Barry Eisler

Okay, I've been a little backed-up lately. I had every intention this weekend of posting the next item on my list, "Conjunction or Not - A Matter of Style"; however, because of my attempts to make sure I have everything covered for that post, and because a nasty virus paid an unwelcomed visit to the Book family over the weekend, life has hit the pause button on some things. On that post, I hope to get a confirmation soon from a resource so I can put the darn thing out there. But until then...

I recently came across the blog sight for Barry Eisler, who is one of my favorite writers. Being the miser that I am, I picked up the first of his Jack Rain series, RAiN FALL, over a year ago while browsing through the specials at our local book store. Let's just say RAiN FALL really juiced my inner need for clandestine plots and violence. His second book in the series, HARD RAiN, was equally stimulating.

In his bio, Mr. Eisler states the following:

"I've been blessed with a variety of interesting jobs: a covert position with the CIA's Directorate of Operations; attorney in an international law firm; in-house counsel at the Osaka headquarters of Matsushita Electric; executive in a Silicon Valley technology startup. These days I write full time: thrillers with a lot of realistic action, exotic locations, and steamy sex. My agency training, my time as a lawyer, my experiences in Japan, and a background in martial arts all inform my writing."[emphasis mine]

His experience resonates throughout his books, and it is because of Barry Eisler that I came to understand the concept of counter-surveillance. Like all good writing, Eisler's portrayal of counter-surveillance came back to me while watching Samir Horn in "Traitor" (played by Don Cheadle) taking several twists and turns through the city, hopping off one bus, only to jump onto another. While his depictions of violence are spot-on, and his painting of espionage believable, his books also give readers a flavorful taste of Japan and Japanese culture.

Suffice it to say, then, my heart leaped when I saw that he has a blog at the heart of the matter, and I felt impressed to share one of my favorite authors with you. Take the time to check him out, both at his blog and at his website, barryeisler.com. Better yet, you might go out and pick up one of his books. Start with RAiN FALL. If you love crime, suspense and violence, I think he'll be a worthy addition to your library.