“I thought that, as Buddhists, the Tibetans were generally against any kind of violence,” Ferguson remarked.

“That was true once,” Joro said grimly, “but then the Reds came to butcher our young men and defile our women. Before the Lord Buddha brought the way of peace to us, we Tibetans were warriors. The Chinese have made us warriors again.”


One of Jack Higgins’ Paul Chavasse stories, this adventure set mostly in Tibet, has a James Bond kind of vibe and flavor; Chavesse even uses a Walther. Higgins has long been a master at the action adventure, and though I mostly prefer his older stuff like The Last Place God Made and The Kufra Run, this was a very enjoyable read.

The freshly knighted Paul Chavasse is dreaming of retiring from an organization called the Bureau — think British Secret Service — when he discovers a man named Lama Morrow has been watching him. At the same time, the British PM asks the French-English Chavasse to remain as head of the Bureau at least for one more mission, one for which he is imminently qualified. It seems that in 1959 he secretly helped the Dalai Lama escape Tibet. Now, in 1962, he needs to do the same for mathematician Karl Hoffner in order to use his theories on harnessing energy from space itself in order to beat the Russians in the space race. Trouble is, Hoffner is a guest of the Commies.

Much of this is told in flashback, as Chavasse relates it to someone. It’s a rip-roaring tale which rarely slows down. Higgins gives Year of the Tiger enough exotic flavor, intrigue, and surprises near the end to make the pages virtually turn themselves. He’s always good with action, but there are also quiet moments of snow-covered mountains and dangerous traveling. There is also more than one contemplative moment:

“And then the wind touched him coldly on the cheek, sending a wave of greyness through him, reminding him that half-an-hour’s flying time away through the darkness was the border. The wind called to him as it moaned across the rooftops, and he turned and went inside.”

The adventure is in getting to Hoffner, with captures and escapes, impersonations and betrayals. And then there is Hoffner’s beautiful young companion, Katya Stranoff:

“She had the breath-taking beauty that one always associates with simplicity and Chavasse shivered suddenly, as if somewhere someone had walked over his grave.”

People aiding Chavasse pay a high price, and everyone and everything is not always as it seems despite the original simplicity of Chavasse’s plan to liberate Hoffner from the Communists. Colonel Li wants to convert Chavasse to the Red side but he’s having none of that, not even under torture. There are executions, exciting escapes, and as mentioned, a couple of twists near the conclusion you won’t see coming.

All in all this is quite fun, and it reads fast, Higgins is a master of pacing, making sure there’s no time for the reader to become bored. Pay attention to the beginning of this one, as it’s more important than you might initially think. A delicious genre read from a great storyteller. This one is probably a 4.2 for me, so four solid stars as an action thriller in the James Bond mold. ( )

A new release of a Higgins offering written in the 60's. The book has a newly written beginning and ending which are set in modern times (or at least modern when rereleased in the 90's).

Paul Chavasse is back, this time he is sent to the frozen lands of Tibet. After rescuing the Dalai Lama he is requested to re-enter the country in order to bring back vital information that could help the west in the space race. This information comes in the form of a Doctor Hoffner who has shunned fame and fortune in order to help local villagers in their health and also their battle against the Chinese. The militants are headed by the very formidable Captain Li who will stop at nothing, including torture to get what he wants.

An excellent read with a few twists and turns, alongside the action Higgins is famed for. ( )

The story of a british agent during the cold war. Written like a short story, I didn't find this very interesting. ( )

The new paperback original from the New York Times bestselling auhtor of On Dangerous Ground. In 1962, a brilliant scientist becomes the key to the superpower space race--and the object of a worldwide manhunt. A maelstrom of Cold War intrigue and espionage, Year of the Tiger is Jack Higgins at his best. Original. (Fiction--Espionage/Thriller)