Amok

I first read this book when it came out in hardback and I was working after school in my local public library. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. Read it a couple of times in the 80s, after I bought the paperback, then lost my copy. Something made me look for another copy recently, and I find it's lost little with age. The centerpiece of the plot - a Japanese holdout named Kurusu - was probably inspired by a couple of discoveries of Japanese holdouts in the 70s. The most famous was a Lieutenant Onoda, in the Philipines. I'm not certain how to classify the book - historical fiction, action/adventure, etc - and it touches on several topics without going overboard. These topics include the politics of country dealing with having been a former colony, the former colonial settlers (in this case, American landowning farmers) who remained behind after independence, culture clashes (Japanese bushido juxtaposed with the tight American expatriate community and juxtaposed with the local Filipino culture, etc etc - you'll figure it out:).... Its easy to view the book as a shallow 70s work (and a discerning reader will see some of that in the style) but its main theme seems to be one of a search for belonging: outcast soldier Kurusu found it as a Jap Kempentai warrant officer and maintained it while terroizing the locals for 30+ years as a holdout, American Mike Brandon's search for his place in life before he returned to his "home", the American community's desperate charade of colonial power after the Philipines became independent, Capt Shimura's coming to terms with his wartime activities when he cmes to search for Kurusu....etc etc. But none of this gets too deep - the action flows along. There is also a minor romantic sub plot. Great book in my little opinion. Try it ! (ps - a bit of knowledge of the Pacific theater of WW2 and Japanese culture helps the understanding. But its not required).

My only regret is that i can't find more novels by this author. From beginning to end this story drew me in. Great characters from the "long lost" brother who comes back home to avenge his brother's death...to the wily Phillipine doctor to the Japanese officer returning to the scene of the crime. Fiction based on fact with alot of insightful history. Truly a GREAT read!

I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I enjoyed the dark side of this book as it showed this soldier just trying to survive. This is excellent reading if you have the imagination. Anyone giving this book negative reviews cannot appreciate fiction.