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?The centre forward will be killed at dusk...? To revive its sagging fortunes, Barcelona FC has bought the services of Jack Mortimer, European Footballer of the Year. No sooner has Mortimer taken possession of his company Porsche than death threats start arriving. Are they a hoax, the work of a loner or are they connected to the awesome real estate speculation that is tearing Barcelona apart? While Catalan pimps and racketeers are being hustled off the streets by crime syndicates from the show more Middle East, Pepe Carvalho is thinking of retirement, but the need to save the soul of his beloved Barcelona forces him to take on a case that can only end in disaster. show less

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5 reviews
Even though I am sufficiently unknowledgeable about soccer (or, as it's called in this book, football) that a lot of the details went right by me, I enjoyed this Pepe Carvalho novel probably more than the others I've read. There was less violence, and more food and philosophy as Carvalho is called to investigate death threats to the new star soccer player brought to the premier Barcelona team from England. In the course of the investigation, the book explores the changes in Barcelona, real estate speculation, drug addiction and prostitution, and the power structure, and introduces a variety of interesting characters. If I have any complaint, it's that Carvalho's usual hangers-on are relegated to very peripheral roles. But all in all, show more this was a satisfying read. show less
Le football comme métaphore, métaphore d'une société bêtement violente et creuse, sur laquelle tente de se poser un voile poétique? Mais ce même voile est-il lui aussi violent et creux? Un bon livre.
El club de fútbol más rico del mundo recibe en sus oficinas un anónimo en el que se amenaza de muerte al recién fichado delantero centro del equipo, Jack Mortimer. Los directivod del club contratan al detective Carvallho para que inicie la investigación, haci´ndose pasar por psicólogo para poder andar a sus anchas por el mundo deportivo sin levantar las sospechas de la prensa.
Muy buena interesante, un juego de guiños de la semiotica y los sociologos

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298+ Works 8,805 Members

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Emery, Ed. (Translator)

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title
Off Side
Original title
El delantero centro fue asesinado al atardecer
Original publication date
1988
Important places*
Barcellona, ​​Catalogna, Spagna
Epigraph*
Il mito dell'eroe universale, ad esempio, si riferisce sempre a un uomo potente o a un uomo-dio che annienta le forze del male materializzate in dragoni, serpenti, mostri, dèmoni e così via, e che libera il proprio popolo d... (show all)alla distruzione e dalla morte. La narrazione e la ripetizione rituale di testi sacri e di cerimonie, insieme alla venerazione della figura dell'eroe per mezzo di danze, musiche, inni, preghiere e sacrifici, trasmettono ai fedeli emozioni soprannaturali (quasi un'attrazione magica) ed esaltano l'individuo fino a portarlo a identificarsi con l'eroe.

C. G. JUNG, L'uomo e i suoi simboli
First words*
La stanza puzza ancora di medicinali o di qualsiasi altra sostanza strana, borbottò mentalmente, mentre le narici le diventavano una proboscide mobile che cercava di captare l'anima profonda di quell'odore.
Last words*
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Poiché siete gli usurpatori della libertà e della speranza, della poesia e della vittoria, il centravanti verrà assassinato all'imbrunire."

Messaggio semantico? Messaggio polisemico? Carvalho si ripromise di chiederlo all'ispettore Lifante quando si sarebbero rincontrati.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.

Classifications

Genres
Fiction and Literature, Mystery
DDC/MDS
863.64Literature & rhetoricSpanish, Portuguese, Galician literaturesSpanish fiction20th Century1945-2000
LCC
PQ6672 .A92 .V393Language and LiteratureFrench, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese literaturesSpanish literatureIndividual authors, 1961-2000
BISAC

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378
Popularity
82,426
Reviews
4
Rating
½ (3.40)
Languages
8 — Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
23
UPCs
1
ASINs
2