::READERS REVIEWS::

Dated beyond readability - I tried to stick with this book. I picked it up and attempted to read a few pages time and again until I was pretty far into it. Let me just say that this book is beyond painful to read. I couldn't get to the end no matter how hard I tried.

All of these glowing reviews here make me wonder about my sanity. I enjoy James Bond and a knock off would not be unwelcome. However, if you ever turn on AMC or watch old flicks from the late 60's, early 70's, you will occasionally see a movie with Lee Marvin or some other B actor playing the part of a Hammy James Bond. James Coburn played perhaps the worst knock off in my book with his roll as "flint". This was a hugely successful series back in its day, but try and watch it now and your in for a hard time. Bad acting, silly plot, demeaning towards women, insanely over the top character development... all of this you will find in Eiger Sanction.

This is just a really bad book.

Great escape reading! - Trevanian is one of my favorite authors. I have read all his books and would recommend them all. It's great to take one of his books on vacation. The story keeps you engaged right up to the end. His writing style is humorous at times, but always interesting. Get them all.

Brilliant Genre Fiction Or Clever Little Joke - This is the second book by Trevanian that I have read this year (I read Shibumi recently) and I am puzzled as to just how to take him. What I mean is is he serious or what? Is this a brilliant genre novel or a clever little joke?

He is clearly a very good writer but sometimes his over the top superman heroes seem to have a lot in common with Remo Williams (The Destroyer).

I had read once that Trevanian originally published under this anonymous pseudonym because he was an English professor and didn't want to be embarrassed by the type of novels he was writing. Well, I don't think he needs to be embarrassed - he is a terrific writer. These books are clever, plot oriented, entertaining thrillers. I guess the point is that these novels are part tongue in cheek parody and part "real thing."

I remember seeing the Eiger Sanction movie back in the seventies so I knew how it was going to end - but the journey was fun never-the-less. There were some odd plot holes (for example - did they ever explain how they knew the guy was going to be on the Eiger climb but they didn't know which guy he was?) but the book was great fun. Highly recommended.

A decent book - The Eiger Sanction is entertaining, and it kept me turning pages, but it's not Trevanian's best work. I would highly recommend Shibumi, which is better in every aspect. Don't waste your time with Loo Sanction, you will be disappointed.

Good entertaining movie, but even greater novel... - I liked the movie, I saw a library copy, the night before I made this review, but reading a used hardcover that I bought of the original Trevanian novel, it was a lot of fun. Especially remembering the fun plot twists and tight control of textural dynamics by the author Trevanian (who's real name is Rod Whitaker, by the way), sure the Clint Eastwood movie is fun, but the novel is a "guilty" pleasure to watch him do his sanctioning, sure Loo is almost as good, but to watch and "watch" (in the novels, both Loo and Eiger, and the Eiger movie) Jonathan Hemlock in action is a really great romp through the psyche, especially in that Nixonian "secretive" white house plumbers time of rampant secret assassinations, game-playing and ingenious art imitating life plot twists. But what I like is how it departs from real life with gung-ho drama and comedy all mixed into an ingenious ball of wax.
Personally, I identify with Jonathan Hemlock, and his whole involvement with CII (C2) in a sense, I don't kill people or anything or perform "sanctions" or even actively climb hills or mountains, but I do identify with that clandestine edge in life like few people in this world do. It's a funny thing, folks, but I love all of Trevanian's work that I've read, including The Main and Shibumi, but Jonathan Hemlock is by far one of my favorite character studies.
But to a less "deep" analysis of why I was attracted to Trevanian's novels and the Eiger Sanction movie: When I was a kid, I loved to watch Clint Eastwood movies with my Dad, but before I knew about the Eiger Sanction movie, I saw the book in the library and I was fascinated by the name of the author, one word: "Trevanian", I don't know, the name made me think of the swinging beat of Miles Davis's better works and James Brown's jazzier stuff, you know. And more exotic Neville Brothers/Wild Tchoupitoulas recordings and all that kind of thing combined with a positive version of Hugh Hefner "cool", you know. So, I read and I read and I wasn't disappointed. Another satisfaction of my literary tastes, so to speak. Well, that's my review, enjoy.

Captain Josh.

007 on the Eiger - This is a fast-paced and entertaining thriller, spy novel and well-needed satire of the intelligence (?) community. Dr. Hemlock is not precisely James Bond. He's a climber, art professor, ladies man, and a conscience-free assassin who only kills to support his illegal art collection. He wants to retire from killing, but as in many other books and movies, he's forced into one last job...

And it's a tough one. The climbing details add to the suspense and drama. Now it's time to watch the movie again.