--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "decastro3" <decastro3@...> wrote:
> I am a big Burke fan, and I do agree with you. I'm having a difficult
> time getting myself to even open Swan Peak for that reason. I'm also
> a Parker fan, but have reached the point where I only occasionally
> pick up a Spenser book.
>
The problem is not that Burke repeats the stories (he doesn't) but
that his series is very protagonist-centered. If you get sick of
Robicheaux and his shtick, that's it. I like Robicheaux but whenever I
read a Burke novel, I wait a long time before reading another. Too
many of the descriptions are similar, the bayou, the sky in the Gulf
announcing a storm, the guys burning sugar cane stalks and so on. But
his novels are solid works, likely to endure. At his best, he can
really involve you in the life of Robicheaux, a complicated guy with
all the makings of an imperfect hero. In my experience, Burke tells
the South like it is. His knowledge is very intimate.
Best
mrt
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