I think there has always been a lot of bitterness toward
Spenser especially on this list. I have always been a fan,
and probably always will be (unless Parker creates an Evil
twin Spenser or something like that). I am one of the many
who think that Parker has gotten a chimp to come up with his
latest plots as well. The early Spenser's were great, Parker
revolutionized the PI in the seventies, I think. I mean, my
info has never really been that great, but who else has given
the PI a steady relationship, made him tackle a sensitized
world, and have a PC code while not being exactly PC. (I
don't think shooting two people in a park is exactly PC).
Parker made Spenser's character real, early on. I believed
there was an ex-boxer out there who would have this code and
help these people, and yet still have a life. I still have a
hard time believe there is some guy who has this code, but
does nothing but sit in his office when he's not working and
replay classic chess games (and hey I like Chandler a lot
too). If you thought you once like Spenser and now you hate
him, go back and read MORTAL STAKES, EARLY AUTUMN, and
LOOKING FOR RACHAEL WALLACE. That is where Parker shines.
Sure some of it is Marlowe taking on a modern world, in fact
most of it is. But that is what makes it intersting, and as
you go along, you'll see Spenser develop into his own person,
not a Marlowe lookalike. Susan is annoying, and that's good
because we haven't seen it before. He has a kid, in a way,
with Paul Giacomin, and we haven't seen that before. Of
course if all you want is Sam Spade beating up people, then
you probably won't get that here and you will be
disappointed. But early Spenser is good, in fact IMO one of
the best. Up until Catskill Eagle. Then Spenser became the
overblown, sappy, unchanging PI that he is. But hey the
writing's still good. Now if only Parker would try.
-Dave
PS By the way, George (Mr. Pelecanos?), thanks for the thesis
info, and the next time you watch Bullit, count the number of
hubcaps that come off Bullit's car. I believe the number is
6.
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