Rating: 
Summary: Fish stories
Review: Arkady Renko, late of the office of the Moscow Prosecutor, is called upon by the captain of the Polar Star, a factory ship, to investigate the death of one of the galley workers. It seems that the girl, a Georgian, Zina had fallen from the ship and her body had been recovered in one of the nets. Renko was employed in the factory operation, or the slime line as was popularly said. In Sakhalin Zina had paraded on the decks in her bathing suit. The Polar Star was like a Soviet Village on American waters. The first mate on a Soviet ship was the political officer. The first mate told Arkady Renko that a finding of suicide would be the best thing. Renko attended the autopsy of the deceased. The ship went out for six months at a time. It is Soviet territory on a Soviet ship notwithstanding American waters. Everyone on the ship should be nervous. Zina was very democratic. It would seem that there was no special man. Zina Patiashvili was last seen at a dance in the cafeteria. There was a contention it was a freak accident. She may have fallen on the stairs and rolled into the sea. It was the genius of Soviet democracy that all meetings should meet comradely unanimity. Renko violated this state of affairs. Renko contended she was killed on the ship and stored there. She was stabbed to prevent her from going to the surface. Renko had been dismissed from the Moscow prosecutor's office. Arkady is deemed to have had a shady past, but someone puts in a good word for him. He may be politically reckless but there is no question of his professional abilities. The back story is he was held and questioned and abused in a psychiatric hospital. He was released clandestinely. He was told that he needed to go somewhere where no one would follow him. He was employed above the Arctic Circle as a watchman in Norilsk. On his second month on the job he saw two security men and moved east in Siberia. Fortunately there was a labor shortage. At the end of the second year he arrived at Vladivostok. He signed onto the Polar Star. Arkady was told there were Americans on the boat. It was a joint venture. Arkady had a second class visa. He could not leave the ship at foreign ports. Zina had tapes and a microphone in her tape player. After seventy years of socialism thieves' songs had become the counter-anthem of the Soviet Union. Zina dwelt in the world of hidden photographs and secret tapes. In the hold Renko looked for the lair of a lieutenant of naval intelligence he had heard on a tape. He was hit and thrown into a cold storage unit by three people. Arkady was saved by a roommate of Zina's he had enlisted to assist him in the investigation. Arkady had an important father and went to special schools. After four months of fishing Arkady's fellow workers were now lined up for port call. He notes that in irony the Soviet Union leads the world. Arkady left the ship via an officer bearing a German name, Hess, on a sort of special pass. Without money Arkady felt like a voyeur. None had been issued to him for his impromptu excursion. Maybe Arkady had been seduced by Dostoevsky's intelligent interrogator in CRIME AND PUNISHMENT to become an interrogator himself. Susan, the American, saw him ashore. Then he saw Marchuk, the captain, Hess, and George Morgan, another one of the Americans. Morgan stopped her from talking to Arkady. Circumstances in this book in keeping with circumstances in general in the Soviet Union are always mysterious. One awaits with interest the unraveling of the politics through information gleaned from the now opened archives. Americans get drunk and get loud, Russians get serious. Happiness is the maximum agreement of reality and desire. Susan and Zina were friends. According to Susan Zina was a Russian Norma Jean. Arkady followed Mikhail, an Aleut, to a bunker. The trawlmaster and the first mate followed him. Mikhail was dead. Karp, the trawlmaster, was a criminal Arkady knew. Karp killed the first mate and saved Arkady. I will not detail the further adventures of Arkady as he soulght to evade the murderous wrath of Karp. Suffice to say that he escaped danger. There was a sheet of ice. Americans were getting rich and the Soviets were doubling their daily plan. Slava Bukovsky had been nominated to take the place of the deceased political officer. An interested detail provided by the author is that a Soviet ship is oveheated. With two people in body bags the captain worried that his next assignment would be a garbage scow. Arkady discovered the Naval intelligence connection to the girl Zina, someone named Nikolai. He finally stumbled across a deep issue, a reason for his employment as an The plot continues--eventful, exciting, tangled. This is in the style of John Le Carre. It is excellent.
Rating: 
Summary: hero of "Gorky Park" returns
Review: During the early days of Glasnost, the fishing-factory ship "Polar Star" sails the polar waters of the North Pacific in a cooperative deal with the Americans. With the Soviet State still in existence, communism is still the rule. The agreement with the Americans is therefore on thin ice. When the body of one of the ship's crew, a beautiful and bold Georgian girl named Zina, comes up with the latest catch of Pollack, the Captain calls for investigation. Unfortunately, the only man capable of running the investigation is a disgraced, and probably fugitive former Moscow investigator named Arkady Renko. Yeah, that's right, the guy from "Gorky Park" (who would also go on to witness the abortive 1991 coup in "Red Square" and post-Soviet Cuba in "Havana Bay"). If you haven't read any of those books, I see no reason why you can't start with this one - though they're all worthy reads. Renko, a loyal soviet police detective, proved too loyal by the end of "Gorky Park", in which he unmasked a conspiracy involving murder and sable-smuggling. In "Star", we learn that Renko was locked away in an asylum - probably to keep him from implicating any higher-ups in the events of "Park". He is sprung from prison by an unlikely ally - KGB General Pribluda, a man Renko once tried to implicate in multiple murder. Free, after a fashion, Renko knows that he's marked, and wisely flees Moscow, braves the wastes of Siberia (where car engines run all night long to keep from freezing) and manages to arrive in Vladivostok. Desperate to elude re-capture, Renko takes the lowest job on ship - the "slime-line". By the time of Zina's death, Renko hasn't left the ship in a year. Dragooned by Captain Marchuk into the investigation, Renko pursues leads that may implicate the Americans in smuggling drugs, or the "Polar Star's" communist masters in using the ship to spy on the Americans. Now out of the ship's hold, Renko's search for answers brings him to Nastasha, a beautiful but loyal communist "with eyes as black as Stalin, but nice", Susan, a golden girl who seems to symbolize the promise of American prosperity, and Karp, a viscious thug with a penchant for murder and a grudge against Renko. Though Karp is an obvious suspect, Renko finds plenty of reason to suspect just about everybody - and soon all begin to regret calling him to the case. "Polar Star" excels on its full-blooded and sympathetic characters and wonderfully nuanced perspectives. (Is Karp really bad? We're not sure. Regardless of the answer, he's a presence we can't forget). The mystery, the setting and the characters make "Polar Star" poles apart from lesser novels.
Rating:
Summary: hero of "Gorky Park" returns
Review: During the early days of Glasnost, the fishing-factory ship "Polar Star" sails the polar waters of the North Pacific in a cooperative deal with the Americans. With the Soviet State still in existence, communism is still the rule. The agreement with the Americans is therefore on thin ice. When the body of one of the ship's crew, a beautiful and bold Georgian girl named Zina, comes up with the latest catch of Pollack, the Captain calls for investigation. Unfortunately, the only man capable of running the investigation is a disgraced, and probably fugitive former Moscow investigator named Arkady Renko. Yeah, that's right, the guy from "Gorky Park" (who would also go on to witness the abortive 1991 coup in "Red Square" and post-Soviet Cuba in "Havana Bay"). If you haven't read any of those books, I see no reason why you can't start with this one - though they're all worthy reads. Renko, a loyal soviet police detective, proved too loyal by the end of "Gorky Park", in which he unmasked a conspiracy involving murder and sable-smuggling. In "Star", we learn that Renko was locked away in an asylum - probably to keep him from implicating any higher-ups in the events of "Park". He is sprung from prison by an unlikely ally - KGB General Pribluda, a man Renko once tried to implicate in multiple murder. Free, after a fashion, Renko knows that he's marked, and wisely flees Moscow, braves the wastes of Siberia (where car engines run all night long to keep from freezing) and manages to arrive in Vladivostok. Desperate to elude re-capture, Renko takes the lowest job on ship - the "slime-line". By the time of Zina's death, Renko hasn't left the ship in a year. Dragooned by Captain Marchuk into the investigation, Renko pursues leads that may implicate the Americans in smuggling drugs, or the "Polar Star's" communist masters in using the ship to spy on the Americans. Now out of the ship's hold, Renko's search for answers brings him to Nastasha, a beautiful but loyal communist "with eyes as black as Stalin, but nice", Susan, a golden girl who seems to symbolize the promise of American prosperity, and Karp, a viscious thug with a penchant for murder and a grudge against Renko. Though Karp is an obvious suspect, Renko finds plenty of reason to suspect just about everybody - and soon all begin to regret calling him to the case. "Polar Star" excels on its full-blooded and sympathetic characters and wonderfully nuanced perspectives. (Is Karp really bad? We're not sure. Regardless of the answer, he's a presence we can't forget). The mystery, the setting and the characters make "Polar Star" poles apart from lesser novels.
Rating:
Summary: An exceptional read
Review: I have just read the first three Arkady Renko novels (Gorky Park, Polar Star, and Red Square) by Martin Cruz Smith, and am currently enjoying his fourth featuring the Moscow investigator (Havana Bay). I found Polar Star to be an extremely enjoyable read. It is uniquely set on a factory ship on the Bering Sea which consequently infuses a claustrophobic atmosphere into every page. In Arkady Renko, Cruz Smith has created an intriguing and realistic hero. Never before has a leading character been so easy to identify with and warm to. And in Polar Star, Cruz Smith has, in my view, exceeded the standard set by the brilliant Gorky Park. It is extremely well written, with an absorbing plot that gathers momentum as it hurtles towards a gripping climax. In summary, unputdownable.
Rating:
Summary: Polar Star
Review: I picked up a copy of Polar Star when I was 12 and now, 2 years later, I still think it's one of the best book I've ever read. As I had not read Gorky Park, I found the concept completely unique. The main character's past, up to the events on the Polar Star, were helpfully refreshed by the superb literary skills of the author. I was able to quickly understand the story (and misfortunes) of Arkady Renko. In short, a body is pulled out of the sea by a Soviet fishing ship called the Polar Star. Captain Marchuk calls upon Renko to investigate into the case. He soon finds his superiors bullying him inot wrapping up the case, and sees something sinister is afoot. The story kept me enthralled right until the final confrontation in the frozen waters of the Bering Straits. Martin Cruz Smith is a genius of thriller writing. I also recommend Red Square (which I thought was the final Arkady book until I saw the Havana Bay reviews on this very site.)
Rating:
Summary: Please Keep Writing
Review: I thought this was a very solid follow up to Gorky Park. The characters lot in life and situation make since to me. The same strong character building comes through to thus book and that dark, a bit desperate feel is there also. I look the feel of the book, in describing the fishing ship - I can smell it, the description is that good. I also liked the story, I was wondering how he was going to give us a fulfilling murder mystery to solve and he did it. If you liked his last book in this series then you will really like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Polar Star
Review: Inspector (retired...) Arkady Renko returns as the man to watch in the second thriller in Martin Cruz Smith's series of Russian intrigue begun with Gorky Park (Renko's introduction). Many writers today find a successful formula and stick to it... over and over. The only thing the same from Martin Cruz Smith's works are their high level of excitement, interesting characters and plot development. Arkady Renko is one of the most interesting characters in all of mystery fiction.
What Smith does best is gives the reader an insiders' view of a society totally different than what the audience is used to. And introduces his characters to his readers as if we had been their friends (or enemies) for years.
Whether it be Los Alamos during the development of Man's deadliest weapon in Stallion Gate, Cuba in Havana Bay, Japan on the brink of World War II in December 4th: A Novel, or Moscow in Gorky Park, with his characters on the verge of an exciting adventure for the reader to be a part of.
I judge other mysteries and mystery writers byMartin Cruz Smith's works. Some mysteries I consume like potato chips or pretzels. Very, VERY few do I savor each page as I do Martin Cruz Smith's excellent thrillers! John Row
Rating:
Summary: I Could Smell the Fish!
Review: Martin Cruz Smith again proves himself to be a master story teller. For Americans, the settings and charachters that flourish in Smith's novels are exotic, unforgettable, and incredibly intriguing. Renko is again the ultimate anti-hero, exiled to a Russian fishing ship where he wades knee-deep into a murder mystery despite the potential consequences. Fantastic!
Rating:
Summary: More mastery from Smith
Review: Part 2 of the holy Renko trilogy finds Arkady stuck in the belly of a Soviet trawler off the coast of Alaska. He again stumbles upon more than he bargained for as he investigates the murder of a Georgian girl. As a sometimes-writer myself, I always rue the time that I spend re-reading my Smith novels rather than something new, but they're so good. The attention to detail and complex characters that Smith fills his book with are just so realistic and accurate, he absolutely nails it. Renko's inner thoughts are golden-whether he's getting thrown across a room by the trawlmaster Karp Korobetz or intellectually sparring with Party slug Volovoi, Arkady never fails to amuse or enchant with his musings. You can taste the salt spray get enveloped by the intrigue. I should stop memorizing these books and go do something productive-but it's just too much fun!
Rating:
Summary: Solid Atmospheric Glasnost-Era Thriller
Review: Set at the start of Glasnost in the late '80s, this second book in the Arkady Renko series (following Red Square) finds the gruff Soviet ex-policeman aboard a factory ship deep in the Bering Sea. Having antagonized powerful figures in that previous adventure, he's been on the run inside the Soviet Union, trying to hide in its deepest darkest corners. And it doesn't get a whole lot deeper or darker than the "slime line" on the factory ship, where he spends his long shifts gutting fish and avoiding any attention. The ship is part of a U.S. Soviet joint venture operation, and when a 40-ton fishnet disgorges the body of a female Russian crew member, someone decides it would be handy to have former cop Renko look into the matter.
Eager to keep a low profile, Renko tires to duck out of the duty, but in the end is ordered to comply-thus setting off an a highly atmospheric and very complicated story involving a long cast of characters. Almost immediately, Renko discovers that the woman's woman's death was no accident, and that she was stabbed. However, the implications of this are politically incorrect, and the ship's slimy political officer tries to squash any investigation until to ship returns home to Vladivostok. Yet, a mysterious "ship electrician" somehow manages to ensure Renko's continued involvement, and soon Renko is consumed by the matter.
Renko's quasi-official investigation revolves around trying to understand the dead woman, a Soviet Georgian with a yen for life on the other side of the Iron Curtain, Western consumer goods, Pink Floyd, etc. As Renko pokes around the ship and interviews everyone aboard it and the smaller fishing vessels that accompany it, the plot gets increasingly complicated. Unseen assailants try and kill Renko, Cold War espionage enters the picture, drug smuggling crops up, as do several more bodies. Indeed, the book's one flaw is that it's perhaps too complicated for its own good, with so many angles crammed in. There's even an obligatory unlikely romantic interlude that rings a very false note.
Which is a bit of a shame, since the book is otherwise very strong in atmosphere and characters. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the Soviet ship is palpable, along with the freezing cold, the rank smells, and bitterness all around. The fishing operation and the ship itself are very well-described, making an oppressive setting that would work wonderfully on film. It's also somewhat surprising some 15-20 years later to be reminded of how Soviet people would yearn for Western goods, and how even the junkiest watch or cassette tape was like gold for them. The awkwardness with the Americans is well-handled too, with the Soviets hearty and desperate to please and appear magnanimous as the Americans smirk. The book is reminiscent of thrillers such as Smilla's Sense of Snow, where the plot pales in comparison to the atmosphere and attention to detail the author brings. Definitely worth reading for the unusual setting, cast of characters, and glimpse into the recent past.
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