The Wrath of God: A Thriller

Last year, I wrote that I had just been introduced to the writings of Jack Higgins, and had enjoyed reading his work, "Without Mercy." I have just gone back to the Higgins buffet line for a second helping, this time reading "The Wrath of God." Higgins writes in the action genre with a sparse style that reminds me a bit of Hemingway. It has the feel of a spaghetti Western that would be filmed with a soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. In "The Wrath of God," Higgins creates bleak and arid landscapes - externally, located in a parched Mexican backwater - and internally, located in the desiccated souls of his characters. The characters come to life as memorably flawed human beings. The protagonist - but hardly a hero - is Emmett Keogh, an embittered former IRA assassin who can no longer remember how many people he has called or why he killed them. Circumstances throw him in conflict and in partnership with Van Horne and Janos. Van Horne is a defrocked priest turned back robber, and Janos is an ex-patriot Hungarian doing business rapaciously in post-Civil War Mexico of the 1920's. Though an action novel through and through, with a film of film noir to it, "The Wrath of God," consistently poses spiritual questions: "Can the reprobate find forgiveness?" Is it incongruous for an avowed atheist to hunger for a spiritual connection?" "Can a deadened and benumbed soul be brought back to life?" Higgins has a long list of novels to his credit. I expect to continue sampling them for the foreseeable future.

The Wrath of God is an enjoyable story from Jack Higgins that is well worth a read. In 1920s Mexico, three men are brought together under different circumstances and blackmailed into completing a mission for a Mexican army officer. The three men are Keogh, a former IRA assasin, Van Horne, a priest who also robs banks, and Janos, an overweight businessman who stops at nothing to better himself. The mission they receive is to capture a man, dead or alive, Tomas de la Plata, who has gone renegade and is reigning terror on a small part of northern Mexico. I really enjoyed this book. All the characters are fairly well-developed and you get to know them and their motivations by the end. Not Higgins' best book, but his fans will definitely enjoy this western action. If you like the book, try and find a copy of the movie that was based on Higgins' novel. It stars Robert Mitchum, Frank Langella, Victor Buono, Ken Hutchison, and Rita Hayworth in her last movie. The movie differs from the book in certain parts, but just like the novel, it is highly enjoyable, and full of great characters and plenty of action. Check out The Wrath of God!

This was the second book of Jack Higgins I have ever had the pleasure to read. I spent the evening reading it and finished it in three hours. The plot was well paced and the characters interesting, a fine book and a good read.The action scenes were especially compelling.

Think of this book as a love story draped in bandoliers. The gunfights and outlaws are only there to dress up the plot. At its heart, this book is the story of a violent man redeemed by the love of a good woman. It is about how in a dark time, two people help each other reclaim their humanity.

One of Higgins earlier works. Good action tale set in Central American during the 1920's. The characters are well developed and the plot takes its own unique twists. Basis for an MGM film in 1972.