Lost Men: (The masterpiece of the master of horror, the winning novel of the highest award in thriller literature)

Author: Stauber
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: The story takes place in a small town in the central-western United States. The mother suddenly commits suicide, and the son subsequently disappears. The protagonist who investigates the mystery is not the father but the father's brother. As a result, this strange incident brings the two brothers closer together, revealing both sorrow and shame. The brothers' vastly different personalities and ways of handling things suggest the author's attitude toward good and evil, selflessness and selfishness. The older brother, Tim, is a writer, though he has published many works, he remains calm, humble, sincere, and thoughtful. The younger brother, Philip, is the vice principal of a middle school, yet he is sharp-tongued and selfish, completely lacking in love. However, his judgments about life in New York are strikingly insightful. He is an extremely unbalanced character—he despises the wealthy yet yearns for a rich life; he needs marriage and family as a mask for his identity yet pays no attention to his loved ones; he pretends to be dignified, yet he is like an actor playing a role, basically a cowardly hypocrite with some petty cleverness, all used to self. But it cannot be denied that some of the story details that unfold between these two brothers are very interesting. It is easy to see the subtle cohesive force of blood ties, as well as the inevitable centrifugal force. It is even easier to see the underlying conflict between good and evil behind the humorous dialogue.