She Treads Softly: The Survivor

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

The Survivor

The Survivor by Iris Johansen
6/6/23; 352 pages
Grand Central Publishing
Eve Duncan Series #30

The Survivor by Iris Johansen is recommended, highly for fans of the series.

In this latest thriller, the caretaker/ruler Maya of the remote island nation of Paladan located in Southeast Asian asks for help from archeologist Riley Smith. When Riley consults with forensic sculptor Eve Duncan, her life is endangered by those threatening Maya. There are several mysterious secrets on the island that Maya protects but now animal poacher Nadim and former associate Bevan are both determined to eliminate Maya and anyone else so they can profit from the spoils.

This is an entertaining and action packed novel of suspense. Those who can easily embrace unicorns, a legendary female warrior, a secret potion, and a few more magical ideas can carry on and enjoy the action. It will require most readers to set a heavy handed double dose of disbelief aside in order to enjoy the plot. If you can set disbelief aside and have been following the series this will be heart-stopping diversion. I did struggle to care for the first third of the novel, but once I accepted the premise and the action really got going, it was compelling and enjoyable. 3.5

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.