Re: RARA-AVIS: Kakonis Pseudonym

From: pabergin ( pabergin@gte.net)
Date: 21 Jun 2000


Professor Crider writes:
>The Kakonis pseudonym, I think, is Adam Barrow, and
>at least one title is FLAWLESS, which sounds like it might be a serial
>killer novel, all right.

I am not familiar with Kakonis, but I am - to my eternal regret - familiar with "Adam Barrow" and FLAWLESS. A few years ago, I was sent the book for review. (I believe it was the first of the "Barrow" books, of which there have been blessedly few.)

In the 50 or so pages I managed to endure, the author proved once and for all that truly sophomoric and amateurish prose can indeed find a publisher, that it is still possible to find an editor stupid enough to confuse puerile attempts to shock with grittiness, and that contempt for the intelligence of one's readership never really goes out of style. FLAWLESS was one of the most truly awful books I have ever begun to read. One of those things makes you feel like taking a shower after each chapter. It's easy to see why the author chose to cloak his identity.

Normally, I give review copies I don't want to keep to a nearby ALF. FLAWLESS was one of only two that I have tossed in the trash in the last 10 years or so. I didn't want the karma that would come with inflicting it on someone else. PB

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