Sabotaje olímpico

Pepe Carvalho #16

by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán

El detective Pepe Carvalho se enfrenta a una crisis internacional en Barcelona. Una operación de desestabilización política está en marcha y todo puede ocurrir en los Juegos Olímpicos de Barcelona de 1992. El detective deberá desenmascarar a los villanos antes de que Estados Unidos lance sus misiles, porque su vicepresidente, que no está familiarizado con la geopolítica, cree que Bagdad está al lado de Barcelona. En la línea de la fábula satírica, en los límites de la melancolía y el sarcasmo, Carvalho protagoniza un ajuste de cuentas con el año prodigioso, 1992, desde la perspectiva de un mundo en crisis que ha olvidado todos los autos sacramentales de la modernidad.

Genres: Fiction, Spain, Crime, Noir, Mystery

128 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Manuel Vázquez Montalbán was a prolific Spanish writer: journalist, novelist, poet, essayist, anthologue, prologist, humourist, critic, as well as a gastronome and a FC Barcelona supporter.

He studied Philosophy at Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona and was also a member of the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia. For many years, he contributed columns and articles to the Madrid-based daily newspaper El País.

He died in Bangkok, Thailand, while returning to his home country from a speaking tour of Australia. His last book, La aznaridad, was published posthumously.

Reviews

[Tittirossa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Montalban mi piace e molto, ma questo è acido, negativo, pessimista, sarcastico oltre ogni dire. Sembra quasi che ci sia una parabola che accomuna gli scrittori di "gialli impegnati" (Montalban, Chandler, Mankell), quasi genealogica, molto maschile: a 35 anni si sentono ancora belli e dannati (Mankell non troppo), a 45 la prima batosta, a 50 realizzano che i giovani hanno 15-20 anni di meno, a 55-60 capiscono che le ventenni non li guardano più, a 65 non sono più attivi sessualmente come una volta e quindi diventano acidi.
E' la vecchiaia dentro, non intorno. E poi, forse, a 75 anni l'autore si rimbambirà e tornerà con la memoria ai 35 e ci saranno di nuovo storie tenere e romantiche. Oppure, muore prima.

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Food, crime, Spain and a rather bizarrre "cherchez the Greek male model" set against the backdrop of the Barcelona Olympic Games, what's not to like?

For me, this felt like a literary version of a crime novel, without any ramping of tension. There were parts that I found hugely entertaining and I found the timing of the novel within Spain's transition from the Franco era fascinating. The construction of Olympic sites, the upheaval and tearing down the past begs the question of how transient the politics may be.

It seemed to me that the book's central story was contrived to allow Montalban to take us around Barcelona and see for ourselves what is going on. I enjoyed this more than the plot!

[Bookfan53 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of my favourites. For some reason I had great difficulty getting into this story. Found it tended to wander as did Pepe Carvalho at times. The positive, it is quite an unusual story and I do think some people would find it a good read. I just found it quite boring and at times, just could not figure out where the story was going. The end was a bit of an anti-climax.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gee, that was as disappointing as it was depressing. I know it's not fair to pluck a couple of books out of lengthy (and popular) series, but - now that I've done so - I can only conclude I missed something selecting this installment. I bought a few of these (used) before I went to Barcelona, and I enjoyed, in large part, the first one I read, Off Side, even though it is numbered later in the series (but chronologically precedes this book, because events are referenced in this book that occurred in that one). This one, however, never seized my attention, frustrated me, and wore me down rather dramatically, despite its lack of length. One of my frustrations was that I wanted more reference and relevance to the Olympic village - a major pet peeve of Montalban's - in part because my son and I really enjoyed visiting Montjuic and the village. Instead, the title - best I can tell - was a cute reference to the fact that there was a Greek tragedy unfolding in Barcelona, and I feel like I'm being generous, nay, reaching for a correlation. So, if you like your detective fiction dressed up in a walking and driving and eating and drinking tour of a (great) city in an earlier era, there's something here for you. And Montalban continues to play to the foodies, painstakingly guiding you through some memorable meals (alas, only one of which is prepared "before your eyes." But the story, well, it did nothing for me. Alas.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish my spanish was up to reading without relying on a translator. Hard to apportion a few of the problems. Worth reading Andrea Camilleri´s view on Montalban on whom his own character Inspector Montalbano is drawn.

I think Vasquez Montalban´s writings are excellent and important for a dangerous time in Spain´s history. In just the same way that the cartoon was a powerful mechanism to say what was difficult at the time of Franco so we have in this detective a way of showing the dangerous seedy side of life as it was being lived.

This book helped to enlighten me in a way that English versions of recent spanish history have not.

[Nikki Jefford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for research - Spellbound #3 is set in Barcelona - but ended up enjoying this far beyond research. The humor alone is worth 5 stars. The observations into the human condition and snappy dialogue delighted and surprised me. People and situations were described in a fresh way. I was quite simply transported.

[Katharina Joos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now that I've come to the end of this story I find it quite disappointing. It builds up rather nicely in the first half of the book, but then there's quite a steep anti-climax as he resolves the mistery too quickly for my liking.

[Dave Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting context about pre-Olympic Barcelona with old city being replaced by massive new building projects. Enjoyable but not one of my favourite Montalbans.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing style was laborious and the plot didn't engage.

In the version (translation) I read there were some very peculiar sentences - not sure if these were deliberate.

[Vilis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manai gaumei drusku par daudz krūšu galu aprakstu, bet dažas piebildes par pilsētu bija interesantas. Cita lieta, ka visa grāmata šķita uzrakstīta tikai to piebilžu dēļ.

[Vikki Cau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly it was just not that readable and I was completely unable to get into it. Such a shame considering the vibrancy of other books by Montalban!

[Joe Kosarek · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only have one more of his books that have been translated into English and the last two have been severely disappointing. So much that I really don't look forward to the last one.

[Raúl Cancio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Montalban volvió al delirio de Yo maté a Kennedy en este encargo para el diario El País durante el verano de 1992. Infumable e indigna de la serie Carvalho.

[Martin Owen]

A book that gets into Barcelona of the time. Classic Montalban with good food.

[Jesus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Completamente surrealista.

[Lore · Rating 3 out of 5]

L'unico libro con protagonista Carvalho che non mi ha convinta... ho rischiato di perdermi più volte nel surrealismo che aleggia tra queste pagine.

[Elena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un libro totalmente surreale, si passa da Bush alla principessa Anna, dai caschi blu ad Andreotti.
Una sorta di sogno immaginifico che diventa molto complesso seguire se non si hanno i riferimenti culturali giusti.
Quello che ho apprezzato è stata la parte in cui si criticano i cambiamenti messi in atto dall'arrivo delle Olimpiadi in città, cosa di cui ora si parla molto ma che all'epoca in pochi affrontavano.

"Ma qualche traccia rimane. Per esempio, la città è cam- biata. Mi fanno uscire dalle mie solite strade, e vado in tilt. Troppi uffici e pochi affari. Questa città si salva soltanto se la fanno diventare la capitale di qualcosa di importante, per esempio, della Germania. Un disastro, capo. Dovremmo fa re il giro del mondo in ottanta giorni."

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seguramente no es el sitio donde empezar con los libros sobre Inspector Carvalho, ya que aquí la trama basada en los Juegos Olímpicos de Barcelona del 92 se enreda con un estilo irónico que no tiene ni la mitad de la gracia que piensa que tiene. Lo cual es una lástima, porque esta intersección de humor satírico y novela negra y todo de corte literario es prometedora. El problema es que da la sensación de que estamos el mismo chiste repetido hasta la saciedad y sin darnos tregua. Lo bueno: hay unas escenas divertidas con descripciones muy logradas. Pero al final es un poco cansino. Volveré a Carvalho, pero a pesar de este libro.

[Benito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desde la primera novela de la serie (Yo mate a Kennedy) no nos ofrecían una obra tan puramente surrealista, un herrero que Montalbán ha practicado como pocos en el fin del siglo XX y que tiene seguidores ilustres y paisanos como Mendoza.
Esta circunstancia desconcertará a los lectores de novela negra que a estas alturas no se hayan dado cuenta de que Carvalho es una excusa para hacer literatura. Pero no lo duden, bajo este disparate destila el mejor Mendoza. Y eso es mucho decir.

[Paulina Palacios Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carvalho es cada vez más un recuerdo de si mismo, la edad media lo ha devuelto al mismo mundo sin ilusiones, el famoso sabotaje envuelto en un extraño cortejo de políticos revueltos con todo tipo de manías de dominio de la palabra, tan típico en las izquierdas y las academias que conceden a la forma más peso que a lo demás. Trama sencilla, más cada vez más peso a los personajes.

[AlbertoDC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ágil de lectura y entretenido, aunque a veces algo lioso

[JM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping it would include more interesting tidbits about Barcelona, which is why i picked the book. A quick read but nothing too special

[Sarah Corsi · Rating 1 out of 5]

delirante.
stile simile ad "ho ucciso JFK"

[Jopa · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Una obra maestra! Años después de los juegos Olímpicos de Barcelona, una visión anticipatoria perfecta del siglo XXI (o por lo menos la primera parte) ¡esclarecedor! Si, de lectura "dificil" por la cantidad de información que contiene pero contiene muchas capas lecturas posibles. ¡Excelente!