- ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Peedie Monk" <
peediemonk@ukonline.co.uk>
>Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: rabe and westlake
>
>- ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Buzz" <
BuzzMeeks@attbi.com>
>
> > I found "The Hook" disappointing and kind of
flat, especially after
> > reading Westlake's "The Ax". The premise
offered all sorts of
> > intriguing possibilities, virtually all of
which are ignored in favor
> > of a quite obvious
> > and unimaginative ending, IIRC. I think I'm in
the minority on this
> > one, but I'd opt for "The Ax" instead, a great
book.
>
>
>"The Ax" is stunning.
>
>Al Guthrie
I totally agree with both of you. When the 'plot' of The Ax
was described to me, I said that Westlake couldn't possibly
pull it off. He did. ...and didn't back away in the ending,
which I really appreciated.
In a word it is the most brilliantly amoral book I've ever
read. Makes Cain seem as a wimp.
Paul Cain, that is.
[Any followup would have been virtually impossible, but I
found The Hook passable until its end, which, to me, _was_ a
cop-out.]
## BTW: Speaking of the Rabe portion of this thread -- the
most recent Mystery Scene (#74, a month or two old) contains
a very informative 4 or 5 page biography on him. That issue
leads off with a 'tribute' to Lawrence Block, by diverse Big
Names, including a 5+ page 'guide' through all 15 Scudder
books by Peter Straub which is a work of art in itself. Much
other Good Stuff also.
-- Bill Bowers
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