Been re-reading RED HARVEST -- really, an amazing book
-- and all of a sudden I'm curious to learn more about
Hammett's life.
Brief reading notes: modest thumbs up for W.R. Burnett's HIGH
SIERRA, a very decent retelling of the old "a not-unlikable
crook flirts briefly with a chance at redemption, only to
realize that he belongs in the gutter" chestnut. Predictable,
of course, but Burnett is masterful at characterization and
is appealingly unromantic about the whole thing. (And before
anybody asks, no, I haven't seen the movie.)
Big thumbs down for Shane Stevens BY REASON OF INSANITY. I
know Stevens is a cult author for some people, but I don't
see the appeal. DEAD CITY is a pro forma gangster novel, a
bit more graphic than most, but otherwise highly
by-the-numbers. INSANITY alternates passages of real power
with some absolutely awful, hackneyed writing, as bad as
anything I've seen. After about 150 pages I declared
"surrender".
doug
===== Doug Bassett
dj_bassett@yahoo.com
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