Book Review: The Last Tourist (Milo Weaver #4) by Olen Steinhauer
(Published by Minotaur Books)

4.0 Stars

"Verification was our go-to word. We even debated whether or not the facts themselves could be trusted, and this sort of meta-analysis made us feel like we were truly critical, that we were looking at the world unencumbered by Pollyanna notions.

We were wrong..."

- CIA analyst Abdul Ghali, "The Last Tourist" by Olen Steinhauer

A Moroccan-American CIA analyst, the expendable turtle (sic) is sent to Casablanca in search for a certain Milo Weaver, the elephant, who is in self-imposed respite. Unknown rogue gunmen shatter the desert's serenity.

My first Milo Weaver novel, fourth in the series, is a well-written, enjoyable spy novel with the full splendor of globalist activism at its satirical best.

In the best personification of Oscar Wilde's "The Decay of Lying", the author's plot - intricate as Fischer Random Chess and just as random - is an outright exposé of the deep state and elements of a corrupt global intelligence community, striking close to home, as government agents take the law into their own hands.

Weaver, son of a former Russian spy, Yevgeny Primakov, used to head a now-resuscitated pay-for-play clandestine operation within the U.N.'s UNESCO, quite reminiscent of a pay-for-play C. Global Initiative (defunct 2016) - where access is purchased, and in this case, intelligence and national secrets are to be had for Benjamins, rubles or yen. With a cast of the usual suspects, little wonder US intelligence were to be in shambles.

Certainly, there are the author's creative euphemisms: The Library and Librarians (headed by Weaver selling access and secrets); the Department of Tourism and Tourists (a/k/a extra-judicial assassins); Private Military Contractors (Northwell /Nexus); dummy power-grab corps (MirGaz, IfW, Touzi, Salid Logistics); and terrorists (Massive Brigade, even ISIS).

And true to life, the New World Order and George Soros, Boko Haram terrorism, and environmentalists and their mendacity at the WEF at Davos, many big shots of whom gullibly guilted and cajoled.

It is an ugly world, exacerbated by a smorgasbord of unfulfilled predilections decried by globalists which the author deftly scatters throughout the text: the 2016 election, the Russian Hoax and "Orange Man Bad"; government funding and the wall; Brexit; populism, authoritarianism, fascism, racism (all in parenthesis); the doomsday (parenthesis) IPCC report, climate change and the Paris Climate Agreement.

And fake news.

Without a doubt, there is much to like; the author's prose and style keep things moving fast across continents and world events. Leftists will love it - probably until they read through the lines. And as for the rest of the author's readers, both old and new, what is there not to enjoy!

Review based on an Advance Reading Copy from Minotaur Books through NetGalley.

Although THE LAST TOURIST is a novel, a work of fiction, it reads like one of the current non-fiction, tell-all books that I have taken to reading over the past couple of years. The sprinkling of recognizable names only adds to the terrifying realism.

There was a time not so long ago where I would have given any number of the books I've read recently a definite pass. Now I devour books by journalists, ex-government officials, ex-federal law enforcement and security personnel. THE LAST TOURIST fits in my new reading pattern seamlessly.

It is hard to find a book published within the last three years that doesn't, in some way, touch upon the state of the world facing both climate change and political change. Even genre fiction - horror, sci-fi, fantasy - manages to voice the very real concerns we face. THE LAST TOURIST doesn't just voice these concerns, it drops them in your lap where they explode.

Olen Steinhauer has managed to make Ian Fleming's James Bond, and Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne look like rank amateurs in the face of globalism and behind-the-scenes dirty dealing. This is Spy vs Spy for the 21st century.

Olen Steinhauer's latest Milo Weaver novel , The Last Tourist, is as wild a ride as any spy-thriller aficionado could ask for. It's breathtaking in its scope and its ability to integrate several huge, headline-making global events into a wicked, twisty plot line. There are dozens of jet-setting characters, deadlines with unknown foes, and a generous littering of bodies throughout the book I was amazed many times at Steinhauer's grasp of the dangers of the most recent public enemy that threatens us all. At the risk of giving something away, I can only say this is a must read.

The latest Milo Weaver book takes us beyond the usual countries and espionage agencies vying for advantage. In the new age, countries don’t matter so much, because it’s the ultra-wealthy corporate types who are running things around the world, with no regard for borders, political stability or human rights.

Milo doesn’t work for the CIA anymore, but for the Library, an information agency nominally part of the UN. Library patrons are diplomats from various countries who need a centralized source of information not colored by political actors.

With that background in place, this story takes us all over the world, at a breakneck pace, as Milo tries to figure out who is pulling the levers of power—and how to stop them. It’s a deadly game, with plenty of casualties along the way and Milo under constant threat.

It takes a lot of concentration to appreciate a Milo Weaver novel. The plots are dizzyingly complex until all the puzzle pieces finally come together. But it’s well worth the concentration if you want a thrilling story that might just reveal what’s actually happening behind the scenes in the world today.

This author is a talented storyteller and he tells a story that is full of twists and turns.
A fast paced, gripping and entertaining book that kept hooked till the end.
I liked the plot and the fleshed out cast of characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I loved this book! It isn’t so perfectly written, just the right amount of thrill, twists, turns, and suspense. The author weaves a story in a way that is so gripping, it was hard to put it down! Would definitely recommend.

The book was not what I expected but interesting. I will read more of his books because this one intrigued me.Good character development, and well thought out subject matter.

The impact of the post-Cold War and post-9/11 to the intelligence community and challenges are hard to fathom. Those changes still in the making require a completely different knowledge and type of personality to deal with.

Olen Steinhauer's books are often opening windows into both the old and the new worlds, with both sides of the coins revealed. The Last Tourist, forthcoming the 24th of March, is the fourth into the Milo Weaver series, following octopus-shaped connections of money and corporate interests from West Sahara to Davos.

There is a world in the making that the tourists - CIA-trained assasins - are molding, together with other groups of interests and overnight powerful individuals. The human relationships - family ones particularly - are desintegrating and sometimes replaced by cruel survival instinct. Ethnic identities, nation-states or languages are no longer sources of power but the corporations and results of mergers and acquisitions.

The world the characters of Olen Steinhauer inhabit does not have any hint of nostalgia, it is described as simply and realistically as possible.

Maybe the action as such in this book is not so breathtaking, at least not for my taste, but what was fascinating for me was the dynamics between characters. The majority were motivated to join secret societies and intelligence offices in order to search the hidden knowledge enabling to understand how the world really function. While searching, they've found though different meaning and fragments of truth that further shaped their course of action. Nowadays, there is no more a single truth and reality is multiple and often depends on the viewer's interests,

The Last Tourist is a really interesting thriller, for both the writing and the actuality of the topics featured. It might make things more blurred before they got clearer but it's worth the intellectual suspense.

THE LAST TOURIST takes readers into the life of Milo Weaver who is in charge of “the library”
an espionage operation hidden in the UN bureaucracy that provides to valuable information to various entities with political and economic interests around the world. Some library members, who were previously connected to the CIA’s now defunct Tourism group, (read hired assassins) are slowly being eliminated and it’s up to Milo to determine the who and why behind the killings.

This is my first Olen Steinhauer book and perhaps I would have been well served had I read some of the previous books in this series in order to get some background on the reappearing characters. First, there are a plethora of players and the majority have unpronounceable names. Second, the complexity of the plot as well as the individual agendas, divided loyalties and number of lies told by the unique participants from chapter to chapter quickly throws this into the unreliable narrator category. What and who can you really believe?

While a well written and definitely intriguing look at today’s political climate, this book left me with my head spinning and my brain synapses shorting out in their futile attempt to assimilate all the complex puzzle pieces and identify exactly who are the good guys and who are the baddies. In the end, I still don’t think I know.

Complicated. I did enjoy the read, but there are some “use your imagination” moments that I had. I don’t find that to be a bad thing, but it is a little different than other books I have read by Olen Steinhauer. Overall, it was a good read, so I will give it a 4 star rating.

Steinhauer has finally returned to the series that launched him into critical acclaim. Fans of the "Tourist" series, featuring Milo Weaver, will be excited to get their hands on this probable final chapter in the saga.

Tourism is a black ops department of the CIA. Tourists are assassins that are easily able to blend into their surroundings and environment. They are the lethal edge of the sword wielded by the CIA. Milo Weaver was a tourist until a chance encounter with a beautiful, pregnant woman had him spellbound. As their relationship flourished he left the world of tourism and opted for a desk job within the CIA. Along the story arc of the previous three books the tourism department was disbanded and shuttered after Chinese agents killed a large number of tourists all on the same day after learning their true identities, the fear of any dark agent.

The Last Tourist picks up with Milo hiding in north Africa. There are suspicious deaths and terrorism threats and organizations that all seem to have his name associated with them. Aware of his location, the CIA sends a seemingly random analyst into the field to connect with Milo and interview him. At the meeting it is readily apparent to Milo that he is being set up by some organization, so he once again finds himself on the run, while also sharing his story with the analyst.

A large portion of the book is Milo's story of trying to unravel a series of threats against him and the intelligence organization he heads, The Library. His family is in danger and being hidden away while he is globetrotting trying to figure out who is targeting him and why. In the real world, the geo-political landscape has changed a great deal since the third book was released (2012) and Steinhauer did a great job incorporating current events into the story arc.

This book can be read as a stand alone novel, but readers will be much better informed and up to speed if they read the first three books prior to reading The Last Tourist. Also, since it has been close to 8 years since book three was released, fans of the series may want to brush up by rereading past novels.

The different threads of the story arc are nicely woven together. As the story progresses, readers will find it tough to guess or anticipate much of the story, which is a nice change. This is a different presentation of the spy world, one that is more analysis and thinking than black ops and killing. The characters spend time seeking their own humanity and understanding how they fit into the world they inhabit. The pacing of the story is generally pretty good. There were a couple of places that felt slower compared to the overall story, but it is generally agreeable.

I enjoyed the book, and am happy to give it a solid 4 stars. I think fans of the genre will find an interesting take/twist on the espionage world.

I with to thank St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy eBook in exchange for my thoughts and review.

This book was a bit slow moving in parts but once you get into it you can’t stop reading it. The story is terrifying, legit (making it scarier), and makes you wonder what’s really going on in the background.

The Last Tourist is apparently the fourth in the Milo Weaver series, but it easily stands alone. The novel has plenty of plot twists equalling what's expected in this genre and occasionally words are strung together in near-poetic way. The protagonist, Milo Weaver, is a scarred veteran of the spy world, but has returned to the States, married and has a child. Weaver isn't a sauve debonair 007 copy, not is he the skilled Jason Bourne, and he lacks the characterization Daniel Silva has invested his Gabriel Allon with, but he is a relatable character. He's a scarred man who's has traded his old life for a wife, daughter and a normal American home life, but is now forced to return to the world of spook-dom.

Thank you for the opportunity to read The Last Tourist early.

I will not be finishing the book, it just really isn’t for me. The spy lingo and acronyms for everything in the first 20% was a little to much for me and along with the long list of characters. I found very hard to keep up with what was happening.


Thank you again.

This book took a little while to start getting good, but I abide by the 10% rule of reading. I read at least 10% before deciding whether to finish it or stop reading. Stephen King gives great advice, because this story really kicked in! I love the intrigue and detailed storytelling, the author really has a knack for making you feel like you are there also. Due to this, I’ve decided to read other books by this author and I’m hooked! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Milo Weaver book # 4

What a confusing read this turned out to be. The story is layered with spies and their handles, past and present, working what it seems to be with an assortment of people who work for an agency embedded in the United Nations. Some say it keeps us on edge until the very last page because it’s hard to separate the truths from the lies, the good guys from the bad. I totally agree but is it a good read?

“The Last Tourist”, is a complex tapestry that weaves together a story of politics, espionage and trickery on a global scale. This saga is filled with unexpected twists and turns and has a large cast of characters all outfoxing each other. The sheer number of players and their individual agenda were far too many to follow and so hard to keep up with that I lost interest and “The Last Tourist” could not win me back in the long run.

I enjoy a demanding plot but on the other hand passing too much time deciphering what is being said is way too demanding and by far less enjoyable read. This book was not an easy read. I frequently had to think back who was who and who did what and who double-crossed whom. I guess the best way to read this book is to take notes or to make a spreadsheet…. The narration switches from first person to third person without a good transition, things are quite jerky and do not flow smoothly. But be prepared for an awful lot to occur at a breakneck pace…..such a chaotic presentation …. I am not saying this is a bad book, I simply did not enjoy it as much as the previous in this series….some you win and some you lose…This is the way I see it.

Stunning and irresistible to put down .I definitely want to add this to your summer beach rating.Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book

Like his other “Tourist” books, this is one is exciting with several surprises along the way. The story keeps evolving in unexpected ways, and you can’t stop reading.

Milo Weaver's long, explosive journey is coming to an end. As he answers official questions on his history with "tourists". CIA sponsored assassins, Milo takes readers on a trip through his past. His future uncertain, characters from the first three books in this series are resurrected to keep the tension high. Olan Steinhauer has given us an unforgettable hero who has done his duty and is trying to fade away. But that wouldn't be very exciting, now would it? This is a perfect read for a long afternoon when no one else is home so you will not be distracted.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but it seemed too disjointed. I had a hard time following the thread between the different characters and the subplots. Even though I just finished the book a few days ago, I am having a hard time recalling the details. I enjoy espionage stories and this just fell flat.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.