Nordic Noir discussion

Jo Nesbo

While in Target today I picked up The Redbreast. I figured it could be my gift to me for joining Nordic Noir.

That was a good book..it was about the Neo Nazi group in Sweden I believe.

Marilyn..if you have a chance, pick up Anders Roslund I think you would enjoy his work as well.

I will.

I just started The Redbreast.

I really enjoyed The Redbreast. I liked it so much that I downloaded the next in the series Nemesis.

I wrapped up Headhunters last night. I really, really enjoyed this book. I am not sure how this could or would become a series though if that is where Nesbo is heading with it.

Naomi wrote: "I wrapped up Headhunters last night. I really, really enjoyed this book. I am not sure how this could or would become a series though if that is where Nesbo is heading with it."

Wasn't that a great book!
I love me some Harry Hole (pun intended or not, as you wish) but it was nice to see Nesbo writing with another voice. I really enjoyed the pacing and my love/hate relationship with Roger Brown throughout the entire book. To me it really read true to a classic Noir novel.

I think this was just intended as a one off though, was published in Norway in 2008 and I imagine just making it's English debut due to the "Next Stieg Larsson Craze" but not where Nesbo is headed.

I'll be curious to see the film adaptation. I imagine should be good as Yellow Bird Productions who also did the original Wallander series and The Millennium Trilogy movies is putting it out.

Dave wrote: "Naomi wrote: "I wrapped up Headhunters last night. I really, really enjoyed this book. I am not sure how this could or would become a series though if that is where Nesbo is heading with it."

Wa..."

Netflix has it, but a DVD release date isn't given yet.

Yeah, it was really good. You are right though..It is a one shot deal..I am trying to find out about the movie.

The only info I've been able to find about the film is that Magnolia has picked up the U.S. distribution rights but no date for release yet.

I also read that Summit Entertainment has already bought the English language rights for a remake. I won't comment further on that as my views on remakes of perfectly good foreign films will lead to a tirade featuring the phrase "Se tarkoitaa: vittu saatana perkele jumalauta"

At least hit it netflix..maybe that means they are coming close to a date. I probably wouldn't see the hollywood version.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1614989/

Now, who can complain about this amazing new world??
Open my iPhone and it wants my code.  I ignore.  Go to breakfast open iPad and it has an email from iTunes store saying your pre ordered latest book by Jo Nesbo is downloading.  And there I have Phantom to start at breakfast the day it becomes available in Europe!  Now how cool is that....beats paper by a long mile!
Plus iTunes, iBook store is cheaper than kindle...12 compared to 16!!!  For a new book.
Happy camper!

Sharon wrote: "Now, who can complain about this amazing new world??
Open my iPhone and it wants my code.  I ignore.  Go to breakfast open iPad and it has an email from iTunes store saying your pre ordered latest ..."

So jealous, Sharon! Here in the US I have to wait til Sept for The Phantom! I've nearly finished The Leopard, so I'll have a long wait.

I couldn't wait until September for The Phantom to be released. My friend and I love the Nesbo books so much that when they come out in the UK, we splurge and order them from Amazon.UK and split the S&H cost. Just a thought if you're in the States and the wait becomes to much:)

Carrie wrote: "I couldn't wait until September for The Phantom to be released. My friend and I love the Nesbo books so much that when they come out in the UK, we splurge and order them from Amazon.UK and split t..."

I may just have to do that!

Susan wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Now, who can complain about this amazing new world??
Open my iPhone and it wants my code.  I ignore.  Go to breakfast open iPad and it has an email from iTunes store saying your pre ..."

Amazing as I am living in Europe and NOT allowed to order from any of the Amazon book shops on line except Amazon.com! Store with iBook has it and better price but then they do not carry James Thompson....all quite strange and occasionally frustrating but thank goodness more than one source available.

Susan wrote: "Carrie wrote: "I couldn't wait until September for The Phantom to be released. My friend and I love the Nesbo books so much that when they come out in the UK, we splurge and order them from Amazon..."

Is that paper edition? Amazon allow me paper but I can only get electronic through their amazon.com! Silly as I use UK and Germany a lot for paper and all same amazon account!

Wait, Sharon..how are we going to discuss it if it isn't out yet??

Read an ARC of Phantom and it is excellent. Love the way they refer to Harry Hole when he first makes his appearance in the book.

Sharon wrote: "Susan wrote: "Carrie wrote: "I couldn't wait until September for The Phantom to be released. My friend and I love the Nesbo books so much that when they come out in the UK, we splurge and order th..."

It's the hardcover edition. I've tried to get Kindle editions through Amazon(US) for new European releases but US customers can only order ebooks through Amazon US for their kindles and new releases in Europe seem not to be released in the US at the same time as Europe.

Amazon.ca and .co.uk sell for US customers, but there's the shipping cost....
I'll be flying thru Heathrow in a month and I counted enough time for plane changes ;) I know exactly what I 'll get at Waterstone's (one of the book stores)

Flogging a dead horse.....but is there going to ever be a time when things published are available more widely? A book written by an European author comes onto the e and paper shelves here in Holland up to six months in Dutch before the English but NA waits so very very long? Why and is there a forum to address this?

I just got Anne Tyler and Donna Leon the day published too through iBook! English.
I can order paper from anyone with shipping depending on where from but electronic am restricted to Amazon.com! Thank goodness for iBook store...

When I moved to NL 29 years ago, I had to buy books in NA or England and come back with suitcases rimmed with novels now I buy zip when traveling even in the UK where I just was for ten days. So things have changed greatly but how long for the next stretch, one wonders???

Naomi wrote: "Wait, Sharon..how are we going to discuss it if it isn't out yet??"

Sorry, I seem to be on the wrong book all the time.....look fwd to hearing reactions September / October then..... Reminds me of my amazement that the three Millenium books were so in discussion as I had read them and seen the Swedish films ages ago but they seemed a big new topic. Now I understand it better. :-)

http://www.wordandfilm.com/2012/05/on...

Sharon, Thanks for the link. What an interesting interview. I'm curious as to why Nesbo read "one and a half" of Larsson's books...

Hey, I read The millenium series and afterwards read the harry hole series(everything, including phantom, except batman and cockroaches). I really loved these 2 series, but I enjoyed harry hole more. Ive been looking for some recommendations for other series if I liked these two. I also read faceless killers (wallander) and actully hated it :( That being said, any suggestions for those who like millenium+ harry hole but not wallander?

Thanks

I am halfway through The Redbreast. It is absolutely brilliant. Cannot wait to read the rest!

NPR interviews Jo Nesbo and explores Noir Oslo
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/23/1569100...

Kim wrote: "NPR interviews Jo Nesbo and explores Noir Oslo
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/23/1569100..."

Interesting, thanks.

Arjun, have you tried any of James Thompson's books? (Snow Angels, Lucifer's Tears, Helsinki White). Not as noir as Harry Hole, but might be what you like.

It would be much easier to list authors you might not like as a bunch of the series/styles are a bit like Wallander than to list those that you most likely like. Just too many of them have too many elements similar to Wallander. (Mankell got inspired by Sjöwall & Wahlöö, as did most of the Scandinavian procedural and crime writers back then, then after some were inspired by Mankell...) Then again, maybe the reasons for not liking Wallander differ from person to person, so if you do run to a copy of something (like in the library), try 20 pages to see if it they'd feel any better, if not try the next.
So on the hit or miss... Håkan Nesser's Van Veeteren-series would definitely be on that list (for me, it was a complete miss). Or Arnaldur Indridason's Erlendur. If Wallander was too boring, then those two detectives might bore you to death though. How about Karin Fossum? Different style for sure, and without irritating female protagonists. Åke Edwardson might be enjoyable for you, then again even that has strong Sjöwall & Wahlöö presence.

What I'd like is more Nesbø (Ludlum, Fleming etc) like authors. Enough action, enough thrill, interesting characters and more action. Not just boring, divorced middle-aged detective men or man-hunting bridgetjonesy or nancydrewish lawyer's assistant chicks doing their investigations around the dinner table.

Not a Nordic suggestion, but style and character wise Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch seems very similar to Harry Hole, at least to me. I wish I could think of more Nordic (or other exotic) versions of Hole/Bosch though.

Anna wrote: "Arjun, have you tried any of James Thompson's books? (Snow Angels, Lucifer's Tears, Helsinki White). Not as noir as Harry Hole, but might be what you like.

It would be much easier to list authors ..."


I finished up Lucifer's tears and Snow Angels and am actully in the middle of Helsinki White right now. They were enjoyable and will continue the series if more books come out (as of now I have no idea how Helsinki white ends so i dont know if its the end or not). I gave them 3 or 4 stars so in my opinion they werent on the same level as Nesbo or Stieg Larsson. I do like Thompson's writing style. It is kind of detached and dry, but I think he has a good sense of humor. I also like the characters. Its unique and works for me.

Thanks for the suggestions too. I guess what I didnt like about wallander was that his character seemed pretty hopeless and moped around a lot. It didn't seem like he had anything really going for him and I guess that made it kind of boring. I also didn't think character development was that great either. I also didn't think the actual plot was anything special either (faceless killers). There was no cool twist or surpise or interesting explaination at the end, it was actully kind of ordinary. I felt disappointed and let down after finishing the book.

I did read 2 Harry Bosch books. I enjoyed them and Harry Bosch is a great character. I will read more of those in the future.

http://www.northcountrypublicradio.or...

Excellent article...interview with Jo Nesbo.

Sharon wrote: "http://www.northcountrypublicradio.or...

Excellent article...interview with Jo Nesbo."

Thanks for posting! So great to get his insights.

I'm not so good at links, but hopefully this will work: it's a link to the enormous line at a Nesbo book signing in Prague. It's so heartening to see authors being appreciated to this extent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60PF6Z...

Arjun wrote: "Anna wrote: "Arjun, have you tried any of James Thompson's books? (Snow Angels, Lucifer's Tears, Helsinki White). Not as noir as Harry Hole, but might be what you like.

It would be much easier to ..."

I'm going to insert my two cents here. I don't think anyone is on a par with Nesbo right now, but that's just me. I would suggest Helene Tursten, though, if you haven't already tried her. I think she's a good solid writer and her characters are interesting. Also really like Michael Ridpath, whose work I came across through Goodreads. Hope you find something you really enjoy!

Susan wrote: "Arjun wrote: "Anna wrote: "Arjun, have you tried any of James Thompson's books? (Snow Angels, Lucifer's Tears, Helsinki White). Not as noir as Harry Hole, but might be what you like.

It would be m..."

I have to agree with you that no one is near Nesbo. I'll look into the other authors you suggested. Thanks.

I think my Jo Nesbø/Harry Hole-addiction hit the rock bottom today. I found Fladdermusmannen and had to buy it. That would be the Batman one - in Swedish. "I'll just learn Swedish so I don't have to wait until it's out in English"....

In some ways I don't blame you, Anna. But if you can hold off for another six weeks, The Bat has been translated into English and is published on October 8th here in the UK. The Cockroaches is to be published here next year.

It will also be available in Canada soon (usually abit cheaper to order it from Canada than UK - since Batman won't be available in US for quite a while).

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...

Looking forward to The Bat.....

Sharon wrote: "http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...

Looking forward to The Bat....."

Fascinating article...thanks for posting!

Also for the US readers, Phantom is on the giveaways until Sep 15 so enter (if you don't have a UK or Canadian copy yet) http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

I'll be picking up Phantom at the library on Friday. Really looking forward to it.

Finally downloaded iBook pre ordered The Bat....the first Harry Hole. Yipeeeee.

Sharon wrote: "Finally downloaded iBook pre ordered The Bat....the first Harry Hole. Yipeeeee."

Love to know what you think, it does give us a taste of the books to come, but I was a little disappointed, probably because I'd waited so long for it to come out!

I read The Snowman back in April and was hooked on Harry Hole. This was the first time in a long time that I felt scared while reading a book. I loved the way Jo Nesbo wrote and could not wait to get my hands on the next book. I have now bought The Redbreast and The Devil's Star. After I finish A Game of Thrones, I plan on starting The Redbreast, and I cannot wait!

I have both The Bat and The Phantom waiting for me on my to read shelf. I won't get to them until December, but I know they're worth the wait!

Lili wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Finally downloaded iBook pre ordered The Bat....the first Harry Hole. Yipeeeee."

Love to know what you think, it does give us a taste of the books to come, but I was a little disap..."

I am taking sooooo long to read this as possible because I recognize the early JN writing and loved his early books totally. Hope number two will be translated soon. Let you know.

I want to download The Bat as well. When is it scheduled for release in the US?