Re: RARA-AVIS: The Killer Inside Me/Book Discussions
James Rogers (jetan@ionet.net)
Sat, 7 Feb 1998 10:48:12 -0600 (CST)
At 11:15 AM 2/6/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Being new to the list, I was excited about the idea of
seeing
>some really astute discussions of some wonderful
books.
>However, for the latest reading, THE KILLER INSIDE
ME,
>I've only seen a few posts and nothing resembling a
dis-
>cussion. Is this typical? Or have other books you've
read
>generated a lot more give-and-take?
>
>I've hesitated to post my opinion because I feel a bit
intimidated
>by the expertise in the group. My reaction to any book
is
>pretty much surface since I don't have the background to
make
>critical judgments based on past readings. I didn't want
to
>embarrass myself by saying anything that would
appear
>ridiculous to the group intelligentsia.
>
>Be that as it may, discussion or no, I am glad that I
took the
>time to read THE KILLER INSIDE ME. I thought it verged
on
>being a masterpiece. I particularly liked Thompson's use
of
>the first person voice. It took me inside of the
protagonist's
>head while building an odd sense of sympathy at the
same
>time.
>
>
We probably just need someone to egg us on. KILLER is a great
book,
although I personally prefer POP.180, which is not very
different. There are
a couple of little habits of Thompson's that annoy me through
all the
books....like having a character stutter to express weakness or
surprise.
The first person narrative is very effective in Thompson's
best books in
that it makes the reader feel somewhat complicit in the crimes
of the
protagonist. as I said in another thread, James Cain probably
pioneered this
device I recently gave away my copy of KILLER to someone who
couldn't handle
it for this very reason.... they were just overcome with
nausea. I had a bit
of the same reaction a short while back when reading Ellroy's
KILLER ON THE
ROAD (SILENT TERROR).
James
James Michael Rogers
jetan@ionet.net
" I carried it too far, that's for sure" - Jeffrey
Dahmer
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