After completing Marthon Man by William Goldman I am certain that I will read the sequel. This is the first novel I've read by Goldman. I hear ya, where's the rock I've been living under. Many people are familiar with the movie featuring Dustin Hoffman. Luckily I am not familiar with said movie but I do hope to be someday. The novel begins explosively with two men having an all out war through the use of their Chevy's and VW's. This accident leads to the death of both men and somehow, strangely relates to our protagonist Tom Levy, aka Babe.
Babe, a brilliant grad student of history at Columbia, in his mid-twenties is hurled into a world of espionage, intrigue, Nazis, rogue dentists, murder, and men repeating terms such as "is it safe?". A world where there really is absolutely no one to trust. Goldman really does a wonderful job at giving us readers someone to root for. Babe isn't perfect and he knows it but he has some extremely endearing qualities. He's smart, funny, and often very reflective. On the other hand, he's sad with his self-doubt and low self-esteem. Babe is a very self-aware character and it's obvious in the moments where we get to peer into his head.
This novel isn't long so I'll try not to give away anything because there are no unnecessary moments in this book. The characters move in very believeable and deliberate ways. Goldman really does not let his foot off the pedal with this timeless thriller. There are twists, turns, and surprises and really just a good novel overall. I understand now that life is a marathon and not a sprint. Only those who have the strength to endure, win the race.
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