Re: RARA-AVIS: He Kills Coppers

From: Scatalogic@aol.com
Date: 07 Feb 2002


I haven't read this yet. I was put off by Arnott's first - the highly feted
"The Long Firm". Which I really, really, disliked. I found it clumping, inelegant, filled with cyphers and archytypes rather than characters, poorly paced and and and. Well, I just didn't like it very much! I will persist however, he continues to attract rave reviews and is, I suppose, only just starting out. Like many a new British noir novelist he has been tagged the
"British Ellroy", and as the cited review says there is an obvious debt. Other main Brit Ellroy, David Peace is, in my opinion a better writer but seems to be going down a stylistic (White Jazz) cul-de-sac, as many on the list think Ellroy has. BTW, one of the reasons I disliked The Long Firm so much was because I am very very familiar with the history Arnott rewrites. With Ellroy, I am coming to Angeleno history with a blank sheet, so others on the list might not have the same problem and enjoy a, not innacurate, picture of British swingin' sleaze! Anthony Frewin does the job better in his porno-vice noir Swingin' London novel, London Blues, No Exit Press.

Yours, with a red right hand. Colin, of England

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