Barry Eisler is no novice when it comes to writing character-driven action thrillers with exotic backdrops that teach readers something new and intriguing about events in different parts of the globe. If you’re salivating for such a reading experience, Amok is the ideal action-packed adventure for you.
Set in 1991, Barry Eisler navigates readers through a turmoil time in Southeast Asia, particularly on an island called Timor that falls in the Indonesian Archipelago. At the time, the region was experiencing severe distress as a years-long conflict grew between the Indonesian army and guerillas. When a doctor, Isobel Amaral, is suspected of holding evidence implicating the local government, in cahoots with a rogue CIA officer, of massive corruption and sexual assaults, Dox, a former marine, is contacted by the agency to help track down the doctor. Once Dox lands on location, he quickly finds himself uprooted when he notices a lot of discrepancies between what he was told and what he sees for himself at the hands of the soldiers. It doesn’t help that he begins to fall for Isobel which leads to a nail-biting conflict between Dox and a vicious heart-eating megalomaniac in charge of crushing the resistance. There is no room for error when it comes to professionals dishing it out.
Dox is an unorthodox name awarded for the protagonist’s unorthodox techniques and measures in taking out his targets. With a rough upbringing, Dox is a conflicted character torn between two sides of his family. His very-grounded emotions help imbue the narrative with a personal touch and makes for a character-centric exposition that showcases his development over the course of the story. While the first half of the story focuses on his personal demons and setting up the conflict in Timor, the second half takes off the runway at lightning-fast pace with one shootout after another. From long-distance gun battles to close quarters combat, Dox takes on his enemies in a flurry of crisp and vivid action sequences tailored specifically to get you a genuine adrenaline rush.
Amok is a very personal story at its core. While the action and espionage elements certainly work together to create a fast-paced read, it is still a very heartfelt story of good vs evil with realistic dilemmas and gut-wrenching realities woven expertly into the characters. You get a taste of life in chaos as well as intermittent moments of bliss and peace that rip you apart when the characters you come to befriend are shattered beyond repair. The heart and soul of Amok make it much more than a simple story of guns and violence and transcends it to an emotional tale packing quite a punch.
Follow Kashif on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Amok
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
