I just finished A Shadow Intelligence (HMH, $25.00) by Oliver Harris, though I must confess that I lost the plot thread halfway through and skimmed the remainder. It contains a multitude of characters using complex technology in a story told by MI6 agent, Elliot Kane. Not an easy read while peeking at Netflix.
Kane, after completing an MI6 assignment, is being debriefed in England by his handlers when he receives a Happy Birthday message from his sometime lover and fellow British agent, Joanna. The words are code for I’m in big trouble, come help me. Apparently, Joanna is in Kazakhstan. What could have been a fascinating quest for the missing woman, gets bogged down in the geo-politics of Kazakhstan and a search for oil by a British company. I don’t know about you, but I don’t care much about that place. And if the Russians move in, they can have it. After all they used to own it.
Kane appoints himself the British representative of all that is good, even though his agency doesn’t even know he’s in the country and he likely would be fired if it finds out. The search for Joanna gets derailed with his attempt to prevent terrorist activity and a Russian invasion. Though going rogue, Kane still has access to MI6 secret resources.
Long passages of dialogue without knowing who is speaking are often difficult to follow. How hard is it to remind the reader of the identity of the multitude of characters? For instance, “I called Jones. The director of private security answered immediately.” That way the reader is refreshed on who the heck Jones is. Harris introduces important new characters at about page 300 in a 357-page manuscript when the reader has already been struggling to separate one spook from another.
If you’re really into technology this book may be for you. Unlike the traditional spy novel, Kane doesn’t beat anybody up, shoot anyone, or go to bed with a mysteriously beautiful woman. Or guy. Kane does get roughed-up on what seems to be a pointless detour into the Kazakhstan wilderness. Instead, all of the spying is done with malware and hacking. I’m sure it’s quite realistic but where’s the fun in that?
For the quality of writing, I can’t give the book an F, but I sure don’t recommend it.
Steve E Clark as seen in the New York Times is Author of Justice Is for the Lonely and Justice Is for the Deserving, Kristen Kerry Novels Of Suspense. Steve is a 2017 NY Big Book Award winner and a 2018 Independent Book Award recipient. You can purchase his books via https://steveclarkauthor.com/buy-the-book/ or request it at your local book store. Want to know more about Steve Clark, read more reviews or speak directly with Steve? Learn more about Steve at SteveClarkAuthor.com
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