Daren
Icelandic author Hallgrimur Helgason gets to gently mock the Icelandic language and some traits visitors to Iceland will recognise in an amusing dark comedy about a mob hitman from New York who find himself in trouble. Unbeknownst to him, Tomislav Boksic's last hit was an FBI agent and while the manhunt closes in on him in the airport he must change his plans quickly.
The best available physical match to him is wearing a priests collar, and after knocking him off and taking his closes and passport, find himself with a ticket to Iceland as Father David Friendly. Tomaslav, as a Croatian must now explain to border control why he speaks with a Slavic accent, but was born in the USA. He must also stay in character to convince to the televangelist couple who are at the airport to meet him that he is also the televangelist preacher that his website says he is!
While clearly a ludicrous plot, things get darker when Tomislav starts to examine his former life as he struggles to adjust to life in a country where the sun doesn't set, there are no guns, very little crime, and many beautiful women!
There are a number of steps to the plot, but it rolls out pretty well, albeit the ending feels rushed - be warned.
While I loved Helgason's Reykjavik 101 this is quite different, but genuinely quite funny and not a bad way to start the 2026 reading year.
4 stars
Icelandic author Hallgrimur Helgason gets to gently mock the Icelandic language and some traits visitors to Iceland will recognise in an amusing dark comedy about a mob hitman from New York who find himself in trouble. Unbeknownst to him, Tomislav Boksic's last hit was an FBI agent and while the manhunt closes in on him in the airport he must change his plans quickly.
The best available physical match to him is wearing a priests collar, and after knocking him off and taking his closes and passport, find himself with a ticket to Iceland as Father David Friendly. Tomaslav, as a Croatian must now explain to border control why he speaks with a Slavic accent, but was born in the USA. He must also stay in character to convince to the televangelist couple who are at the airport to meet him that he is also the televangelist preacher that his website says he is!
While clearly a ludicrous plot, things get darker when Tomislav starts to examine his former life as he struggles to adjust to life in a country where the sun doesn't set, there are no guns, very little crime, and many beautiful women!
There are a number of steps to the plot, but it rolls out pretty well, albeit the ending feels rushed - be warned.
While I loved Helgason's Reykjavik 101 this is quite different, but genuinely quite funny and not a bad way to start the 2026 reading year.
4 stars