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Rating:  Summary: The Elements Are There But Review: 3.5 StarsAuthor Paul Watkins clearly is a writer of talent. His work, �The Forger�, has all of the elements for a suspenseful, engaging read of art fraud, albeit for a noble cause, set just before and during the occupation of Paris. The story he shares should be a book read with great zest, and anticipation as horrible risks are run in the face of arguably the most organized and voracious art thieves in history. The Author is meticulous with detail, and setting. He also creates characters with depth, complex pasts, and unexpected conduct. The descriptions of the craft of forging an internationally known piece of art are more detailed than I have ever read in any novel. Often the great forgery ends with the final brush stroke imitated on canvas of an age to convince, surrounded by a time worn, worm eaten frame. Not so with this story. A forger requires much more than great skill and the ability to mimic. He must be able to tangibly create the passage of time. This must be done for every one of the senses, not just that of the eyes. The means by which this is done is truly fascinating. The Author�s style is relaxed, his book is not rushed, and it has the cadence of a deliberate, planned passage. And this is where I felt the book was mismatched. The story is one of deception, whether of art or people. The action takes place in the midst of a World War. If there is a time when pace is to favor the swift with unanticipated changes and improvisations, war certainly provides the setting. I never felt that caught up in the pressure the book unfolded its tale with. Paris may have been an open city, however the risks taken by the primary characters matched those taken much closer to the front. The Author also used certain historical characters that were almost too much. His story worked with the people he created, I don�t feel it needed the addition of notorious celebrity. And as I have mentioned previously, the explanation of the forging process was extremely detailed, with almost a checklist like precision. When a forgery is presented and the list is repeated almost verbatim it seemed unnecessary. It seemed the proof should be in the outcome, was the work accepted as genuine or not? There were also a few too many revelations, and an event or two that the story did not need. They came across as a bit cliché, and the writer did not need to use them. The book is a good read, and my impression may place me in the minority.
Rating:  Summary: Art Meets Espionage in WWII Paris Review: A semi-sequel to his book In the Blue Light of African Dreams, Watkins' literary (or rather painting) thriller tells the story of David Halifax (the son of the protagonist in that previous novel). David is a promising young American painter brought to Paris in 1939 via a mysterious scholarship which sets him up to study with a bizarre Russian painter, Pankratov. The first part of the story focuses on David's attempt to make it as an artist in Paris, living a spendthrift existence in a small apartment. Soon, however, he becomes friends with his two other fellow students and a shady gallery owner. One of the books' major strengths is how these characters-and all others, no matter how fleeting their role-spring to life under Watkins' pen. Gradually the threat of invasion looms larger and larger, and David decides not to leave (sparking a major revelation that isn't as much of a surprise to the reader as Watkins probably intended). This leads to his involvement in an elaborate scheme to hide valuable French artwork from the Nazis, who have been systematically looting the countries they sweep though. The scheme involves forging old master paintings and trading them to the Germans for confiscated "degenerate" Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces destined for destruction. It's a small-scale thriller, not end-of-the-world stuff, but perhaps richer for staying within reasonable bounds (although a late scene with Goering veers from the rest of the book). There's plenty of tension as David and his accomplices must walk a tightrope in dealing with and deceiving the dangerous Germans, and facing reprisal from the French who see them as collaborators. The final third of the book feels a bit rushed, especially given the length of buildup, but the atmosphere is great throughout. From the dusty classroom, to David's damp apartment, to the cave-like forging studio, to smoky cafés, and occupied streets, the book is crammed with oppressive sets. Watkins writes in an understated but vivd prose that projects the images into the mind in cinematic fashion. The details of painting forgery are intriguing, and the psychology of why men (and women) would risk their lives for art is handled very well. The book is not quite a masterpiece, but it is a very solid tale that will appeal to art lovers, WWII buffs, and general readers.
Rating:  Summary: A unique look at WWII Paris Review: Although not a sequel per se, this book follows the story of David Halifax (who's father was the main character in Paul Watkins' previous novel, "In The Blue Light of African Dreams") as he travels to WWII Paris to pursue his art education under the direction of the famous teacher, Alexander Pankratov. Like its predecessor, the plot of "The Forger" is very loosely based on actual events. Perhaps no painter has been as successfully copied as Jan Vermeer. In the early 1940's, Hans van Meergeren, another (less talented) Dutch painter, claimed to have discovered several lost paintings by the master Vermeer. A rare (and valuable) find since only about 35 originals are know to exist. He sold these "lost paintings" to Hermann Goering and was put on trial by the Dutch after World War II for selling national treasures to the Nazis. Van Meergeren eventually proved himself innocent by painting another "Vermeer" in his jail cell. Paul Watkins' fictional narrative of these events is skillfully told through the eyes of the likable protagonist, David Halifax. He presents his time and place with eerie clarity, capturing the essence of living in the world's most beautiful city during the ugliest time in its history. And he does this while showing us that great forgery is an art unto itself.
Rating:  Summary: The Forger Review: I picked up this novel against my better judgment (I tried to read one of Watkins other books---In the Blue Light of African Dreams---which was equally poor) simply because it was about Paris and the story sounded enticing. Sadly, the author is so artless in his storytelling that there is little to make me even want to finish the book. His writing style is non-existent: The book reads like a slapdash first draft. The main character is a blank canvas, and while the other characters have interesting backgrounds, they don't live or breathe. Finally, there are so many preposterous twists and errors of time and setting that even the enticing story ends up being unbelievable and uninteresting.
Rating:  Summary: Lesson In History Review: THE FORGER by Paul Watkins It's a good lesson in history--how the people lived and died in Paris during the occupation through the Second World War. David Halifax, art student, went to Paris just before the war and stayed until the end of the war. He survived by becoming a master forger and helping France save some of her paintings. He worked with the Nazis and the German Embassy playing one side against the other. Meanwhile, he was observing the people around him, painting and working at staying alive. He managed to get through the war without being killed by the French resistance or the Nazis. I like this book it is an honest attempt to show how the people live, or at least survive in a war.
Rating:  Summary: Lesson In History Review: THE FORGER by Paul Watkins It's a good lesson in history--how the people lived and died in Paris during the occupation through the Second World War. David Halifax, art student, went to Paris just before the war and stayed until the end of the war. He survived by becoming a master forger and helping France save some of her paintings. He worked with the Nazis and the German Embassy playing one side against the other. Meanwhile, he was observing the people around him, painting and working at staying alive. He managed to get through the war without being killed by the French resistance or the Nazis. I like this book it is an honest attempt to show how the people live, or at least survive in a war.
Rating:  Summary: Artistic view of World War II Review: The forgery of irreplaceable works of art requires key ingredients: a talented artist, knowledge of history and chemistry, a demanding apprenticeship, and the nerve to attempt to trick the experts. David Halifax, an art student, is drawn into this tentative situation while living in Nazi occupied Paris. Once again, the author does a fine job of depicting the locale, and giving his readers insight into the personalities of the characters. This novel earned a spot on the best seller list in the U.K. after its initial release. Several recently published works of fiction have storylines involving the Dutch artist Vermeer(see Art in America, March 2001 issue). The Astronomer, a Vermeer masterpiece, makes an appearance as The Forger tensely moves towards its conclusion. While studying a print of The Astronomer, I can imagine Paul Watkins sitting at his desk, pondering the globe, researching his interests, and determining the setting and content of his next novel. The wheels are always turning...
Rating:  Summary: Competent Thriller Review: This is an effort at a high quality thriller set during the Second World War. This is a common setting and Watkins particular slant is to center the plot around French efforts to prevent the Germans from looting French artistic treasures. The hero is a young American painter who becomes involved in forging Old Master artworks that are traded to the Germans for modernist works. The plot and period detail are very good. The book, while written well, lacks something that would transform it from a good thriller to a really good novel. The characters are not cliched but not really interesting either. The evocation of Paris during the Occupation is competent but not gripping. This book is not as good as some of Watkins other work, such as the Story of My Disappearance or In The Blue Light of African Dreams.
Rating:  Summary: Competent Thriller Review: This is an effort at a high quality thriller set during the Second World War. This is a common setting and Watkins particular slant is to center the plot around French efforts to prevent the Germans from looting French artistic treasures. The hero is a young American painter who becomes involved in forging Old Master artworks that are traded to the Germans for modernist works. The plot and period detail are very good. The book, while written well, lacks something that would transform it from a good thriller to a really good novel. The characters are not cliched but not really interesting either. The evocation of Paris during the Occupation is competent but not gripping. This book is not as good as some of Watkins other work, such as the Story of My Disappearance or In The Blue Light of African Dreams.
Rating:  Summary: Good story in a dramatic, historic setting.... Review: This was the first thing I've read by Paul Watkins. It won't be the last. This is an engaging story with interesting characters who are caught, as everyone was, in the fast moving events of war in Europe. It reminded me somewhat of Alan Furst, one of my favorite writers ("Dark Star", "The Polish Lieutenant", several others) Furst's work is darker, even more atmospheric and told from a stronger European perspective. "The Forger" is a lighter read, yet still has substance. I'd recommend this book for its story, characters, and the fascinating picture of certain aspects of the art world, forgery, etc.
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