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Behold the Fire
Thriller surrounding a POW/MIA emerging from Southeast Asia.
435 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1998
About the author
Steven David Salinger
4 booksSteven D. Salinger was a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and the author of the highly-praised novel, Behold the Fire. Salinger lived and worked in the Caribbean for nearly two decades, an experience that both inspired and informed White Darkness.
He graduated from Cornell '63 BS ILR and was a member of Sigma Alpha Mu.
He graduated from Cornell '63 BS ILR and was a member of Sigma Alpha Mu.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 4, 2025
Found this when cleaning out my mystery/thriller collection for donations. Remembered buying it back in 97 when it came out, but couldn't remember reading it until about a third the way through. I had read it before, but that being 30 years ago, I had a very different perspective now.
It is difficult to review, because it is well written in terms of pacing and plot and delving into a once important national concern (Vietnam MIA/POWs), now lost from the natial consciousness... BUT and literary value is overwhelmed by it being unforgiveably racist and misogynistic on so many levels it is nearly unreadable.
Published in 1997 as a debut, it takes place in 92-ish based on the events described... but it feels like a work at least a decade older. It felt very '80s in tone and content, though updated with '90s political and social references. Every character is more a caricature, from the nominally Jewish main character detective to his black partner and corrupt Lieutenant, to the paedophilic Army general out to win the war that was lost. Every woman is a conniving, sexually aggressive hunter of sorts, trying to get themselves a man, with zero other motivations... and don't get me started on his portrayal of the Vietnamese.
I could never recommend this book except as an example of the casually awful racism and sexism that was culturally embedded and accepted not so long ago. Even the '50s and '60s era serialized thrillers that I love (from Hamilton to Fleming to early Leonard) aren't so piggishly demeaning in their stereotypes as this book.
Worthwhile only as an example of how bad things could be.
It is difficult to review, because it is well written in terms of pacing and plot and delving into a once important national concern (Vietnam MIA/POWs), now lost from the natial consciousness... BUT and literary value is overwhelmed by it being unforgiveably racist and misogynistic on so many levels it is nearly unreadable.
Published in 1997 as a debut, it takes place in 92-ish based on the events described... but it feels like a work at least a decade older. It felt very '80s in tone and content, though updated with '90s political and social references. Every character is more a caricature, from the nominally Jewish main character detective to his black partner and corrupt Lieutenant, to the paedophilic Army general out to win the war that was lost. Every woman is a conniving, sexually aggressive hunter of sorts, trying to get themselves a man, with zero other motivations... and don't get me started on his portrayal of the Vietnamese.
I could never recommend this book except as an example of the casually awful racism and sexism that was culturally embedded and accepted not so long ago. Even the '50s and '60s era serialized thrillers that I love (from Hamilton to Fleming to early Leonard) aren't so piggishly demeaning in their stereotypes as this book.
Worthwhile only as an example of how bad things could be.
January 10, 2017
Many mixed reviews on this one. Lot and lots of characters to keep track of and a very confusing plot - you have to read it straight through or you'd be lost!! I'm not at all into Vietnam but there is way more than just war stuff. I didn't like all the graphic sex or the ending, so it only get 2 stars! Otherwise is was fast paced and pretty good.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews