Kris' Books.

A rather interesting novel about a Christchurch GP inadvertently catapulting himself from the confines of his predictable, comfortable everyday life into the midst of the seedy and hazardous world of the city's Maori gangs, by refusing to prescribe a copious quantity of heavy drugs without any medical basis to a Maori youth who walks into his office one day. Our medical professional is not one to be intimidated by the fact the unruly young man trashed his car immediately afterwards, and goes ahead to try confront the youth for wreaking so much damage to his property. Little does he know into what a cunning trap he was ensnaring himself into...

Though this novel is written in a characteristically quick-paced thriller style, the way Carson has managed to subtly weld a rapprochement of philosophy and NZ history in addition to the action was what made the book memorable for me, its contents ruminating in my mind well after I had put the book down. 

The only qualm I have with the novel is that its bottom line boiled down to the all too typical for the genre, "if you don't have a gun, you lose" sort of scenario. I'm a bit too used to seeing this theme override above all else in thriller novels. Plus the overall 'Pakeha-Maori' unity theme left a tad bit unrealistic aftertaste. In reality, it often doesn't work so smoothly as Carson describes. Just ask Witi Ihimaera or Alan Duff.

On the other hand, it's a thriller novel after all. What else do you really need from it other than fast action and a good storyline?