The Ends of the Earth
In this final novel in Goddard’s The Wide World trilogy, ex-flying ace James ‘Max’ Maxted’s search to avenge the death of his father and confound the ambitions of German spymaster Lemmer and his ally, the devious and power-crazed Count Tomura, moves to Japan. The year is 1919, the Versailles Treaty has just been ratified, and new alliances are forming which will determine much of the history of the 20th century. Against this background, Max, his former mechanic, Sam Twentyman, and two PIs, Schools Morahan and Malory Hollander, find themselves involved in an absorbing plot whose twists and turns are surprising, ingenious and dextrously handled by a master storyteller.
The book is a gripping read, and can be enjoyed as a stand-alone, although I would recommend reading the trilogy as intended because this may help with an investment in the characters. The biggest drawback with this series is that the complications of both plot and historical exposition get in the way of characterisation. While Goddard is clever in the way he uses the tropes of spy fiction, creating unexpected relationships and, particularly, redoubtable women who are far more than decorative ciphers, even the main protagonists are curiously bloodless. While I enjoyed the pace and ingenuity of the novel, and particularly the set piece climax in Count Tomura’s spectacular mountain fastness, I found it difficult to really care what happened to anyone. Despite the complexity of the book’s construction and Goddard’s mastery of the history of the period, I was left with the sense of a practised writer going through the motions rather than of a novel in which any passion has been invested. Entertaining enough, but not a great read.
