RE: RARA-AVIS: good man Michael Connelly

From: Robert Sankner ( rsankner@yahoo.com)
Date: 05 Mar 2008


I just finished "The Black Echo" which is supposed to be the first Harry Bosch and the only Connely I read so far. Its in Vol 1 of the Harry Bosch Novels. I also have Vol 2 and a few others. I thought it was a great book but I agree. I don't think its noir.

Another interesting note on "Black Echo" is that it involves the Tunnel rats of Viet Nam, the soldiers who went into the VC tunnels. Harry Bosch was one as well. I recently found two other books that appear to be Viet Nam related but haven't read yet: Crumley's "One To Count Cadence" and James Lee Burke's "Lay Down My Sword and Shield." I'm interested to see how they play out.

Bob Sankner
--- Brandt Dodson < bldodson@roadrunner.com> wrote:

> Is Michael truly noir?
>
>
>
> Not by the way I define noir. And by the way, an
> extensive discussion of a
> definition for noir came up a few years ago.
>
> To my way of thinking, Noir involves more than plot
> line and character arc -
> although those are certainly important elements and
> cannot be excluded in
> any definition - it is more a 'feeling'. The city or
> other setting becomes
> as much a character in the book as do the
> protagonist and antagonist.
> Chandler's LA is almost palpable and greatly lends
> to the noir "feel" that
> is so prevalent - yet often so indefinable. On the
> other hand, even with the
> right emphasis on setting, a novel can still not be
> noir.
>
> Take, for example, the alphabet series by Sue
> Grafton. You have a PI, you
> have a city that is a major character in her books
> (her Santa Teresa is a
> fictional Santa Barbara) and yet I don't think
> anyone calls her work - noir.
>
> I don't think Robert B. Parker's Spenser series
> -although he does an
> excellent job, in most cases, of keeping the
> paradigm established by
> Chandler and Hammett - represent noir either.
>
>
>
> On the other hand, I think Loren Estleman does.
> Again, my opinion.
>
>
>
> I like Michael's work, though I must admit I haven't
> read a lot of it. I
> enjoyed The Closers and Blood Work, though this
> wasn't a Bosch novel.
>
> But I think if you compare his writing with novels
> that most people would
> agree are noir, you will find some stark
> discrepancies.
>
>
>
> Brandt
>
> www.brandtdodson.com <http://www.brandtdodson.com/>
>
>
>
>
> _____
>
> Is Michael truly noir?
> Any thoughts?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>

Bob Sankner

"Cry havoc! Let slip the dogs of war!"

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