No Pasaran! Vol. 2 (Spanish Civil War)
The second part of Giardino's Spanish civil war story (volume 1 appeared in 2000) opens with French Swiss businessman Max Friedman at last at the front of the conflict along the Ebro River in northeastern Spain. Posing as a photojournalist, Max continues searching for his friend Guido Treves, missing since early 1938. Traveling with real journalists and a driver who has orders to kill him, Max gets separated twice from everyone except the young female journalist who has taken a shine to him--once to rescue some civilians from bombing rubble, and again to be shot at during a retreat from Franco's Nationalists. Meanwhile, the Communists back in Barcelona are scheming, the Republicans aren't getting reinforcements, and still no word about Guido. Plentiful action compensates for lack of information about what to expect in part 3. Giardino's realistic, cinematic style keeps things interesting, but one still wishes there was more meat on this bone. The third and final helping had better deliver.Ray OlsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved