Hello. I just finished reading Peter Tasker’s Dragon Dance and wanted to share my thoughts. Now, I’m not one that’s very good at writing a decent synopsis, so he’s the meat and potatoes of the novel according to the jacket.
“The year is 2006. Global recession is spreading and Japan is sunk in economic and social crisis. While Japan is weakening, China is growing even stronger. A secret group headed by an aged war hero plots to destabilize relations between Japan in the United States in order to strengthen China’s position in Asia and ultimately achieve world hegemony.
Once considered one of the safest cities in the world, Tokyo is plagued by a rising crime rate, regular security alerts, and increased homelessness and poverty. Riding on an unprecedented wave of popular opinion and political support, ultra nationalist celebrity politician Tsuyoshi Nozawa campaigns to break the military alliance with the United States and make Japan a nuclear power.
While closely following Nozawa’s progress, journalist Martine Meyer receives mysterious emails predicting fatal “accidents” and beings to expect a conspiracy. As she struggles to deal with a pompous new bureau chief and begins to realize her love affair with microbrewery owner Makoto is on the verge of either blossoming or wilting, Martine finds herself drawn into a sinister web of events that lead her ultimately face-to-face with the barrel of a terrorists gun.”
First of all, I was drawn to this author by way of site recommendation from Isaac Adamson, the author of the Billy Chaka series. (Themselves the best detective novels--if not books ever written.) I read the description of Dragon Dance and was very intrigued. So I read it, and to get right to it--enjoyed it.
The book’s tangled “tri-story” (between a young Chinese General, An American CEO, and main character Martine’s investigations) unravels at a slow pace, with the real “action” reserved for the last 20 pages or so. But Tasker knows what he’s doing. And although he exaggerates the climate a lot, factual themes such as Japan’s corroding economic status play into the novel in such a way that it makes the power struggle/take-over story, (which at first glance seems like something a Bond villain would cook up) actually seem feasible. And that is, in essence, what makes this book the most captivating.
Another thing Tasker has a knack for is making you sympathize. Scattered through out the book are tales of insignificant little characters who’s roles play a significant part in the story. All of whom seem share the common theme of having a crumby life. It’s a strong and important motif and these minor characters leave their mark, yet Tasker has handled it so subtly that it’s not overbearing or in the way. (After all, these people are not the main characters.)
Speaking of the handling of characters brings me to what is probably my only gripe with the otherwise excellent book. But it’s a big gripe and one that usually makes a book unreadable by my standards. (So I guess you can imagine how good I think this one is.) That is, the protagonist herself, Martine. Self-important, snooty, pretentious, and just all around unlikable is how I’d probably best describe her. This is not to say she isn’t a believable character-- I‘m sure that nationally known journalists are snooty and pretentious, and Martine is fine in that aspect, but you’ve just got love or in a very Holden Caulfield-esque way, love to hate the protagonist. And Martine falls into neither. She’s just irritating. And that’s a shame because this issue kept me from truly making this book one of my all time favorites.
So, there you have it. If you can get past the unappealing lead woman, I think you’ll find “Dragon Dance” to be a thoroughly enjoyable suspense novel.
“The year is 2006. Global recession is spreading and Japan is sunk in economic and social crisis. While Japan is weakening, China is growing even stronger. A secret group headed by an aged war hero plots to destabilize relations between Japan in the United States in order to strengthen China’s position in Asia and ultimately achieve world hegemony.
Once considered one of the safest cities in the world, Tokyo is plagued by a rising crime rate, regular security alerts, and increased homelessness and poverty. Riding on an unprecedented wave of popular opinion and political support, ultra nationalist celebrity politician Tsuyoshi Nozawa campaigns to break the military alliance with the United States and make Japan a nuclear power.
While closely following Nozawa’s progress, journalist Martine Meyer receives mysterious emails predicting fatal “accidents” and beings to expect a conspiracy. As she struggles to deal with a pompous new bureau chief and begins to realize her love affair with microbrewery owner Makoto is on the verge of either blossoming or wilting, Martine finds herself drawn into a sinister web of events that lead her ultimately face-to-face with the barrel of a terrorists gun.”
First of all, I was drawn to this author by way of site recommendation from Isaac Adamson, the author of the Billy Chaka series. (Themselves the best detective novels--if not books ever written.) I read the description of Dragon Dance and was very intrigued. So I read it, and to get right to it--enjoyed it.
The book’s tangled “tri-story” (between a young Chinese General, An American CEO, and main character Martine’s investigations) unravels at a slow pace, with the real “action” reserved for the last 20 pages or so. But Tasker knows what he’s doing. And although he exaggerates the climate a lot, factual themes such as Japan’s corroding economic status play into the novel in such a way that it makes the power struggle/take-over story, (which at first glance seems like something a Bond villain would cook up) actually seem feasible. And that is, in essence, what makes this book the most captivating.
Another thing Tasker has a knack for is making you sympathize. Scattered through out the book are tales of insignificant little characters who’s roles play a significant part in the story. All of whom seem share the common theme of having a crumby life. It’s a strong and important motif and these minor characters leave their mark, yet Tasker has handled it so subtly that it’s not overbearing or in the way. (After all, these people are not the main characters.)
Speaking of the handling of characters brings me to what is probably my only gripe with the otherwise excellent book. But it’s a big gripe and one that usually makes a book unreadable by my standards. (So I guess you can imagine how good I think this one is.) That is, the protagonist herself, Martine. Self-important, snooty, pretentious, and just all around unlikable is how I’d probably best describe her. This is not to say she isn’t a believable character-- I‘m sure that nationally known journalists are snooty and pretentious, and Martine is fine in that aspect, but you’ve just got love or in a very Holden Caulfield-esque way, love to hate the protagonist. And Martine falls into neither. She’s just irritating. And that’s a shame because this issue kept me from truly making this book one of my all time favorites.
So, there you have it. If you can get past the unappealing lead woman, I think you’ll find “Dragon Dance” to be a thoroughly enjoyable suspense novel.