Aurelio Zen

[kygal]

Hey Rueful...or anyone else...have you read Back to Bolonga and End Games? What did you think? I read the first 3 books and probably the last 5. Not sure I will end up reading the others unless you think I should. Really looking forward to see what Rufus does with this role!

[rueful]

I have finished them all (and of course am now wishing I had more to read). I thought they were all worth reading, although there were a couple I didn't get into as easily.

I'm not sure which ones you have missed, but I particularly liked Dead Lagoon (where Zen returns to Venice, 4th book). Like most of the others, it was not happy, but it was just a really good story, well told. If nothing else, that would be the one I'd recommend.

I think I mentioned earlier that I probably didn't fully appreciate all the humor in Cosi Fan Tutti because it was apparently a parody of operatic conventions, but it did have a very light tone and it was a fun read.

A Long Finish was very gripping, but a bit gruesome (even more than usual), if that bothers you. Also, it had a lot of details about the wine industry that were interesting but sometimes difficult to understand. Still, I don't feel like it was a waste of time or anything.

Of the later ones that you already read, I had a harder time getting through Back to Bologna. I don't know why--it just didn't grab me as strongly, although I thought a lot of it was funny.

The plot of Medusa was intriguing, so I liked that one*. The last book, End Games, was one of my favorites, partly because it showed Zen from other people's perspectives more than in some of the other books.

How did you like the ones you read, kygal?

I do think this will be a great character for Rufus to sink his teeth into. I hope he has fun making the movies. Next summer seems a long time away.


*********************************************

SPOILER
*Don't read this if you haven't read Medusa:

One thing I liked at the end of Medusa was when he explained to the bad guy how he (the bad guy) had been tricked as a young man (that members of a "top-secret" group wouldn't really all get matching tattoos that would identify them easily). I feel like that should have been obvious to me as a reader of about a million other spy/mystery books, and yet it never occurred to me. I love it when I'm surprised like that, and I love that Zen, with all his mistakes, is basically a good policeman.

[kygal]

Hey Rueful. Thanks for the info...I guess I may be ordering a few more books based on what you have said. I think Rufus will have a great time playing this character. I bet he will add his owe style to Zen. Imagine he will portray a slightly younger version...not that Zen is that old but he is at leat 10 yrs older I think.


++++++possible spoilers++++++++++++




Dont want to give away anything toooo specific . I think I enjoyed Vendetta the most...not sure why. It was the first one I read. I enjoyed the descriptions of the relationships he had in the book...from his mother to his co-workers. This was the second book so I felt we got to know Zen a bit more. Also could not put it down when he was "hunted" towards the exciting end.

Back to Bologna was pretty funny with all of Zens "issues". I enjoyed his relationship with Gemma in the last few books. Really interesting in all the books to learn about the "Italian way of life"....so to speak...the politics and land-marks. Cant say I understood everything I read but felt I learned a few things along the way!

You mentioned the Tattoos...seems like there was always a detail that came out in every book that helped him solve the mystery. I would always think...Oh yea! I agree with you that he was a good policeman and tried to do the right thing but he did make some mistakes along the way...guess that made him more human to me. Really thought all the books I read had a mix of humor and darkness with lots of middle-ground mixed in...if that makes sense.

Really hope this series is shown in my area!

[nell]

I'm not sure that there's anything new here. But found this article in the Oxford Mail. Could be one to keep an eye on :
Here's the link

www.oxfordmail.co.uk/pagepeel/8133909.Oxford_crime_writer_s_hero_is_coming_to_TV/

Oxford crime writer's hero is coming to TV
6:18pm Monday 3rd May 2010

Print Email Share Comments(0)

THE detective created by former Oxford author Michael Dibdin, who died three years ago, is to feature in a new TV series Zen this autumn.

Italian policeman Aurelio Zen, who battled corruption and violence from Perugia and Florence to the Alps and Sicily, is to be played by Rufus Sewell.

It is being produced by the team behind the award-winning Wallander.

Mr Sewell said: “I am thrilled to be a part of this project, with the opportunity to play such an intriguing, complex and likeable character.”

Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC drama commissioning, said: “I hope Michael Dibdin’s books will captivate audiences.”

Mr Dibdin wrote most of the books in Oxford, where he moved after four years teaching English in Italy, having met his second wife Sybil Sheringham, who still lives in Oxford.

He lived in Hurst Street, then Headington Quarry, dividing his time between writing and working on dictionaries for Oxford University Press.

He introduced readers to Zen in 1988 with Ratking, which won the Crime Writers' Association’s Golden Dagger.

[peach]

I have the Zen Omnibus and a on the third book in chronological order, Cabal. I've always liked this genre, and still do, I think out of the 4 that I've read (I'm nery through thisone) Vendetta was my favorit so far. It's been inteesting reading all of the comments thus far. Happy reading.

[kygal]

Just finished Cosi Fan Tutti. I did enjoy this book. Easy to read. Lots of humor. Starting on A Long Finish. Thanks for the warning Rue. Will order Dead Lagoon as Rue suggested next. Yes...I guess I will end up reading them all. Cant wait to see Rufus portray this character!

[rueful]

Might as well complete the circuit, kygal! You don't have far to go. To go back to something you said a little earlier,

all the books I read had a mix of humor and darkness with lots of middle-ground mixed in...if that makes sense.

it makes perfect sense, and that's one of the reasons the books are so good, because that's a great description of real life.

Now that I've finished all the books (darn my impatient nature!) I also can't wait for the series. It will air next winter in the UK, but we have to wait until next summer in the US (payback for TPOTE, I guess).

[hippinschick]

Hi - Do you mean 'this' winter in UK - ie 2010 ?? Bit confused as when blighty is gonna get some new Rufus ...

[GreenEyesToo]

I came across this in a recent copy of Radio Times (the BBC's listings magazine):



AUTUMN!!

[kygal]

Just realized I have read all but one...now its ordered. Darn...hate I have to wait to see Zen. I am looking more forward to Zen than Tom Builder....sorry Tom. I quess Rufus is working on Zen now...would be nice to see some pics of him in the role. Hate the wait! Autumn is not to far off for some of you gals!

[nell]

I can't believe this is being advertised already. I'm slowly working my way through the novels just finished Blood Rain will start + then you die later. Blood Rain was probably my favourite after Dead Lagoon so far. Liked them all though. Thought Cabal was particularly good too.

[francesca]

took all Zen books with me when I went away, thoroughly enjoyed them.have said this before, the first book,Cabal, I read a while ago and when I read it again could not see Rufus as Zen ,but with each book after could see him more and more.
I agree with you Nell, although I enjoyed TPOTE, I enjoyed "Zen " more.

[rufluvr]

Just about to start reading Blood Rain, and will duly take posted advice on having the next one up and ready to read right after BR. I am really enjoying the series. I love the way Zen books have really various settings and tones, that makes them so much more interesting reads. However, it is probably just me, but there feels like a little bit too much time passing in Zen's life between some of the novels, make it feel a bit disjointed to me. Some things not fully explained enough for my taste too, esp in regards to Zen's personal life. Maybe that is the authors intention, who knows. I had noticed a couple novels back some dis-continuity but of course I can't remember exactly what they were now that I'm bringing it up I think it had to do with his relationship w/Tania (?) Oh well, it has been fun to read "who done it"s again, I had mostly been reading history, biographies and other non-fiction in recent years. I'm so THRILLED for Rufus that he has had two tailor- made QUALITY lead roles come his way recently! Not just because I think Rufus truly deserves them (his longtime efforts at being discriminating "to the edge of unemployment" nicely paying off). But, also because the Pillars and Zen shows, which I would have been excited about even before he was cast (especially Pillars) will be ten times better with him in it! OK-Maybe 20 times better for us Ruf Luvers!

[nell]

ruflvr, I too heeded the advise & had And then you die on hand for when I'd finished Blood Rain. I took them to Greece with me along with A long Finish which ironically I still had to finish off. Not quite as impressive as Frannie finishing the entire series though.
Really enjoyed the last 2. I realished as I moored my motorboat on a deserted beach & settled down to read about Aurelio sunbathing & then the boat bit at the end that I was probably grinning like a bafoon ! I think I even started hallucinating & imagined Rufus sailing past me in a yacht as I steered my motorboat.

I don't know if anyone has had the same problem (not the hallucination bit ! LOL) but And Then You Die seemed to be in excellent condition when it arrived (Amazon stated condition guaranteed too ) but when I started reading it the pages fell out 1 by 1 and by the end of the book I had a job just holding it all together. It seemed really thinly bound together. 1 of the earlier books also lost a few pages but nowhere nearly as bad as this 1. No comments about 3 sheets to the wind please folks ! It would be interesting to know if anyone else has had this problem.

I've ordered the last 3 books now & can't wait for them to arrive. So much for the series lasting me the summer.

[francesca]

It must be you Nell :Por perhaps you were just unlucky.
I bought all the Zen except the omnibus from Amazon ,secondhand at 1p plus p&p and they were all excellent condition and didn't fall to pieces.
about Zen I found him to a complex character who within the boundaries of the Italian system()* was a good policeman, tough, intelligent , kind and generous who would bend the rules and use the system, if he thought it necessary, and someone ,who if anything is going to go wrong, for whom it will go wrong spectacularly and usually hilariously.
The sort of character made for Rufus to get his teeth into.

*I would be interested to hear whether our Italian fangirls agree with Michael Dibdin's view of the Italian police and political system