I have enjoyed Marv Albert's Stone Angel series but the more
I read the less enthusiasm I have for it. The first I read
was GET OFF AT BABYLON, which I agree is the best. The others
feature great locales and smooth writing but the character of
Pete Sawyer seems increasingly pasted together. The big flaw
is the plotting. The last I read THE MIDNIGHT SISTER had
interesting possibilities but it turned into a stupid chase
and ultimately irritated me. It did have some good scenes in
Antwerp that came to life but much of the rest was going
through the motions.
Albert did do some good work in his long career. Crider is
off on a European jaunt or I imagine he would be naming a few
for us. Juri said Marv Lachman rates this series as the best
of Albert. That might be but recently he criticised the first
in the series STONE ANGEL as being mediocre in plot and some
of the writing careless. I don't think the series is a
favorite of Marv's. The novels do move quickly and make for
good light fun. Some days that's all I want.
The other day I found our Paul Duncan's NOIR FICTION, DARK
HIGHWAYS and can second the earlier recommendations. It is a
book I keep dipping back into and it has added many titles to
my want list.
I also picked up MR BLUE Edward Bunker's autobiography. So
far I am enjoying it. Can't compare it to his fiction as I
must confess I've never read his novels. I did pick up NO
BEAST SO FIERCE when I bought the autobio. Now that I think
of it, both were purchased as a result of Duncan's interview
with Bunker in his collection THE THIRD DEGREE. The way I
figure it by the time I buy all the books Duncan has tipped
me to I'll be out an unholy amount of money.
Richard Moore
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