Stallion Gate

Stallion Gate by Martin Cruz Smith (1986)

---

What can he do when women love him so? He accepts becoming a snitch for Captain Augustino, but tells the targets how to evade the corrupt Captain on his Communist witch-hunt.

Join our mailing list!

Augustino thinks he owns Joe because he got him out of the stockade, but Joe has other plans. Augustino appears naked in his bed, he knows sleeping with her will enrage the captain and tries to talk her out of it, but finally succumbs when he thinks about what a bully Augustino is. Joe has acquired a certain wisdom, in that he learned to not struggle when the odds were against him like in the war, when he had dysentery and was pushed out to sea in a leaky boat, surrounded by sharks.

This is masterful story-telling with great characters and witty dialogue, though light on the science. Only those expecting a more in-depth account of Oppenheimer er al will be disappointed. For a story written in the s, it shows the author to have very modern sensibilities: He portrays Anna Weiss sympathetically, letting her describe what it was like to grow up brilliant but not fit in, and be locked up later in an asylum.

Men could still do that, which makes me extremely grateful to live today, not yesterday. But that could be explained by the fact that Cruz Smith is part Indian and proud of it , which he reveals in a brief bio at the end of the book. Sep 14, Robert rated it really liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I wonder about the relationship between Stallion Gate copyright and Joseph Kanon's book Los Alamos copyright Subterfuge, World War II, Los Alamos, personality quirks given room to run, infiltrators, and suspense are present in both.

There is also confusion between required hidden agendas, unrequired hidden agendas, and spying, and Smith does it better. There is the same wryness, larger Plagiarism? There is the same wryness, larger understandings, threatening his superiors through no fault or intention, callous humor, a past that dogs the protagonist, and the insanity of weak, jealous apparatchiks. I enjoy the sense of fates larger than circumstances, which in this case is that of the new intellectual power brokers and their relationship to the war effort.

What is Kobo Super Points?

For Renko, it was communism and a different set of power brokers. They're both underdogs and I'm thrilled when they win. The end is great. Did he make it? He always does, so he must, except when he couldn't, but he did before! It's that kind of interplay and plot suspense that keeps the reader thinking.

Aug 01, David Margetts rated it it was ok. Captivating thriller surrounding events around the development of the 'bomb', culminating in the end of the war. The book tries to handle some of the psychological issues, as well as the 'conspiracy theories', but the depth of analysis is shallow. The book also surprisingly ends rather abruptly, leaving the reader 'hanging' without a real conclusion surrounding many of the centr Captivating thriller surrounding events around the development of the 'bomb', culminating in the end of the war.

The book also surprisingly ends rather abruptly, leaving the reader 'hanging' without a real conclusion surrounding many of the central issues. Overall though, entertaining and easy to read, but would have preferred more in depth historical facts and analysis and a more conclusive ending. Cruz is my favorite author of this genre and his Renko books are a thrill to read.

This book totally misses the target [no pun] in so many ways. Joe Pena is just not believable.

Who is this guy who can do twenty things in ten places at the same time? Similarly, the other fictional characters were all just stereotypes. I did not enjoy this book as I was expecting something in the vain of Arkady Renko. The main theme is the atom bomb, which is based on fact.

The hero is Joe Pena, a Staff Sergeant who is a lovable crook who really likes to play music. The rest of the cast are just there. What the story was about other than the bomb is a mystery to me.

Questions?

May 26, Magnolia rated it really liked it. I always like a Martin Cruz Smith novel. This one has probably my favorite subject matter so far. Nov 30, Mauro rated it really liked it. Oct 28, Gail rated it it was amazing. Always love this Author's books. Mar 15, Georgene Hall rated it really liked it. Well-written historical fiction about the Manhattan Project building of the bombs used on Japan at the end of WWII , from the perspective of a New Mexican Indian who is sprung from military prison to serve as an officers' guide during the project. Vero erede di Marlowe dallo sguardo cinico e acuto, Renko si muove in un'Unione Sovietica prossima al disfacimento, mostrando il volto oscuro di Mosca.

Oppenheimer, il fisico; Groves, il generale; Fuchs, la spia.

Apr 09, Ed Mestre rated it really liked it Recommended to Ed by: This one was a mixed bag. But focusing on the ordinary Joe, so to speak, limits our time with the giant minds that resided there. Thus relegating them to side characters. Easily adding a bonus star to this review.

Nov 23, Martin Granger rated it really liked it. On July 16, at precisely 5. Stallion Gate intertwines well-known historic characters and events with fictitious characters drawn from a Native American background.

This is how Cruz Smith explores the conflict between science and traditional American beliefs. He also has a means of eavesdropping into the real worlds of Oppenheimer, Groves and Fuchs and their torments between physics and politics. The thriller genre has the reputation of producing suspense through an unknown end. Thrillers based on fact do not have that luxury we all know what is going to happen.

Reward Yourself

Not one of Smith's best, mainly because the main character doesn't totally ring true for me. Not sure why; Native Americans can be wonderful musicians and I suppose there's no reason why they can't be boxers too, although why they--or anyone--would want to follow that career path is not something I can remotely appreciate.

But for whatever reason, this novel did not hold my interest as much as SMith's Arkady Renko novels, even the lesser ones. The same was true for his book Rose, which I read ye Not one of Smith's best, mainly because the main character doesn't totally ring true for me. The same was true for his book Rose, which I read years ago and found totally predictable.

On the other hand, I grew up in New Mexico near the Acoma and Laguna pueblos, and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the landscape. I also enjoyed the old blind Indian I just finished this book last week and I can't remember anyone's name--not a good sign! Well, I remember Oppenheimer. The characters overall were not very convincing, which made the love story hard to believe.

Jun 09, Althea Ann rated it liked it. Smith published this book directly after his big hit, 'Gorky Park. Reading it, I can see why. It's an interesting concept, but not necessarily wholly successful.

Stallion Gate | Book by Martin Cruz Smith | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster UK

Pena's been fished out of a jail cell due to his ties with Oppenheimer, and is really expected to spy on the man, whom his s Smith published this book directly after his big hit, 'Gorky Park. Pena's been fished out of a jail cell due to his ties with Oppenheimer, and is really expected to spy on the man, whom his superior suspects is a traitor.

It's more of a rumination on racism, suspicion, poverty, ambition, violence, and, of course, love. This was not a bad book, but it was not my favorite by Cruz Smith. Sep 05, M. I loved this book. Of course, I was already reading about Los Alamos by way of Richard Feynman's biographies and articles about Oppenheimer I confess to being a Feynman fan; and no, I'm not a physicist or scientist of any sort, I just read science for fun. Rarely does a novel make me want to open up an atlas and find locations, but this one did.

Not that I'd go anywhere NEAR the Trinity site for the next years it's still glowing invisibly, thanks to radiation residue. I also read oth I loved this book. I also read other Cruz Smith novels because of this, but this is the best of the bunch. Extremely well written and evocative of place. Read it, then follow it with McCullough's bio of Truman, and you'll understand a lot more about the bomb and why we dropped it.

Feb 03, John Rockstrom rated it really liked it. I always find Martin Cruz Smith an enjoyable, absorbing read with a sense of literary style few other authors of 'thrillers' achieve. The characterisation of Joe Pena as he moves through the different worlds of the US army, Oppenheimer's driver and confidante and the Indian groups of the South West provide a lovely insight into all those areas. Perhaps not as good as an Arkady story but what is still it sits very comfortably on the shelf with all my other MCS books - for me they are keepers. Mar 07, Tony Daniel rated it it was ok Shelves: Smith is trying to do too much with his character.

Joe is a prize fighter, professional grade jazz pianist, full blooded Indian, Army sergeant on-site and friend -- and eventual opponent -- of Oppehheimer during the Trinity test in New Mexico. We're almost in Noble Savage land here, I'm afraid. Joe is also an outstanding lover, seducing 'em in droves, by the way. Long sections on the morality of dropping the bomb always a nonstarter with me.

Some very nicely done inter-tribal politics among th Smith is trying to do too much with his character. Some very nicely done inter-tribal politics among the Indians of Northern New Mexico, however. I usually love Smith's work, so kind of a disappointment. Aug 20, Peter Meehan rated it really liked it. Great historical fiction about the dawn of the nuclear age. The Hemingway-style hero is many things: Needless to say, he drinks excessively, plays great piano, and is usually in trouble. While the various big minds of the atomic age continue their progress towards developing the bomb, our hero watches the players and continues his various involvements with his people, army brass an Great historical fiction about the dawn of the nuclear age.

While the various big minds of the atomic age continue their progress towards developing the bomb, our hero watches the players and continues his various involvements with his people, army brass and other pursuits, all of which lead to a culmination as the atomic age begins. This page-turner describes the events and intrigues at the Los Alamos facility, as seen through the eyes of an Army sergeant who is a Southwestern Indian and in whose backyard the plot takes place.

Joe--who's been caught sleeping with Augustino's wife--must do pretty much whatever the Captain tells him. Meanwhile, Joe is falling in love with another of Augustino's spy-suspects: Meanwhile, too, some local Pueblo Indians engage in minor attacks on the Los Alamos operation--so Joe finds himself reluctantly aiding these offbeat, elderly guerrillas, thus reasserting his Indian identity.

And, when not fingering the real Soviet spy, Klaus Fuchs, Joe is planning his postwar future: Along the way, Smith's episodic narrative features several vividly detailed, shrewdly researched vignettes: Groves, director of the Manhattan Project; a black-comic truck ride with hot plutonium--and a fatuous psychiatrist--in tow; the extermination of radioactive cows; the dangerous, idiosyncratic preliminary bomb-tests; evocations of chic, boozy, wartime Santa Fe.

But Joe is a sentimental, crassly synthetic all-purpose hero--a bright, sexy giant with talents, hang-ups, and loyalty-conflicts at every turn. And the busy, dithering subplots never come together effectively--despite a wildly contrived finale that pushes Joe and villain Augustino into a death-duel at the test-site just as the final countdown gets underway. Heavy promotion and the Gorky Park byline may lift this intriguing, unsatisfying hybrid--too oblique occasionally even pretentious for thriller momentum, too implausible and tinny for serious involvement--to bestseller status.

But readers will find far richer, far more persuasive fictional treatment of Los Alamos in Thomas Wiseman's uneven but compelling Savage Day

• Tudor Monastery Farm: Life in rural England 500 years ago
• Dream Blue Sky (The Exceptions Book 1)
• Rebound From Crisis (The Living Well Series Book 6)
• The Book of The Animals - Mini - Episode 3 (Bilingual English-French) (The Book of The Animals - Mini (Bilingual))
• The Big Boer Bonanza
• True Love at Dawn (True Loves Tale Book 1)