Hi,
When Mark tabulated the BLOWN AWAY top 5 results, he
mentioned one wishy-washy abstention - well I guess that was
me! (Although, to answer Bob Toomey's question in part, I did
at least mention Fredric Brown...). Anyway, I figured that to
make up I should list some of my top picks;
Fredric Brown: NIGHT OF THE JABBERWOCK - amazing plot,
halfway between a dream and a nightmare, totally
unforgettable, and not just for Doc's prodigious
drinking!
Richard Stark: DEADLY EDGE - my favourite Parker (though I
haven't yet read them all), has some unforgettable moments;
Parker crawling up the staircase in total silence on all
fours; stripping naked to dispose of the bodies...
Chester Himes: ALL SHOT UP - the most rounded of the Harlem
Cycle with the right balance between realism and absurdity.
Again, unforgettable scenes; the solid-gold Cadillac; the
unfortunate motorcyclist...
Charles Willeford: MIAMI BLUES - when CW pulled it all
together, with equally captivating hero and villain.
Other favourites; Edward Bunker: NO BEAST SO FIERCE -
semi-autobiographical brilliance. Newton Thornburg: CUTTER
& BONE William Hjortsberg: FALLING ANGEL - my favourite
genre cross-over novel.
Recent favourites; John Wessel: THIS FAR, NO FURTHER - bought
it on a whim remaindered for 49p - what a bargain! Tim
Dorsey: FLORIDA ROADKILL - has anyone else read this? W.R.
Burnett: THE ASPHALT JUNGLE - new to me, anyway, read it last
month, the new Prion edition.
Other points: I read my first Parker (The Man With the
Getaway Face) about 4 years ago and I've tracked most of them
down now - I especially like the Coronet paperbacks published
over here in the UK with die-cut bulletholes in the cover.
Anyone else dig these versions?
Has anyone read Njami Simon's COFFIN & CO.? Is it worth
looking for?
What's the novel that's disappointed you the most recently? I
would have to say KISS ME, JUDAS by Will Christopher Baer. I
guess I fell for the hype...
- Paul
-- # To unsubscribe, say "unsubscribe rara-avis" to majordomo@icomm.ca. # The web pages for the list are at http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/ .
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 07 Jan 2000 EST