THE GOOD GERMAN

At the very beginning of Kanon's novel, Michael Kramer makes an unfortunate choice that will plague his entire performance. It is not a mistake of skill so much as proportion. The novel, based in post-war Germany, concerns the morally ambiguous competition between the United States and the Soviet Union--emerging Cold War foes--for the brain-power of the German scientists who, until recently, served the Third Reich. From the start, Kramer elects a delivery rooted in noir sensibilities, one well-suited to a Raymond Chandler novel but somewhat off the mark here. By investing such disdain and cynicism in say, the machinations of an American congressman trying to wring political benefits from the tragedy of the war, Kramer leaves himself little room when Kanon turns to crimes of truly monstrous dimensions, namely the Holocaust itself. He oversells early, which limits him the rest of the way. M.O. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]