RARA-AVIS: I Was Donna Suarez

E J M Duggan (ejmd@mcmail.com)
Fri, 06 Nov 1998 23:18:11 -0800 A couple of rara-avians have recently commented that they couldn't get
very far with this book because of its extreme violence.

That, I suppose is part of the book's defining quality. It is very
powerful stuff. Another quality, which was also commented upon, is
Raymond's style, which, along with the violence is another of the book's
IN YOUR FUCKING FACE qualities.

Raymond was certainly driven--often by drink, which I think has
something to do with his style. I loaned IWDS to a writer friend a
little while ago, along with a couple of Pelecanos's. He declared _A
Firing Offence_ 'unreadable' while _King Suckerman_ was 'more
interesting'. Raymond, however, 'has really got something', and,
although he hadn't read Raymond before (though Julian Rathbone, I think,
had recommended Raymond to him also) put Raymond's style--and his
inability to really bring it off--down to the drink.

So, Derek Raymond: the darkest corner of Brit Noir, proves too tough for
rara-avis.

(Who was that character who breezed briefly into the list to accuse the
rara-avians of being soft?--don't remember his name, but the relevant
quote is on Kevin Smith's Thrilling Detective site--maybe he was right
after all?)

ED

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