The Crook Factory

A slow burn, but ultimately a very enjoyable thriller.

At first, the story unfolds at a leisurely pace, almost lulling you into a sense of complacency. But then, bit by bit, the tension begins to build. The characters are well-developed, with their own motives and secrets that gradually come to light.

The plot twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It's a thrilling ride that makes you question everything you thought you knew.

And the best part? It makes me want to finally read some Hemingway. There's something about the style and tone of this thriller that reminds me of Hemingway's writing. Maybe it's the simplicity of the language, or the way the story is told with such clarity and precision.

Whatever it is, it has piqued my interest and made me eager to explore Hemingway's works. I can't wait to see what other literary treasures await me.

This book is truly a very enjoyable read, whether one is deeply interested in Hemingway or not.

Dan Simmons' historical research is nothing short of remarkable. He has delved deep into the era in which Hemingway lived, uncovering details and anecdotes that bring that period to life. His narrative style, on the other hand, is equally engaging. It flows smoothly, drawing the reader in and keeping them hooked from start to finish.

The combination of his excellent historical research and captivating narrative style is a beautiful match. It not only makes for an entertaining read but also generates a genuine interest in learning more about the period and the man Hemingway himself.

One can't help but be drawn into the world that Simmons has created, eager to discover more about Hemingway's life, his loves, and his literary achievements. It's a book that leaves a lasting impression and makes one appreciate the power of great storytelling.

In 1942, the United States is officially involved in World War II, and George Lukas, an FBI agent, is sent to Cuba to head the Fabrica de Apatadores, the counterintelligence organization of Chemingue. His main orders are to monitor him and report through a single intermediary to the unique Hoover.

The setting is ideal. Cuba, spies, German U-Boats, and above all, the giant Chemingue, between myth and reality (as in his whole life), explosive, noisy, glamorous, controversial, immature like an eternal child, ready to play with guns at any moment, surrounded by world-class actors, prostitutes, and spies (as it also happened in reality).

In a beautiful story, which according to the author (whom I have no reason to doubt) is 95% reality and 5% fiction, the veils of deception fall, the intrigues are revealed, and the truth slowly comes to the surface. Just like the corpses...

Beautiful and atmospheric (with a tropical atmosphere, of course), without exploiting the name of the great author (as has happened in other cases), it is a well-written and well-balanced book, not a masterpiece, but certainly interesting, beautiful, and valuable. It may get a bit tiresome at the point of decrypting the messages, but on the one hand, it is the legitimate work of World War II, and on the other hand, the book deals EXACTLY with this: counterintelligence (even if as a pretext for other works).

For those who knew him through the Hard SF of the Hyperion Cantos and Illium, it is a very pleasant surprise that he can perform equally well in a completely different genre.

Usually, I am an ardent admirer of Dan Simmons. His works have always managed to captivate my imagination and keep me on the edge of my seat. However, this particular book failed to have the same effect on me.

I struggled to stay engaged with the rather peculiar tone that Simmons employed throughout the narrative. It was a strange concoction of being half serious and half not serious, which made it difficult for me to fully invest in the story. I found it hard to believe the events and characters as they were presented, as the tone seemed to undermine the credibility of the whole thing.

Moreover, the spy elements in the book felt a bit overwhelming. There was just too much happening too quickly, and I craved a slower pace. I needed more time to soak in the details and understand the complex web of espionage that was being woven. It's a pity because, despite these flaws, the book still had its interesting moments and ideas.

How can a book that is billed as a "novel of suspense" be so incredibly boring?

I'm already on page 150 and really struggling. I'm a huge Hemingway fan. I've read and reread his books, and even read several biographies about him. But if I thought that my interest in Hemingway would sustain me through this book, I was sadly mistaken.

This is the second (and definitely the last) Dan Simmons book that I've read. Just like the other one, there's a lot of peripheral action (if we can even call it that) and an off-putting, numbing attention to detail. Every time Lucas prepares to read a file, I can't help but flip ahead to see how long it will take him.

Even when something actually does happen, Simmons recounts it in a style that is completely devoid of tension. I see that Simmons has quite a large fan base, but I just don't understand it.

I'm continuing to read against my better judgment. I just can't believe the Maria character. I'm sure it's supposed to be obvious that her origin is from Hemingway's Maria in For Whom the Bell Tolls, but really?

To finish or not to finish? Considering the boredom factor and the cardboard characters, I highly doubt it.

As much as I have a deep affection for Simmons' writing style, this particular story failed to truly engage me on a profound level.

Unlike his masterpiece The Plot Against America, in this instance, I didn't experience a sense of great loss or suffering due to my lack of in-depth knowledge about the "real" story that might lie beneath the surface or the individuals who were portrayed as characters.

Simply put, I was not held captive by the story itself. It's possible that I have also started to experience a form of burnout when it comes to Nazi-related themes.

Apparently, a significant portion of this book, if not directly drawn from, is at least extrapolated from actual historical events. Given that fact, Ernest Hemingway was indeed an extremely interesting individual.

His life and experiences seem to have provided a rich source of inspiration for Simmons' work. However, despite this connection to real history, the story didn't manage to fully capture my attention and imagination.

Perhaps I need a break from Nazi-related literature for a while to regain my enthusiasm and appreciation for such stories.

A Sorta True Story of Hemingway on Cuba Spying during WWII

Hemingway is a well-known figure, and this story about his spying activities in Cuba during WWII is quite interesting. While I found the overall narrative engaging, the author made a few missteps. There were three excellent points within the story where it could have ended perfectly, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. However, instead of doing so, the author chose to stretch the book out without any valid reason. This elongation detracted from the otherwise good flow of the story.

On the positive side, the narrator did a very good job. They were able to bring the story to life and hold the reader's attention. Their tone and pacing were appropriate, making it easy to follow along with Hemingway's adventures in Cuba.

Overall, despite the author's decision to extend the story unnecessarily, the combination of an interesting subject matter and a good narrator made this a worthwhile read.

After two satisfying experiences with Dan Simmons in "The Terror" and "The Song of Kali", I decided to take a risk with a big brick called "Club de Patifes". I knew very little about the book, but a preliminary look clarified several points for me. It was a book that talked about Ernest Hemingway and about spy networks during World War II. In fact, throughout the narrative, I always expected to find something supernatural there, a characteristic resulting from Simmons' literature, which did not happen.

And, incidentally, it's just as well. The book is a perfect spy thriller with very little fiction. In fact, Simmons allowed himself some narrative freedom to connect certain points, but as he warns in the author's note, 95% of what he tells there actually happened. The protagonist is fictional, but more than about Joe Lucas, "Club de Patifes" talks about Ernest Hemingway.

The author of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "The Old Man and the Sea" is the central character of the book, and we follow several moments of his fight against Nazism until his supposed suicide, whose work of Simmons puts in doubt. "Club de Patifes" also brings to light scandals and curiosities, referencing figures from the political elite of the time and transforming celebrities into characters resulting from the book.

Marlene Dietrich, Ingrid Berman, Gary Cooper or Ian Fleming are characters in "Club de Patifes", which surprised me by the casual and detailed way in which Simmons described them. Issues related to Adolf Hitler or John F. Kennedy also surprised me, especially because they are true. The book is extremely well constructed, and although there are some periods of great "infodump", decisive to allow the reader to understand the socio-political context, it is a very rewarding read.

In "Club de Patifes", the FBI agent Joe Lucas (fictional character) is contacted by J. Edgar Hoover in order to keep an eye on the famous writer Ernest Hemingway. It is the height of World War II and Hemingway asked for the support of the American government to create a spy network from his residence in Cuba. But Hemingway's intentions are doubtful to Hoover, who intends to place Lucas as a short leash, prepared to eliminate the writer if necessary.

Joe easily becomes an integral part of the "Club de Patifes", the name with which Hemingway baptized his network, and little by little he gets to know the routines and lifestyles of the American author, while passing information to Hoover through a contact named Delgado. In this game of cat and mouse, Joe Lucas develops an affection for Hemingway and decides to explore the investigation more deeply until he decides which side he is really on.

Unlike what happened in "The Song of Kali", Dan Simmons toned down the description of the environment and the elegance of the writing and presented a more direct and practical prose, but in turn much richer in terms of information. "Club de Patifes" does not play much with our emotions, but it is an excellent spy and action book, intellectually very rich. And when he writes, one way or another, what Simmons writes is always good.

The 1940s in Cuba are extraordinarily well portrayed by the author, a real red carpet of celebrities and information that leaves any reader delighted. Whether or not the confidential information that Lucas and Hemingway discovered in this book is true, much of what it brings us is truly disturbing, or we would not have lived through the terrible years of Nazism. Recommended!

https://noticiasdezallar.wordpress.com