Synopsis: This is a collection of short stories.
Many of these stories involve previous stories by Leonard. In fact, I can say for certain the story from Tishomingo Blues is an off screen scene we have described in the book. I have to admit, the concept is brilliant: compile deleted and character sketch scenes and sell them in a collection. It's more money for not much more work.
The story that sticks with me most is Tenkiller, wherein Ben Webster--grandson of Carl Webster from The Hot Kid and Up in Honey's Room, returns to Oklahoma and discovers squatters have taken over his ancestral land.
The other one that really leaves a mark on me is Fire in the Hole, which follows the takedown of a white supremacist. The pure racism just sent shivers. It's something I don't really get. Maybe it's because deep down I'm a good guy. Maybe because I'm a mongrel. Whatever it is, racism really gets to me.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
Book Review: The Hot Kid by Elmore Leonard
Synopsis: Carl Webster, a young US Marshal works to capture various bad guys in the thirties while building his myth.
This one took me a while to really get into. There are a series of flashbacks and flash-sideways to establish the characters. I wasn't paying enough attention to completely figure out what it was all about. Later on I realized it was to establish Carl and Jack Belmont, the antagonist. Perhaps if I'd been paying more attention, my favorite part of the book wouldn't have been so cool. About half or three-quarters of the way through, I realized that Carl and Jack have almost identical backgrounds. And they are equally hesitant to shoot.
Once I got into the story, once I knew what was going on, It was an enjoyable story. Something along the lines of The Untouchables. As I've spoken of minor character traits in previous Leonard books, I'll add one here. There's a point where Carl is facing down some pretty tough people while someone is cooking in another room. He stops in the middle of a dour statement to say, "That smells good." As I've said before, that makes him so much more human than rescuing any number of kittens.
Oh, another Elmore Leonard trait: denouement? What denouement? This is the second Elmore Leonard book I've read that ends immediately after the climax. Done right, that's not a bad thing. And Leonard does it right.
This one took me a while to really get into. There are a series of flashbacks and flash-sideways to establish the characters. I wasn't paying enough attention to completely figure out what it was all about. Later on I realized it was to establish Carl and Jack Belmont, the antagonist. Perhaps if I'd been paying more attention, my favorite part of the book wouldn't have been so cool. About half or three-quarters of the way through, I realized that Carl and Jack have almost identical backgrounds. And they are equally hesitant to shoot.
Once I got into the story, once I knew what was going on, It was an enjoyable story. Something along the lines of The Untouchables. As I've spoken of minor character traits in previous Leonard books, I'll add one here. There's a point where Carl is facing down some pretty tough people while someone is cooking in another room. He stops in the middle of a dour statement to say, "That smells good." As I've said before, that makes him so much more human than rescuing any number of kittens.
Oh, another Elmore Leonard trait: denouement? What denouement? This is the second Elmore Leonard book I've read that ends immediately after the climax. Done right, that's not a bad thing. And Leonard does it right.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Book Review: Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard
Synopsis: After daredevil high-diver Dennis Lenahan witnesses a murder by the Dixie Mafia, he is threatened into silence. Then he meets a slick con man from Detroit and gets drawn into his plots to usurp the Dixie Mafia's turf. The whole of the climax takes place during a Civil War reenactment.
Okay, this being my second Elmore Leonard book (and I'm working on my third), I'm starting to understand his style. His protagonists are super-slick cool guys who typify who a man wishes he were. Throw in so quirky characters (good, bad, and neutral). Then add some great dialogue and interesting locations, and you've got something.
This one's a little slow at the beginning. It's entertaining, getting to know his characters (mostly people I'm glad I don't live next to, but despite a murder and various other crimes going back and forth, not much really sparkles plot-wise until we're moving into the reenactment.
But once we're in uniform, wow. It's just fun. I think it's the details Leonard includes with the die-hard reenactors (such as the CIB cop who is hesitant to arrest the bad guys until after the reenactment, and who dresses down the protagonist for not having his rifle on him at all times). Another thing that's pretty cool is that we spend some good time coming up with plans, and they completely fall apart in a way I don't think I've ever really seen before (let's face it, climax plans always fall apart. It's neat to see it happen somewhat originally).
Okay, this being my second Elmore Leonard book (and I'm working on my third), I'm starting to understand his style. His protagonists are super-slick cool guys who typify who a man wishes he were. Throw in so quirky characters (good, bad, and neutral). Then add some great dialogue and interesting locations, and you've got something.
This one's a little slow at the beginning. It's entertaining, getting to know his characters (mostly people I'm glad I don't live next to, but despite a murder and various other crimes going back and forth, not much really sparkles plot-wise until we're moving into the reenactment.
But once we're in uniform, wow. It's just fun. I think it's the details Leonard includes with the die-hard reenactors (such as the CIB cop who is hesitant to arrest the bad guys until after the reenactment, and who dresses down the protagonist for not having his rifle on him at all times). Another thing that's pretty cool is that we spend some good time coming up with plans, and they completely fall apart in a way I don't think I've ever really seen before (let's face it, climax plans always fall apart. It's neat to see it happen somewhat originally).
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Book Review: Split Images by Elmore Leonard
Synopsis: Lieutenant Bryan Hurd tries to pin a murder on an eccentric millionaire, who secretly likes to hunt people for sport.
This is my first Elmore Leonard book, and I liked it. The characters are all so well drawn and distinct. Even those characters who are basically stereotypes are so in a way that was fun and interesting to me.
It took a while for the plot to get moving. The first part I was a little bewildered trying to understand what the story was going to be. Then it got started, and the characters took over for me.
The plot became really strong near the end. Elmore added some strong twists and reversals that pumped up my suspense.
Based on this book, I would guess that the strength that makes Leonard one of the big names in his genre is that he has a knack for characters. He just made them come to life and made me care about them. For example: I think my connection to Lt. Hurd locked into place when he asked his lover to get the phone because he wasn't wearing any pants. It's a minor thing, but a quirk about answering the phone while naked makes him so much more real to me than if Leonard had made a point to say he gives sneakers to ghetto kids on Saturdays. It's that kind of care that people's Leonard's books with real, believable characters.
This is my first Elmore Leonard book, and I liked it. The characters are all so well drawn and distinct. Even those characters who are basically stereotypes are so in a way that was fun and interesting to me.
It took a while for the plot to get moving. The first part I was a little bewildered trying to understand what the story was going to be. Then it got started, and the characters took over for me.
The plot became really strong near the end. Elmore added some strong twists and reversals that pumped up my suspense.
Based on this book, I would guess that the strength that makes Leonard one of the big names in his genre is that he has a knack for characters. He just made them come to life and made me care about them. For example: I think my connection to Lt. Hurd locked into place when he asked his lover to get the phone because he wasn't wearing any pants. It's a minor thing, but a quirk about answering the phone while naked makes him so much more real to me than if Leonard had made a point to say he gives sneakers to ghetto kids on Saturdays. It's that kind of care that people's Leonard's books with real, believable characters.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Book Review: Sourcery by Terry Pratchett
Synopsis: All wizards are eighth sons of eighth sons, but when a wizard has eight sons, a sourceror [sic] is born. And with the birth of a sourceror comes the end of the world.
It took me quite a while to get through this book. That's no slight against Mr. Pratchett. There are few writers who compare to him in pure enjoyability. I started reading Pratchett at the suggestion of my friend after I started writing a fantasy comedy.
Usually I read these books with a broad smile throughout the entire process, but rarely do I laugh out loud (again, not a slight). Most people speak of Pratchett's work as hilarious. That, to me, means lots of laughing. So I wonder if I'm really getting the jokes or what. I think the problem for me is that for me to laugh out loud, I need a strong punchline. I'm reserved like that.
That said (feels like a dark confession), I really enjoy these books. I'm actually somewhat torn on the character of Rincewind. I love his cowardice and incompetance, but the fleeing that naturally follows those always make his books seem more episodic than drawn into a tight plot. That's my biggest, and perhaps only, problem with this book and why it took me so long to read it.
I think it went more than a month unopened on my nightstand. I simply stopped one night at a place where the plot didn't require me to keep reading, and it took me quite a while to overcome my inertia.
It took me quite a while to get through this book. That's no slight against Mr. Pratchett. There are few writers who compare to him in pure enjoyability. I started reading Pratchett at the suggestion of my friend after I started writing a fantasy comedy.
Usually I read these books with a broad smile throughout the entire process, but rarely do I laugh out loud (again, not a slight). Most people speak of Pratchett's work as hilarious. That, to me, means lots of laughing. So I wonder if I'm really getting the jokes or what. I think the problem for me is that for me to laugh out loud, I need a strong punchline. I'm reserved like that.
That said (feels like a dark confession), I really enjoy these books. I'm actually somewhat torn on the character of Rincewind. I love his cowardice and incompetance, but the fleeing that naturally follows those always make his books seem more episodic than drawn into a tight plot. That's my biggest, and perhaps only, problem with this book and why it took me so long to read it.
I think it went more than a month unopened on my nightstand. I simply stopped one night at a place where the plot didn't require me to keep reading, and it took me quite a while to overcome my inertia.
Personal Taste
There's been a lot of talk in the blogosphere lately dealing with reading tastes. The meme is in the air. A few blogs I follow have had some really good posts on this topic. The ones that immediately come to mind are from agent Kristin Nelson and from Bookends Literary Agency:
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2008/05/lesson-to-be-learned-from-popular-books.html
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2008/05/millions-of-readers-are-not-wrong.html
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-do-bad-books-get-published.html
What these posts have in common is that there is no such thing as a bad popular book. A popular book is popular because people like it. If you don't like it, that's your taste. And writers panning popular books reek of sour grapes.
That is similar to what I said in my post about why I give bad reviews, and I feel somewhat vindicated. However, I also feel bad about the sheer number of bad reviews I've given. I still maintain that its my opinion, and that's what the blog is for, but I've resolved to do as Agent Kristin suggests and look for (and perhaps bring up in the review) what it is others like so much.
I like to think I haven't gone so far in my opinions that I question the sanity of the readership. Okay, so I did with The Golden Compass (I ammended my opinions in the reviews of the later books in His Dark Materials) and perhaps Crossover. I confess that some of my posts, especially the aforementioned and maybe some dealing with Dan Brown, were not precisely professional or even polite. I apologize for that and will try to do better in the future.
If at any point you think my opinion is too harsh, let me know. As you might be able to see, I'm not above dining on a steaming plate of crow.
I won't go back and remove my more pejorative reviews. There's too much revisionist history on the internet. So if you think I'm a prick, that's your opinion, but hopefully as I progress and grow into this whole blogging thing, my real personality will come out more.
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2008/05/lesson-to-be-learned-from-popular-books.html
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2008/05/millions-of-readers-are-not-wrong.html
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-do-bad-books-get-published.html
What these posts have in common is that there is no such thing as a bad popular book. A popular book is popular because people like it. If you don't like it, that's your taste. And writers panning popular books reek of sour grapes.
That is similar to what I said in my post about why I give bad reviews, and I feel somewhat vindicated. However, I also feel bad about the sheer number of bad reviews I've given. I still maintain that its my opinion, and that's what the blog is for, but I've resolved to do as Agent Kristin suggests and look for (and perhaps bring up in the review) what it is others like so much.
I like to think I haven't gone so far in my opinions that I question the sanity of the readership. Okay, so I did with The Golden Compass (I ammended my opinions in the reviews of the later books in His Dark Materials) and perhaps Crossover. I confess that some of my posts, especially the aforementioned and maybe some dealing with Dan Brown, were not precisely professional or even polite. I apologize for that and will try to do better in the future.
If at any point you think my opinion is too harsh, let me know. As you might be able to see, I'm not above dining on a steaming plate of crow.
I won't go back and remove my more pejorative reviews. There's too much revisionist history on the internet. So if you think I'm a prick, that's your opinion, but hopefully as I progress and grow into this whole blogging thing, my real personality will come out more.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Book Review: Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer
Synopsis: After Butler is fatally shot, Artemis Fowl enlists fairy help to make things right, get revenge, and make one last score before going straight.
Of the three AF books I've read to this point, this is second best. It's miles better than The Arctic Incident but just barely short of Artemis Fowl. In this one, you have Artemis once more taking the role of hero, but this time, he's not completely incompetent doing it. He still had his try/fail cycles, but this time they didn't make him seem stupid. It may be because John Spiro is a more worthy adversary. It could be that Artemis was simply smarter in this book.
I have to say I wish the mob had a bigger role. It seemed like that part of the plot just petered out. And while the fairies making a guy who knows too much disappear was funny, it solved the problem too thoroughly too quickly.
Regardless, the book was worth the read, and the ending makes me look forward to the next one.
Of the three AF books I've read to this point, this is second best. It's miles better than The Arctic Incident but just barely short of Artemis Fowl. In this one, you have Artemis once more taking the role of hero, but this time, he's not completely incompetent doing it. He still had his try/fail cycles, but this time they didn't make him seem stupid. It may be because John Spiro is a more worthy adversary. It could be that Artemis was simply smarter in this book.
I have to say I wish the mob had a bigger role. It seemed like that part of the plot just petered out. And while the fairies making a guy who knows too much disappear was funny, it solved the problem too thoroughly too quickly.
Regardless, the book was worth the read, and the ending makes me look forward to the next one.
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