Reed Andrus (randrus@home.com)
Sun, 11 Jul 1999 07:50:42 -0700
> From: "Jerry Buck" <petecastle@worldnet.att.net>
> Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Jones
> > But it is the "description" that makes the
Burke writing so endearing. I
> > think In the Electric Mist with the Confederate
Dead could have been
> > called the Book of Colors. And that doesn't
transfer well to the screen,
>
> It would be even more endearing if he ever told a
complete story. The
> Electric Mist was nonsense about ghosts. If he wants
to substitute New Age
> hokus-pokus for good story telling, okay, but don't
try to convince me he
> writes good mysteries.
We're of similar minds on this. I have long felt that Burke
reached a solid conclusion to the series in either A Morning
for Flamingos or A Stained White Radiance. The fact that he
kept going had to do with too much money or too much ego, or
both.
The series began its serious deterioration with Electric
Mist.But I managed to struggle successfully with credibilty
strain because there was that hint of rationality that Dave's
visions _might_ have been induced by LSD rather than actual
communication with his Confederate general. Burning Angel
really put me over the top.
That said, I did enjoy Billy Bob Holland's discussions with
the ghost of L.Q. Navarre, much the same as John Cuddy's
occasional conversations with his wife don't bother me. It
will be interesting to see how much ghost and how much
reality Burke emphasizes in Heartwood, due out soon.
... Reed
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