren't many noir or hardboiled stories set in Asia, let alone one set in North Korea. On and off, I would look in the local bookstores to see if they had one of James Church, Inspector O books, but most seemed not to carry the novels. The first one that I found many years later, was this one "The Gentleman From Japan." This one is the 6th novel in the Inspector O series.
Admittedly, this story isn't set in North Korea, and is instead set in a border city of Yanji with some international hopping to Spain and Portugal. The dialogue and tone of the book is decidedly American in style, although I personally found the writing to be very good.
The plot, I found, gets a bit convoluted, and as hinted early in the book, the entire plot isn't exactly spelled out . A few theories are discussed in the last couple of chapters, but they are not concrete. Whether the nuclear machinery under the guise of dumpling machines was ultimately destined for Japan (with an elaborate deception campaign that the machine was instead heading to North Korea) is not known. What the initial deaths at the beginning of the story have to do with the machinery is not fully clear either. Not everything is spelled out and clear cut; some characters in the book are un-named, and it is likely that the names used are probably just aliases. For some characters, it is also unsure on their allegiance or loyalty and their true agendas.
Yet, I did enjoy the read and although I was not certain what exactly happened at the end, I think that was deliberate. The book jacket mentions that "James Church" itself is a pseudonym who formally worked in the intelligence agencies. I suspect that in the spy business, murkiness is a always a given so it may be no surprise that in the novel itself, it ends without clarity.
Admittedly, this story isn't set in North Korea, and is instead set in a border city of Yanji with some international hopping to Spain and Portugal. The dialogue and tone of the book is decidedly American in style, although I personally found the writing to be very good.
The plot, I found, gets a bit convoluted, and as hinted early in the book, the entire plot isn't exactly spelled out . A few theories are discussed in the last couple of chapters, but they are not concrete. Whether the nuclear machinery under the guise of dumpling machines was ultimately destined for Japan (with an elaborate deception campaign that the machine was instead heading to North Korea) is not known. What the initial deaths at the beginning of the story have to do with the machinery is not fully clear either. Not everything is spelled out and clear cut; some characters in the book are un-named, and it is likely that the names used are probably just aliases. For some characters, it is also unsure on their allegiance or loyalty and their true agendas.
Yet, I did enjoy the read and although I was not certain what exactly happened at the end, I think that was deliberate. The book jacket mentions that "James Church" itself is a pseudonym who formally worked in the intelligence agencies. I suspect that in the spy business, murkiness is a always a given so it may be no surprise that in the novel itself, it ends without clarity.
September 13, 2020
I did not know this author, or his character -- Inspector O -- until I picked this up. I liked it, and it was a fast "read". But perhaps it was because I was not already familiar with Inspector O, I had a hard time following who was who and where we were. The story lines takes place in China (mostly), with touches of North Korea, Mongolia, and Macao thrown in; as well as Portugal and Spain. The author is ID'd as a former US intelligence professional, so there is a lot of "tradecraft" here. Being an old spook myself, I liked that. But as is often the case, even with the most competent of authors whose characters border on the autobiographical, things seem sometimes too slick, too perfect (see Bond, James Bond). But O's caper this time was so ragged and so FUBAR that although it could not faulted as being TOO slick, it left this reader at least wonder "why bother" with this caper in this first place. But I'll probably read other books in this series, and would recommend Gentlemen from Japan to anyone.
November 17, 2024
From the reviews I have read, I gather that either many readers don't get it, or else I am dreaming.
For starters, I find Inspector O to be best read in small chunks. This is a fine book to read when you are going to be busy, with only bits of reading time for a week or two.
After gluing one's eyes to the page, one finds echoes of bygone mystery characters. For instance, Nero Wolfe. Nero had his orchids, the Inspector has his wood. Both have a foil: Archie, and Bing, the Inspector's nephew.
Every page sports a dictum that is absurd, but the face is always straight. Perhaps that is why few seem to find these books funny. Even the sex is hard to follow, even sometimes difficult to discover.
Church employs various writing ploys, such as, a la LeCarre, making a head-scratching statement that he explains a sentence or two later. Or maybe a Chapter later?
This is like one of those Death By Chocolate desserts, heavy, thick, sweet but light-hearted. Take in small bites, savor.
Recommended.
For starters, I find Inspector O to be best read in small chunks. This is a fine book to read when you are going to be busy, with only bits of reading time for a week or two.
After gluing one's eyes to the page, one finds echoes of bygone mystery characters. For instance, Nero Wolfe. Nero had his orchids, the Inspector has his wood. Both have a foil: Archie, and Bing, the Inspector's nephew.
Every page sports a dictum that is absurd, but the face is always straight. Perhaps that is why few seem to find these books funny. Even the sex is hard to follow, even sometimes difficult to discover.
Church employs various writing ploys, such as, a la LeCarre, making a head-scratching statement that he explains a sentence or two later. Or maybe a Chapter later?
This is like one of those Death By Chocolate desserts, heavy, thick, sweet but light-hearted. Take in small bites, savor.
Recommended.
November 24, 2023
Another very complicated plot. Seems wildly improbable - but what do I know. Perhaps operations were actually this bad? There certainly are some odd stories of the RCMP's intell ops...(such as: they once burned down a building to prevent a meeting from happening because they had not gotten around to bugging the building...leading to the creation of CSIS).
Always a pleasure to read, always mystified about what actually is happening in the story - and the denouement rarely clarifies everything for me.
Ah well, this is the last in the series.
Always a pleasure to read, always mystified about what actually is happening in the story - and the denouement rarely clarifies everything for me.
Ah well, this is the last in the series.
September 27, 2017
I must not be smart enough to join the (James) Church choir. I enjoyed his characters, but I couldn't make heads or tails out of the storyline. I finished the book in anticipation that something – anything – would become clear. I was mistaken. Instead, the main character hightailed it back to North Korea, probably because he was embarrassed to admit he didn't know what the hell happened, either.
June 14, 2023
I think to appreciate this author, it helps to view the book much the way you would a surrealist painting. Inspector O lives in a world where nothing is certain, no one is what they seem, life and death are a hair’s breadth apart, and little ever reaches balance or resolution. Not very comfortable, but an achievement as a work of art.
August 1, 2017
Kommissarie O är tillbaka som huvudperson i en spännande roman som tar läsaren från Kina till Europa i försöken att stoppa kärnvapen från att nå Nordkorea.
Läs mer om min recension här: http://www.infokorea.se/mystiskt-och-...
Läs mer om min recension här: http://www.infokorea.se/mystiskt-och-...
August 1, 2017
An interesting take on the international thriller. Intriguingly confusing.
April 3, 2018
Not as captivating as if like. enjoyed the lens from another culture
October 23, 2019
Could not keep my attention on this book.
November 30, 2024
As usual a rather exhausting but bleakly beautiful read, with everyone speaking in bizarre non-sequiturs, and I'm honestly glad the series appears to have concluded.
January 30, 2025
inspector O Reappears
Wonderful fun book to read. I wish it was longer and knew if he made it to his beloved mountains.
Wonderful fun book to read. I wish it was longer and knew if he made it to his beloved mountains.
February 6, 2025
ech
I read this book waiting for a conclusion, I bang. Instead there was a soft whimper. I don’t recommend this at all.
I read this book waiting for a conclusion, I bang. Instead there was a soft whimper. I don’t recommend this at all.
December 25, 2016
i GOT A LITTLE CONFUSED KEEPING MAIN CHARACTER AND NEPHEW APART. BUT GOOD BOOK.
January 18, 2017
There are so many layers of deception and misdirection in this book that it is sometimes hard to keep track. There are the seven deaths, probably murders, perhaps related to a noodle shop vs dumpling shop rivalry, in the Chinese town of Yanji. The corrupt mayor hopes that O’s nephew, Major Bing, the local chief of State Security, will fail to solve the crimes and be removed from office. Bing wants no part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, an old friend of O’s persuades him to go to Spain to investigate (and perhaps thwart) a company that is preparing to ship an alleged “dumpling machine” perhaps related to development of nuclear technology, to somewhere in Asia. The crew involved in this mission changes names, identities, and intentions with breathtaking speed. O is entertained, poisoned, beaten, drugged, kidnapped, and questioned by a series of Spanish, Portuguese and Russian people who are alternately his allies and his foes. O has to present himself as Chinese, a Japanese tourist, a traveler from Costa Rica. The people interrogating him either know or do not know what the machine is and where is it going. It's extremely complicated as reality shifts and shifts again and again.
The uneasy yet respectful relationship between O and Bing is fascinating, as are O’s meditations on trees and their characters (he is a maker of bookshelves in his retirement). The story is told, first by Bing, then by O, and finally by Bing which adds to the interest.
Meanwhile, an old friend of O’s persuades him to go to Spain to investigate (and perhaps thwart) a company that is preparing to ship an alleged “dumpling machine” perhaps related to development of nuclear technology, to somewhere in Asia. The crew involved in this mission changes names, identities, and intentions with breathtaking speed. O is entertained, poisoned, beaten, drugged, kidnapped, and questioned by a series of Spanish, Portuguese and Russian people who are alternately his allies and his foes. O has to present himself as Chinese, a Japanese tourist, a traveler from Costa Rica. The people interrogating him either know or do not know what the machine is and where is it going. It's extremely complicated as reality shifts and shifts again and again.
The uneasy yet respectful relationship between O and Bing is fascinating, as are O’s meditations on trees and their characters (he is a maker of bookshelves in his retirement). The story is told, first by Bing, then by O, and finally by Bing which adds to the interest.
Want to read
May 18, 2016Thanks to a tip from Shirley, there will be a new James Church Inspector O novel coming out in early December! This will be #6 in the series that we read the first some time ago. The book is available on B&N for preorder now! Talk about planning ahead..... Wonderful series set in North Korea.
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