Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Continuing the John Moore series, Legacy of Lies is a far-flung international thriller starring the titular character, a Vietnam vet and intelligence agent. In this installment, he embarks on a mission to rescue a friend from the clutches of Somalian pirates and becomes embroiled in a neo-Nazi plot to overthrow the German government. The narrative is often riveting, though the story doesn't carry a consistently unifying thread.
Prose: Overall, the prose is clear and appropriate for the style of a thriller, though it does get bogged down in repetitive details (often relating to airplane and weapon designations and the landscape and fauna of Africa). Frequent flashbacks to the protagonist's military operations offer backstory, but can sometimes take readers out of the more immediate action.
Originality: Marohn integrates a number of high-stakes sub-plots, with well-narrated action.
Character/Execution: In between stretches of procedural exposition, Moore reminisces about time spent in Vietnam, past operations as a CIA agent, and his emotional and physical attraction to the Vietnamese security office, Hieu. Despite his vast experience, he doesn't always emerge as a fully dimensional character. Hieu, the head of security for the Vietnamese president, proves to be an intriguing but somewhat inconsistent character, while side characters nicely populate the places and circumstances.
Date Submitted: April 02, 2024
