The Bomb Maker

Thomas Perry's "The Bomb Maker," features a title character who is never named. This is fitting, since he is a one-dimensional villain who is scarcely recognizable as human. He is a megalomaniac who embodies greed, duplicity, and malice and takes pleasure in destroying people "from a safe distance." The bomb maker knows that "the planet is full of substances that could be made to explode" and uses his knowledge to design and create sophisticated devices made to fool all but the most savvy demolition experts.

When the bomb maker commits an outrageous act that shocks the citizens of Los Angeles, Deputy Chief Dave Ogden calls in forty-four year old Dick Stahl, a retired Explosive Ordinance Disposal Expert. Stahl's impressive resume includes show more stints in various war zones and the LAPD, where he recruited and trained members of the LA Bomb Squad. Currently, Stahl operates his own successful security company. He is a shrewd individual who carefully analyzes each situation before taking action.

This novel is an escapist thrill-ride, a gladiatorial contest between two well-matched opponents. There are riveting scenes in which Stahl painstakingly tries to defuse bombs with hidden traps. He and his colleagues wear heavy suits with Kevlar and steel plates, and when necessary, use a containment vessel, a robot, and/or mirrors and video cameras to get a closer look at the bomb's components. The writing is crisp and descriptive without being ornate, and the story has a forward momentum that makes us eager to learn what will happen next. Although suspenseful and fast-paced, "The Bomb Maker" is neither nuanced nor realistic. The plot includes an unnecessary romance; petty political infighting; and shadowy terrorists whose contrived relationship with the bomb maker weakens the book's credibility. Still, this is a nail-biter that will make you appreciate the brave men and women in bomb squads all over the world who take terrible risks to protect others from harm. show less

Ends too abruptly and without the proper catharsis

Generally speaking, Thomas Perry writes by using only one plot mechanism: the hunter & the evader. The inventive ways that he tweaks that mechanism are what has made him a reliable suspense writer. He alternates having the heroes & villains as being either the hunters or the escapers. It is not necessarily always the police doing the chasing or the villains being the escapers.

His "Jane Whitefield" series is built around a heroine whose whole premise is to hide people, a one-person witness protection agency. His "Butcher's Boy" is a hit-man on the run from all those trying to run him down whether the police or other villains. In last year's "The Old Man", Perry set himself the challenge show more of portraying the escapee as a senior citizen and the result was one of his best.

Unfortunately this year's "The Bomb Maker" falls flat in the challenge department. The most unique feature about it is that the villains are unidentified and mostly anonymous. That may of course agree with a lot of unsolved or even solved crimes in reality but does not provide much of a catharsis for the reader. The hero is supposed to pass through a journey that purges an element of villainy from the world, thereby earning our empathy and identification. When the object of the purging is relatively unknown, the solution and satisfaction feel unfulfilled and empty.

I still appreciate Thomas Perry for always attempting a new angle to his plots, but this one just did not conclude in a satisfactory manner show less

Audiobook. I have read/listened to many of Perry's books and generally I like them. They are perfect for traveling, walking the dog, doing the dishes, mowing the lawn, etc. There does seem to be a common theme in all of them regardless of whether the protagonist is a "good" or "bad" guy and that's the sort of savior or lone man/woman against hoards of overwhelming odds. It makes for an enjoyable read if a bit implausible.

I enjoyed the story but was disappointed by the ending. It was a pretty anticlimactic and abrupt. Overall, the story was clever and entertaining.

If you are looking for a good, quick read filled with action and a bit of suspense this may be for you. I felt like I learned more about bomb making than I really wanted but that knowledge helped lend credence to the bomb maker's actions. While entertaining, I found a number of weaknesses in the plot including a superficial development of the bomb maker's character and an ending that seemed rushed and anticlimactic. I guess I feel cheated that there wasn't a head to head resolution of the cat and mouse struggle between Stahl and the bomb maker that carried the first seventy-five percent of the book.

Perry strikes again. A stay-up-late-until-you-finish-it book. I learned a lot about bombs. (I hope not all of it is accurate.) Perhaps not Perry's best, but plenty good enough.

This was just ok for me. Some aspects of the narrative were somewhat choppy. And not a very well developed main character as far as history and motivations. Unsatisfactory conclusion as well. I had read 'The Old Man' in preparation for the recent mini series on TV but also gave that one just 3 stars.
Thomas Perry just not my cup of tea I guess.