As Kevin wrote, Parker's original intent was to blow
stereotypes wide open. Spenser himself is a bundle of
contradictions: a tough guy who cooks, an intellectual gym
rat, an enlightened grunt.
But as Kerry points out, Parker's intent can get lost in the
execution. Notably in late books--as Parker has repeated
himself in plot and description--the racial banter, too,
seems inserted TO SHOW YOU Hawk is more than a masai
warrior/jive turkey; TO SHOW YOU Susan can talk dirty. This
going-through-the-motions feel carries over, making Parker's
once-insightful banter sound hollow.
To answer Kerry's question, Hawk was always articulate. In
PROMISED LAND, Spenser comments that sometimes Hawk sounds
like a Merrill-Lynch rep and sometimes he sounds like Br'er
Bear. But since Parker has flipped the switch so many times,
there's no juice left. Not that I'm sounding Spenser's death
knell. I just wish Parker would put the oomph, the snap, the
kick, what have you, back into his writing.
Gerald
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