Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Vintage Digital (2012), Kindle Edition, 386 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:The electrifying first installment of the Harry Hole series. Inspector Harry Hole of the Oslo Crime Squad is dispatched to Sydney to observe a murder case. Harry is free to offer assistance, but he has firm instructions to stay out of trouble. The victim is a twenty-three year old Norwegian woman who is a minor celebrity back home. Never one to sit on the sidelines, Harry befriends one of the lead detectives, and one of the witnesses, as he is drawn deeper into the case. Together, they discover that this is only the latest in a string of unsolved murders, and the pattern points toward a psychopath working his way across the country. As they circle closer and closer to the killer, Harry begins to fear that no one is safe, least of all those investigating the case.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Andrew-theQM
This had all the key ingredients I usually enjoy, but for some reason I stuggled to get into this book and it didn't maintain my interest. The plot was okay but nothing more than that. I don't know if it lost something in translation but did just not hook me. There seemed a lot of descriptive
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passages but I wanted more interplay and dialogue between the main characters. Don't let this put you off, just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean you won't enjoy it - many have! For me it just needed more flow to the story. As a result I am giving it three stars. It was the first book in the series so perhaps I need to try a later book in the series before giving up on Harry Hole altogether. Show Less
LibraryThing member writestuff
Harry Hole is a detective from Norway, but when a Norwegian native is murdered in Australia, Harry must get on a plane to help solve the crime. The Bat is the first novel in the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo and it is an introduction to Harry as well as an interesting and twisty mystery. Harry Hole
Nesbo explores Aboriginal history and lore, as well as revealing some of the racism that is apparently present in Australian culture towards the Aboriginal people. His characters are well developed and he inserts some black humor into the narrative (although there were times I wondered if the humor I was seeing was real or due to the translation from Norwegian).
The Bat is an engaging first in a series novel that was not without its flaws. At times I found the pace slow, and some of the twists at the end felt a bit contrived. Despite those faults, I did enjoy the book and look forward to picking up the next novel in the series.
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is a chick magnet (and he finds plenty of women who appreciate his good looks in Australia), but he also carries some significant emotional baggage and a history of alcohol abuse. In Australia, he is paired up with an Aboriginal detective named Andrew who also harbors some dark secrets. The plot initially appears simple, and then begins to veer along unexpected paths.Nesbo explores Aboriginal history and lore, as well as revealing some of the racism that is apparently present in Australian culture towards the Aboriginal people. His characters are well developed and he inserts some black humor into the narrative (although there were times I wondered if the humor I was seeing was real or due to the translation from Norwegian).
The Bat is an engaging first in a series novel that was not without its flaws. At times I found the pace slow, and some of the twists at the end felt a bit contrived. Despite those faults, I did enjoy the book and look forward to picking up the next novel in the series.
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LibraryThing member BrianDBenson
This is the first Jo Nesbo novel I have read, and first in the detective Harry Hole series I believe. The plot was intricate, and it kept me guessing right to the end. Nesbo has painted some real strong characters here, and weaved them in with some Aussie history, and his own Norwegian back story.
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I personally like the way this author shifted from character to character, and scene to scene. I have read many reviews about his more recent works, and judging from this one, I am looking forward to how this series and character evolve. I think I'll be a huge fan of the series. Hole' character is very realistic and different in many ways to the standard detective fare. I am eagerly awaiting my next excursion with Harry. Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
Jo Nesbo left me hanging at the end of the previous Harry Hole novel - Phantom. Phantom was the 9th book in this Scandinavian series that features the conflicted and complicated Detective Hole. But the first book - The Bat - that introduces us to Harry is only now newly released in North America.
Harry is sent to Australia to assist with a murder investigation as the victim was a Norwegian national. But the local cops define 'assist' differently.
"What you're gonna do is watch carefully while we haul the bastard in, tell the Norwegian press along the way what a wonderful job we're doing together - making sure we don't offend anyone at the Norwegian embassy, or relatives, - and otherwise enjoy a break and send a card or two to your dear Chief Constable."
Harry is not the focus of the first part of the book. Instead we are introduced to Aussie detective Andrew, who has a sense of where he wants the investigation to go. Andrew was a strong personality and I felt slightly overwhelmed by this character. Nesbo weaves much Aboriginal history and lore into the narrative, which I found really interesting. It also added much to the plot.
Harry and his personality begin to emerge slowly as the book progresses. I was hoping that Nesbo would allow us some insight as to where Harry's tortured psyche springs from and I wasn't disappointed. And, as the case develops, the Harry that I've come to enjoy so much emerges. The character of Harry has been refined and darkened and sharpened over the course of the next eight books, but in The Bat we meet a raw, wounded version of the detective to come. One with "a weakness for living."
But, what hasn't changed is Nesbo's plotting. The Bat is an excellent detective novel that provided a 'kept me guessing' plot with lots of suspects to choose from. Reading the first in this series just confirmed why I have Jo Nesbo and Harry Hole on my must read list. Nesbo combines fantastic characters, great plotting, lots of action and suspense and yes, social commentary into addictive reads.
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You can bet I jumped at the chance to read it!Harry is sent to Australia to assist with a murder investigation as the victim was a Norwegian national. But the local cops define 'assist' differently.
"What you're gonna do is watch carefully while we haul the bastard in, tell the Norwegian press along the way what a wonderful job we're doing together - making sure we don't offend anyone at the Norwegian embassy, or relatives, - and otherwise enjoy a break and send a card or two to your dear Chief Constable."
Harry is not the focus of the first part of the book. Instead we are introduced to Aussie detective Andrew, who has a sense of where he wants the investigation to go. Andrew was a strong personality and I felt slightly overwhelmed by this character. Nesbo weaves much Aboriginal history and lore into the narrative, which I found really interesting. It also added much to the plot.
Harry and his personality begin to emerge slowly as the book progresses. I was hoping that Nesbo would allow us some insight as to where Harry's tortured psyche springs from and I wasn't disappointed. And, as the case develops, the Harry that I've come to enjoy so much emerges. The character of Harry has been refined and darkened and sharpened over the course of the next eight books, but in The Bat we meet a raw, wounded version of the detective to come. One with "a weakness for living."
But, what hasn't changed is Nesbo's plotting. The Bat is an excellent detective novel that provided a 'kept me guessing' plot with lots of suspects to choose from. Reading the first in this series just confirmed why I have Jo Nesbo and Harry Hole on my must read list. Nesbo combines fantastic characters, great plotting, lots of action and suspense and yes, social commentary into addictive reads.
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LibraryThing member pgchuis
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I have been vaguely aware of this series for some time and so requested a copy of this, the first instalment, to give it a try. I will not be continuing with the others. I found the translation slightly clunky, and the tone very matey
Disappointed.
I have been vaguely aware of this series for some time and so requested a copy of this, the first instalment, to give it a try. I will not be continuing with the others. I found the translation slightly clunky, and the tone very matey
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and irritating. Harry was an unlikeable character, and all the women in the book were disposable and treated badly. There were constant info dumps, mainly about Aboriginal culture, but also about a whole array of other things, and these slowed things down and felt unnecessary.Disappointed.
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LibraryThing member Makis
I have read a few interviews and reviews of other Nesbo books so I was expecting a certain type of book. It is, however, pretty apparent that this book is still a learning experience since about half of the book is not quite what I expected. The more familiar themes started popping up later.
This
I realised next day what the real problem with the book was for me: about half the book felt more like a tourist guide to Australia, or list of places where Nesbo visited while in Australia (he, after all, wrote this book during his vacation there). Just to emphasize this the characters go to great lengths to explain things that have no relevance to the story. It's interesting for a while but ultimately just makes the book longer without adding anything. If I want to read a book about Australia, I much rather read it by someone like Bill Bryson (whose book on Australia is brilliant).
On the other hand this realisation makes the other Harry Hole books more appealing. At least I hope there's less of this stuff in the books that are located in Norway and more of the good stuff that the second part of the book is about.
This
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book isn't yet worth the reputation that the Harry Hole books have but it shows promise. I will definitely read more but I don't know if one really needs to start with this. Unless the events are pointed to in later books?I realised next day what the real problem with the book was for me: about half the book felt more like a tourist guide to Australia, or list of places where Nesbo visited while in Australia (he, after all, wrote this book during his vacation there). Just to emphasize this the characters go to great lengths to explain things that have no relevance to the story. It's interesting for a while but ultimately just makes the book longer without adding anything. If I want to read a book about Australia, I much rather read it by someone like Bill Bryson (whose book on Australia is brilliant).
On the other hand this realisation makes the other Harry Hole books more appealing. At least I hope there's less of this stuff in the books that are located in Norway and more of the good stuff that the second part of the book is about.
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LibraryThing member ffortsa
This story starts off slowly, and in some way the reader is as confused as the protagonist, in a new country, speaking a foreign language, trying to solve the murder of a Norwegian in Australia. But it comes together, and nothing in the first part is wasted.
Harry is a classic damaged detective of
Harry is a classic damaged detective of
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the Raymond Chandler style, as filtered through a Norwegian sensibility, and seeing him in a warm, sunny, optimistic culture accents his differences. Of course, the plot tends to reinforce those differences, otherwise it wouldn't qualify as ScandiNoir, which it most definitely is. Show Less
LibraryThing member dpappas
“In traditional crime fiction every detective with any self-respect has an unfailing nose for when people are lying. It’s bullshit! Human nature is a vast impenetrable forest which no one can know in its entirety. Not even a mother knows her child’s deepest secrets."
I can't remember how I
I can't say that I liked Harry all throughout the book. Harry is definitely a good detective. I liked him the most when he was actually being a detective and not falling apart at the seams. Once he started drinking I began to lose a little interest in the story. Quite frankly there was little to no purpose for most of the binge drinking and blackouts. The middle of the book spent way too much time concentrating on that.
I had a couple of theories on who I thought was the murderer. I was pleased to have been wrong with every guess that I made. I was definitely surprised by who it was but wasn't all that satisfied with why they did it. I did like how the book managed to weave some Australian folklore into the story.
About halfway through this book I wasn't sure if I wanted to continuing reading any more books of this series but ultimately at the end to give the second book a chance.
I can't remember how I
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came across this series or why I decided to add this to my tbr shelf but I am glad that I did. Before I started reading this I didn't know just how much the name 'Harry Hole' would make me giggle. Thank God there was a misunderstanding and everyone thought Harry's last name was pronounced 'Holy' or the immature child in me would have really been distracted.I can't say that I liked Harry all throughout the book. Harry is definitely a good detective. I liked him the most when he was actually being a detective and not falling apart at the seams. Once he started drinking I began to lose a little interest in the story. Quite frankly there was little to no purpose for most of the binge drinking and blackouts. The middle of the book spent way too much time concentrating on that.
I had a couple of theories on who I thought was the murderer. I was pleased to have been wrong with every guess that I made. I was definitely surprised by who it was but wasn't all that satisfied with why they did it. I did like how the book managed to weave some Australian folklore into the story.
About halfway through this book I wasn't sure if I wanted to continuing reading any more books of this series but ultimately at the end to give the second book a chance.
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LibraryThing member souleswanderer
The first book in the Harry Hole series is finally being published in English, which is fantastic news for those of us who dropped into the midst of the series in The Redbreast, book #3. Albeit each of the books work as a standalone, those of us who are considered series purists want to know what
Just who is Harry Hole? A Norwegian police detective sent to Australia to help investigate the murder of a Norwegian student on holiday. A man with a troubled past, and whose presence is seemingly unwanted by the local police force, who inform Harry that he can ride along, but that they have the investigation under control. It soon becomes apparent that this isn’t the case, and Harry discovers the seedier side of society in a strange country with even stranger individuals.
Jo Nesbo does a wonderful job of bringing alive the people, places and customs while his protagonist seemingly flounders along. There is a backstory here that explains a lot of Harry’s future decisions and reshapes the thinking of this avid reader and follower. There is also the portent of things to come.
All of the brilliant nuances Nesbo fans have come to enjoy along with tight plotting, multi-layered characters and a story that you can’t put down.
Well worth the long wait, and a must for any serious mystery/thriller reader or anyone that enjoys a great read.
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came before and feel somewhat cheated that we are able to only read hints and cryptic passages alluding to previous cases.Just who is Harry Hole? A Norwegian police detective sent to Australia to help investigate the murder of a Norwegian student on holiday. A man with a troubled past, and whose presence is seemingly unwanted by the local police force, who inform Harry that he can ride along, but that they have the investigation under control. It soon becomes apparent that this isn’t the case, and Harry discovers the seedier side of society in a strange country with even stranger individuals.
Jo Nesbo does a wonderful job of bringing alive the people, places and customs while his protagonist seemingly flounders along. There is a backstory here that explains a lot of Harry’s future decisions and reshapes the thinking of this avid reader and follower. There is also the portent of things to come.
All of the brilliant nuances Nesbo fans have come to enjoy along with tight plotting, multi-layered characters and a story that you can’t put down.
Well worth the long wait, and a must for any serious mystery/thriller reader or anyone that enjoys a great read.
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
Snagged this on the fly as I was leaving the library. Someone had just returned it, and I took it from the librarian's hands after she checked it back in. Luckily, there were no holds on it, so the first Harry Hole was mine, mine, mine!
The English translations of Jo Nesbo's series of books, based
The English translations of Jo Nesbo's series of books, based
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around the flawed and human detective, Harry Hole, began with book three in the series. That's where I started, and where I became addicted to the characters and series. Now, thanks to Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Original, the first book in the series is available here in the US. The tone was somewhat lighter, though Harry is still damaged goods. He's off in Australia, where a Norwegian woman was brutally murdered, and Harry was sent to help out. Nesbo draws his characters thoroughly and vividly, at the same time interspersing bits of Australia and Scandinavia to readers "from off". One of the things I liked so much about this was the sort of filling in of blanks that pepper the later novels, and help the reader to understand what life circumstances made Harry Harry. There are references in later novels, but more is spelled out in this one. And though we'd long figured out the pronunciation of his last name, so that it didn't sound like an orifice or an opening in something, it was fun to read the Aussie interpretation of "Holy". Show Less
LibraryThing member Schatje
This is the first novel of the Harry Hole series but it was passed over for translation until now; in English the first book to appear was actually the third one.
The death of Inger Holter, a young Norwegian, results in Harry being sent to Sydney, Australia. The Head of the Crime Squad clarifies
The plot is mediocre. There are the requisite number of red herrings and twists and turns, but sometimes the story is far-fetched. Andrew’s reticence to divulge what he knows, except through enigmatic fables, is not totally convincing. Furthermore, the ending is peculiar, especially the location of the final confrontation with the killer; no explanation is ever given for his choice of this place as a hideout.
What I enjoyed about the book is learning about Harry’s background. The reader learns about the origins of Harry’s tortured psyche. In subsequent books, we see the depressive alcoholic who is tormented by the past, but explanations for his behaviour are sketchy. As well, in the subsequent books, allusions are made to Harry’s Australian adventure and now we can understand why it haunts him.
What also comes across very strongly is Nesbo’s sympathy for the Aborigines. Much of their mythology and the history of their mistreatment are woven into the narrative, albeit sometimes rather heavy-handedly.
This book won the Glass Award for best Scandinavian crime fiction, but I found it weaker than the other thrillers in the series, understandably since it is the author’s debut. Perhaps it is just as well that it was not the book that introduced Harry Hole to the English readers of the world. If I had read it first, I might very well have skipped the rest, and that would indeed have been my loss.
The death of Inger Holter, a young Norwegian, results in Harry being sent to Sydney, Australia. The Head of the Crime Squad clarifies
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Harry’s role: “’What you’re gonna do is watch carefully while we haul the bastard in . . . ‘” (9), but Harry, along with his Aboriginal partner, Andrew Kensington, soon becomes much more deeply involved. A series of unsolved murders is uncovered and it is obvious that a serial killer is involved. It also becomes clear that Andrew seems to know more than he is willing to reveal directly. Early on, Andrew narrates the Aboriginal creation story and Harry comments on its parallels with the Biblical version, “’Despite all the differences, sooner or later, we still come up with the same answers’” and Andrew repeats, “’Let’s hope so’” (53). Much of the time Harry seems to have to find the answers Andrew has already reached.The plot is mediocre. There are the requisite number of red herrings and twists and turns, but sometimes the story is far-fetched. Andrew’s reticence to divulge what he knows, except through enigmatic fables, is not totally convincing. Furthermore, the ending is peculiar, especially the location of the final confrontation with the killer; no explanation is ever given for his choice of this place as a hideout.
What I enjoyed about the book is learning about Harry’s background. The reader learns about the origins of Harry’s tortured psyche. In subsequent books, we see the depressive alcoholic who is tormented by the past, but explanations for his behaviour are sketchy. As well, in the subsequent books, allusions are made to Harry’s Australian adventure and now we can understand why it haunts him.
What also comes across very strongly is Nesbo’s sympathy for the Aborigines. Much of their mythology and the history of their mistreatment are woven into the narrative, albeit sometimes rather heavy-handedly.
This book won the Glass Award for best Scandinavian crime fiction, but I found it weaker than the other thrillers in the series, understandably since it is the author’s debut. Perhaps it is just as well that it was not the book that introduced Harry Hole to the English readers of the world. If I had read it first, I might very well have skipped the rest, and that would indeed have been my loss.
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LibraryThing member BlinkingSam
A rollicking good whodunit. Suitable for middle to long range flights - well written, deftly translated (the modern Australian venacular is seamlessly incorporated). It has a few things to say about the clash of cultures but when all is said and done it is pure escapism. Apart from entertainment it
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does not have a lot to tell us. Hence the three and a half stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member BrianEWilliams
A gritty police procedural set in Australia with a unique hook: a Norwegian cop investigating a murder in Australia. Exciting conclusion. Lots of local colour about Australia and its people. The story dragged a bit in the middle, but overall it's a well told murder mystery.
LibraryThing member polarbear123
Don't expect Harry Hole to be as scarred both externally and internally as he is in the Phantom say. This is the beginning of Hole's mysteries and it shows. The most shocking moment was in the first few chapters when Hole seems almost green in the way he acts in the company of the other detectives
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from Australia. Hole is finding his feet in this first book as is Nesbo in his realisation of the character as Hole - there are some inconsistencies in terms of how he is represented. That said this is still a superior detective novel and a valuable addition to the seris - why oh why could they have not been published in order so we could see the true evolution of a remarkable literary character? Show Less
LibraryThing member smik
Jo Nesbo was almost coy at Adelaide Writer's Week last year when he told us THE BAT would be released in English during 2012. It's setting alone, Harry Hole in Sydney investigating the murder of a Norwegian tourist, ensures that it is of interest to Australian crime fiction addicts, especially
I wondered at the time whether his coyness was related to the Australian setting, whether he thought that Australian readers would be supercritical about comments made about our home by an "outsider". Or was he embarrassed because he thought we would find the story unpolished?
But how could that be? THE BAT was awarded with the most prestigious crime writing award in Norway, The Riverton Prize (Rivertonprisen) 1997 for Best Norwegian Crime Novel of the Year, as well as the premier crime writing award in Scandinavia, The Glass Key (Glasnyckeln) 1998 for Best Nordic Crime Novel of the Year.
Nesbo himself says
“Written in beginner’s euphoria. A story which bears the marks of where it was written, both in terms of geography and my life. Just recently I read it on the radio, and to some extent I was dreading all the mistakes new writers make, but what struck me was how fresh and bold it is.”
Most reviews point out how much THE BAT fills in Harry Hole's back story.
Maxine Clarke said "THE BAT is a serviceable, tense crime novel with intriguing hints of what is to come".
But reviewers are divided about whether they like this book as much as later titles, whether delaying its availability in English was a good idea or not.
For me, the Harry Hole we meet in THE BAT isn't really the same person as we meet in later titles, although the signs are there.
In addition there's a lot more evidence of research into the setting than we get in later titles, possibly because Nesbo felt he had to explain the setting more to his Norwegian readers. At times it reads as if he has picked up a book of Aboriginal legends, studied the map of Sydney very carefully, and read a few travelogues.
I had trouble accepting that the Sydney Police would give Harry Hole such powers in directing action in a crime investigation.
Nevertheless an enjoyable and worthwhile read for me.
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those who have followed Harry's progress in the later novels in the series. I wondered at the time whether his coyness was related to the Australian setting, whether he thought that Australian readers would be supercritical about comments made about our home by an "outsider". Or was he embarrassed because he thought we would find the story unpolished?
But how could that be? THE BAT was awarded with the most prestigious crime writing award in Norway, The Riverton Prize (Rivertonprisen) 1997 for Best Norwegian Crime Novel of the Year, as well as the premier crime writing award in Scandinavia, The Glass Key (Glasnyckeln) 1998 for Best Nordic Crime Novel of the Year.
Nesbo himself says
“Written in beginner’s euphoria. A story which bears the marks of where it was written, both in terms of geography and my life. Just recently I read it on the radio, and to some extent I was dreading all the mistakes new writers make, but what struck me was how fresh and bold it is.”
Most reviews point out how much THE BAT fills in Harry Hole's back story.
Maxine Clarke said "THE BAT is a serviceable, tense crime novel with intriguing hints of what is to come".
But reviewers are divided about whether they like this book as much as later titles, whether delaying its availability in English was a good idea or not.
For me, the Harry Hole we meet in THE BAT isn't really the same person as we meet in later titles, although the signs are there.
In addition there's a lot more evidence of research into the setting than we get in later titles, possibly because Nesbo felt he had to explain the setting more to his Norwegian readers. At times it reads as if he has picked up a book of Aboriginal legends, studied the map of Sydney very carefully, and read a few travelogues.
I had trouble accepting that the Sydney Police would give Harry Hole such powers in directing action in a crime investigation.
Nevertheless an enjoyable and worthwhile read for me.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Eh, I know this is a popular book in a popular series, but for me it was meh. I didn't connect with Harry, the typical alcoholic policeman, out of his element and battling against enemies known and unknown to solve a crime. The diversions into Aboriginal Australian stories was just that -
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diverting. It took my mind off of an already needlessly convoluted plot which wasn't all that focused anyway, what with Harry's backstory and present love interest. And the resolution...it was just so inexplicable and made for-tv-movie-ish. A shark tank? Really? Oy. I think I'll be leaving this series at book one. Show Less
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
The latest of Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole novels to be translated into English is the first one ever released in Norwegian, back in the late 90's. At least for me this is one of the few occasions where I think translating out of order was probably the right decision. Even setting aside the fact I
The book sees Harry Hole, a disgraced Norwegian policeman, sent to Australia to be a kind of liaison as Sydney police investigate the death of a Norwegian girl. It is a sort of test to see if Harry can be fully trusted again. But, as those who have read any of Harry’s later adventures might expect, the path to even a semblance of redemption is a bumpy one to say the least. As far as providing many of the details which explain why Harry is the way he is in later novels THE BAT does a good job and the last third of the book was a reasonably fast-paced kind of yarn. The rest of the book didn’t really do it for me.
Most of the reason is length. The book rambles, endlessly, and often in a terribly earnest, almost preachy kind of way. I am always annoyed at being preached at but I am particularly peeved when preached at about complex issues such as my country’s handling of indigenous issues by someone who spent 5 weeks here before writing a book. In his trek along the east coast of Australia Harry meets an assortment of fringe-dwellers …Aboriginal boxing troop members, transvestite clowns, junkie cops, sky-diving homeless people, kind-hearted prostitutes and the like…who are all, rather unbelievably, as articulate as professors when they share their life-lessons thinly disguised as amusing anecdotes. Along with a few random and unrelated Dreaming stories these are inserted fairly clunkily into the book with the result that I felt like I read a combination whodunnit / high school social studies primer. I suspect most of this content would have appealed far more to Nesbo’s home audience than it did to me. But even if I hadn’t been mentally grizzling “but that wouldn’t happen like that” I’d still have been rolling my eyes at the rambling in this book. It needed a lot tighter editing.
When I read the next book in this series, THE REDBREAST, a couple of years ago I said of Harry
He is funny, smart, occasionally insolent, socially inept and has a tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve. At first I liked him but his realistic and truly touching reaction to a particularly horrible event about half-way through the story made me love him to bits. I rarely think about wanting to meet fictional people (because, ya know, it’s impossible) but I’d happily engage in a bit of black magic if it meant I could have a chat with Harry.
I don’t feel nearly so enamoured of him having read this instalment of the series. I’m not sure exactly why as he did exhibit some of those characteristics I identified, though he wasn’t particularly funny or smart in THE BAT. But it was more than that…something to do with the inevitability of his new fall from grace (i.e. the one that happens in this book not the one that happened in his back story)…like he wasn’t even trying to fight it. And his investigative skills basically boiled down to a series of guesses, all but the last of which was wrong with awful, even fatal, consequences so I couldn’t really respect him as a policeman. The rest of the (many, many) people populating this story were caricatures…none of them terribly interesting.
To top it all off I found the ending preposterously unbelievable. If for no other reason than by that point any self-respecting policeman would surely have told the towering blonde foreigner (who by that time was sozzled as well) to take his theories, which up to that point had all been disastrously wrong, and sod off which would have spared at least one innocent life. But the police in this book continue to politely sit back and wait for Harry’s next ludicrous theory before doing anything that vaguely resembles their job.
Completists will presumably want to read this to gain an understanding of Harry’s past but I wouldn’t recommend it to others, especially not those who have yet to embark on the Harry Hole adventure. It doesn’t give you much of an idea of what future books will be like and it might put you off all together. Given the series had a legion of fans long before this book’s release it is obviously entirely possible to enjoy the series without having read this instalment. If you are going to read it I’d highly recommend the audio version I listened to as Seán Barrett is a great narrator; indeed one of my favourites (and for the linguistically challenged like myself you’ll finally learn how to properly pronounce Harry’s surname).
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didn’t find it a great book I don’t think it’s a particularly good representation of what the series would eventually become and with it being set outside Norway, a strange choice for a first book in a series, it wouldn’t exactly have fitted in with the rest of the ‘cold Scandi crime’. Personally I doubt I’ve bothered reading any more if this had been my first exposure to the Nesbø/Hole phenomenon.The book sees Harry Hole, a disgraced Norwegian policeman, sent to Australia to be a kind of liaison as Sydney police investigate the death of a Norwegian girl. It is a sort of test to see if Harry can be fully trusted again. But, as those who have read any of Harry’s later adventures might expect, the path to even a semblance of redemption is a bumpy one to say the least. As far as providing many of the details which explain why Harry is the way he is in later novels THE BAT does a good job and the last third of the book was a reasonably fast-paced kind of yarn. The rest of the book didn’t really do it for me.
Most of the reason is length. The book rambles, endlessly, and often in a terribly earnest, almost preachy kind of way. I am always annoyed at being preached at but I am particularly peeved when preached at about complex issues such as my country’s handling of indigenous issues by someone who spent 5 weeks here before writing a book. In his trek along the east coast of Australia Harry meets an assortment of fringe-dwellers …Aboriginal boxing troop members, transvestite clowns, junkie cops, sky-diving homeless people, kind-hearted prostitutes and the like…who are all, rather unbelievably, as articulate as professors when they share their life-lessons thinly disguised as amusing anecdotes. Along with a few random and unrelated Dreaming stories these are inserted fairly clunkily into the book with the result that I felt like I read a combination whodunnit / high school social studies primer. I suspect most of this content would have appealed far more to Nesbo’s home audience than it did to me. But even if I hadn’t been mentally grizzling “but that wouldn’t happen like that” I’d still have been rolling my eyes at the rambling in this book. It needed a lot tighter editing.
When I read the next book in this series, THE REDBREAST, a couple of years ago I said of Harry
He is funny, smart, occasionally insolent, socially inept and has a tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve. At first I liked him but his realistic and truly touching reaction to a particularly horrible event about half-way through the story made me love him to bits. I rarely think about wanting to meet fictional people (because, ya know, it’s impossible) but I’d happily engage in a bit of black magic if it meant I could have a chat with Harry.
I don’t feel nearly so enamoured of him having read this instalment of the series. I’m not sure exactly why as he did exhibit some of those characteristics I identified, though he wasn’t particularly funny or smart in THE BAT. But it was more than that…something to do with the inevitability of his new fall from grace (i.e. the one that happens in this book not the one that happened in his back story)…like he wasn’t even trying to fight it. And his investigative skills basically boiled down to a series of guesses, all but the last of which was wrong with awful, even fatal, consequences so I couldn’t really respect him as a policeman. The rest of the (many, many) people populating this story were caricatures…none of them terribly interesting.
To top it all off I found the ending preposterously unbelievable. If for no other reason than by that point any self-respecting policeman would surely have told the towering blonde foreigner (who by that time was sozzled as well) to take his theories, which up to that point had all been disastrously wrong, and sod off which would have spared at least one innocent life. But the police in this book continue to politely sit back and wait for Harry’s next ludicrous theory before doing anything that vaguely resembles their job.
Completists will presumably want to read this to gain an understanding of Harry’s past but I wouldn’t recommend it to others, especially not those who have yet to embark on the Harry Hole adventure. It doesn’t give you much of an idea of what future books will be like and it might put you off all together. Given the series had a legion of fans long before this book’s release it is obviously entirely possible to enjoy the series without having read this instalment. If you are going to read it I’d highly recommend the audio version I listened to as Seán Barrett is a great narrator; indeed one of my favourites (and for the linguistically challenged like myself you’ll finally learn how to properly pronounce Harry’s surname).
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LibraryThing member susancrowe01
I actually listened to this book. I wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be. I am not sure if it was the actual story or the narrator. The narrator wasn't bad, but his voice was older than Harry Hole and I couldn't get an actual feel for the character. I believe if I continue with the series, I
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will read the next one. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
I really enjoyed this first book by Nesbo. The clever mix of Australian mythology with the plot gave the book an added dimension of eeriness and mystery, where folklore explains the darkness of certain human deeds. The author also carefully exploited the beauty of Sydney with the romantic scene in
The plot itself was simple. To be sure, I had fairly quickly guessed the end, but the back drop, Aboriginal tales and Harry's battle with his internal demons kept me engrossed until the end. Very enjoyable.
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the Aquarium followed by the captivating final pursuit.The plot itself was simple. To be sure, I had fairly quickly guessed the end, but the back drop, Aboriginal tales and Harry's battle with his internal demons kept me engrossed until the end. Very enjoyable.
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LibraryThing member sogamonk
Could not finish this book. I have read other Jo Nesbo novels and have found them intriguing and enjoyable to read. This book, maybe because is the first Harry Hole story or maybe
the translation was not the best, leaves a lot to be desired. I am sure that Mr.Nesbo's writing improved with time. This
the translation was not the best, leaves a lot to be desired. I am sure that Mr.Nesbo's writing improved with time. This
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book is boring and basically a waste of time. Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenHerndon
I love all Jo Nesbo novels and especially the Harry Hole ones. This one didn't disappoint me!
LibraryThing member salgalruns
This is the first Jo Nesbo book I have read, and I am now intrigued to read more in the Harry Hole series. I enjoyed this crime novel, which focuses on the Norwegian cop, Hole, as he travels to Sydney to investigate a murder of a young woman.
We get to know the background of Harry, which seems to be
We get to know the background of Harry, which seems to be
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the purpose for this debut novel. He is definitely an intense character with some baggage that hasn't really been dealt with effectively. Gotta love it. Looking forward to more! Show Less
LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
I remain bemused by the immense popularity that Scandinavian crime novels have experienced around the world recently recently. I would have to concede that this is better than the others that I have tried - after all, I managed to persevere through to the end of this, which is more than i have
What happened to the idea of empathetic characters and plausible plots? Or am I just revealing myself as a sad traditionalist!
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achieved in any of my previous forays into the genre. I am not champing at the bit to try any more in the series, though.What happened to the idea of empathetic characters and plausible plots? Or am I just revealing myself as a sad traditionalist!
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LibraryThing member maneekuhi
By now most readers of crime fiction know the somewhat odd release schedule of this series. But just in case....Jo Nesbo, author of the Harry Hole series, writes in Norwegian, hence the need for English translations. Which don't often get financed by publishers until the author has a favorable
This is a series that relies heavily on events in previous books, so finally having The Bat available is a bit of a blessing and a curse. A blessing because there have been many references made to events in this book which have been confusing and are now clear, and a curse because eager fans like myself will read three Harry books in five months with very different time periods. For example, The Bat was written in the late 90's. Cell phone technology was still very new for most users and not all features we enjoy today were available then. So there is considerable description of how cell technology works and how a caller's location can be tracked by getting data from 2-3 towers, etc. Then another passage where a called party id's his caller, not by caller ID which apparently wasn't available then but rather through some amateurish analysis of background noise. Felt like a 1939 movie for a moment there.
"The Bat" takes place in Australia, where Harry has been sent to observe, or is he being punished, or is he expected to assist? Anyway, Harry behaves for the first 50% of the book except for one rather silly bar room brawl. But then we finally see the real Harry, the bad boy Harry, and the book begins to get interesting. There's a gorgeous redhead, and there's an old flame that Harry ruminates about, and a critical point in the ending where the two somehow get mixed up in Harry's mind and confuses him - and me. Enough that I had to go back and read the passage twice more. There is a good twist and there are two especially tense scenes describing a carnival beheading act. Also, the location for the climax was an interesting choice, and the ending was two thumbs up. So as usual, mostly strong positives from Nesbo. But there are a few so-so matters as well. I have no doubt that had I read this book first in the series, I would have rated it much higher than 4 stars (and I think 4 is generous). But after 7 Nesbo books which have steadily gotten better, I have high expectations, and this fell short. The writing is good, but that first half was just too slow. I thought the choice of bait in the climax was totally unrealistic as was the short shrift paid to a recently discovered victim. Finally, I have read negative comments about the translation of this book; I found it to be acceptable with very few distracting phrases and expressions.
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track record. Nesbo's third book, The Redbreast was the first to be translated into English and published in the UK and the US. The Bat is the first in the series, only recently translated, and first published in English between the release of books 9 and 10. Book #2, Cockroaches, is scheduled for release in the US Oct 15, 2013, and the newest Harry Hole, #10 The Police, will be out December 10, 2013. This is a series that relies heavily on events in previous books, so finally having The Bat available is a bit of a blessing and a curse. A blessing because there have been many references made to events in this book which have been confusing and are now clear, and a curse because eager fans like myself will read three Harry books in five months with very different time periods. For example, The Bat was written in the late 90's. Cell phone technology was still very new for most users and not all features we enjoy today were available then. So there is considerable description of how cell technology works and how a caller's location can be tracked by getting data from 2-3 towers, etc. Then another passage where a called party id's his caller, not by caller ID which apparently wasn't available then but rather through some amateurish analysis of background noise. Felt like a 1939 movie for a moment there.
"The Bat" takes place in Australia, where Harry has been sent to observe, or is he being punished, or is he expected to assist? Anyway, Harry behaves for the first 50% of the book except for one rather silly bar room brawl. But then we finally see the real Harry, the bad boy Harry, and the book begins to get interesting. There's a gorgeous redhead, and there's an old flame that Harry ruminates about, and a critical point in the ending where the two somehow get mixed up in Harry's mind and confuses him - and me. Enough that I had to go back and read the passage twice more. There is a good twist and there are two especially tense scenes describing a carnival beheading act. Also, the location for the climax was an interesting choice, and the ending was two thumbs up. So as usual, mostly strong positives from Nesbo. But there are a few so-so matters as well. I have no doubt that had I read this book first in the series, I would have rated it much higher than 4 stars (and I think 4 is generous). But after 7 Nesbo books which have steadily gotten better, I have high expectations, and this fell short. The writing is good, but that first half was just too slow. I thought the choice of bait in the climax was totally unrealistic as was the short shrift paid to a recently discovered victim. Finally, I have read negative comments about the translation of this book; I found it to be acceptable with very few distracting phrases and expressions.
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LibraryThing member drewsof
I wish I could give this 5 stars. But some things were out of Mr. Nesbø's (or my) control here (looking at you, publishers...) and so what might've struck me as a blow-me-down-brilliant debut is instead a refreshingly brisk prequel of sorts - a case dug up from the archives to tide us over until
Indeed, for the latter, it's a perfect place to start. Just give it a few more months, til they announce the publication of the translation of the second book. Then you'll have a glorious ten books (by then) to chow down on, in order.
A bit more at RB:
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the next story comes around. Knowing where Harry is now and everything he has gone through, it's hard to ask a reader to care about these early days in terms of anything beyond filling in some knowledge gaps and having a little fun with the old cases. Still, for Harry fans - or for those who haven't discovered the series yet - the book cannot be missed. Indeed, for the latter, it's a perfect place to start. Just give it a few more months, til they announce the publication of the translation of the second book. Then you'll have a glorious ten books (by then) to chow down on, in order.
A bit more at RB:
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Awards
Glass Key Award (Winner — 1998)
Rivertonprisen (Winner — 1997)
Language
Original language
Norwegian
Original publication date
1997 (original Norwegian)
2012 (English)
ISBN
034580709X / 9780345807090