The thriller ‘The Island’ is marred by clumsy prose
This image released by St. Martin’s Press shows “The Island” by Ben Coes. (St. Martin’s Press via AP)
This image released by St. Martin’s Press shows “The Island” by Ben Coes. (St. Martin’s Press via AP)
“The Island,” by Ben Coes (St. Martin’s Press)
An army of 500 Iranian terrorists launch an attack on Manhattan, isolating the island by blowing up tunnels and blocking bridges.
They massacre civilians and assault the United Nations building, targeting the U.S. President who is about to give a speech there. And they invade the headquarters of the Federal Reserve, intent on destroying a computer that regulates much of the world’s economy.
Such is the premise of “The Island,” a far-fetched, blood-soaked “thriller” by New York Times best-selling author Ben Coes that offers few thrills, little suspense, and some of the worst prose you are ever likely to see in print.
The violence is cartoonish. The characters are so poorly…
