Mollarom reviewed 36 Righteous Men by Steven Pressfield
Review of '36 Righteous Men' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
I want to start this review by talking about its redeeming elements, which tells you right off the bat that I didn't like this book very much.
First, do NOT read the ad copy for this book. It gives away quite a lot.
I liked the first 60% of the book. It's a New York City murder mystery set in the backdrop of out-of-control climate change. I enjoyed Pressfield's take on law enforcement in the near future, where a single photo on a phone can lead to a coordinated high-tech pursuit that would involve drones if the weather wasn't so bad.
The book falls apart in the third act. Our protagonists abandon their familiar stomping ground for a setting that's much more wide and wild than an urban landscape. They go on a bit of a tour that seems to take up more space in the novel than it's worth. …
I want to start this review by talking about its redeeming elements, which tells you right off the bat that I didn't like this book very much.
First, do NOT read the ad copy for this book. It gives away quite a lot.
I liked the first 60% of the book. It's a New York City murder mystery set in the backdrop of out-of-control climate change. I enjoyed Pressfield's take on law enforcement in the near future, where a single photo on a phone can lead to a coordinated high-tech pursuit that would involve drones if the weather wasn't so bad.
The book falls apart in the third act. Our protagonists abandon their familiar stomping ground for a setting that's much more wide and wild than an urban landscape. They go on a bit of a tour that seems to take up more space in the novel than it's worth. We already know where they're going. We already know what they're planning to do. They spend a good chunk of that time not going there.
Then there's the role of women in this book. Look, I get it. We're going for some Old Testament type stuff here. But to have things play out the way they did because of the weakness of female characters, seemingly weak simply for the sole fact they are female, is jarring.
Overall, some interesting things here, but be prepared for a letdown. This book is unsubtle and uneven.