- Paperback: 336 pages
- Publisher: Faber and Faber; New edition edition (5 Aug 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0571154212
- ISBN-13: 978-0571154210
- Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 11 x 2.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 180,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Ratking
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Product Description
Book Description
BBC One's lavish new crime series from the producers of DCI Banks and Wallander.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
Police Commissioner Aurelio Zen had crossed swords with the establishment before - and lost. But from the depths of a mundane desk job in Rome he is unexpectedly transferred to Perugia to take over an explosive kidnapping case involving one of Italy's most powerful families.
'Tremendously exciting. This novel is both subtle and horrific.' Ruth Rendell
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Zen is in many ways a classic fictional dectective - middle aged, a loner, problems with relationships and authority. The Italy described is realistic, even in some of the later novels that are more ironic and playful. The characters are more memorable than is usual in dectective stories; suspects appear to have lives beyond their involvement in the events. As with many of the best crime writers, there is always a sense of things just out of vision, matters involving the rich and powerful that are handled in other ways. Not in a 'conspiracy theory' sense, the matters may be more squalid and banal than dangerous, but just because they know people. These are excellent books all round.
Although it is not really necessary to read the novels in order, doing so gives a much better understanding of Zen's evolving relationships with women, family, friends and employers as well as the changing political and cultural landscape of modern Italy.
Ratking unravels the dense knot of relationships binding members of a wealthy family in Perugia where Zen is sent to investigate a kidnapping. He quickly gets lost both in the labrynthine streets of the old city and the lies that the family tell to him and to one another.
Although it is not really necessary to read the novels in order, doing so gives a much better understanding of Zen's evolving relationships with women, family, friends and employers as well as the changing political and cultural landscape of modern Italy.
Ratking unravels the dense knot of relationships binding members of a wealthy family in Perugia where Zen is sent to investigate a kidnapping. He quickly gets lost both in the labrynthine streets of the old city and the lies that the family tell to him and to one another.
34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I usually steer away from books which are described as "another novel featuring ............." but not this series. Aurelio Zen has a stupid name but is probably the most realistic policeman you'll find. He's no angel but he gets the job done. All the books featuring Aurelio Zen are a great read, easy to get into, thrilling from the start and a central character whom one grows to love.Basically, read anything you can get your hands on by Michael Dibdin, you won't be disappointed.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
When I watched the TV version of Zen, I thought that it perfectly captured both the feeling of Italy and the understated personality of the man.
It is, though, deliberately different from the books.
On the page, Zen is noticeably less suave and the delivery a little less glib than on the screen. To the credit of Rufus Sewell, this doesn't necessarily make his portrayal of Zen any less convincing. In both the book and on TV, the sepia cast of Italy's less romantic side is equally brilliant.
Having read Cabal as well as Ratking, I think the Zen novels get better as they go along. Dibdin has a direct style but insists on taking you through both the cynical but sure-instincted motivation of the detective while carrying forward a plot which is equivocal yet forceful.
It is probably difficult to concentrate on if you don't have much time but very rewarding when you become immersed in it. On that basis, the further you get into the series, the more rewarding it will get and I certainly intend to try. Thoroughly recommended.
It is, though, deliberately different from the books.
On the page, Zen is noticeably less suave and the delivery a little less glib than on the screen. To the credit of Rufus Sewell, this doesn't necessarily make his portrayal of Zen any less convincing. In both the book and on TV, the sepia cast of Italy's less romantic side is equally brilliant.
Having read Cabal as well as Ratking, I think the Zen novels get better as they go along. Dibdin has a direct style but insists on taking you through both the cynical but sure-instincted motivation of the detective while carrying forward a plot which is equivocal yet forceful.
It is probably difficult to concentrate on if you don't have much time but very rewarding when you become immersed in it. On that basis, the further you get into the series, the more rewarding it will get and I certainly intend to try. Thoroughly recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Turgid plod in Perugia
Surprisingly disappointing. Dibdin's Aurelio Zen novels are always highly recommended and as a fan of both Italy and detective novels I'd been saving this up as a holiday reading. Read more
Published 10 months ago by C. Young
DISAPPOINTING
I LOOKED FORWARD TO READING THIS THE FIRST OF THE AURELIO ZEN NOVELS I HAD HOPED IT WOULD BE A GOOD START TO FURTHER READING. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mrs. Eileen L. Cowan
Ratking
I was drawn to this book as I enjoyed the "Zen" tv series. The book is only vaguely similar to the tv version and I enjoyed reading it. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mr. D. Mellalieu
Zen's and Zensibility
The Zen series of novels I knew about from reviews, but had not read any. The television adaptations I was aware of, but had not see any. Read more
Published 15 months ago by G. M. Sinstadt
Very good in parts
I really enjoyed this, being a voracious detective novel fan, and this ticked all the boxes. I was initially introduced to Zen through the TV series, although having now read... Read more
Published 15 months ago by currer bell
A Master Detective writer
Having seen the Zen episodes on the BBC and enjoyed them enormously I did a little bit of detective work myself and found out that Michael Dibdin had written about eleven books in... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Gordon Hayes
The intricacies of an Italian deception...
Like many others, I read this after seeing the series, and whilst much is altered and simplified for television, the atmosphere of both is the same. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Dr. G. SPORTON
What a let down!
How disappointing! I enjoyed the tv episodes of Zen and assumed I would also enjoy reading the books. This was not the case. Read more
Published 15 months ago by monk_man
A little "flowery"
Michael Dibdin writes well and describes the various actions etc in a very wordy, entertaining way. However, I do think that he overdoes this and I would have preferred each... Read more
Published 15 months ago by George Thompson
WILL READ MORE
I bough this after catching one of the TV series. I quite enjoyed it and will read more of the Zen series. Read more
Published 15 months ago by little red hen
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