Operation Napoleon
By (Author) Arnaldur Indridason
Translated by Victoria Cribb
Vintage Publishing
Vintage
3rd October 2011
4th August 2011
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
Modern and contemporary fiction: general and literary
Second World War fiction
839.6935
Paperback
400
Width 129mm, Height 198mm, Spine 24mm
277g
A compelling international thriller sweeping from modern Iceland to America and Nazi Germany at the end of World War II. 1945- a lost German bomber crashes on the Vatnaj kull glacier in Iceland. Inexplicably, in the midst of World War Two, there are both German and American officers on board. One of the senior German officers sets off, a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist, never to be seen again. 1999, the US Army is secretively trying to remove an aeroplane from the Vatnaj kull glacier. Two young Icelanders become involved but end up paying with their lives. Before they are captured, one of the two contacts his sister, Kristin. Her quest to discover his fate takes her on a long and hazardous journey in search of the key to the riddle about Operation Napoleon. WINNER OF THE CRIME WRITERS' ASSOCIATION GOLD DAGGER.
Rather than using excessive language and unnecessary description, Indriason chooses a minimal style, which drip-feeds the details and keeps the reader guessing... Operation Napoleon is an intriguing novel, bleak and harsh in its description of cold, military narratives -- Sophie Gordon * Aesthetica *
There are hints of some of Indridason's trademark motifs-emotionally distant parents, brotherhood, the harsh Icelandic wilderness-but it's clear that he is using Operation Napoleon to address what seems to be a deeply controversial factor in Icelandic life: the US military presence at Keflavik * Euro Crime *
An international literary phenomenon - and it's easy to see why. His novels are gripping, authentic, haunting and lyrical -- Harlan Coben
Arnaldur Indridason worked for many years as a journalist and critic before he began writing novels. His books have since sold over 12 million copies worldwide. Outside Iceland, he is best known for his crime novels featuring Erlendur and Sigurdur Oli, which are consistent bestsellers across Europe. The series has won numerous awards, including the Nordic Glass Key and the CWA Gold Dagger.