Green Ripper

Travis McGee is one of those characters that is just so charismatic and irresistible. And while I still find "Flash of Green" to be my favorite John D. MacDonald book, there's something so appealing about the Travis McGee series that it keeps me coming back to them. "Green Ripper" is just another addition to the spectrum of colors that his great novels get their titles from. Also "Green Ripper" has such a gripping opening sequence of events, and such an array of fascinating characters, that you cannot put this mystery down. And while I found some of the middle sections unusually plodding (for MacDonald), this still ranks as one of the best. As always, I must add: I know that MacDonald enjoyed popularity in his time, but it seems that his popularity is running out of gas. I hope I am wrong because he is horribly overlooked.

This was one of the most enjoyable books of the McGee series for me, and I think the fact that I have read 7 or 8 other McGee titles first may have something to do with it. In just about every book, Travis McGee does more than just flirt with women -- he flirts with the idea of falling in love with them, but he never, ever does. And so this book begins with McGee certain that he's found The One, and then she's taken from him. So if this is your first time reading about Travis McGee...well I'd like to persuade you not to, ironically! Read "One Fearful Yellow Eye" or "The Quick Red Fox" first. Otherwise, I fear that this book may read like just another revenge story.

This is a book of vengeance and revenge. Travis has finally found true love, and she is snatched from him by death. At first it appears to be a lethal illness, then horrifyingly a random sophisticated killing. Trav is almost mad with a desire to find one face to batter and then to execute the killer. To face the fact that the murder appears to be an organizational hit with no single one-of-a-kind killer seems obscenely unfair. Travis follows some paper-thin leads, discards his identity, and infiltrates a terrorist camp sponsored by a cult religious group.This is a fast paced book, one of my all-time favorite McGees. I was struck by MacDonald's uncanny accuracy in depicting the terrorist personality way back in 1979. The healthy young American soldiers in superb shape confidently believed their next lives would be vastly improved by destroying the civilization in this one. They disdained, even looked forward to death. One character tells McGee that the terrorists will not "waste" their rockets on military vessels. Blowing up a planeload of civilians containing women and children was far more "productive."The finale is a fine display of McGee's sniperly abilities, derring-do and just plain luck. (Rambo has nothing on him!) The only thing that dated "The Green Ripper" was McGee's reluctance to treat the female terrorists as anything but "ladies" no matter how fearsome they were. Today no such chivalry (even if misguided) would be allowed.

One of the later books, and closing in on the end of the series, this is my favorite McGee sketch of all time. It is terribly tragic McGee, though, given the death of his beloved and the deepest depth of darkness into which McGee goes to find solace - even if it is the cold comfort of murderous revenge. I must confess to having a strong penchant for vengeance, if this is my favorite of the long line of McGees (oops, got me there). By the time the book is over, one has seen McGee at his absolutely most lethal - and rightly so. All along the way the eternal McGee reflections offer insight into the process of grief, revenge, and humanity - truly a wonderful read.

John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee seems timeless. This "knight in tarnished armor," as Time magazine called him, is as pertinent today as when "The Green Ripper" was published in 1979. Travis, once again, is confronted with his own mortality when Gretel, the woman he feels he is truly in love with, is murdered. McGee, as in episodes past (and this is the18th) feels that retribution, or justice, whichever comes first, is something that he, personally, must pursue. The "game is afoot," as it were, and the chase leads us through the forces of a religious cult (quite the topic in 1979), the Church of the Apocrypha. Travis "joins" to gain their confidence and little does he know the far-reaching ramifications of this group. The author cites George Santayana in a preface statement: "Fanaticism is described as redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim." And when you have finished "The Green Ripper," fanaticism is spelled with a capital "F"! Probably, "The Green Ripper" is the most suspenseful of the McGee series (always characterized by a color in the title). MacDonald is methodical in his plot developments and while suspense is naturally a necessary ingredient, in this book it becomes perhaps the most important aspect. But the author stays true to McGee, probably Florida's most famous literary character, and readers will not be disappointed. As in the other books, vivid description, poignant characterization, and a top-drawer storyline, marked by sparks of good humor, are MacDonald's trademark. It's a worthy read!([email protected])