Andrew
I am a fan of Donald E. Westlake's lighter, more comedic crime capers, and this was my first read of his Richard Stark pseudonym. The novels he wrote as Stark are deliberately leaner, meaner, grittier, and, well...stark.
The familiar fast-paced plotting is in place but the humor, wit, charm, surprise twists/reveals, etc., are all stripped out. Parker has been wronged and he goes intimidating, stealing, and killing his way up the criminal food chain until he feels the wrong has been righted. He never cracks a smile, has a tender moment, or stops to examine his motives. Not a bad thing...it's still a page-turner, I finished it in only a couple sessions, but it lacks the fun and cleverness of his other work like The Hot Rock or Help, I am Being Held Prisoner and the emotional depth and examination of the criminal lifestyle like The Cutie and 361.
My Rating Scale
5 stars - An all-time classic, a book that fundamentally changed or enriched my life. Would recommend to any and all readers.
4 stars - An excellent book that stands out in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the genre or subject matter.
3 stars - A perfectly serviceable book that may be entertaining or informative but does not push the envelope or linger long in the memory. Would recommend to pre-existing fans of the genre or author.
2 stars - A book that falls short in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would only recommend with reservations or would not recommend at all.
1 star - A book that has nothing to say, or says it so poorly it isn't worth reading. Would not recommend and would actively warn away from.
I am a fan of Donald E. Westlake's lighter, more comedic crime capers, and this was my first read of his Richard Stark pseudonym. The novels he wrote as Stark are deliberately leaner, meaner, grittier, and, well...stark.
The familiar fast-paced plotting is in place but the humor, wit, charm, surprise twists/reveals, etc., are all stripped out. Parker has been wronged and he goes intimidating, stealing, and killing his way up the criminal food chain until he feels the wrong has been righted. He never cracks a smile, has a tender moment, or stops to examine his motives. Not a bad thing...it's still a page-turner, I finished it in only a couple sessions, but it lacks the fun and cleverness of his other work like The Hot Rock or Help, I am Being Held Prisoner and the emotional depth and examination of the criminal lifestyle like The Cutie and 361.
My Rating Scale
5 stars - An all-time classic, a book that fundamentally changed or enriched my life. Would recommend to any and all readers.
4 stars - An excellent book that stands out in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the genre or subject matter.
3 stars - A perfectly serviceable book that may be entertaining or informative but does not push the envelope or linger long in the memory. Would recommend to pre-existing fans of the genre or author.
2 stars - A book that falls short in one or more areas of writing style, characterization, making a point, etc. Would only recommend with reservations or would not recommend at all.
1 star - A book that has nothing to say, or says it so poorly it isn't worth reading. Would not recommend and would actively warn away from.
