::READERS REVIEWS::

Middle of the Road Effort - This novel lacks the snappy dialogue of other Thomas books. In fact, there is a lack of dialogue altogether in much of this story - too much "telling" in the form of a narrative and not enough "showing" through the back and forth feints that make the better espionage genre books work so well. Tis not to say, though, that I didn't enjoy "The Eighth Dwarf" because I did.

Thomas Always Delights - Not only does Thomas always have a great plot, which in and of itself keeps your attention, he assembles a colorful and ecletic cast of characters. The Eighth Dwarf is one of those books where you say "Just one more chapter" but read three more. The dialogue is convincing and the action is exciting. It's what "entertaining escape reading" is all about.

One of the best books I ever read - It's been a long time since I read this book, but it's one of my all time favorite mystery stories. Ross Thomas is one of the best writers in the genre. His books are never a disappointment, and this one is my favorite. Contrary to the other remarks, the dwarf is not the main character, but an eccentric and interesting (if greedy and unreliable) wrench in the game. I'd say more about the fine moral fiber of the protagonist fresh from WW-II military service, but the details escape me. Guess it's time to read the book again! - Especially since I've read almost everything else Thomas has written. Don't miss the Henry Wu-Voodoo, Ltd. series.

Bamboozled... - Bamboozled by the New Yorker quote on the jacket, I expected something quite special from this book. Turns out it's a par for the course spy/international intrigue novel about competing interests pursuing a vigilante killer of culpable Nazis in post WWII Germany. Its distinguishing feature is the protagonist's foil, a likable but untrustworthy Romanian dwarf (there's only one dwarf in the book, the first seven are a reference to Snow White's) who is usually a serious character but also provides occasional comic relief. The book held my interest, however I found the ending weak. This stems, I think, from the supporting characters not being sufficiently well developed for me to accept their motivations - well, Le Carre it aint.

A concerned family plays a great part in the plot - Beside the intrigue around the plot of "The Eight Dwarf" is the concern of a family(wealthy) for their missing son/brother, who turns out to be a ZEalot...The search for him is made easier via finding a list left at the scene of a wharehouse where the owner of it was not only selling "hot merchandise"(some of which though was from American canteen supplies,but also selling passports of those who'd been murdered by the Nazi..The list had showned that the number of passports in the hands of this owner had been about 100,and that more than 20 names had been crossed off with the "id" of whom they had been sold to;part of the plot wrapping up the "search" was to find thes persons(some of whom had been hunted down by the Zealot,who when he was finally caught up with near the end of the book was incoherent due to his impulse to strike for justice;the book also shows how a country's true economic state can be "voodoo"(ed) by the bartering that takes place within it(e.g. giving free necessity supplies like cigarettes in exchange for rent,etc),so that fewer money transactions actually take place.It was indeed a "read" not easily forgotten.The poignancy of the economic aspects & the "obsession aspect" made it seem more like it was more than an authors imagination.