The Last Six Million Seconds (1997) - Plot & Excerpts
Overall Rating: Culturally InterestingtI am a longstanding fan of Burdett’s work, so let’s acknowledge my positive bias before I delve into the details. The immediate aspect that strikes me as a Western inhabitant in Burdett’s books is the reflection of Western culture as seen and occasionally adapted by the East. Personally, I have little love for Western culture, but it is always intriguing to see how others see/are affected by it in both positive and negative ways. Burdett, for what he lacks occasionally in grammar and word choice, makes up for in the elaborate, yet also strikingly simple, plot. He is very talented at poignancy and knowing what points in the story to underplay or leave hanging for the reader to assign a vast chasm of interpretation. In The Last Six Million Seconds, Burdett exceeds my own expectations, based on his Royal Thai Detective series, of which I am fond. Upon picking up this book, readers may initially find the title intriguing, thinking perhaps that the plot of the novel is indeed on strict time restraints which may enhance the plot by building drama. Also, it is an unconventional use of time units, really why would you measure time in seconds when months are more efficient? This alone is eye catching, and also befuddling as you begin to read the novel and are introduced into a political conflict and not a hostage situation. Then Burdett gives us a bread crumb, revealing as he does so his own genius, about the last million seconds representing the six million people in Hong Kong. Now as readers we know that this is a book about the entire fate of Hong Kong, which is at times easy to forget when we get caught up in the whodunit layer of the novel. Burdett has brilliantly wrapped a story around a historical event which then has implications for events happening now. He is offering his own fictional account about a man facing inevitable hopelessness of losing, of the corrosive qualities of communist China. Of course this interpretation is from a typical Western viewpoint, and is not what is actually presented to the reader. Burdett makes it clear that the people of Hong Kong are made of sterner stuff, that see the stormy political climate as a part of life rather than an apocalyptic event, as no doubt Westerners would react if put in the same situation. Perseverance is an Eastern quality heavily incorporated into this story, not coupled by outraged indignation as it would be in a novel written by Western arrogance and entitlement. tThough I am not a fan of the mechanics of John Burdett’s writing, I acknowledge that his own unique voice is firmly there in his manner of understatement. This does, however, make it difficult to ever really form bonds with his characters, though I get the distinct impression that Burdett doesn’t write for his characters, but rather so he can write novels where West and East meet, indeed all of his novels have a sort of trickster at the cultural crossroads he designs. If, as a reader, you are interested in having that deep connection of truly understanding a character, perhaps Burdett’s writing isn’t for you, though I would still recommend it as a chance to expand horizons. tOverall, this is a book which is more impressive upon reflection as opposed to when you read it. It is not full of cliff hanger drama, or even personal drama, though there is a sense of imminent political doom from even the very beginning of the story. I greatly enjoyed it, though there were some parts of the book that were slow moving and a tad difficult to move through. It may not be my favorite book, or even my preferred genre, however it is a book with immense merit woven together by a talented craftsman. -http://caffeinatedcynic.weebly.com
Considering that the very first (and still, very best) espionage novel I read was The Honourable Schoolboy, all subsequent espionage novels have a lot to live up to. Especially when they take place in Hong Kong. Oh Jerry Westerby, you set the bar high. So obviously this book is pretty spectacular.I loved the atmosphere. Burdett's novels are full of sensory stimulation - he helps you to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the worlds he creates, from the lobby of the wealthiest bank in Asia to the slums and hovels of the "borderlands". This book was also full of believable psychological atmosphere. Chan's narration is full of his thoughts regarding himself as half-Chinese, a Hong Kong Chinese, and as a Chinese man employed by the British. Burdett uses these reflections to paint a picture of the "Chinese" soul, as well as an Irish one. Normally I don't buy into this kind of ethnic labeling, but he does it in a very subtle and genuine way, and it worked in the novel. Plus, the quintessential British espionage novel is founded on what makes the Brits British - how their makeup led to the rise and fall of their empire - so I figure it's just another page out of Le Carre's book (if you will). Not to say that this was derivative - not at all. Another thing I loved about the book was its originality. The plot twisted all over the place, and the book was full of surprises. And the end... well, wow. Chalk one up for the conspiracy theorists.
What do You think about The Last Six Million Seconds (1997)?
I read the first six chapters of this book, decided I really didn't care and skimmed the rest just so I could say I'd read it. The premise is excellent, a Chinese-Irish Police Detective is trying to solve a triple homicide (that may actually have been perpetrated by the Chinese Government) in the Last Six Million Seconds before Britain returns Hong Kong to China in 1997. The problem is that the characters are not at all compelling, and are introduced without any backstory at all. I had an extremely hard time remembering who was who and why I was supposed to care what they were doing. Also, being not terribly familiar with Hong Kong culture, I was excited to learn more about the area. Unfortunately, while the descriptions of the geography are rather poetic (rather more poetic than one generally finds in a thriller), the abbreviations and slang used were not really explained very well and instead of being evocative of the scene and the culture, it was just confusing.As I've been saying, I didn't really like this book, but my husband, who is a much bigger fan of suspense/murder/mystery/thriller type books than I am plans to read it in the near future, and I will let you all know what he thought of it at that time.Update: My husband has now read this, and he thought I didn't really give it a fair chance. He says it's not an excellent book, but he enjoyed reading it.
—Emily
John Burdett's new character, "Charlie" Chan Siu-kai (Charlie because English-speakers can't be bothered to come up with a better nickname), is chief inspector in the Hong Kong that will soon be turned over to the Chinese, after 99 years under British rule. he is working on a gruesome case of three bodies minced so that only DNA can be used to match them to the three heads found floating in waters at the border between China and Hong Kong. even this investigation is not as complicated as the resulting political intrigue as the British try to conceal any scandal that would result in China taking possession of Hong Kong earlier than scheduled. the plot twists and turns, keeping me completely interested throughout.
—Naomi V
Imagine Hong Kong just two months before control passed from British colonial administration to the People’s Republic of China. Picture the complex behind-the-scenes maneuvering between the British Secret Service who hold the reins in the colony and the military men who possess the real power in South China and are destined to rule Hong Kong. Now think about a gruesome triple murder that threatens to derail the transfer of power and blacken the reputations of those in control on both sides of the political divide.This is the reality into which Chief Inspector “Charlie” Chan of the Hong Kong Royal Police is thrust when he is assigned the triple murder case. As you might imagine, in such deep and troubled waters, Chan quickly finds himself confronting the rich and powerful whose whims can distort reality: Emily Ping, a beautiful billionaire with a voracious sexual appetite and mysterious connections; the aging General Xian, who calls the shots in South China; Milton Cuthbert, the scholarly “political adviser” from the Secret Service who is Xian’s counterpart in the city-state; “Wheelchair” Lee, a triad fighter with useless legs; Clare Coletti, a young American heroin addict “owned” by the New York Mafia; and Jonathan Wong, Charlie’s brother-in-law, a greedy lawyer in a prominent Hong Kong firm. These key figures, and other, assorted police officials, diplomats, and triad members, who populate this endlessly complex and unpredictable tale.The Last Six Million Seconds — the time remaining for British control of Hong Kong as the story opens — is a worthy effort by the British writer, former attorney, and long-time Hong Kong resident John Burdett. First published in 1997 on the eve of the Hong Kong transfer, Six Million was only recently reissued on the heels of Burdett’s success with a series of five other thrillers.Like a great many other readers, I became aware of Burdett’s work with the publication of Bangkok 8, which introduced an extraordinary Thai detective named Sonchai Jitpleecheep, a complex Buddhist police detective known throughout Bangkok for his brilliance and incorruptibility in a cesspool of corruption and mediocrity. Bangkok 8 has been followed so far by Bangkok Tattoo, Bangkok Haunts, The Godfather of Kathmandu, and Vulture Peak. I’ve read and enjoyed them all, though I’ve reviewed only the two most recent novels.
—Mal Warwick
