Watchman: Amazon.co.uk: Ian Rankin, Roger Allam: Books

Amazon.co.uk Review

While Rendell, James and Walters jostle for the position of Britain's Crime Queen, things are much more straightforward when it comes to male writers: the appearance of Ian Rankin's early thriller Watchman is a reminder that Rankin is securely at the top of the tree in terms of sales, and pretty near the upper echelons in critical acclaim. His series featuring the troubled DI Rebus, with its brilliantly realised urban Scottish settings, has consolidated a powerful reputation, although later entries in the sequence may have lacked the sharpness of their predecessors.

Watchman is something of a collector's item among Rankin enthusiasts--out of print for 15 years, this stand-alone thriller (not featuring the doughty Rebus) has been changing hands on the Internet for very large amounts--but now it's possible to catch up with one of Rankin's most intriguing books at a reasonable price.

Miles Flint is low-level operative in the world of espionage, with a watching brief that satisfies him perfectly; he's not a man who craves more active duty. But IRA bombs are wreaking havoc on the British mainland, and Miles finds himself with all kinds of problems. His professional career is in trouble, as is his marriage--his involvement with a seductive Irish woman is problematical, and his attempts to avoid a persistent newspaperman are failing. Miles is sent to Belfast, where he finds that his job is much more than merely watching people; the stakes are very high (UK security being the trump card now), and his life has become a ploy in a dangerous game.

There are shades here of two of Rankin's illustrious predecessors in the thriller genre, Gerald Seymour and Len Deighton, but Rankin (even at this early stage of his career) was very much his own man. Miles is a distinctive and conflict-filled protagonist--very different from Rebus, though sharing a messy private life--and the action is handled with pulse-racing panache. The espionage genre was not to prove Rankin's métier, but this sole effort is essential for Rankin fans--and that means most of us. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Very impressive...If you're worried you'll miss the comfortable presence of Jack Rebus, don't - this is totally involving stuff, delivered with the kind of panache that hallmarks the Edinburgh-set thrillers' (Barry Forshaw DAILY EXPRESS )

'What is impressive in the novel is Rankin's ability to handle a complicated plot, so that in the end its various strands cohere' (Allan Massie THE SCOTSMAN )

'WATCHMAN is one for Rankin aficionados, interesting in itself, but also revealing as to a direction he might have taken with his fiction, following his first novel, KNOTS AND CROSSES, which introduced us to Inspector Rebus' (Keith Jeffery TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT )

'A riveting read that will have you turning page after page until there are none left' (Alex Gordon PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH )

'A curiosity from the pen of Ian Rankin: a hardback re-issue of an early, pre-Rebus novel. Though it's not a bad read, it shows he has improved' (Allan Laing GLASGOW HERALD )

'This splendid piece of espionage fiction has not worn badly with age, nor does it seem the work of a yet immature talent. Brilliantly subdued, it has the air of a le Carre...Atmospheric and subtle, Watchman shows just how long Rankin has been our best genre novelist' (GOOD BOOK GUIDE )

'Intriguing to compare it with his Rebus books. It's less introspective, but still a must' (GLASGOW EVE TIMES )

'Watchman is of its time, of course, but it moves along at a fair old clip and shows Rankin to be as adept at writing thrillers as he is at putting together more meditative crime stories' (Peter Gutteridge OBSERVER )

'This is a biting and superbly wrought thriller that will enthrall' (WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY )

'more than holds its own among recent spy thriller fare, despite its age' (Mark Evans IRISH EXAMINER )

'Essential for Rankin fans - and that means most of us' (CRIME TIME ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

An acceptable early work 6 Sep 2004

By Peter Symonds

Format:Hardcover

Watchman is further proof that publishers are influenced by sales rather than quality. As Ian Rankin himself admits, he found it very hard to get a publisher for Watchman in 1988 and he certainly couldn't live off his profits. However with nearly 20 bestsellers under his belt his publisher has no problem printing it again now.

Watchman is perhaps slighly dated... its set in the late 80's when the IRA bombing campaigns against London where at their height. The main character Miles Flint is tasked with "watching" an Arab assasin and also supervising the observation of an IRA bomb making cell. The winding & complicated plot ties the apparently unlinked a dead Israeli "diplomat", an Arab assasin, an IRA cell, a gay MP & into one coherent story ultimating revolving around a power struggle within MI5. It also brings in a few characters that Rebus fans will instantly recognise- journalist Jim Stevens and masseur "the organ grinder".

Watchman is not as good as the Rebus books. Miles Flint doesn't have anything like the depth of character of the Scottish cop. Likewise the locations jump too much & lack the gritty realism of Rebus's Edinburgh. Likwise the plot is slow to get going & its not obvious how the various threads tie together making the book initially quite slow & confusing. That said its still worth reading, mainly because when it does come together it REALLY comes together in an explosive ending. Anyone who enjoyed the three novels Rankin wrote as "Jack Harvey" will be quite satisfied with this.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

RANKIN: ONE TO WATCH 23 Nov 2002

By "kartman1807"

Ian Rankin's third novel, Watchman, published in 1988, doesn't quite live up to Rankin's deservedly high reputation, especially if you have read any of the Rebus books. The main character, Miles Flint, a spy from London, doesn't quite match up to his Edinburgh counterpart, John Rebus. He doesn't have the same living on the edge feel. He's just a normal guy, no drink problem, no dark, mysterious past. This said, it is a very good novel, and it is nice to see Rankin describing different settings from a different point of view.
Overall, it is a refreshing, interesting novel, but not a patch on the Rebus series.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Watchman - the early years 22 Nov 2004

By Miss Michelle Lamude

Format:Paperback

Miles Flint is a spy! His job is simply to watch, listen and report back his findings to his superiors at MI5. The job suits him just fine. Miles is not your typical action-craving spy. Being a Watchman is right up his street. Problem is he's not very good at it, and continues to attract trouble.

In the midst of a career and marriage crisis, Miles is sent off to Ireland on what he believes is a simple surveillance job. Within hours he is running for his life, mixed up in a terrorist assassination on the wrong side of the border. Someone must have made a mistake, right?

Ian Rankin is renowned the world over for his DI Rebus novels. However, here we have a re-issue of an early Rankin novel, which will no doubt please his loyal fans.

Miles Flint is a great character, whose personality and confidence develops during his attempts to survive everything that MI5 throw at him. Will we see more of Miles Flint in future Rankin novels? I certainly hope so.