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Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder
An Amazon top 100. Critics and reviewers called Paper Targets " Wonderfully written," "An astonishing novel," and "Flat-out genius."
Enzi meets an enigmatic artist at a party. When he drives her home, she gives him a mysterious and damaged painting. Later, when she leaves a message that she has been arrested and is in jail, Enzi makes a mistake that has fatal consequences.
Paper Targets is a wild ride of a story about gifted and flawed misfits. Both riveting and heartbreaking, with memorable characters encountered along the way, the novel is based on the true events of one of the world's largest criminal frauds and the far-reaching implications of love and greed.
"This book is flat-out genius, the best novel I’ve read in years." - Martin Clark, best-selling Author of The Plinko Bounce.
Enzi meets an enigmatic artist at a party. When he drives her home, she gives him a mysterious and damaged painting. Later, when she leaves a message that she has been arrested and is in jail, Enzi makes a mistake that has fatal consequences.
Paper Targets is a wild ride of a story about gifted and flawed misfits. Both riveting and heartbreaking, with memorable characters encountered along the way, the novel is based on the true events of one of the world's largest criminal frauds and the far-reaching implications of love and greed.
"This book is flat-out genius, the best novel I’ve read in years." - Martin Clark, best-selling Author of The Plinko Bounce.
249 pages, ebook
First published February 2, 2022
71 people are currently reading
5399 people want to read
About the author
Steve S. Saroff
2 books362 followersSteve Saroff is a short-story writer, novelist, and inventor. He is the author, most recently, of the novel Paper Targets(Flooding Island), which spent 3+ months on Amazon Top 100 lists. His traditionally published short stories appeared in Redbook and other national magazines, and his work has been widely published in small publications, including Monkeybicycle, The University of Iowa's Examined Life Journal, The Jewish Fiction Journal, Bull Literary Journal, Cutbank, Arlington Literary Journal, Whitefish Review, The Montana Review, and others. Saroff dropped out of high school and drifted before starting and selling several tech companies, including FreeMail, the world's first commercially successful web-based email system, which was acquired during the WorldCom and Enron multi-billion-dollar fraud (the world's largest combined criminal fraud). Paper Targets, which has a cult following, shows a wild fringe from that corrupt time. As an investor and adviser, Saroff also helped launch Submittable, the submission system used by writers and publishers.Saroff is the host of the podcast Montana Voice. Contact him through his website at Saroff DOT com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
January 22, 2023
*4.5 stars*
Enzi, a dyslexic loner and drifter, bails a young artist, Kaori, out of jail, but he barely knows her and their relationship, (if you can call it that), quickly becomes extremely strange and unfathomable, not to mention dangerous.
Kaori is a damaged and disturbed personality who’s behaviour can change at the slightest provocation. Originally from Tokyo, she mainly speaks via her art. Everything she feels or does is expressed in drawings on paper. But Enzi’s kindness in securing Kaori’s release may have unleashed something which should have stayed within her imagination and not on the pages of her drawing pad!
That’s not the only thing that Enzi has to contend with though, as he becomes involved with some very dangerous people who’s greed knows no bounds, people that you really don’t want to mess with, as his love and ability for numbers and patterns singles him out, and he’s lured into cybercrime - simple hacks, big money!
‘Paper Targets’ spoke to me, or rather the manner in which it was written did, in such a poetic and beautiful way, even though it depicted some unpleasant events. It was down to earth, and not a word was wasted, each word used with efficiency and designed to matter, to have meaning. As the storyline gathered pace, the tension increased dramatically, making it hard to put down. But I also liked the fact that mixed in with all the madness and mayhem was Enzi’s love of nature - of the great outdoors -(even though sometimes it was to escape the heat of a dire situation!) nights around the camp fire under Montana’s velvet night skies, painted with a trillion twinkling stars. Quite unique and definitely recommended.
*Thank you to Steve Saroff for a copy of Paper Targets, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange*
Enzi, a dyslexic loner and drifter, bails a young artist, Kaori, out of jail, but he barely knows her and their relationship, (if you can call it that), quickly becomes extremely strange and unfathomable, not to mention dangerous.
Kaori is a damaged and disturbed personality who’s behaviour can change at the slightest provocation. Originally from Tokyo, she mainly speaks via her art. Everything she feels or does is expressed in drawings on paper. But Enzi’s kindness in securing Kaori’s release may have unleashed something which should have stayed within her imagination and not on the pages of her drawing pad!
That’s not the only thing that Enzi has to contend with though, as he becomes involved with some very dangerous people who’s greed knows no bounds, people that you really don’t want to mess with, as his love and ability for numbers and patterns singles him out, and he’s lured into cybercrime - simple hacks, big money!
‘Paper Targets’ spoke to me, or rather the manner in which it was written did, in such a poetic and beautiful way, even though it depicted some unpleasant events. It was down to earth, and not a word was wasted, each word used with efficiency and designed to matter, to have meaning. As the storyline gathered pace, the tension increased dramatically, making it hard to put down. But I also liked the fact that mixed in with all the madness and mayhem was Enzi’s love of nature - of the great outdoors -(even though sometimes it was to escape the heat of a dire situation!) nights around the camp fire under Montana’s velvet night skies, painted with a trillion twinkling stars. Quite unique and definitely recommended.
*Thank you to Steve Saroff for a copy of Paper Targets, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange*
January 8, 2023
WOW!! Incredibly riveting, fast-paced thriller that I highly recommend!
Steve Saroff does a terrific job with character development, particularly with Enzi, the protagonist. There are very unique individuals in this story, including a girl he barely knows that he helps get released from jail.
I was on the edge of my seat constantly as the action moved between Montana, Seattle and New York. Saroff's ability to ratchet up the drama and tension is masterful.
Highly recommend! Very unique thriller!
Steve Saroff does a terrific job with character development, particularly with Enzi, the protagonist. There are very unique individuals in this story, including a girl he barely knows that he helps get released from jail.
I was on the edge of my seat constantly as the action moved between Montana, Seattle and New York. Saroff's ability to ratchet up the drama and tension is masterful.
Highly recommend! Very unique thriller!
December 22, 2024
When you're not feeling holy
Your loneliness says that you've sinned.
Leonard Cohen
When I was hospitalized for my bipolar reaction to overwork in 1976 - as I describe in my review of Psycho-Cybernetics - my leering fellows there unveiled the truth of my suspicions.
They were like the character Tsai in this novel. You got it. He plays the Heavy to Enzie. A Heavy who is an Agnostic Pharisee - the very Worst kind - like Pontius Pilate was.
Heavies unveil the world’s dirty secrets in their entirety to the innocent. With that trump card up their sleeve, they just wanna Bulldoze the last few Innocents of the world Six Feet Under.
In consequence, the ingénue hero, Enzi, sinks deep into a depressive funk. “Humankind cannot bear very much reality" at the best of times. He sweats bullets. And so do we!
So, how do you tell the good guys from the bad in a current noirish crime novel? Simple: the good guys (and gals) are dysfunctional! Dysfunctional types refuse to run “the metalled rails of appetency" fulltime.
They’re not pros, thank Heaven.
This is going to be another one of my as-it-happens reviews in progress, of this Phenomenal novel that I am still working on completing.
It is a - how to put it? - sorta an endearingly picaresque bildingsroman (that's the technical name for a coming-of-age work about an ingratiating grifter of sorts).
And it will put only a miniscule dent in your bank account, if you're interested.
***
The first novel I used the play-by-play technique I'm using here in was Modiano's Cafe Of Lost Youth: it was getting sketchier and sketchier as I read, and I wanted to get my thoughts on why I continued reading down in print.
I never read other reviews before I start mine, so bear with me.
Modiano's book fizzled in the end. My vast disappointment is communicated in my review by my growing feeling of "uh-oh." So far, with Saroff's novel, I get the same feeling. But it is fainter.
Postmodernism does not tie its novels together neatly at their end.
Why? Because modern reality is like that. Quite beyond absurd, it's bizarre. But I am from the old school. I have to take constant breaks while reading to relate a book to my moral mindset.
Now in my seventies, I've had to take several steps back from everyday life to make sense of it! Constantly.
You see, Enzie is an innocent manque like me. I'm an Aspie. He's dyslexic. We're both loners to a good extent. Losers too.
And that, my friends, is why I have great faith that Saroff will see fit to tie up all the loose, sketchy ends at the conclusion, or, if not, I can fix it by connecting my own ethical dots!
***
Enzie is a lot like me also in that he’s a plodder. He plods through his job, but he does it well. His love life, though, is All Over the Map in its anxious turmoil, its grim dead zones.
And the devil picks on us losers because we don't call him boss.
What can I say? Enzie is normal to his own fractured mind, for - you gotta admit - he gives his badly broken life his best shot. And did I tell you he loves math?
Reading a novel is a cloud of dyslexia for him - the words, the letters swim around his brain. But Math, on the other hand - math moves him to mystical peace. Thus he Aces any complex illegal net scam he’s persuaded to do. Big bucks in that!
And big, big dangers to factor into a little nowhere life like his. One mistep and there'll be Hell to pay...
***
OK. Where is all this going? Dunno, and I wouldn't want to spoil if for you if I did. But I have a feeling it's to moral conviction.
Another uh-oh moment, but Big Time. However, as I say - I'm Old School.
So I'm just gonna have to Wait for it.
Your loneliness says that you've sinned.
Leonard Cohen
When I was hospitalized for my bipolar reaction to overwork in 1976 - as I describe in my review of Psycho-Cybernetics - my leering fellows there unveiled the truth of my suspicions.
They were like the character Tsai in this novel. You got it. He plays the Heavy to Enzie. A Heavy who is an Agnostic Pharisee - the very Worst kind - like Pontius Pilate was.
Heavies unveil the world’s dirty secrets in their entirety to the innocent. With that trump card up their sleeve, they just wanna Bulldoze the last few Innocents of the world Six Feet Under.
In consequence, the ingénue hero, Enzi, sinks deep into a depressive funk. “Humankind cannot bear very much reality" at the best of times. He sweats bullets. And so do we!
So, how do you tell the good guys from the bad in a current noirish crime novel? Simple: the good guys (and gals) are dysfunctional! Dysfunctional types refuse to run “the metalled rails of appetency" fulltime.
They’re not pros, thank Heaven.
This is going to be another one of my as-it-happens reviews in progress, of this Phenomenal novel that I am still working on completing.
It is a - how to put it? - sorta an endearingly picaresque bildingsroman (that's the technical name for a coming-of-age work about an ingratiating grifter of sorts).
And it will put only a miniscule dent in your bank account, if you're interested.
***
The first novel I used the play-by-play technique I'm using here in was Modiano's Cafe Of Lost Youth: it was getting sketchier and sketchier as I read, and I wanted to get my thoughts on why I continued reading down in print.
I never read other reviews before I start mine, so bear with me.
Modiano's book fizzled in the end. My vast disappointment is communicated in my review by my growing feeling of "uh-oh." So far, with Saroff's novel, I get the same feeling. But it is fainter.
Postmodernism does not tie its novels together neatly at their end.
Why? Because modern reality is like that. Quite beyond absurd, it's bizarre. But I am from the old school. I have to take constant breaks while reading to relate a book to my moral mindset.
Now in my seventies, I've had to take several steps back from everyday life to make sense of it! Constantly.
You see, Enzie is an innocent manque like me. I'm an Aspie. He's dyslexic. We're both loners to a good extent. Losers too.
And that, my friends, is why I have great faith that Saroff will see fit to tie up all the loose, sketchy ends at the conclusion, or, if not, I can fix it by connecting my own ethical dots!
***
Enzie is a lot like me also in that he’s a plodder. He plods through his job, but he does it well. His love life, though, is All Over the Map in its anxious turmoil, its grim dead zones.
And the devil picks on us losers because we don't call him boss.
What can I say? Enzie is normal to his own fractured mind, for - you gotta admit - he gives his badly broken life his best shot. And did I tell you he loves math?
Reading a novel is a cloud of dyslexia for him - the words, the letters swim around his brain. But Math, on the other hand - math moves him to mystical peace. Thus he Aces any complex illegal net scam he’s persuaded to do. Big bucks in that!
And big, big dangers to factor into a little nowhere life like his. One mistep and there'll be Hell to pay...
***
OK. Where is all this going? Dunno, and I wouldn't want to spoil if for you if I did. But I have a feeling it's to moral conviction.
Another uh-oh moment, but Big Time. However, as I say - I'm Old School.
So I'm just gonna have to Wait for it.
March 22, 2025
Enzi meets an enigmatic artist at a party. When he drives her home, she gives him a mysterious and damaged painting. Later, when she leaves a message that she has been arrested and is in jail, Enzi makes a mistake that has fatal consequences.
Paper Targets is a wild ride of a story about gifted and flawed misfits. Both riveting and heartbreaking, with memorable characters encountered along the way, the novel is based on the true events of one of the world's largest criminal frauds and the far-reaching implications of love and greed.
Set in Montana, NYC, and Seattle, Paper Targets simmers with love and greed before boiling over along the red-flagged path between lost and found.
Praise for Paper Targets:
"A wonderfully written thriller with Big Sky country as a setting." - Kirkus Reviews
"An astonishing novel. Highly recommended to everyone, especially those interested in noir, art, a blazing narration, and all of our deeply unsettling subconsciouses. Saroff also seems capable of laying down the perfect sentence on command." - Michael Fitzgerald, author of Radiant Days and founder of Submittable
"His tale has something of the spirit of Hemingway stories... his spare prose seems designed to step out of the way but is arresting in itself." - Kirkus Reviews
"Readers will be immediately invested in Enzi's fate, and Saroff expertly intensifies the plot through unfolding backstories and quiet tension. Lyrical yet succinct, Saroff's first person narrative is well crafted, granting readers an inside view of Enzi's sentiments." - Publishers Weekly
"Wow isn't enough. Just amazing." - Russ Fletcher, MATR
"It's rare to find a thriller and crime story that also embraces such literary foundations, but Paper Targets represents art in and of itself." - Midwest Book Review
Paper Targets is a wild ride of a story about gifted and flawed misfits. Both riveting and heartbreaking, with memorable characters encountered along the way, the novel is based on the true events of one of the world's largest criminal frauds and the far-reaching implications of love and greed.
Set in Montana, NYC, and Seattle, Paper Targets simmers with love and greed before boiling over along the red-flagged path between lost and found.
Praise for Paper Targets:
"A wonderfully written thriller with Big Sky country as a setting." - Kirkus Reviews
"An astonishing novel. Highly recommended to everyone, especially those interested in noir, art, a blazing narration, and all of our deeply unsettling subconsciouses. Saroff also seems capable of laying down the perfect sentence on command." - Michael Fitzgerald, author of Radiant Days and founder of Submittable
"His tale has something of the spirit of Hemingway stories... his spare prose seems designed to step out of the way but is arresting in itself." - Kirkus Reviews
"Readers will be immediately invested in Enzi's fate, and Saroff expertly intensifies the plot through unfolding backstories and quiet tension. Lyrical yet succinct, Saroff's first person narrative is well crafted, granting readers an inside view of Enzi's sentiments." - Publishers Weekly
"Wow isn't enough. Just amazing." - Russ Fletcher, MATR
"It's rare to find a thriller and crime story that also embraces such literary foundations, but Paper Targets represents art in and of itself." - Midwest Book Review
April 16, 2023
4 stars — After receiving a complimentary copy of “Paper Targets” by Steve Saroff from the publisher, I was afraid I was going to absolutely hate it. The book in a word is “strange” from beginning to end, but the more I read the more I was entranced by the plot and characters of a book that is unlike any other I’ve ever read. The book starts off slow and the author writes in very short, concise sentences. At times the dialogue is painful (especially when the author introduces the character Kaori, a Japanese woman who speaks broken English in such a stereotypical “foreign” manner it is maddening). But the uniqueness of this book is unparalleled. The main character Enzi, is a self-taught computer code writer that has stumbled his way into a major financial crime involving big time baddies. The crimes that Enzi is involved in take a backseat to his fascinating personal relationships and perspectives that kept me reading late into the night. I don’t feel that I can accurately describe this book even if I wrote a 10 page review. Don’t let the strange dialogue and interactions between the characters stop you from reading this book. It just continued to gain momentum the more I read becoming a treasure of twists and turns all of the way until the end. If I would have rated this book a third of the way through it may not have been 2 stars but after becoming invested in the characters and plot it is definitely a solid 4 stars.
August 12, 2024
Enzi is a refreshingly unique narrator. He seems to honestly assess his situation and actions. Even knowing that an act may have adverse consequences, Enzi seems to choose with his heart, rather than his head. Which is not to say he’s a whimsical romantic, but rather a person who sincerely wants to help, whoever and whenever the opportunity presents.
The coder had already stepped onto a slippery slope when he found himself bailing out a compelling Japanese artist that he’d recently met. In spite of her sharp words and obvious violent tendencies, Enzi allows Kaori to accompany him on his first not-entirely-legal-but-no one-gets-hurt exploit.
But the temperamental woman, with a one-track mind simply will not behave. Kaori is once again incarcerated, leading Enzi to form an unlikely friendship with the bondsman, Pascal. As the two men hesitantly bond, the reader has the pleasure of watching Enzi sort out how to make things right again.
This is where I fall a little bit in love with Enzi. He’s like a super-smart, unironically aww-shucks kinda guy; who is also a bit of a reluctant badass when need be. He’s “A Fella” I’d be happy, and probably somewhat puzzled, to know.
Huge thank-you to the author for a complimentary copy for my upcoming, double-secret project. Your words truly turned the pages for me, Mr. Saroff! Oh, and by the way, I’m left wondering whether reading material was a coincidence or a sign.
The coder had already stepped onto a slippery slope when he found himself bailing out a compelling Japanese artist that he’d recently met. In spite of her sharp words and obvious violent tendencies, Enzi allows Kaori to accompany him on his first not-entirely-legal-but-no one-gets-hurt exploit.
But the temperamental woman, with a one-track mind simply will not behave. Kaori is once again incarcerated, leading Enzi to form an unlikely friendship with the bondsman, Pascal. As the two men hesitantly bond, the reader has the pleasure of watching Enzi sort out how to make things right again.
This is where I fall a little bit in love with Enzi. He’s like a super-smart, unironically aww-shucks kinda guy; who is also a bit of a reluctant badass when need be. He’s “A Fella” I’d be happy, and probably somewhat puzzled, to know.
Huge thank-you to the author for a complimentary copy for my upcoming, double-secret project. Your words truly turned the pages for me, Mr. Saroff! Oh, and by the way, I’m left wondering whether reading material was a coincidence or a sign.
August 2, 2024
In Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder, Enzi, the enigmatic narrator says, "Every lie is a bent wheel, something that wobbles no matter how many attempts to straighten it and then keeps wobbling right up to its last hard turn." He is foreshadowing his wrongs that he will soon try to undo. Wrongs for love. Wrongs for money. And this doing and undoing make quite the story.
The novel reads like a true confession from someone double cursed; he has skills that make anonymous fortunes, and the ability to find love that becomes sorrow. These combine into a uniquely fast moving story. But what grabbed me on the first read of the manuscript was the writing. Stark yet emotional, and heart-breakingly clear. For a few pages, I wondered to what genre the story belonged. Then I didn't care because all I wanted to know was what would be revealed on each page turn.
Two years ago when Paper Targets first was published, I called it a thriller, but it has proved to be more than what that simple word implies. The author on his blog writes that it is in the genre of 'Truth Stirred With Fiction.' If I were to publish it again, I would simply call it 'Literary.' But regardless of how reviewers and critics categorize it, If you haven't read Paper Targets yet, you are in for a treat.
This is a story of modern crime set in Montana with connections to the money world of New York, Seattle, and London. The poetic descriptions of Montana blend and flow easily -- with only the slightest of wobbles -- into the descriptions of technology and cityscapes of grey concrete.
Near the middle of the book, a chapter concludes with an observation and an instruction: "Like the entertainment of a wreck on a sharp curve - that wheel which finally wobbled off its axle - the flashing lights say, 'slow down and look at what went wrong.' If you have come this far with me, touch what is near to you now, as I touch this paper." I am glad Steve S. Saroff touched his paper (and I pictured Enzi writing in one of his small notebooks), and I was happy to hold and read this marvelous novel.
The novel reads like a true confession from someone double cursed; he has skills that make anonymous fortunes, and the ability to find love that becomes sorrow. These combine into a uniquely fast moving story. But what grabbed me on the first read of the manuscript was the writing. Stark yet emotional, and heart-breakingly clear. For a few pages, I wondered to what genre the story belonged. Then I didn't care because all I wanted to know was what would be revealed on each page turn.
Two years ago when Paper Targets first was published, I called it a thriller, but it has proved to be more than what that simple word implies. The author on his blog writes that it is in the genre of 'Truth Stirred With Fiction.' If I were to publish it again, I would simply call it 'Literary.' But regardless of how reviewers and critics categorize it, If you haven't read Paper Targets yet, you are in for a treat.
This is a story of modern crime set in Montana with connections to the money world of New York, Seattle, and London. The poetic descriptions of Montana blend and flow easily -- with only the slightest of wobbles -- into the descriptions of technology and cityscapes of grey concrete.
Near the middle of the book, a chapter concludes with an observation and an instruction: "Like the entertainment of a wreck on a sharp curve - that wheel which finally wobbled off its axle - the flashing lights say, 'slow down and look at what went wrong.' If you have come this far with me, touch what is near to you now, as I touch this paper." I am glad Steve S. Saroff touched his paper (and I pictured Enzi writing in one of his small notebooks), and I was happy to hold and read this marvelous novel.
January 9, 2023
A fast and furious lesson in what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
"...almost anything is legal if you have a fishing license..."
"...almost anything is legal if you have a fishing license..."
February 14, 2023
4.5⭐️
” Secrets that are shared but still not understood remain secret.”
The life of our protagonist Enzi, the child of accomplished immigrant parents takes a tragic turn after he loses his mother and his father’s alcoholism ultimately lands him in the system. Dyslexic, alone and without any support, he eventually becomes a runaway at the age of fourteen, drifting from place to place and from job to job. Taught by his mother to study patterns instead of the individual letters and numbers that he found so difficult to follow, he is able to hone his analytical and mathematical abilities. His perseverance results in his becoming a self-taught software programmer, even starting his own company with a friend which is later bought by a larger corporation, with whom he negotiates a lucrative employment opportunity for himself.
When we meet Enzi, he is employed in the capacity of Director with the larger tech company but is also in cahoots with a Tsai, a shady businessman who recruits him as a hacker. During this time he also meets a young artist Kaori, a recent acquaintance who he bails out of jail after she has an altercation with her ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend. He befriends her and gradually they confide in one another, with Enzi also taking her to New York where he meets up with Tsai. Kaori is troubled and expresses herself for the most part through her art, which Enzi initially finds intriguing but as the narrative progresses we see how Kaori’s obsession with her ex-boyfriend, increasingly erratic behavior and tendency to document everything and everyone she encounters through her art reveals a darker side to her. His illegal dealings with Tsai who refuses to let Enzi back out of their agreement, Kaori’s instability and his own demons push Enzi into a complex web of corruption, murder and deceit, endangering not only himself but also those associated with him. It is up to Enzi to figure his way out of the darkness he is thrust into.
Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve Saroff is an impressive debut with an intriguing premise and a smartly crafted narrative that is shared in the first person from Enzi’s PoV. Saroff’s characters are well-fleshed out and his writing is superb. Enzi is a complicated character and the author does an exceptional job of capturing his brilliance, his inner struggles and his introspectiveness. The author’s vivid descriptions of the Montana setting and his depiction of Enzi’s relationship with nature are captivating. It took me a while to fully engage with the story but as the narrative progresses, the pace quickens and the tensions build, rendering this novel hard to put down.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel. All opinions expressed here are my own.
“Let me be a janitor and a laborer again. Let me be happy poor. The times when it was enough to have any working car, cash for a tank of gas, with enough left over for a bag of groceries. Then driving on a Western highway, the mountains in the distance, and thinking, “That is where I will sleep tonight.” Freedom from ambition with the sky opening ahead. True wealth.”
” Secrets that are shared but still not understood remain secret.”
The life of our protagonist Enzi, the child of accomplished immigrant parents takes a tragic turn after he loses his mother and his father’s alcoholism ultimately lands him in the system. Dyslexic, alone and without any support, he eventually becomes a runaway at the age of fourteen, drifting from place to place and from job to job. Taught by his mother to study patterns instead of the individual letters and numbers that he found so difficult to follow, he is able to hone his analytical and mathematical abilities. His perseverance results in his becoming a self-taught software programmer, even starting his own company with a friend which is later bought by a larger corporation, with whom he negotiates a lucrative employment opportunity for himself.
When we meet Enzi, he is employed in the capacity of Director with the larger tech company but is also in cahoots with a Tsai, a shady businessman who recruits him as a hacker. During this time he also meets a young artist Kaori, a recent acquaintance who he bails out of jail after she has an altercation with her ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend. He befriends her and gradually they confide in one another, with Enzi also taking her to New York where he meets up with Tsai. Kaori is troubled and expresses herself for the most part through her art, which Enzi initially finds intriguing but as the narrative progresses we see how Kaori’s obsession with her ex-boyfriend, increasingly erratic behavior and tendency to document everything and everyone she encounters through her art reveals a darker side to her. His illegal dealings with Tsai who refuses to let Enzi back out of their agreement, Kaori’s instability and his own demons push Enzi into a complex web of corruption, murder and deceit, endangering not only himself but also those associated with him. It is up to Enzi to figure his way out of the darkness he is thrust into.
Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve Saroff is an impressive debut with an intriguing premise and a smartly crafted narrative that is shared in the first person from Enzi’s PoV. Saroff’s characters are well-fleshed out and his writing is superb. Enzi is a complicated character and the author does an exceptional job of capturing his brilliance, his inner struggles and his introspectiveness. The author’s vivid descriptions of the Montana setting and his depiction of Enzi’s relationship with nature are captivating. It took me a while to fully engage with the story but as the narrative progresses, the pace quickens and the tensions build, rendering this novel hard to put down.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel. All opinions expressed here are my own.
“Let me be a janitor and a laborer again. Let me be happy poor. The times when it was enough to have any working car, cash for a tank of gas, with enough left over for a bag of groceries. Then driving on a Western highway, the mountains in the distance, and thinking, “That is where I will sleep tonight.” Freedom from ambition with the sky opening ahead. True wealth.”
July 19, 2024
Enzi was born to academic parents but struggled to learn how to read, and as a young boy, he also developed a stammer. It was not a combination that was going to make his early life easy. But he learned that he had an affinity with numbers. He simply loved unpicking the mysteries of mathematics. This was to be his saviour, his escape. When he was a little older, his life was dealt another bad blow, and everything was thrown into chaos. Eventually, this enigmatic loner skipped town – no looking back.
The majority of this story takes place in Montana, the magnificent descriptions of this Big Sky state rivalling those laid down by James Lee Burke. There are to be women in Enzi’s life, and he will fall hard for them. These women are idiosyncratic, somewhat wild, and one of them is certainly unhinged. But this is the way with this tale, the people who populate it are all very different, and yet they’re each oddly engaging, with their motivations often hard to pin down. Because of this and its rhythm, it’s slightly jumpy chronology and conversations that are often hard to interpret, it felt to me reminiscent of something penned by Haruki Murakami. This impression was only heightened when a girl from Tokyo was thrown into the mix.
Set out as a first person narrative, we learn that despite the difficulties Enzi experienced in his early life, his gift – his genius – with numbers leads him to achieve some success writing computer code. But he is lured into involvement in an illegal enterprise, something we will only fully understand once this tale has fully played out. His life now starts to become very complicated, and it’s hard to see how things can end well for him. From this point on, we bear witness to an extended dance as the various players duck and weave, each seeking to influence the end game in their favour. It’s brilliantly done, and I found it totally spellbinding, never quite knowing how it would finally play out.
The piece, taken as a whole, can be seen as one long confession and on one hand it’s simply a mystery novel but to me it’s much more than that, it’s a rich piece of literary fiction that just happens to pose a question which isn’t answered until the very end. I listened to an audio version of this book, read by the author, his soft, slow, and sometimes halting delivery perfectly suiting this story. Have I read or listened to anything better this year? I don’t think so. This one might just take the top spot.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author, but my reflections on it are simply my own, honestly recorded.
The majority of this story takes place in Montana, the magnificent descriptions of this Big Sky state rivalling those laid down by James Lee Burke. There are to be women in Enzi’s life, and he will fall hard for them. These women are idiosyncratic, somewhat wild, and one of them is certainly unhinged. But this is the way with this tale, the people who populate it are all very different, and yet they’re each oddly engaging, with their motivations often hard to pin down. Because of this and its rhythm, it’s slightly jumpy chronology and conversations that are often hard to interpret, it felt to me reminiscent of something penned by Haruki Murakami. This impression was only heightened when a girl from Tokyo was thrown into the mix.
Set out as a first person narrative, we learn that despite the difficulties Enzi experienced in his early life, his gift – his genius – with numbers leads him to achieve some success writing computer code. But he is lured into involvement in an illegal enterprise, something we will only fully understand once this tale has fully played out. His life now starts to become very complicated, and it’s hard to see how things can end well for him. From this point on, we bear witness to an extended dance as the various players duck and weave, each seeking to influence the end game in their favour. It’s brilliantly done, and I found it totally spellbinding, never quite knowing how it would finally play out.
The piece, taken as a whole, can be seen as one long confession and on one hand it’s simply a mystery novel but to me it’s much more than that, it’s a rich piece of literary fiction that just happens to pose a question which isn’t answered until the very end. I listened to an audio version of this book, read by the author, his soft, slow, and sometimes halting delivery perfectly suiting this story. Have I read or listened to anything better this year? I don’t think so. This one might just take the top spot.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author, but my reflections on it are simply my own, honestly recorded.
November 7, 2022
I have listened to Paper Targets narrated on Audible by an author himself. It is an intriguing thriller with a great heart. Cheerful, friendly and helpful with an unexpected ending.
Thank you Steve Saroff for providing copies in exchange for the honest review .
Thank you Steve Saroff for providing copies in exchange for the honest review .
January 11, 2023
I must say, I've never read anything like this! A fast paced story written in often beautiful language with a sensitive and likeable main character. Not too much violence and a very interesting problem to solve. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 5, 2022
Paper Targets is a truly impressive novel - all the more so because it is the debut novel of Steve S. Saroff. The depth of characterization was surprising to me; there are clear and distinct explanations for the motivation and behavior that is leading everyone on a path of (self) destruction. Enzi is a truly interesting protagonist: almost an 'anti' antihero (his life experiences have set him in conflict with the path he truly wants to walk). When Enzi becomes involved with Kaori he finds that he is drawn into her 'decaying orbit' quickly; she is dealing with forces that have the potential to destroy her and anyone close to her. The story reminded me of ukiyo-e: the 'floating world' that must be navigated - pleasure looked for in fleeting moments - with no guarantee of permanency. Highest recommendation.
November 28, 2022
Damn! Why did I take so long to read this winner?
Saroff, does one "HELL" of a job with " Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder."
Outstanding read!
Thank you Goodreads Giveaways and to the author, Steve S. Saroff.
#JOB WELL DONE SIR!
#WINNER!
#GOODREADSGIVEAWAYS
#KUDOS!
Saroff, does one "HELL" of a job with " Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder."
Outstanding read!
Thank you Goodreads Giveaways and to the author, Steve S. Saroff.
#JOB WELL DONE SIR!
#WINNER!
#GOODREADSGIVEAWAYS
#KUDOS!
June 11, 2023
In a Nutshell: An ambitious plot but didn’t work for me in terms of characters, pace, or thrills. I did like some elements connected to the plot, but overall, this was disappointing. This is an outlier opinion.
Story Synopsis:
Bookish Yays:
😍 The setting of Missoula, Montana and how it is used in the plot. The author’s love for nature comes through clearly.
😍 Some wonderful quotes throughout the book. I especially loved the one about lies being like a wobbly wheel.
😍 Enzi’s dyslexia is used quite differently in the story. I liked how the book didn’t turn Enzi into someone to be sympathised with for having the learning disorder. Rather, the author uses his own background as a dyslexic to make us see how Enzi uses patterns to analyse letters and numbers.
😍 I didn’t expect juggling to get such a focus in the plot about hacking. All the juggling-related scenes were entertaining.
😍 The ending is good. (Though to reach the ending, I needed to have a lot of patience.)
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 As someone from the field, I enjoyed the computer-related elements in the story. The author clearly knew what he was talking about, and made use of his programming knowledge and experience to make the scenes sound convincing. At the same time, the computer explanations get too detailed. While I understand how some info might have been needed for readers who don’t come from a computing background, the manner in which the technological elements were written made it feel more like a computer teacher’s explanation in a beginner’s computing class. It didn’t flow naturally in the plot.
😐 The book has many interesting characters, right from the ultra-successful runaway Enzi to the mentally-struggling Kaori to the quirky bondsman Pascal and many more. However, the writing didn’t make me connect to a single character, not even to the first person narrator. Some of their relationships form so instantly that I couldn’t even understand how or why the characters came together. For instance, Enzi is ready to pay a huge amount to bail out Kaori just a few days after they first met. Why? No explanation. It just is. Enzi has a tendency to talk on and on at times, like a pompous politician going on about himself, which further distanced me from his narration.
😐 Not sure how I feel about the Asian rep in the book. Kaori’s broken English began to annoy me after a while, especially as it isn’t consistent. Tsai’s portrayal as a Chinese-origin man from Texas was somewhat better. But a suicidal/morbid Japanese and a criminal-minded Chinese felt too clichéd, though I appreciated one line where the narrator talks of Tsai being from Texas and thus being more Texan than Chinese.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Many facts that could have added to our experience are skipped over. We never know how old Enzi is when he began his company. We know his parents were immigrants but never know where they came from. We know Enzi ran away when he was fourteen, but where did he run away from – foster care or an orphanage? Did he ever try to get back to his father in the interim period? How did he go from maths to coding? The background stays fuzzy till the end.
😒 The pacing is extremely unsteady, and to add to it, the narration goes back and forth across timelines (with no mention of the timelines.)
😒 The story takes ages to get going. The first one-two chapters held my attention but after that, the plot seems stuck in a loop until the final 10% or so. There were so many times when I wondered, “Where the heck is he going with this?” I was on the verge of giving up on the book multiple times, and had this not been an audio copy, I would have probably DNFed it.
😒 This is advertised as a literary thriller but I found it more like literary fiction. The thrills come only in the final segments of the book. The rest is more of a slow-paced glimpse into complex characters.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, narrated by the author himself, clocks at 10 hrs 13 min. It took me a while to get used to his voice for Enzi, but he handles the reading decently. There aren’t any distinct voices for the characters but those attuned to audiobooks should find the audio version easy-going.
I would suggest changing the name of the first chapter from "Helen", because when I heard “Chapter 1: Helen” and the narration began in 1st person, I assumed it was Helen doing the talking. It took a few minutes before I realised that the first person narration was by someone named Enzi.
For a debut work, the book handles some complex topics and brings forth some intricate characters. However, a little bit more fine-tuning of the story flow and plugging in the gaps in the character backstories and their behavioural motivations would have made this a better experience for me.
That said, every single one of my GR friends has rated this highly, so I am very much the exception to the norm. Kindly go through their reviews to see if this could work better for you.
2.25 stars.
My thanks to Flooding Island Press for a complimentary audio copy of “Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
The book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Enzi, a child of immigrants from some unnamed country, is a dyslexic stutterer. After his mom dies of cancer and his alcoholic dad loses his job, Enzi is taken out of his dad’s custody. He runs away at the age of fourteen and begins life as a drifter. Along his journeys, he frequents libraries, where he discovers a passion for maths and coding.
A few years later (we never know the exact timeline), Enzi is a self-taught programmer and has his own software business with a fellow coder named O’Neill. A big company named SLAM purchases their business and recruits them both as high-end executives. Enzi soon ends up doing some illegal work for a person named Tsai, who has his own secret financial agenda for hacking into SLAM’s databases and networks.
While all the above events unfurl, Enzi also meets a Japanese immigrant artist named Kaori, who, while still pining for “the lover of her life”- a guy named Jim, forms a bond with Enzi.
The plot basically involves Enzi’s sorting out whatever mess the others mentioned above make.
The story comes to us from the first person perspective of Enzi.
Bookish Yays:
😍 The setting of Missoula, Montana and how it is used in the plot. The author’s love for nature comes through clearly.
😍 Some wonderful quotes throughout the book. I especially loved the one about lies being like a wobbly wheel.
😍 Enzi’s dyslexia is used quite differently in the story. I liked how the book didn’t turn Enzi into someone to be sympathised with for having the learning disorder. Rather, the author uses his own background as a dyslexic to make us see how Enzi uses patterns to analyse letters and numbers.
😍 I didn’t expect juggling to get such a focus in the plot about hacking. All the juggling-related scenes were entertaining.
😍 The ending is good. (Though to reach the ending, I needed to have a lot of patience.)
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 As someone from the field, I enjoyed the computer-related elements in the story. The author clearly knew what he was talking about, and made use of his programming knowledge and experience to make the scenes sound convincing. At the same time, the computer explanations get too detailed. While I understand how some info might have been needed for readers who don’t come from a computing background, the manner in which the technological elements were written made it feel more like a computer teacher’s explanation in a beginner’s computing class. It didn’t flow naturally in the plot.
😐 The book has many interesting characters, right from the ultra-successful runaway Enzi to the mentally-struggling Kaori to the quirky bondsman Pascal and many more. However, the writing didn’t make me connect to a single character, not even to the first person narrator. Some of their relationships form so instantly that I couldn’t even understand how or why the characters came together. For instance, Enzi is ready to pay a huge amount to bail out Kaori just a few days after they first met. Why? No explanation. It just is. Enzi has a tendency to talk on and on at times, like a pompous politician going on about himself, which further distanced me from his narration.
😐 Not sure how I feel about the Asian rep in the book. Kaori’s broken English began to annoy me after a while, especially as it isn’t consistent. Tsai’s portrayal as a Chinese-origin man from Texas was somewhat better. But a suicidal/morbid Japanese and a criminal-minded Chinese felt too clichéd, though I appreciated one line where the narrator talks of Tsai being from Texas and thus being more Texan than Chinese.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Many facts that could have added to our experience are skipped over. We never know how old Enzi is when he began his company. We know his parents were immigrants but never know where they came from. We know Enzi ran away when he was fourteen, but where did he run away from – foster care or an orphanage? Did he ever try to get back to his father in the interim period? How did he go from maths to coding? The background stays fuzzy till the end.
😒 The pacing is extremely unsteady, and to add to it, the narration goes back and forth across timelines (with no mention of the timelines.)
😒 The story takes ages to get going. The first one-two chapters held my attention but after that, the plot seems stuck in a loop until the final 10% or so. There were so many times when I wondered, “Where the heck is he going with this?” I was on the verge of giving up on the book multiple times, and had this not been an audio copy, I would have probably DNFed it.
😒 This is advertised as a literary thriller but I found it more like literary fiction. The thrills come only in the final segments of the book. The rest is more of a slow-paced glimpse into complex characters.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, narrated by the author himself, clocks at 10 hrs 13 min. It took me a while to get used to his voice for Enzi, but he handles the reading decently. There aren’t any distinct voices for the characters but those attuned to audiobooks should find the audio version easy-going.
I would suggest changing the name of the first chapter from "Helen", because when I heard “Chapter 1: Helen” and the narration began in 1st person, I assumed it was Helen doing the talking. It took a few minutes before I realised that the first person narration was by someone named Enzi.
For a debut work, the book handles some complex topics and brings forth some intricate characters. However, a little bit more fine-tuning of the story flow and plugging in the gaps in the character backstories and their behavioural motivations would have made this a better experience for me.
That said, every single one of my GR friends has rated this highly, so I am very much the exception to the norm. Kindly go through their reviews to see if this could work better for you.
2.25 stars.
My thanks to Flooding Island Press for a complimentary audio copy of “Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
The book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
October 5, 2024
Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder profoundly well-written with unique intelligence - artistic, mathematical, and human relations - about people who pay the price for their abilities. I both loved and hated the narrator because I saw how he was dealt a bad hand, but when he turned his 'disability' into an ability, he became greedy and was pulled into crime. This novel is dramatic, yet it reads like you are listening to an interesting storyteller you sat next to on a rainy night in some empty bar and then became captivated that you keep buying drinks to keep the story going. And none of the quirky cast of characters is stereotypical. Instead, each has surprises. The artist's gift is that she can communicate emotions with drawings but can not behave, which has fatal consequences. Pascal, a "fella" with a wise understanding of human nature, lives in a truck camper but turns down money .Paper Targets is not a beach-read thriller. But it slowly builds. And the story pulled me into feeling the mountain solitude, art, and even the math and greed. The best books never fit easily into a simple genre, and keep us thinking.
January 16, 2023
I have to admit that I was skeptical about wanting to read Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve S. Saroff. It was not a book that had been on my radar or an author that I had previously read. I had noticed some favorable reviews for it on Goodreads and had been gifted a digital copy by the author in exchange for a voluntary review so I decided to give it a try. When I saw that Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder was also available as an audiobook and that it was narrated by the author Steve Saroff, I decided to go back and forth between the digital version and audiobook. I really appreciate when an author narrates their own book. Steve Saroff’s performance was flawless. I appreciated how he was able to distinguish between the characters. Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder was a thrilling and captivating mystery crime thriller. It was character based and very well written. Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder was fast paced, well plotted and told in the first person narrative. Once I began alternating between reading and listening to Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder, I was captivated by the characters and the plot. It was hard to pull myself away.
Enzi was the son of immigrant parents. He was born in America and his parents were well educated and held positions at a university. Enzi’s father was a scientist and his mother was a professor of literature. As a young boy, Enzi had great difficulty learning how to read. The letters appeared flipped or reversed to him. It was evident that Enzi was dyslexic. Enzi also stuttered and he was painfully shy. The children at school bullied Enzi relentlessly. His teachers tended to ignore him since he could not read. School was not a happy place for Enzi. The trees, clouds and patterns Enzi observed around him calmed him and made life more bearable. They made Enzi feel connected. When Enzi was twelve years old, his mother died from cancer. His father was so distraught that he began to drink to numb his pain and loneliness. When Enzi’s father continued to drink, he started to get DUI’s so his place of employment was forced to let him go. Social Services soon showed up and took Enzi away from his father. Enzi was placed in the foster care system. For about two years, Enzi attended several different schools where he continued to be bullied and was assigned teachers who had no idea how to teach Enzi how to read. By the time Enzi turned fourteen, he had had enough and he ran away.
In the beginning, Enzi tended to avoid cities, took whatever jobs he could find and constantly lied about his age. Over that time, Enzi discovered that he had a natural aptitude for numbers, math and patterns. Although reading had been difficult to master, Enzi was brilliant when it came to his aptitude for math. Enzi would frequent libraries in the places he was working. He borrowed math books and self taught himself very advanced and complex math concepts. Eventually, Enzi found himself in Missoula, Montana. Enzi loved the Montana for its skies, clouds, trees and trails. He was still socially awkward but he had managed to start a computer programming company with a partner. Things started looking up for Enzi until he met Tsai from Texas at a computer conference and a woman named Kaori from Tokyo at a local party. Both Tsai and Kaori changed Enzi’s life in ways he never could have imagined. Tsai convinced Enzi to become a criminal computer hacker by luring him with excessive greed. Large sums of money for simple hacks sounded very enticing. Right? Who wouldn’t want easy money? What would the personal cost be for Enzi though? Kaori was in jail for breaking and entering, attacking her former boyfriend and his new girlfriend and assaulting a police officer. She had called Enzi to bail her out of jail. Although Enzi had only briefly met Kaori at that party, it was pretty obvious that Kaori wanted nothing to do with Enzi. Kaori had had a boyfriend. She had met him in Tokyo and followed him back to Montana. Although the boyfriend had moved on, Kaori was stuck in what she felt should have been. She believed in one love. Kaori was an exceptional artist and she drew what she saw, felt and experienced. Her art would be her downfall and only aid in the suspicions about Enzi. Kaori was a troubled woman. Would Enzi be able to recognize her troubles before it was too late?
I loved Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder and was so glad author Steve S. Saroff offered me a digital copy to read in exchange for my honest review. The plot became even more heightened as previous events, experiences and backstories were revealed. The characters were rich, well developed and believable. Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder was so thought-provoking. It was about greed, love, friendship, kindness, right vs. wrong, choosing, survival, recognizing one’s own errors and having the courage to correct them and being satisfied and content with what you have. I look forward to reading more books by Steve S. Saroff. If you enjoy suspenseful, edge of your seat and character driven books then I highly recommend this book.
Enzi was the son of immigrant parents. He was born in America and his parents were well educated and held positions at a university. Enzi’s father was a scientist and his mother was a professor of literature. As a young boy, Enzi had great difficulty learning how to read. The letters appeared flipped or reversed to him. It was evident that Enzi was dyslexic. Enzi also stuttered and he was painfully shy. The children at school bullied Enzi relentlessly. His teachers tended to ignore him since he could not read. School was not a happy place for Enzi. The trees, clouds and patterns Enzi observed around him calmed him and made life more bearable. They made Enzi feel connected. When Enzi was twelve years old, his mother died from cancer. His father was so distraught that he began to drink to numb his pain and loneliness. When Enzi’s father continued to drink, he started to get DUI’s so his place of employment was forced to let him go. Social Services soon showed up and took Enzi away from his father. Enzi was placed in the foster care system. For about two years, Enzi attended several different schools where he continued to be bullied and was assigned teachers who had no idea how to teach Enzi how to read. By the time Enzi turned fourteen, he had had enough and he ran away.
In the beginning, Enzi tended to avoid cities, took whatever jobs he could find and constantly lied about his age. Over that time, Enzi discovered that he had a natural aptitude for numbers, math and patterns. Although reading had been difficult to master, Enzi was brilliant when it came to his aptitude for math. Enzi would frequent libraries in the places he was working. He borrowed math books and self taught himself very advanced and complex math concepts. Eventually, Enzi found himself in Missoula, Montana. Enzi loved the Montana for its skies, clouds, trees and trails. He was still socially awkward but he had managed to start a computer programming company with a partner. Things started looking up for Enzi until he met Tsai from Texas at a computer conference and a woman named Kaori from Tokyo at a local party. Both Tsai and Kaori changed Enzi’s life in ways he never could have imagined. Tsai convinced Enzi to become a criminal computer hacker by luring him with excessive greed. Large sums of money for simple hacks sounded very enticing. Right? Who wouldn’t want easy money? What would the personal cost be for Enzi though? Kaori was in jail for breaking and entering, attacking her former boyfriend and his new girlfriend and assaulting a police officer. She had called Enzi to bail her out of jail. Although Enzi had only briefly met Kaori at that party, it was pretty obvious that Kaori wanted nothing to do with Enzi. Kaori had had a boyfriend. She had met him in Tokyo and followed him back to Montana. Although the boyfriend had moved on, Kaori was stuck in what she felt should have been. She believed in one love. Kaori was an exceptional artist and she drew what she saw, felt and experienced. Her art would be her downfall and only aid in the suspicions about Enzi. Kaori was a troubled woman. Would Enzi be able to recognize her troubles before it was too late?
I loved Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder and was so glad author Steve S. Saroff offered me a digital copy to read in exchange for my honest review. The plot became even more heightened as previous events, experiences and backstories were revealed. The characters were rich, well developed and believable. Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder was so thought-provoking. It was about greed, love, friendship, kindness, right vs. wrong, choosing, survival, recognizing one’s own errors and having the courage to correct them and being satisfied and content with what you have. I look forward to reading more books by Steve S. Saroff. If you enjoy suspenseful, edge of your seat and character driven books then I highly recommend this book.
April 29, 2022
A sharp murder/mystery, and a good one.
A story of initial opportunistic greed taking terrible turns for the worse and plunging the protagonist in too deep.
We might know of similar stories and Steve S. Saroff starts off giving us what appear to be stereotypes, but then he shifts gear and the characters develop some intriguing layers. This certainly held my interest.
A story of initial opportunistic greed taking terrible turns for the worse and plunging the protagonist in too deep.
We might know of similar stories and Steve S. Saroff starts off giving us what appear to be stereotypes, but then he shifts gear and the characters develop some intriguing layers. This certainly held my interest.
March 23, 2025
If you’ve liked this review already, skip to the update past the stars 👇🏼 Back in the office, added promised journal notes taken on the roadtrip. Maybe of some interest.
If new, Hope you’re inspired to give Paper Target’s a shot 😁
Please forgive I’m working to figure out how to write reviews while book touring for signings, during travel of North America, and who knows where else I’ll land on my own publishing journey.
This review is in two parts, one from an overview, and the remainder from notes.
Hopefully today this will fall into hearts as deeply as Mr. Saroff’s story landed in mine 🏆
/\ update
#RoadTripRead no.6 Wonderful story. Stay tuned for full review. Highlights, was driving through Montana where a bulk of the story takes place.
Laughed when the story was in Missoula in real time while listening and I’d pulled in to the town among others. And, I’m a native to NYC where most of the rest of the story is set.
The publisher didn’t know about my travel plans when approaching me about considering this book. I’m so glad because it was a pleasure to listen to the author tell his story with the setting as my real world backdrop through the book.
A few other notable moments, out the gate the backstory of Enzi is relatable in real life as I’d struggled with literacy and have similar happenstances with his family history. As an artist enjoyed the unique way the intrigue is communicated using art as a clue for evidence. My spouse use to work on Wall Street. The financial implications to the plot made complete sense, to me. Very well researched book.
It’s random my life has components that fit the story. It’s possible this tainted my opinion. Compared to someone unfamiliar with locations or lifestyle might not be as affected in such a relatable way.
I took notes on the cross country trip. Will fill in details when I’m back in the office.
Thanks to the publishing company for offering me several format copies with no pressure to read. They legit thought I’d enjoy the book. Answered questions. And, was kind scoring an autographed copy for my bookshelf to display with other indie authors.
When finding out the writer narrates rather than listen to the converted PDF on Speechify used an Audible token. Helps to leave a verified Amazon and audible review this way, as well.
What I liked about this book most, it kept my attention during the entire story and the author narrating his work made it enjoyable. I have listened to hundreds of books over the years. Mr Saroff could be mistaken as a professional narrator he’s this good, to me.
I like to listen to books faster than normal speed especially if the narrator is well spoken because it’s easy to understand the faster pace. Can finish more books without missing a beat.
At normal speed didn’t enjoy the narration as much as 1.5. Being from NY and how my ear is trained to consume most narrators sound like Buddhist monks (I listen to these books .75 for effect in mindful listening;) and for me the action is way more fun at a pace that vibes urgent or feels a wee bit intense.
Like, Stephen King or Jack Carr lit.
This story would make a great movie on Hulu or Netflix. Even a season of eight shows to help move the story between locations. Adding to the build up toward climax.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💯
During road trips listen on Audible, Libby, etc. Typically jot a few ‘paper’ notes in a weekly journal for safety reasons. Avoiding text and driving.
The goal is add these later. When not driving digitally take notes to become the review. Which is easier time wise for me to keep up with an annual goal of 52 review minimum.
Still working to figure out the best way to road-trip read and review. Appreciate your patience as a friend and follower of them.
A few highlights from my notes as promised …
Enzi’s first secret, “I can not read.” This is the quickest I’ve connected with a character. Growing up with this struggle was not a secret, but life altering none the less.
Being into this new world is enhanced by Mr Saroff’s storytelling cadence and readability of the MC.
Upon having listened to hundred’s of books over the years, Mr. Saroff is one of my favorite narrators. David Sadaris’s tone pops up. Comparable to Steve S Saroff’s when the speed is 1.5. Very pleasant. Keeping my attention.
The plot is current to today’s financial markets. What sets this apart from other market stories involves Montana. When people think financial district defer to NYC. Japan. London. Anymore, remote work elevates the landscape of storytelling to a new level of intrigue. Affording many more potential novel settings I’m here for 💯.
Nerdy about tech enjoyed the plot. Enzi reminds me of my son, who began at three on his journey to computer guru with a broken apple green screen. Almost three decades later is top tier in the industry space. Could easily be Enzi. Another reason I’m a biased reviewer.
So much so, that the Audible rep I chatted with today added Paper Targets to her listen list 😁
Perfect timing, pulling into Missoula the same time the book lands here in the plot.
Another time, while reading The Lovely Bones … book remarks the town the missing girl, Susie, is from while I’m living and working there. Gasp moment.
In the case of Paper Targets was over the moon to experience the landscape in real time to the read adding to the adventure and intensity.
On the roadtrip listened to Bradley Coopers, 🎶Maybe It’s Time to let the old ways die🎶 following the final chapter occurring six months later to the conclusion. Prologue. Enzi’s mindset equates to the song, in my view.
No spoilers. Though if you’ve heard the song and read the ending might agree.
This story is relatable in we all make decisions that do not work. We all have opportunities to change our focus. Goals. Life.
The story is well written. Descriptive. By the conclusion every piece has a purpose. Being in the story on the road trip helps me see this as a film. Intrigue of changing cities and vast western US landscape all fit into one theme. Including a foreign city involvement.
Very plausible happenstance. As AI improves a likely event. If it hasn’t already occurred beyond fiction.
This is my first attempt at adding notes from a roadtrip to an overview of a book experience. Hope this supports your potential interest to embark on a journey you’ll likely enjoy as much.
Kind regards,
Patience 😁
If new, Hope you’re inspired to give Paper Target’s a shot 😁
Please forgive I’m working to figure out how to write reviews while book touring for signings, during travel of North America, and who knows where else I’ll land on my own publishing journey.
This review is in two parts, one from an overview, and the remainder from notes.
Hopefully today this will fall into hearts as deeply as Mr. Saroff’s story landed in mine 🏆
/\ update
#RoadTripRead no.6 Wonderful story. Stay tuned for full review. Highlights, was driving through Montana where a bulk of the story takes place.
Laughed when the story was in Missoula in real time while listening and I’d pulled in to the town among others. And, I’m a native to NYC where most of the rest of the story is set.
The publisher didn’t know about my travel plans when approaching me about considering this book. I’m so glad because it was a pleasure to listen to the author tell his story with the setting as my real world backdrop through the book.
A few other notable moments, out the gate the backstory of Enzi is relatable in real life as I’d struggled with literacy and have similar happenstances with his family history. As an artist enjoyed the unique way the intrigue is communicated using art as a clue for evidence. My spouse use to work on Wall Street. The financial implications to the plot made complete sense, to me. Very well researched book.
It’s random my life has components that fit the story. It’s possible this tainted my opinion. Compared to someone unfamiliar with locations or lifestyle might not be as affected in such a relatable way.
I took notes on the cross country trip. Will fill in details when I’m back in the office.
Thanks to the publishing company for offering me several format copies with no pressure to read. They legit thought I’d enjoy the book. Answered questions. And, was kind scoring an autographed copy for my bookshelf to display with other indie authors.
When finding out the writer narrates rather than listen to the converted PDF on Speechify used an Audible token. Helps to leave a verified Amazon and audible review this way, as well.
What I liked about this book most, it kept my attention during the entire story and the author narrating his work made it enjoyable. I have listened to hundreds of books over the years. Mr Saroff could be mistaken as a professional narrator he’s this good, to me.
I like to listen to books faster than normal speed especially if the narrator is well spoken because it’s easy to understand the faster pace. Can finish more books without missing a beat.
At normal speed didn’t enjoy the narration as much as 1.5. Being from NY and how my ear is trained to consume most narrators sound like Buddhist monks (I listen to these books .75 for effect in mindful listening;) and for me the action is way more fun at a pace that vibes urgent or feels a wee bit intense.
Like, Stephen King or Jack Carr lit.
This story would make a great movie on Hulu or Netflix. Even a season of eight shows to help move the story between locations. Adding to the build up toward climax.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💯
During road trips listen on Audible, Libby, etc. Typically jot a few ‘paper’ notes in a weekly journal for safety reasons. Avoiding text and driving.
The goal is add these later. When not driving digitally take notes to become the review. Which is easier time wise for me to keep up with an annual goal of 52 review minimum.
Still working to figure out the best way to road-trip read and review. Appreciate your patience as a friend and follower of them.
A few highlights from my notes as promised …
Enzi’s first secret, “I can not read.” This is the quickest I’ve connected with a character. Growing up with this struggle was not a secret, but life altering none the less.
Being into this new world is enhanced by Mr Saroff’s storytelling cadence and readability of the MC.
Upon having listened to hundred’s of books over the years, Mr. Saroff is one of my favorite narrators. David Sadaris’s tone pops up. Comparable to Steve S Saroff’s when the speed is 1.5. Very pleasant. Keeping my attention.
The plot is current to today’s financial markets. What sets this apart from other market stories involves Montana. When people think financial district defer to NYC. Japan. London. Anymore, remote work elevates the landscape of storytelling to a new level of intrigue. Affording many more potential novel settings I’m here for 💯.
Nerdy about tech enjoyed the plot. Enzi reminds me of my son, who began at three on his journey to computer guru with a broken apple green screen. Almost three decades later is top tier in the industry space. Could easily be Enzi. Another reason I’m a biased reviewer.
So much so, that the Audible rep I chatted with today added Paper Targets to her listen list 😁
Perfect timing, pulling into Missoula the same time the book lands here in the plot.
Another time, while reading The Lovely Bones … book remarks the town the missing girl, Susie, is from while I’m living and working there. Gasp moment.
In the case of Paper Targets was over the moon to experience the landscape in real time to the read adding to the adventure and intensity.
On the roadtrip listened to Bradley Coopers, 🎶Maybe It’s Time to let the old ways die🎶 following the final chapter occurring six months later to the conclusion. Prologue. Enzi’s mindset equates to the song, in my view.
No spoilers. Though if you’ve heard the song and read the ending might agree.
This story is relatable in we all make decisions that do not work. We all have opportunities to change our focus. Goals. Life.
The story is well written. Descriptive. By the conclusion every piece has a purpose. Being in the story on the road trip helps me see this as a film. Intrigue of changing cities and vast western US landscape all fit into one theme. Including a foreign city involvement.
Very plausible happenstance. As AI improves a likely event. If it hasn’t already occurred beyond fiction.
This is my first attempt at adding notes from a roadtrip to an overview of a book experience. Hope this supports your potential interest to embark on a journey you’ll likely enjoy as much.
Kind regards,
Patience 😁
June 28, 2023
I got the book Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder from Flooding Island publisher and decided to give it a try.
It stars a bit slow but the story flow enveloped me and soon I was completely consumed by it.
Enzi was a dyslectic stuttering boy, who was bullied in school and lost his mother at 12 to cancer and, a few years after this, his father to alcohol.
Having problems reading, he discovers later in his life the love for mathematics and arts. He becomes a very good software coder and has developed a sophisticated encryption code.
Enzi meets a strange mentally unbalanced Japanese girl and this meeting starts a series of strange and dangerous events in his life.
The book is well-written and it's easy to read. The main character is a kind soul that tries hard to find a way out of the bad situation and to help his friends.
This book is worth reading and is not one that you are going easily to forget.
It stars a bit slow but the story flow enveloped me and soon I was completely consumed by it.
Enzi was a dyslectic stuttering boy, who was bullied in school and lost his mother at 12 to cancer and, a few years after this, his father to alcohol.
Having problems reading, he discovers later in his life the love for mathematics and arts. He becomes a very good software coder and has developed a sophisticated encryption code.
Enzi meets a strange mentally unbalanced Japanese girl and this meeting starts a series of strange and dangerous events in his life.
The book is well-written and it's easy to read. The main character is a kind soul that tries hard to find a way out of the bad situation and to help his friends.
This book is worth reading and is not one that you are going easily to forget.
June 7, 2023
This book was gifted to me by Flooding Island Press to read and give my honest opinion. Thank you!
The story was written in first person, past tense. It worked well in this case. Bravo! That is hard to do.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved the tone and writing style. I loved the characters and the twisty turny plot. I also found the relationships made sense. I have worked in software for a long time and that process was credibly portrayed.
If you like thrillers that keep you guessing, I highly recommend this book. Loved it!
One thing I do not like is the book's title. It is misleading and doesn't do the story justice. Based on the title, I would have given it a pass and that would have been my loss.
Trigger Warning:
Dysfunctional relationships with violence.
Bullying (The main character has a stutter.)
The story was written in first person, past tense. It worked well in this case. Bravo! That is hard to do.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved the tone and writing style. I loved the characters and the twisty turny plot. I also found the relationships made sense. I have worked in software for a long time and that process was credibly portrayed.
If you like thrillers that keep you guessing, I highly recommend this book. Loved it!
One thing I do not like is the book's title. It is misleading and doesn't do the story justice. Based on the title, I would have given it a pass and that would have been my loss.
Trigger Warning:
Dysfunctional relationships with violence.
Bullying (The main character has a stutter.)
July 26, 2023
This book is about how one act of kindness can get a dangerous ball rolling out of control.
This book is about a loner computer geek who writes computer code that can potentially steal billions of dollars in insider trading on the stock market.
This book is about becoming trapped in a pulsating life where there seems to be no way out.
This book is about love - not love - murder and finding peace with oneself.
This book was offered to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks, Steve, I enjoyed it.
This book is about a loner computer geek who writes computer code that can potentially steal billions of dollars in insider trading on the stock market.
This book is about becoming trapped in a pulsating life where there seems to be no way out.
This book is about love - not love - murder and finding peace with oneself.
This book was offered to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks, Steve, I enjoyed it.
July 6, 2023
To start, a word about "a philosophy of life" as Jack London described this attribute of great writing more than a century ago:
It has been my experience that many contemporary writers simply move their characters through their plots. They have a story to tell and they tell it. To a lesser extent, some writers will also let us into their character’s thoughts. However, very few writers allow their readers to understand the human perceptions, the philosophy, behind those thoughts, and thus, allow us to understand their characters.
The inclusion of Saroff’s own philosophy in Paper Targets makes this novel an enjoyable rarity. The main character, Enzi, possesses it and in subtle ways it adds significant depth to the novel.
Beyond philosophy, the novel walks us through the formative periods of the main character’s life. The story reminds us of how pain from our past can influence our present. We are prone to overachieve and overcompensate in our attempts to somehow erase our past suffering, especially if that suffering was at the hands of those whom we imagined as perfect. This overall theme resonated with me and my past, which pulled me into the novel.
Saroff’s style of writing creates suspense from the potential acts of his characters. He does not hold anything back. By the end of the novel, you are fully aware of everything that has taken place and suspense is placed in the hands of the good and evil forces that tear at us all, every day, in response to living our one and only life.
There are other notable qualities to Paper Targets involving art, computer programming, and simple good folks. However, I’m stopping here. After all, these are all just icing on top of an already substantial cake.
Every permanently successful writer had possessed this philosophy. It was a view peculiarly his own. It was a yardstick by which he measured all things which came to his notice. By it he focused the characters he drew, the thoughts he uttered. Because of it his work was sane, normal, and fresh. It was something new, something the world wished to hear. It was his, and not a garbled mouthing of things the world had already heard.
It has been my experience that many contemporary writers simply move their characters through their plots. They have a story to tell and they tell it. To a lesser extent, some writers will also let us into their character’s thoughts. However, very few writers allow their readers to understand the human perceptions, the philosophy, behind those thoughts, and thus, allow us to understand their characters.
The inclusion of Saroff’s own philosophy in Paper Targets makes this novel an enjoyable rarity. The main character, Enzi, possesses it and in subtle ways it adds significant depth to the novel.
Beyond philosophy, the novel walks us through the formative periods of the main character’s life. The story reminds us of how pain from our past can influence our present. We are prone to overachieve and overcompensate in our attempts to somehow erase our past suffering, especially if that suffering was at the hands of those whom we imagined as perfect. This overall theme resonated with me and my past, which pulled me into the novel.
Saroff’s style of writing creates suspense from the potential acts of his characters. He does not hold anything back. By the end of the novel, you are fully aware of everything that has taken place and suspense is placed in the hands of the good and evil forces that tear at us all, every day, in response to living our one and only life.
There are other notable qualities to Paper Targets involving art, computer programming, and simple good folks. However, I’m stopping here. After all, these are all just icing on top of an already substantial cake.
November 24, 2022
If you are as much of a fan of literary thrillers as I am, you won't want to miss Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Montana author Steve Saroff. I lived in Missoula during the 1990s, when this book is set, and I enjoyed recognizing the landmarks (mostly dive bars and outdoor settings) that popped up in the story. But it was the interior life of the protagonist, Enzi, that captivated me. He is a brilliant autodidact and coder whose innate connection to the mathematics of the world around him make his worldview absolutely fascinating. This viewpoint and the crackling dialogue are what gives the novel its literary credentials, but don't let that stop you if you're more of a plot-lover -- the crimes and intrigue are nonstop, and there are several main characters who are unlike any I've ever encountered in a thriller. Along the way, there is murder and financial crime, fine art and aching loneliness. I couldn't put this book down, I was so on edge about whether Enzi would manage to find a way to extricate himself from the highly charged criminal scheme he wandered into. It is a novel of moral gradations, which I appreciate, because love, greed, and relationships are never black and white in real life. I look forward to reading more books by the author.
August 29, 2023
For most of the novel,
Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder
by Steve S. Saroff feels more like literary fiction. However, the last part of the book takes off and readers will know they are reading a thriller. This first-person story features Enzi and is largely set in Missoula, Montana.
This is a story of secrets, but it’s also a story of a lonely, dyslexic, and bullied boy who became a successful man. Other themes include relationships, greed, loneliness, lost chances, and death.
The book started slowly and was more telling than showing. However, that gave insight into Enzi’s thoughts, observations, and feelings. Additionally, there are occasional timeline shifts without any preamble which interrupted the flow of the story. Despite this, the overall premise and ending were good. The character building was well-done.
Overall, this was an interesting character study.
Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of this novel and the opportunity to read and provide an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is a story of secrets, but it’s also a story of a lonely, dyslexic, and bullied boy who became a successful man. Other themes include relationships, greed, loneliness, lost chances, and death.
The book started slowly and was more telling than showing. However, that gave insight into Enzi’s thoughts, observations, and feelings. Additionally, there are occasional timeline shifts without any preamble which interrupted the flow of the story. Despite this, the overall premise and ending were good. The character building was well-done.
Overall, this was an interesting character study.
Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of this novel and the opportunity to read and provide an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 3, 2023
4⭐
Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, software coding, hacker, murder
The introduction of Enzi's character was really sad. I couldn't help but feel bad about how his life was going, but as the story progresses he grows into quite an interesting man.
Enzi meets Kaori and a few days later he's bailing her out of jail for assault. Right off the bat I did not care for her and I never understood their relationship, however I felt her character was well written, even her dialogue was convincing as a Japanese woman. The descriptions of her art were quite intriguing. I liked the friendship Enzi created with 'a Fella,' the bail bondsman, Pascal.
Enzi got himself in quite a pickle when he agrees to do some code hacking for a man named, Tsai. This plot line was my favorite. I might even need to visit Montana with my shovel.
I can't say I would have picked this one up on my own, but overall I was pleased with it. Most of the characters are pretty unlikable, but it was fast paced and an interesting look at how naivety and greed can turn your world upside down. I was happy with how the conclusion all played out.
*Thanks to Steve S. Saroff for sending me a digital copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, software coding, hacker, murder
The introduction of Enzi's character was really sad. I couldn't help but feel bad about how his life was going, but as the story progresses he grows into quite an interesting man.
Enzi meets Kaori and a few days later he's bailing her out of jail for assault. Right off the bat I did not care for her and I never understood their relationship, however I felt her character was well written, even her dialogue was convincing as a Japanese woman. The descriptions of her art were quite intriguing. I liked the friendship Enzi created with 'a Fella,' the bail bondsman, Pascal.
Enzi got himself in quite a pickle when he agrees to do some code hacking for a man named, Tsai. This plot line was my favorite. I might even need to visit Montana with my shovel.
I can't say I would have picked this one up on my own, but overall I was pleased with it. Most of the characters are pretty unlikable, but it was fast paced and an interesting look at how naivety and greed can turn your world upside down. I was happy with how the conclusion all played out.
*Thanks to Steve S. Saroff for sending me a digital copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
March 26, 2023
Remember when Warner Brothers tried to dispel the belief that accountants were boring by casting Ben Affleck as an ass-kicking man of figures in The Accountant? Well in this book Saroff does the same thing but with computer coders. Enzi is a man who turned to maths as a consolation for his difficulties reading and when we meet him is the affluent boss of a large company who bought out his smaller software company. His descriptions of the frustrations he feels moving to a behemoth with so many layers of bureaucracy is very accurate according to people who have been through the process.
You’d have thought that Enzi would be satisfied with his achievement but apparently not as he is involved in a criminal enterprise that sees him regularly receive cases of half a million dollars as payment for hi coding a ‘back door’ in his code allowing the criminals into the system for siphoning off or insider trading or whatever. This is a bit of a sticking point for me as I never really understood why Enzi does it, he doesn’t need or want the money and he doesn’t strike me as doing it as an ego trip or someone particularly keen to stick it to the man, but he does and the story moves on.
The other thread that runs through the story is the Japanese artist Kaori. These threads only intersect tangentially when she accompanies Enzi on a trip to meet his criminal master. Kaori is the archetypal tortured artist, Enzi meets her only when he rescues one of her paintings from her slashing it. She explains that she caught her bf, who she calls her only love or one true love (a little to frequently that it gets a bit irritating) in bed with another woman. Enzi and Kaori then spend a short period together, not quite a couple but a little more than friends, before her passionate nature leads to disaster.
The greatest character is Pascal the bondsman who Enzi enlists to help Kaori. He is brilliantly drawn and I could see him being played by Pedro Pascal. The sections with him are the most entertaining, although like Kaori he could lay off using his stock phrase as there was a point where another “a fella…” could have had me throwing myself out a top storey window.
A page-turner of a book with some interesting characters and added interest for the Montana setting. A good debut and I’m looking forward to reading some more about Pascal.
You’d have thought that Enzi would be satisfied with his achievement but apparently not as he is involved in a criminal enterprise that sees him regularly receive cases of half a million dollars as payment for hi coding a ‘back door’ in his code allowing the criminals into the system for siphoning off or insider trading or whatever. This is a bit of a sticking point for me as I never really understood why Enzi does it, he doesn’t need or want the money and he doesn’t strike me as doing it as an ego trip or someone particularly keen to stick it to the man, but he does and the story moves on.
The other thread that runs through the story is the Japanese artist Kaori. These threads only intersect tangentially when she accompanies Enzi on a trip to meet his criminal master. Kaori is the archetypal tortured artist, Enzi meets her only when he rescues one of her paintings from her slashing it. She explains that she caught her bf, who she calls her only love or one true love (a little to frequently that it gets a bit irritating) in bed with another woman. Enzi and Kaori then spend a short period together, not quite a couple but a little more than friends, before her passionate nature leads to disaster.
The greatest character is Pascal the bondsman who Enzi enlists to help Kaori. He is brilliantly drawn and I could see him being played by Pedro Pascal. The sections with him are the most entertaining, although like Kaori he could lay off using his stock phrase as there was a point where another “a fella…” could have had me throwing myself out a top storey window.
A page-turner of a book with some interesting characters and added interest for the Montana setting. A good debut and I’m looking forward to reading some more about Pascal.
May 26, 2025
An unexpected gem.
This is NOT an old, dusty, conventional thriller! Paper Targets IS in tune with the murky criminal undercurrent that seems to be a part of many of the best-known start-ups. By the book's end, the story grows into truly thrilling, and it pulled me there effortlessly with lyrical and engaging writing.
Soul-searching makes interesting characters. And Enzi certainly soul-searches, and the writing is genuinely poetic. I see many other reviewers have commented on this, and I agree. This book reached me with the characters' dilemmas, mistakes, and fascinating conflicts.
The main characters in Paper Targets: Enzi, the enigmatic soul who ran away from his troubled childhood and turned his 'gift' of trouble communicating and reading into a far-reaching advantage; Kaori, a seriously strange young artist from Tokyo who communicates through her drawings; and, Montana, which Saroff brings to vivid life with his lyrical descriptions of the mountains and the quiet of the sparse landscape.
Paper Targets swirls peripherally around computer hacking. However, very little of the writing is about coding. Mostly, it is about the failed love and other mistakes that Enzi, Kaori (and Pascal! He is the one likable sold "fella" in the story) make and have made. You hate them, while also understanding and almost wanting to love them.
"Up, towards an impossible place without failure or greed, a place of true dreams." And so it ends, leaving me wanting to read the author's next book.
This is NOT an old, dusty, conventional thriller! Paper Targets IS in tune with the murky criminal undercurrent that seems to be a part of many of the best-known start-ups. By the book's end, the story grows into truly thrilling, and it pulled me there effortlessly with lyrical and engaging writing.
Soul-searching makes interesting characters. And Enzi certainly soul-searches, and the writing is genuinely poetic. I see many other reviewers have commented on this, and I agree. This book reached me with the characters' dilemmas, mistakes, and fascinating conflicts.
The main characters in Paper Targets: Enzi, the enigmatic soul who ran away from his troubled childhood and turned his 'gift' of trouble communicating and reading into a far-reaching advantage; Kaori, a seriously strange young artist from Tokyo who communicates through her drawings; and, Montana, which Saroff brings to vivid life with his lyrical descriptions of the mountains and the quiet of the sparse landscape.
Paper Targets swirls peripherally around computer hacking. However, very little of the writing is about coding. Mostly, it is about the failed love and other mistakes that Enzi, Kaori (and Pascal! He is the one likable sold "fella" in the story) make and have made. You hate them, while also understanding and almost wanting to love them.
"Up, towards an impossible place without failure or greed, a place of true dreams." And so it ends, leaving me wanting to read the author's next book.
September 1, 2023
Full disclosure: I'm drinking sake (Sake is a part of the story) as I type this review because this book demanded that I open the bottle I was saving. So here goes: 'Paper Targets' blew me away. From the beautiful writing at at its start, like this line: "In those narrow strips of neglect behind the houses and the apartment buildings, those places where forgotten kids went to throw rocks and bottles or smoke weed, I fit in by walking by." This story was fantastic through its wild ride in the fast middle and right up to the final line. I found this book while searching for novels about Missoula. I am a fan of literary fiction, but also like a thinking person's noir crime story. Enzi, the narrator, tries to tell us why he became the person he became. It's not a spoiler to say it's really a story about failed love. And there is a character, Helen, who I blame for what happened. Also, I work with computers (who doesn't??), and it was creepy getting a behind-the-scenes view of how a hacker works. But the tech is a minor part of the book. It's really about Missoula, Montana, and about what can turn a person into a criminal. Kaori, the Japanese artist, was made into a criminal as a child with her gray views out the Tokyo apartment windows. Enzi... well, I don't want to spoil it. Again, this book blew me away. I also want the author to write a novel about the character Pascal. Thank you, Mr. Saroff, but I want more!
Read
February 8, 2023The publisher reclassified Paper Targets as a thriller. The author initially wrote it as a literary book, and his writing style definitely leans more toward literary, with a bit of a faster pace. It's heartening to see books that can't be easily classified into one genre out in the world expanding horizons. Occasionally the interactions between characters came off as a touch artificial (which ironically is usually the mark of them being based on real life events - humans aren't as logical as characters when it comes to interacting with one another). I liked how the main character's experiences added to the conversation about what it's like to live with dyslexia. Having worked in education, it's flabbergasting how many people still conflate a learning or developmental disorder or a speech impediment with having a low IQ or being unable to learn, which is absolutely ridiculous. I really liked how Enzi figured out a method of learning to read that worked for him, and became amazingly adept at the subjects that interested him. It was wonderfully authentic.
I was gifted a free e-copy of Paper Targets by the author, with no pressure to either read or review.
I was gifted a free e-copy of Paper Targets by the author, with no pressure to either read or review.
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