Reed Andrus (randrus@home.com)
Wed, 23 Jun 1999 17:16:57 -0700
> Whether or not a serial killer book is or is not
hardboiled depends on
> the treatment the author gives the story. If the
treatment is tough
> and colloquial it's hardboiled. If it isn't, it's
not. Simple as
> that. Don't over-analyze so much! - Jim
Doherty
For what it's worth, I think Jim's absolutely correct. My
example would be Rex Miller's series about Chaingang
Bunkowski. The books actually began as police procedurals
featuring Jack Eichord, but the monster became so popular
with readers, he took over. Did the series deteriorate into
ur-Gothic or blood-drenched cozy? Yeah, sort of. But the
author's attitude and intent was firmly directed at providing
hard-edged fiction. We can argue whether or not Thomas Harris
was poking fun at himself or at his readers with his annoying
writing habits and plot devices, but I'd personally dump
Hannibal into the fringes of the hardboiled subgenre. Just my
opinion.
... Reed
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