Exceptionell

I’m a Swedish man living in Scotland since 2000 and I was given the first installment , Man som hatar kvinnor , from my sister who said “you have to read this”. It was brilliant, with a depth and insight most writers can only aspire to but never achieve. A modern approach to the darker sides of our spiecies, written so we, the captive audience, don’t have any choice but to be absorbed.

The second installment, Flickan som lekte med elden, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Amazing, and in my view unsurpassed as far as crime fiction goes. Stieg’s mindset when creating the Salander character can only be speculated about, but wow! what a stoke of genius,

The third book concludes, ties up the knots, and I get a spooky feeling Stieg were aware he wouldn’t finish the planned fourth book. I know he had plans for as many as ten. Not that it’s any less read worthy than the second one. I found the plot exciting, thought provoking and even plausible.

To lose such a talent, such an amazing clear thinking person is a tragedy, I understand he was burning his candle at both ends at times and perhaps a healtier life style would have meant more for us, his gratefuls, to devour. But what a way to go. With a Bang, not with a whimper.


Torbjorn Stenberg
Submitted: 9 Mars 2010