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7 of 8 found the following review helpful:
 THE ANATOMY OF A COUP Jun 06, 2008
By Red Rock Bookworm
I selected and ordered The Reluctant Colonel. Upon delivery, my husband confiscated the book before I even had a chance to peruse the first page. He began reading, and was not seen or heard from for a day and a half. Upon completing his read, he said "This is a fantastic book and it would make an incredible movie". WOW, this from a man who is not a reader. With a recommendation like that, how could I not begin reading immediately. Two days later, I surfaced red eyed from reading the 618 page tome but totally in agreement with my better half. This is one great read and with the right director and cast would make a phenomenal movie.
In the mythical country of Maraguay a dozen or so individuals plan a coup to overthrow the current DeSantos regime. (As with most of the banana republics, DeSantos had commandeered power from the previous civilian government). In return for turning a blind eye to DeSantos power play and paying him large sums of money, the US is allowed exclusive use of the strategically located Maraguay harbor.
By severing all communications, the coup leaders George, Felipe and Daniel are able to oust DeSantos while keeping the US ignorant of their clever scheme. The ensuing re-negotiations for harbor access by the new government involves power players from Cuba, England, France and the US. It should be noted that this novel could serve as an instruction manual on the ease with which foreign countries extract millions in aid from the United States without agreeing with its foreign policy
Although Merry has set his novel in the 1950's it is easy to see that his observations concerning the importance of skillful political maneuvering and negotiation could easily apply to the world situation today; and while he has a field day poking fun at the political scene, he is able to do so while resisting the mean spirited cynicism that abounds in today's media.
Through Merry's three protagonists we are allowed to participate in every aspect of their lives from the hazards of revolution to their amorous encounters. Yep, this is definitely a movie waiting to be made.
7 of 8 found the following review helpful:
 THE INNER WORKINGS OF A BANANA REPUBLIC IN TURMOIL May 26, 2008
By NeuroSplicer
A typical post-colonial banana Republic in the 50's; power is up for grabs; the Yankees are coming - with either fistfuls of dollars and M16s, take your pick. The locals try to figure the best angle to stay alive, rise on top of the pile and make a fortune - not necessarily in that order.
More Elmore Leonard than James Ellroy at parts, The RELUCTANT COLONEL reads as all of historical fiction, travelogue and personal memoir - as Michael James Merry lived in various Latin America countries for almost 30 years (most during the CIA golden era of puppet-mastering a string of fascist juntas).
RECOMMENDED.
6 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Best book I have read this year Apr 14, 2008
By Ramon Morell Zandalinas
"vestres"
It kept me unable to do anything else but read it to the very end and then feel lost because it was over!
I am a heavy reader, usually two or three books per week so I am used to good and bad ones but this one is so well written so captivating, so vivid that I am just waiting for the author to write the next one.
It is not only the force he uses to describe the story but also the color, the taste, the smell of each one of the situations inside the novel and the brilliance of the humorous tales shown at the right moments.
Thank you, Mr. Merry, for the superb book you have delivered to us. You are a very gifted author.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Flaccid in plot, lifeless in dialog, devoide of texture, and boringly long Oct 18, 2008
By Peter G. Keen
"rabidreader"
This book has several reviewers who loved it, so my viewpoint is just one non-Olympian and personal assessment to go along with theirs, and I present it as just that. I also try to avoid savaging books that I don't like, but I feel that in accepting the book as part of the Amazon Vine program, I really should review it and not simply ignore it. So........
I can't recall coming across such a lifeless novel in years. I really wanted to like it. The plot opportnity is so promising -- an insider view of the overthrow of Panama's Noriega presented as fiction and flavored with the author's wide experience and insights on Venzuela, Cuba and Latin America in general. But the narrative is so thin and rote. It plods; there is not a single character that comes to life and the whole book reads like a police officer's testimony in court that is shaded to present just the facts, ma'am. The sex stuff is about as erotic as an ad for Viagra. The narrative of the coup is soporific, even though it involves murder, blood, and torture. The introduction of such real-world characters as Castro and LBJ is as convincing and interesting as the minutes of a town planner's meeting.
The general style is, well styleless. Here are a few random extracts: "She displayed herself for inspection. 'What do you think about them?' she asked. 'Absolutely lovely', he replied. She moved closer to him. 'Touch them, please touch them...' With a great effort George pushed his chair back. 'Mandy, you're a beautiful girl. However, we're in my office in the Presidency right now. That's really not the place to be doing what we were doing....." The "however" is representative of the stilted infelicity that dominates the book. One more "He (Fidel Castro) laughed again. 'Come on, Ingles. I will show you a little of Havana and I will show you the Cuban people... George realized that Castro was right. This was the way to become close to the people and he was resolved to explain this strange morning to Daniel..." One more and you have a fairly clear overall picture of the writing: "Im not really very hungry. I ate at La Cumbia last night.'You did! Why, that's probably one of the best, if not the best, restaurant in Maraguay. Who were you with" The delicious Marion?' He jabbed George softly in the ribs."
There's six hundred pages of this. We need books on the largely shameful US role in the undermining of democracy in Latin America, of the personalities of the dictators, the coups, and most of all the lives of the people in coping and finding comfort and safety. I've spent quite a lot time in Chile, where several of my friends were guests of the Pinochet military for a few years and plenty of Guantanamo health spa modifications to their bodies, in DR, Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela. To understand Latin America, we must understand the rule of the generals. We need novels to help us emphasize and care as well as understand. I respect the author's aims in his effort to add understanding and see his book as an honorable failure, but it really is for me a failure.
Save your money. Try Rachael Kushner's evocative Telex from Cuba instead, and Vargas Llosa's brilliant Feast of the Goat on the last days of Trujillo in DR. This latter book covers very much the same themes as The Reltant Colonel but is so, so, so much better as measured along the scale of any literary metric.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A novel of historical fiction that operates on many levels, some knowledge of the historical context is needed to understand it Oct 06, 2008
By Charles Ashbacher
George MacGregor is a British national who now lives in the Latin American nation of Maraguay. He is a technical person who is friends with some members of the military of Maraguay, even though he is a civilian with no ties to the British military. When a coup is staged, he is caught up in the assault on the Presidential compound, helping the coup plotters take power. For his help in the successful plot, he is made a Colonel in the Maraguayan military, even though his is still a civilian mind, which is the reason for the title of the book.
After the coup is over and the military junta begins to consolidate their power, George is made the point man in negotiations with foreign governments and is tasked with finding the assets that the previous President stashed away. Maraguay has the only deepwater port for miles along the ocean, has facilities for a major airstrip and jungle that can be used for training in jungle warfare. Lyndon Johnson is the American President at the time and the war in Vietnam is heating up. Therefore, the negotiations with the Americans for leasing these assets are very sensitive, as there is always the implied threat of an American-backed counter-coup.
George also finds that with power comes responsibility and pleasure. Very attractive women, from the wife of an ambassador to other professional women are very willing to share a sexual liaison with him. There are many other pleasures that entice him and his fellow members of the junta down the path of corruption. Unlike the harsh reality of the world, George and his cohorts prove to be wise and sensible leaders, although they do have to engage in the elimination of some "undesirables."
Merry moves the action along very well and keeps a level of suspense about the ultimate results throughout. However, you must have some understanding of the history of American involvement in Central America in the fifties and sixties to understand the depth of the action. For example, when George pays a visit to Cuba and then informs the American representative of that fact, if you do not know anything about the relationship between Castro's Cuba, the United States and the Soviet block at the time, much of what is said will be lost on you. Nevertheless, if you understand the context, this is a book that you will appreciate on many levels.
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