The Ghosts of Galway
By Ken Bruen
4/5
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About this ebook
It won't be hard for a man with Jack's skills to track down the errant churchman, but Jack has underestimated The Red Book's toxic lure and will be powerless to stem the wave of violence unleashed in its wake – a wave that will engulf Jack and all those around him.
'Bruen has a surreal mind and an unusual writing style of short, sharp, often one-word sentences. It shouldn't work, but it does, delightfully' The Times, Books of the Year.
Ken Bruen
Ken Bruen has been a finalist for the Edgar and Anthony Awards, and has won a Macavity Award, a Barry Award, and two Shamus Awards for the Jack Taylor series. He is also the author of the Inspector Brant series. Several of Bruen's novels have been adapted for the screen: The first six Jack Taylor novels were adapted into a television series starring Iain Glen; Blitz was adapted into a movie starring Jason Statham; and London Boulevard was adapted into a film starring Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley. Bruen lives in Galway, Ireland.
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Reviews for The Ghosts of Galway
36 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5I didn't care for the authors' writing style. It was very ADHD. The author jumps from topic to topic and didn't develop the characters in any depth. He unnecessarily name drops a bunch of book, and movie titles and the names of many different types of alcohol that do nothing to enhance the story. I know there is a story there but the way it was written made it difficult to follow the story line.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jack has taken a job as a security guard and his Ukrainian boss with the unlikely name of Alexander Knox-Keaton wants to see him. He wants Jack to find a legendary book for him. The Red Book is a blasphemous text that has been stolen from the Vatican archives by a priest purported to be hiding out in Galway. Jack is not the only one after the book as there’s a new gang in town known as Ghosts who are trying to get noticed and it seems like they’re interested as well. The enmity between Ridge and Emerald finally comes to a head and you know that’s not going to end well for at least one of them.The latest three books in the series seem to have more socio & political comment than previous with the Irish government’s introduction of the water tax receiving particularly harsh treatment but there’s also an eye cast across the Atlantic as well. All the usual hallmarks of the series are contained in this volume and it continues to be a joy to read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If you don't read Ken Bruen, do yourself a favor and start. He's easily one of my favorites and this book is among his best.With Bruen outlining the plot is almost needless because it's what he writes between the plot that makes the book. Suffice it to say that once again protagonist Jack Taylor faces a number of challenges as character that belong in an asylum weave in and out of his life.These books are talk, but come with a sense of Irish humor. I can't recommend them enough.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jack Taylor was once a garda, was great friends with a fellow Garda, Ridge, and once had a great deal of pride. No more! Now he is broken down in body and spirit, uses profanity prodigiously, and freely imbibes his beloved Jameson's and pints despite doctors warning his health was greatly as risk. Yet, he is one of the most interesting characters in fiction. He is an enigma, a man that violence seems to attract, a lover of books, all kinds. He has a very conflicted view of the church,even though one of his best friends, those he has left, is a nun. Never, never expect a straightforward plot. Instead expect quotes, from books, poetry and movies, expect fragments, snippets of Jack's thinking, Jack's actions. Expect current affairs, such as Trump, and Brexit thrown into the mix to give one a basis for time placement. I find these highly entertaining, puzzling and most inventive. I would really like a glimpse into Ken Bruen's mind and imagination.Not a good start to the series, one really needs to read this from the beginning. They can be challenging, but are always unique. Yes, there is violence, but there is also unexpected kindnesses. Jack does have a great sense of loyalty, cannot forget his mistakes of the past, is often dismissive, unkind, a conflicted contradiction of all the things that make us human. Some parts will make you smile, some cringe, but I love these books, love this character. Wonder what that says about me?ARC from Netgalley.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5After the last book in this series, readers were left wondering if ex-Gardaí Jack Taylor had finally met his match. Jack’s always been his own worst enemy & it looked like years of hard living had finally caught up with him. But very little in Jack’s life ever turns out as planned which is good news for us. He’s back, with dog Storm supervising his recovery.In the wake of his reprieve, Jack decides to take a stab at “normal” & gets a job as a security guard. But it’s not long before he’s approached by a man offering a whack of cash for a simple job. He’s looking for “The Red Book”, a controversial 9th century text that blasts “The Book of Kells”. Until recently it was hidden at the Vatican. Then a young priest snatched it & ran & rumour has it he’s holed up in Galway. Jack has zero interest in dealing with any clergy but could really use a good payday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go as planned…again.Then things get weird(er). Someone is leaving animal carcasses in Eyre Square along with cryptic messages. But this is Galway. If you’re aiming for public shock and/or outrage, you’ll have to get in line behind politicians & those responsible for the water tax. Jack’s life is further complicated by the return of Emerald, the young woman who first got his attention in “Green Hell”. Em’s always been unstable to say the least. But her tenuous grip on sanity has finally snapped & all her personalities are coming out to play. And some of them seem remarkably well informed about the book Jack is looking for.As usual, the story is a combination of Jack’s activities & his thoughts on everything from the state of Irish politics to seeing Trump hug Sarah Palin on TV (“to see them embrace in Iowa was to see ignorance & prejudice entwined”.) Social commentary is delivered with his trademark black humour & profanity. But his recent brush with mortality has revealed a more reflective side & we catch glimpses of a lonely man taking a hard look at his life. Quotes from individuals & literature are randomly inserted throughout the book, adding to the author’s stream of consciousness style of prose.The first half almost lulls you as several plot lines unfold & more characters take the field. Maybe that’s why a sudden act of violence at that point comes as such a shock. The story takes a much darker & deadly serious turn. You realize there’s a showdown coming & some of these characters will not survive. It’s a tough read at times but thinking back over the last couple of books, it feels inevitable & I should have seen it coming.This is a book for true fans of the series & not one I would recommend as a starting point for a couple of reasons. First, Bruen has a distinctive style of prose that becomes looser & less linear as the series progresses. Second, there is a tremendous amount of back story that informs each book & makes for a richer reading experience if read in order.The ending is poignant yet oddly cathartic & once again I’m wondering where Jack will turn up next. Just as an aside, two thumbs up to those responsible for the striking cover art.