Tanner's Tiger

Evan Tanner is a most unusual character, even for Block. Tanner survived the Korean War, but returned with a bit of sharpnel lodged in his brain, specifically in his sleep center. Therefore, he never sleeps – ever.

What does he do with all his time? Well, he has learned a smattering of just about every language and he has joined just about every group supporting every lost cause that could ever be imagined, whether its Macedonian independence, Lithuanian independence, Free the Whales, the IRA, and, of course, as relevant to this particular story, Free Quebec.

His contacts with all of these independence and subversive groups gives Tanner contacts all over the world, contacts he has memorized in his incredible mind. It also leads to show more trouble because foreign governments are often uncomfortable with his membership in some of these groups.

Tanner sort of works for a secretive government organization, sort of like the CIA, but not. Written in 1968 and set in the midst of the Cold War, it is a comedic answer to Ian Fleming’s Bond series. These books are sardonic, witty, and filled with humour. It is interesting to read about all of these groups trying to get independence when decades later, the Iron Curtain has fallen and been smashed into smithereens and many of the formerly Soviet Block countries are now free and independent.

This, the fifth book in the series, takes Mr. Tanner on a journey to the exotic land of Canada, particularly French-speaking Canada where he must deal with the Cuban mission to the World’s Fair Expo in Montreal. In tow with him is the impish girl, Minna, a Lithuanian princess, who, if the world was differently ordered, would be heir to the throne of that medieval kingdom. Of all the borders Tanner has crossed over the years, the Canadian border proves, strangely enough, to be one of he most difficult for him, given his membership in certain subversive organizations.

Of course, the tale wouldn't be complete without a French-speaking nymphomaniac who just happens to be an absolute knockout, the Queen of England, and a fortune in illicit heroin.

The bottom line is that this is a terrific, funny read, more in the vein of Bernie Rhodenbarr than anything else by Block. A lot of fun to read, and certainly not to be taken too seriously. show less

Another Block creation, called Evan Tanner, whose sleep function has been destroyed by a head injury he picked up in the Korean war.[return][return]Another short book showcasing Block's sparkling, silly, witty banter between characters that just "pings" off the page, as Tanner gets sent to Canada (by someone in the CIA neither of them are entirely sure that Tanner works for him) to stop the kidnapping of the Queen of England on a state visit.[return][return]In the next 190 or so pages, you meet Canadian/Quebequois nationalists of various degrees of psychotic mania and delusion, drug takers and sellers, Cuban kidnappers, Canadian police, the young female heiress to the Lithuanian throne, a drunk helicopter pilot......and all this leads show more way beyond the planning of an attempt on the Queen's life. Somehow Tanner plans on getting out of this alive, and hopefully with the girl too...... show less

This book might as well be a message in a bottle or a sealed time capsule of some kind; the mental universe that Tanner inhabits is so foreign to me. The treatment of women is dismissive and cavalier, although the protagonist clearly adores Minna and is raising her to be self-reliant and smart. I am trying very hard to be generous about the use of African-Americans as plot points, but it is really hard. The plot, such as it is, does not have nearly enough mixed-up-ness or use of Tanner's lunatic doomed causes/comrades -- the best scenes in the other Tanner books are when he has to shift from cause to cause within nanoseconds. And there's very little attention paid to his sleeplessness, which was always a fascinating device, and I am show more surprised by how much I miss it. show less

Block's Tanner series is probably an acquired taste. I classify them as quirky-humorous-espionage. Tanner is an ex-CIA agent who can't sleep - literally. He occupies his time by learning languages and communicating with every little off-the-wall subversive group and independence movement in the world. These often play a role in his adventures. In this one a friend disappears and he discovers that people are being kidnapped in the Cuban exposition building during the World Expo. (I said they are a little bizarre, didn't I?). In the meantime he mixes in with drug dealers, the Quebec separatist movement and others. What makes them fun (the story is rather pedestrian) are the numerous delicious puns Block sprinkles throughout. I enjoy them. show more Great listening while mowing or snowplowing. show less