Norwegian by Night

I love adventure or fantasy novels that philosophize without pomp and in ways that induce a eureka reaction, i.e. it better articulates a nebulous or nascent feeling or opinion you've had while entertaining with a fine plot. This one achieves that plus sympathetic characters, deep understanding of culture conflicts and history (another favorite book, though quite different, that fills this void is Lud In the Mist). Mr. Miller should author more-- though I doubt even he wouldn't have trouble hitting this mark again.
I would appreciate reading suggestions from anyone who feels the same...

I certainly was skeptical about this book when I began it. An old man, feeling great guilt for his actions during service in Korea (although he only did what was necessary and was decorated for it), for his son's death in Vietnam and burdened by his Jewishness, rescues a small boy when his mother is murdered. Although most of the action takes place in his head, the book is densely layered and complex. Recommended for thoughtful readers with an interest in the effects of history on the individual.

Fascinating novel with wonderful the 82 year old Jewish ace vet from the Korean War. I've recommended it to many. Read the credentials of the author, Derek B. Miller. I learned about the war, Norway, Jewish loyalty to the United States Military, and facing fading, yet valuable memory.

Derek Millers's first novel is a triumph on multiple levels. Beautifully written, it ponders issues as diverse as dementia , the essence of being Jewish , family, time and a variety of wars. Courage in all it's forms and patriotism ( for good or ill) are also key to a plot that, like the journey Sheldon takes, moves relentlessly but with diversions aplenty along the way.
It is a debut with a unique charm and insight. The characters remain fresh long after the last page is read. Derek Miller is a formidable writer and storyteller whose next offering will be much anticipated.

This novel satisfied me to the core. The situation is universal, the characters lovingly drawn, and the ending still makes me smile. There's a feeling that the author respects and deeply understand the old man and the young couple who seek to make him a part of their lives as they move out of the country and into the unknown together. I highly recommend Notrwegian By Night to readers who don't require an explosive plot.

The officer reminds me of police chief marge gunderson in Fargo

But mostly about this old guy

Quite entertaining

The very ending to me was ambiguous....did he live? If not, then it's a crappy ending

Great story about a Jewish WWII vet moving to Norway with his daughter and Norwegian son-in-law. An irascible guy everyone will love, he gets into hot water and uses all his skills to save those in the dangerous situation he leaps into. Don't read any spoilers. The story is unique.

This is definitely a thriller but not one that moves at lightning pace. Mr. MIller takes time to develop his fascinating characters, especially Sheldon Horowitz and through him and other characters we explore memory, aging, family bonds, the effects of war, and even God. I hasten to add that none of this is heavy-handed but always engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

82 year old widower Sheldon Horowitz is a smart, funny, creative and sad man. He is haunted by the tragedies he has endured, yet finds the strength to move to Oslo to live with his only living family, his gradndaughter, and there manages to save the life of a little boy who is in danger from Kosovan terrorists. Exciting, interesting and different.

I listened to the audio version. I liked that the hero was as old as I am, 82. I didn't like the unnecessary violence. Our book club at
church reviewed it. Generally people liked it as well, except for the violence.

Highly entertaining unorthodox novel. You don't encounter too many "crime" novels with an 82-year-old Jewish American guy as the protagonist, especially an 82-year old Jewish American guy living in Norway. Some parts are funny and others are deadly serious. I read Mr. Miller's "The Girl in Green" first and was impressed. This is actually his first novel, I believe.

The depth of this story is remarkable, given its length and pace. The author is direct and provides just enough detail for the reader to see the world. At one level, the novel is a fast-based thriller. Beneath that, however, the author explores more personal issues such as how our past informs our present and future. It has a beginning, middle, and end; but the writing was so enjoyable I would have been happy for the story to have been twice the length.

Fascinating premise for a story. A story of an elderly American man who becomes the protector of a very young boy who is on the run from Balkan bad men. It is a story that is exciting, but also introspective as the older man, Donny, reviews his life, his relationships, his innermost feelings about himself and his son. I absolutely loved it.

This is a wonderfully orchestrated novel that plumbs the mind of an elderly man, his recollections and regrets, his family's perception of him and his mind, and the deep core of courage that runs through him. It is a great read.

the book I'd been anticipating. Gripping prose and character building, but a confusing cast of characters and an uneven narrative with an unsatisfying ending. Undoubtedly a talented author who will hopefully find his full talent.

This is one of the quietest magnificent piece of writing I've ever read. Yes, it's a really good mystery and story. But that's just the packaging in which the author has wrapped deep insight and beauty that are so many more layers than just the plot. I highly recommend this wonderful work of art.

I loved this book. So many levels to the narrative. It is a rare book that can sweep from the sadness and poignancy of an individual life to the devastating nature of human guilt/ redemption to the forces of world events, both past and present. Tied up in a taut mystery. I loved the character development, the introspection, and the social commentary. I highly recommend.

Perhaps my reaction is related to being 81 and Jewish, but this was a lovely reading experience which moved along at
A greAt pace, lovely characterizations. I look forward to reading the authors other works.

I found myself really liking these characters and finding myself "in" the story, happy for a positive development and distressed when something unpleasant occurs...that's a pretty big deal for a writer to accomplish.

A good read for many reasons. Sheldon was an incredible character. Witty, smart, spiritual & lovable. For someone supposed to have dementia, I wish to be like him.
The author kept me wanting to read as fast as possible. I couldn't put the book down. All the characters were so well plotted & described. A great read. One of the best books I have ever read.

Perhaps my reaction is related to being 81 and Jewish, but this was a lovely reading experience which moved along at
A greAt pace, lovely characterizations. I look forward to reading the authors other works.

I found myself really liking these characters and finding myself "in" the story, happy for a positive development and distressed when something unpleasant occurs...that's a pretty big deal for a writer to accomplish.

A good read for many reasons. Sheldon was an incredible character. Witty, smart, spiritual & lovable. For someone supposed to have dementia, I wish to be like him.
The author kept me wanting to read as fast as possible. I couldn't put the book down. All the characters were so well plotted & described. A great read. One of the best books I have ever read.

This is an absolutely great read! I started it while in Oslo and finished it in Bergen, with a 12-hour journey across Norway in between. The book was so much more than I expected. It is crime, current and historical events, and complex family interactions all combined into a well-written narrative. News of movie rights will be no surprise...but be sure to read and savor the book now!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found myself reading way past my bedtime! The Norwegian setting made an interesting backdrop along with the Korean and Vietnam war stories interwoven with the brutal reality of loss that war always produces. I look forward to reading another Derek Miller book.

Excellent writing and keen perspectives in a tale that starts slowly and grabs you about a third of the way in, never letting go until the pulse-pounding ending. You will think about this book a long time afterwards too. I would have finished somewhat differently, but then again, I am a fantasy fan.

The protagonist is an 82 year old Jewish American with a fuzzy past history, guilt, military training (maybe), and who is now living in Norway with his daughter in law who believes he is demented. Add to this mix Yugoslavian drug lords, murder, and a bewildered small .child whom the protagonist tries to protect. Also important is a tough but complex female police detective with battles of her own. Overall the novel is decidedly different from the usual fare and is a delight to read. Am looking forward to the next book from this author.

I found the main character of this book very compelling, and the odyssey he takes made a rewarding story. It seems as I age, I find interest in characters who are old but "not quite dead," and I enjoy seeing them prove that it's possible to pull it all together one more time when circumstances demand it.

A thriller based on a quirky complex lead character that you will come to know, love, and understand well by the book's end. Although the settings are vastly different, "Norwegian by Night" resonated with me in much the same way as "The Caveman's Valentine", another unusual character study wrapped around a murder plot. The book works on so many levels, exploring the questions: What is home? What constitutes family? How do the bonds of circumstance - past and present - forge our decisions and destiny? Don't miss this one! I hope it's the first of many for this writer.

The book was in great condition so I would definitely buy from this seller again.
I read 3 chapters and just couldn't get into it. This is the 2nd book I've tried to read by a Norwegian author and I don't like the writing style.

Loved this novel.....beautiful descriptive writing.
Cleverly moved from reality to flashbacks to imaginations. A beloved hero, who accidentally found himself in the middle of a murder, saving a child, and out foxing the horrendously evil men.
Much clever humor, too.

A surprise. Though I had noticed many raving about the story, I only read the reviews with a cursory glance, not wanting to learn much about the plot or characters. One of the ways I know how well I enjoyed a book is by how many passages I highlight. This one is full of such passages - imagery and metaphors and the telling of this life that we all share through vastly different experiences. This is a novel well written, having an expertly crafted plot, and with characters so believable and relatable I wish I knew them in real life. You will not have wasted your time by choosing this book.

In his notes, Derek Miller reveals that although this book was written in English, it was originally published in Norwegian in 2011 and was tweaked before US publication in 2013. I find it hard to believe such an original pageturner of a book would have trouble finding a publisher in English. While not particularly long, this story is packed with significance. It manages to cover three wars through the eyes, memories and projections of one remarkable man. Too young to enlist in World War II, Sheldon Horowitz enters the Korean conflict to fight for his country and becomes a sniper, a fact he does not reveal to his family. His son, Saul, reups for a second tour of duty in Vietnam after a conversation with Sheldon. His death is a source of great pain to Sheldon for his entire life, and when he finds himself raising Rhea, a daughter Saul never knew he had, he sees a chance for redemption.

A fourth war, that of the devastating conflict in the former Yugoslavia, is examined through other characters, after Solomon moves to Oslo with Rhea and her husband. But war isn't the only issue here -- there evolves a thriller that is as unpredictable as it is revealing. With a most unlikely hero in Solomon, an 82 year old Jew who may or may not be experiencing dementia. Solomon reflects on his experiences as a Jew in America, in Norway, the effects of aging and power of memory. Many passages stay with me, but one in particular is extraordinary: "...it is the clarity that comes from aging -- from the natural process of releasing the mind from imagined futures, and allowing the present and the past to take their rightful place at the center of our attention."

This book has a good working knowledge of Norwegian Geography and topography. It's characters are interesting and the story is enough to hold your attention. With that said this book was just so-so.

I chose this rating because you do not allow more stars. I love this book, and will try to get those whom I love most to read it. It is funny, sad, and oddly true. How can the daughter of a Korean War vet, who happened to be Norwegian, who had two Purple Hearts and never told anyone not love this creation? Like a fine Swiss movement, your words are timeless, thank you Mr. Miller.

One of my favorite reviewers tagged "Norwegian By Night" as an A+ so I had very high expectations. After reading it, I felt it was good, nothing special, a 3.0 stars, and I'll be less inclined to jump on this reviewer's "sure things" in the near future. The story is about an 82 year old Jew who is persuaded to move from New York to live with his grand-daughter and her new husband in Norway. She believes the old man is demented, it soon becomes quite clear that he is not. There is a murder and as a consequence the old man is on the run with a seven year old boy who is being pursued by the killer. But the story has more to do with the old man's guilt over the death of his own son years ago. And then I thought, haven't I read this book before, several times before? There is a chase, the cops are the third team of involved characters but there really isn't a lot of tension in the story, at least for me. There is some clever dialog, and of course the old man has all the best one-liners. And then somewhat inconsistent with the story up to that point, there is quite a bit of blood and dead bodies in the last few pages. Can't recommend it.

Dear god in heaven. Does no one edit nowadays? I'm not one to give up on books, but I couldn't bear the excruciatingly long tangents of the protagonist. I guess the point was to make the readers suffer as much as the character with dementia. I called it quits halfway in. If only I could get a refund...

This was a very interesting book. I appreciated the perspective of the narrator. I felt that his bouts of hallucinations were less a product of dementia and more the results of loneliness and disorientation with the changes in his world, and the loss of his wife, son, and lifelong friend.

This book had started off as a potentially gripping read but I found that it did not follow a continuous pattern to make the story free flowing. The 82 year old main character, Sheldon Horowitz, seemed to be living in the past having been a survivor of the 2nd World War and the Korean War. It somehow gave the impression that he had a psychological problem of coming to terms with reality. His chronological past seem to crop up every little while when he was faced with potentially dangerous situations after having kidnapped a young kid with whom he had no language communication. His relationship with his granddaughter and her husband seemed rather odd and not well developed in thew story. I found the book a rather disjointed read with many strange twists that were somehow not well woven into the story. I did not manage to understand the complex character of Sheldon Horowitz and how it tied in with his strange behavior. I finished to reading the book but felt that it was a frustrating read

A beautiful novel! I loved the characters.I would have enjoyed them more had they been more broadly developed The grandfather was the exception I loved his musings, his mind being in contact with long lost friends and his utter devotion to helping the little boy. I felt that saving this one child was his contribution for the destruction of the millions of Jews who perished in the concentration camps. I couldn't put the book down. I will definitely read more of Miller's works.

Although the parts of the story took time to converge, Miller pieced them together well. The swings in time took some getting used to, but after I got the hang of it, I enjoyed the layers of past and present. It was believable, and that counts for a lot.