RARA-AVIS: Re: Derek Raymond

From: Richard Moore (moorich@aol.com)
Date: 13 Oct 2008

  • Next message: Keith Sparrow: "Re: RARA-AVIS: Derek Raymond"

    I absolutely agree. Derek Raymond (the by-line he adopted once his birth name of Robin Cook was co-opted) was well into an interesting life by the time he began the Factory novels. There is a bleak, world- weary tone that may come from that maturity. He was a very fine writer with a voice unlike any that I can recall.

    There is a good interview with Raymond in Paul Duncan's THE THIRD DEGREE, CRIME WRITERS IN CONVERSATION (No Exit 1997). He comes across as a very interesting man, funny and insightful, and a great fellow to share an hour or two at some pub.

    Paul was once a member of this list but not currently. I recall that John Williams, who is an active member of this list, was a friend to Cook/Raymond and his literary executor.

    Richard Moore

    --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "davezeltserman" <davezelt@...> wrote:
    >
    > I've been working my way through his factory series (out of order)
    > with "I was Dora Suarez" next, and this so far is easily the best
    > crime series I've seen from the last 25 years, and Raymond is becoming
    > one of my favorite writers within the crime genre. There are certain
    > themes that are present in the books I've read so far--physical
    > decline, the inevitability of death, cruelty and compassion, and his
    > writing has a poetry and verve that's unique, as well as an
    > audaciousness that at times leaves me laughing out loud. This is
    > really great stuff, and people here who haven't read him, I can't
    > recommend him highly enough.
    >
    > --Dave Zeltserman
    > http://www.davezeltserman.com
    >



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