Escapism Set in the Valley!

I was at the Four Seasons hotel in East Palo Alto yesterday evening for a talk and book-signing by Barry Eisler, launching his new novel Fault Line, set in Silicon Valley.

For pure escapism and some well developed characters and  plots, Barry's six prior novels featuring John Rain are a lot of fun. Rain is a conflicted half-Japanese, half-American ex-government agent turned contract assassin who specializes in making his hits look like the target died of natural causes. In one book Rain kills a muscle-bound Japanese yakuza in his own health club by winning his confidence then crushing his chest with the weight bar while he bench presses. Bummer of a workout.

Eisler was himself a former CIA covert agent and then lawyer before becoming a writer. Fault Line departs from the Rain character, introducing pair of estranged brothers, one of whom is a Silicon Valley lawyer and the other is a "military liaison element". Set in the Valley, the book makes use of a lot of the locations we recognize, lending a familiarity and connection to the work. 

Barry is an engaging speaker and his signings are popular. Organized by Kepler's Bookstore, the event was held at the Four Seasons to accommodate what was probably 200 fans. Barry knows the General Manager at the hotel, Tracy Mercer, very well as Tracy held the same position at the Tokyo Four Seasons when Barry lived there some time ago and they became friends. Tracy kindly donated the space and provided complimentary hors d'oeuvres and wine. Nice gesture from a guy whose hotel is the scene of two killings in the book (and whose business must be hurting in the recession)! Barry also has his own website and you can also see there some previews of the first John Rain movie, premiering in Japan next month.

I'm starting my signed copy of Fault Line tonight, so I hope I'm in for a treat. If you're interested in the book and, given Barry's support for local Valley businesses such as the much-beloved Kepler's in Menlo Park and next-door Cafe Borrone (where Barry wrote sections of previous books), please get it from Kepler's or M is for Mystery Bookstore in San Mateo or another independent local bookseller - or order online from Kepler's. Yes, more expensive than Amazon, but support the independents and the Valley economy!