⇒ Libro Free Darkness Rising Frank Tallis 9781846053603 Books

Darkness Rising Frank Tallis 9781846053603 Books

Download As PDF : Darkness Rising Frank Tallis 9781846053603 Books

Darkness Rising Frank Tallis 9781846053603 Books

... not very well written in comparison with the three previous Liebermann/Reinhardt crime novels. Tallis's choppy chapters and gimlet false clues seem more formulaic. I had the culprit spotted by page 230 out of 374, especially since the most obvious suspects were 'exempt' for obvious reasons. The diminished role of the detective Oskar Reinhardt, in favor of focusing on his music-mate psychologist Max Liebermann, painfully reduces the 'human sympathy' quotient of the novel. The exotic Viennese pastries have gone stale from overexposure on the sales counter. And alas, Miss Lydgate really does seem frigid, hardly a vivaciously brainy women this time around, scarcely more than a label on a stoppered bottle of libido.

Nevertheless, I read "Vienna Secrets" with embarrassing relish. Once again, author Frank Tallis hooked me on esoterica. "Lurianic Kabbalah was never the exclusive property of a small closed group," declares the charitable character Priel at the head of chapter 19. I suspect that most readers will horse-laugh at that statement; the mystical/metaphysical theology of Isaac Luria is so totally obscure to Gentiles, and even to the majority of secular Jews, that much of Tallis's treatment of it will be blankly unintelligible to them. It happens, however, that I'm "up" on the subject as a result of recently reading Rebecca Goldstein's profound scholarly book, "Betraying Spinoza." Besides, Max Liebermann is an anxiety-laden Jewish psychologist! My wife is an anxiety-laden Jewish psychologist. Through her, some of my best friends are anxiety-laden Jewish psychologists, and the rest are mostly anxiety-ridden Jewish musicians. Reading "Vienna Secrets" is like a family reunion, a "shabbas" supper with elements of mayhem.

I guess I should mention the plot of the novel, irrelevant as it was to my enjoyment: Two gruesome murders occur in quick succession in 1903 Vienna; the victims of both are rabid anti-Semites. They are both decapitated, not in the usual savory way with a blade but rather by having their heads literally twisted off. Suspicion points to members of a Hasidic Jewish sect, but then a third decapitation confuses matters, since the victim is a Jew. Meanwhile, Herr Doktor Liebermann is in danger of losing his hospital position for a rash act of humane integrity....

... and then there's the specter of The Golem, the artificial man made of clay in Central European legendry, and the sly allusions to Jungian psychology before its time. The appearance of the Golem in this book will have the effect of making me re-read the novel "The Golem" by Gustav Meyrinck, a writer of roughly Kafka's era. The Jungian claptrap is interposed in the novel just to stimulate poor Liebermann's anxieties. But there's an undertow of subtle irony in this awkward novel, which elevates it in my esteem. A "golem" was just what the Jews of Central Europe could have used, over the next forty years of history. The brilliant rationalist Liebermann was haplessly, painfully deficit at prognostication.


Tags : Darkness Rising [Frank Tallis] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Vienna, 1903. Outside one of the city's baroque churches the decapitated body of a monk is found. Shortly after,Frank Tallis,Darkness Rising,Century,1846053609

Darkness Rising Frank Tallis 9781846053603 Books Reviews

This is a masterpiece of historical fiction. No schlocky pulp from crime magazine. This is scholarly, literate Austrian noir in fin-de siecle Vienna. The scene is quickly set on the cobbled streets of early 20th century Vienna with a decapitated corpse. Sigmund Freud struts upon the scene expounding on his dream theory-- larger than life. The author, a Limey wordsmith par excellence, cross-cuts rapidly and frequently between multiple characters and
perspectives to advance the police procedural at a staccatto pace. Max Liebermann is a jewish atheist psychiatrist. He and Detective Inspector Rheinhardt are the Starsky and Hutch team of old Vienna. So these are the ingredients that FT is sprinkling in. We have a blood libel and rabidly anti-semitic newspapers. We have prominent Jewish bankers, doctors, philanthropists and professors. On the religious side we have regular rabbis and messianic Kabbalists. And throw in some greedy politicians and mixed martial artist street thug enforcers. It is a rancid anti-semitic stew about to boil over; just like what really happened. The author is scholarly in his architectural, historic, music, pastry and period knowledge. If you are looking for mindless trash; dont read this. This is award winning historical fiction wrapped up in a pot-boiler. So cocky Max Liebermann has an ethical, religious, and moral choice. A morally bankrupt minor Baron in the throes of advanced syphlis is shot up with morphine and dying. Should Max allow the Baron the comfort of his delusions or allow a priest to administer the sacrament of the last rites? Max rolls snake eyes. He endangers his career and needs to make a clean get away to Prague. Freud comes out of the closet as an expert on Kabbalah. It feels like a Golem is lurking in the background. Dont worry; the suspense doesnt prevent the characters from stuffing their pie holes in coffee shops with delectable Viennese pastry. At page 200 this is still a worthwhile read. VIENNA SECRETS is a camera obscura capturing in freeze frame the jews of fin de siecle Vienna; and the soon to be forgotten legends of dybuks(ghosts) and golems(Frankenstein monsters). Max Liebermann is the sina qua non personification of the sophisticated, well-educated, assimilated jews of Austria and Germany. In their conceit they bet their lives that the pogroms to the east and of the past could never happen again... never happen to them. A fine effort. A must read. Kudos FT. The role of dreams in Kaballah and as a catalyst for Freud is an interesting intellectual brain teaser for a police procedural; quite a matzoh ball. FT elevates the genre with VIENNA SECRETS.
... not very well written in comparison with the three previous Liebermann/Reinhardt crime novels. Tallis's choppy chapters and gimlet false clues seem more formulaic. I had the culprit spotted by page 230 out of 374, especially since the most obvious suspects were 'exempt' for obvious reasons. The diminished role of the detective Oskar Reinhardt, in favor of focusing on his music-mate psychologist Max Liebermann, painfully reduces the 'human sympathy' quotient of the novel. The exotic Viennese pastries have gone stale from overexposure on the sales counter. And alas, Miss Lydgate really does seem frigid, hardly a vivaciously brainy women this time around, scarcely more than a label on a stoppered bottle of libido.

Nevertheless, I read "Vienna Secrets" with embarrassing relish. Once again, author Frank Tallis hooked me on esoterica. "Lurianic Kabbalah was never the exclusive property of a small closed group," declares the charitable character Priel at the head of chapter 19. I suspect that most readers will horse-laugh at that statement; the mystical/metaphysical theology of Isaac Luria is so totally obscure to Gentiles, and even to the majority of secular Jews, that much of Tallis's treatment of it will be blankly unintelligible to them. It happens, however, that I'm "up" on the subject as a result of recently reading Rebecca Goldstein's profound scholarly book, "Betraying Spinoza." Besides, Max Liebermann is an anxiety-laden Jewish psychologist! My wife is an anxiety-laden Jewish psychologist. Through her, some of my best friends are anxiety-laden Jewish psychologists, and the rest are mostly anxiety-ridden Jewish musicians. Reading "Vienna Secrets" is like a family reunion, a "shabbas" supper with elements of mayhem.

I guess I should mention the plot of the novel, irrelevant as it was to my enjoyment Two gruesome murders occur in quick succession in 1903 Vienna; the victims of both are rabid anti-Semites. They are both decapitated, not in the usual savory way with a blade but rather by having their heads literally twisted off. Suspicion points to members of a Hasidic Jewish sect, but then a third decapitation confuses matters, since the victim is a Jew. Meanwhile, Herr Doktor Liebermann is in danger of losing his hospital position for a rash act of humane integrity....

... and then there's the specter of The Golem, the artificial man made of clay in Central European legendry, and the sly allusions to Jungian psychology before its time. The appearance of the Golem in this book will have the effect of making me re-read the novel "The Golem" by Gustav Meyrinck, a writer of roughly Kafka's era. The Jungian claptrap is interposed in the novel just to stimulate poor Liebermann's anxieties. But there's an undertow of subtle irony in this awkward novel, which elevates it in my esteem. A "golem" was just what the Jews of Central Europe could have used, over the next forty years of history. The brilliant rationalist Liebermann was haplessly, painfully deficit at prognostication.