Curiously Perverse Outburst on Packed Train
I was reading my book on the train on the way to work today, Remote Control by the British author (and ex-SAS soldier) Andy McNab, and came across a line that made me laugh. It wasn’t just any laugh though, but a sudden outburst, the kind that makes you look like the special autistic child or some kind of greasy pervert, the kind that directs eyes toward you. Hundred’s of the beady little f$%kers.
I should prefix this with a bit of background, after about thirty or forty pages of the authors build up to an action scene, the main character, Nick Stone, describes in detail how stealth is the key to any subtle operation. He describes in full the surveillance required in the stake out, and how each part of the target (IRA headquarters) was broken into without extreme force. This goes on, and on, and as you’d expect thing’s eventually go hay wire as Stone is discovered and is seconds away from death via handgun down his throat after being taken out by a fire extinguisher to the back of the head.
By this point, I’m engrossed, the build up was enormous, and I’m literally hanging off the end of my seat wondering what on Earth is going to happen next. There’s a small scuffle and Stone jams the gun, temporarily disabling it and a scuffle breaks out eventually resulting in the enemy being shot in the head.
This was followed by:
“He was going to die soon.
Tough Shit.”
It’s a pillow, what a horrible prank!
In hindsight it doesn’t seem anywhere near as funny, but it blew me away at the time. After such an enourmous build up with everything and every moment described in such precious detail, the climax was abrupt, like a kick in the guts. I have to liken this to getting amazing sex, mind blowing passion with the ultimate build up:
"mmmm...."
"ah..."
"MMMMmmmmm yea!"
"Oh. Job's done"
"Yea, would you like a cup of tea?"
I’d half expected another ten pages describing the blood as it made its passage from the chest driven by the last few beats of the heart, up the arteries, and out the convinient new escape vent in the head. But no.. He was dead, and that was it.
Bloody good book though, both Andy McNab books I’ve read so far have been an excellent read, which makes them incredibly hard to put down.
August 7th, 2008 at 4:44 am
Brendan used to worship those books, which always turned me off them. I’ve never been able to pick one up without something in the back of my head going “one, two three, four, I love cadet corp!”. Let’s all join the reserves…
August 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
hahah, now you’re turning me off them. You’d be a good person to ask, what’s some other good books I could be reading. I’ve read about 15 crime/military thrillers in the past few months, and now I think its time for me to try something else.
Recommend, yes?
Mills and Boon perhaps?? ECH!
August 8th, 2008 at 3:56 am
i’m currently reading lonley planet’s guide to Thailand’s Islands and Beaches, although I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re planning a trip over there.
i’ll put a bit more thought into it and get you some recommendations. What are you interested in? Carly has a heavy library of english lit type stuff, which is good occasionally (personally there’s a very slim picking in it that i really enjoy).
i’ve enjoyed a bit of Neil Gaiman recently - Anansi Boys was pretty good, as was neverwhere. i’m not sure they’d be your style though.
Kite Runner (cant’ remember the author) is really good as well.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:26 am
English lit you say? It might be a little out of my depth, I’ll look into the other three, Kite Runner just sounds cool. Basically I’m liking anything thats kind of crime / mystery at the moment. I’ve got a few things to purchase from Amazon when I get paid:
- Shantaram (apparently really good, written by some nutty Australian drug trafficker whilst on the run in Thailand)
- Freakonomics
- More Andy Mcnab, Lee Child and Harlen Coben books, may as well read em all.
August 10th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Shantaram is bloody awesome, although it goes on for a while.
on the mystery/crime stuff, try Stella Rimington (good UK spy stuff, she’s the former head of MI5) and Ian Rankin (kinda standard murder mystery stuff).
On a different note Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? by Thomas Kohnstamm is pretty good as well.
Some other picks:
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- The Messenger by Markus Zusak
- The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
- The Road by Cormac Macarthy (although the ending annoyed me)
Can’t think of any more at the moment, and that’s everything we have on the shelf here that i’ve read and enjoyed. There’s heaps more on my shelf at home in Perth.