Review: Slammer by Allan Guthrie

Title: Slammer
Author: Allan Guthrie
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 0151012954



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Definitely Not A "Slammer" Dunk - 2 stars - a book review

I can see the appeal of this book and I can see how some people would like it; however, I hardly enjoyed it at all. The premise is solid, but underdeveloped. The terrorizing from the inmates to the guard could have been so much greater and the story would have been more of a "throat grabber" had there been more favors, more threats, and... well... more terrorizing. The main character, Glass, is only put in two situations before his life spirals out of control (and the story spirals out of control, I might add). There are parts of the story that are grotesque, but I felt it was more for shock value and could not really buy into those actions.

On top of all that, there seems to be random flashbacks that did not seem to fit in the story for any reason, providing seemingly insignificant details about the characters. Maybe they were significant; but if so, it was poorly executed. The ending was also so unsatisfying and disappointing.

My other concerns with Slammer is that there is no writing in the book above a sixth grade reading level. The writing was pretty juvenile and the dialogue was equally juvenile. It is hard to take a dark and gritty story seriously if there are no words over two syllables.

Overall, I say if the premise of the story strikes your fancy, go for it. Given that it is such an easy and quick read it won't take too much time, and you might enjoy it. In my opinion, there are far better books in this category that are executed better and ten times as engaging, with stronger characters; like Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk and each of the books in the Caught Stealing trilogy by Charlie Huston.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan

Title: Bad Things Happen
Author: Harry Dolan
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: Penguin Group
ISBN: 9780399155635

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Elegant Writing With Exceptional Characters - 4 stars - a book review

Every once in a while there is a story that is written in such a unique manner it is hard to explain and impossible to deny. BAD THINGS HAPPEN is such a story. The writing style is not unusual, but has an aura of "classical-ness" to it that makes the story an almost instant classic. Whatever it is that I am trying to describe reminds me of the writing style of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL. That being said, BAD THINGS HAPPEN is not without faults.

BAD THINGS HAPPEN is unique in the sense that the plot revolves around a group of writers and editors. This premise sets up some great dialogue and postulations by the characters as they scramble to figure out who killed the founder of the murder mystery magazine, Gray Streets. Every single time the phrase, "if this was a story in Gray Streets, such and such would happen" followed by, "But this isn't a story in Gray Streets..." The dialogue is almost unreal in this sense, and nearly makes it impossible to believe, but with each unbelievable moment the story becomes that much more unforgettable.

The problems with BAD THINGS HAPPENS is that as more is uncovered about the murders, the less interested I became in who the actual killer (or killers) was. The story became extremely convoluted with the motives of characters that were insignificant previously and they had motives that were not that interesting to me. Of course, me not being a writer might have something to do with the inability to relate.

Overall, BAD THINGS HAPPENS was a worthwhile read. While not without faults, the dialogue and characters are what drive this story. If you like Charlie Huston's writing, then you will enjoy this book and vice versa.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Pain Killers by Jerry Stahl

Title: Pain Killers
Author: Jerry Stahl
Copyright: 2009
Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 0060506652



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Good But Disappointing - 3 stars - a book review

Brief Synopsis:
Manny Rupert is a former cop and sometimes former recovering drug addict. In the opening third of the book we see just how difficult life is for Rupert as we are introduced to his struggles with his ex-wife, drugs, money, and general poor decision making skills. He is "asked" to go undercover at San Quentin as a addiction instructor to determine if one of the inmates is a believed to be dead SS officer from the days of the Holocaust. With nothing to lose (and seemingly nothing to gain), Rupert agrees and is introduced to host of bizarre characters and situations.

General Impressions:
I love a good, dark, gritty story as much as anything. PAIN KILLERS certainly falls into that category as all the back stories are revealed of not only Rupert, but also his ex-wife, the inmates, and the correctional facility employees. Unfortunately, I just could not bring myself to love this story. Typically I tear through novels of a similar nature, but the slow pace and seemingly irrelevance of the situations was difficult for me to swallow. I had difficulty continuing to read PAINKILLERS at many times.

I think the biggest setback for PAIN KILLERS is the fact that situations arise out of nowhere, and Rupert is often presented with decisions that border on completely unbelievable (or with no relevance to the story). The plot also moves very slowly (at least in the opening half of the book). Since I have not read the first book with Manny Rupert, PLAINCLOTHES NAKED, this could be part of the problem (although PAIN KILLERS spends ample time recounting things I assume to have happened in the previous book).

PAIN KILLERS suffers from a lack of direction, and while the readers knows exactly what Rupert's mission is, it is difficult to determine where and how he he achieves this goal while reading the story. Obviously, more information comes out that is important to Rupert (and the other characters) that change the motivations and the resolve of the main characters, but the pacing is difficult to stay interested in these things.

Despite these opinions, PAIN KILLERS is most certainly a niche book. If you like dark and gritty books, this should certainly be on your "to read" pile and you might appreciate it more than I did. There are other books I would recommend first, including the Hank Thompson Trilogy by Charlie Huston:

• Caught Stealing;
• Six Bad Things; and,
• A Dangerous Man.

Good Reading,

Plants and Books

Review: The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston (3 stars)

Good Dialogue, Poor Pacing and Plot

I can't say that I am completely disappointed in Charlie Huston's latest book, THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH, but I can't say I enjoyed it, either.

Per typical Huston books, the characters are interesting and the dialogue is witty, sharp, and gritty. However, in this book, it was almost over the top and at times I was discouraged. The premise of the book is somewhat interesting, with cleaning up deaths, and opens the door for tremendous potential knowing the other is famous for noir based stories. Disappointingly enough, the plot stops there and nothing is advanced in terms of plot for the first half of the book. The first half of the book is just back and forth banter between the angry main character and the people he encounters.

When the plot does start to advance, it is not very interesting and hardly engaging. So much potential is squandered with the premise of this book. I would typically say "pass" on this book, but the dialogue and characters, while almost annoyingly "over the top," are redeeming in their own right. Fans of Huston will probably enjoy this book.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: A Dangerous Man by Charlie Huston (5 stars)

A Worthy Conclusion to a Worthy Trilogy

For those of you that have read CAUGHT STEALING and SIX BAD THINGS, it should be a no brainer to pick up this concluding volume. For those of you who have not read any of this series, I highly suggest you read the previously mentioned books immediately. This trilogy is one of the freshest and most well written set of books I have read in a significant amount of time. I keep kicking myself that I have just now discovered Charlie Huston. Anyways, I digress.

In A DANGEROUS MAN, our antihero has hit rock bottom. The resulting book comes from the depressed outlook and drug induced reference of keeping his parents alive by living a "dangerous lifestyle," doing the dirty work of a Russian mobster. Ultimately, the frame of reference of this book is much darker than its predecessors, but it does an exceptional job of portraying accurate and believable feelings and emotions.

As always, Huston introduces a barrage of new characters, some of which are beyond likable, including the young hot shot baseball player, Miguel, which Henry has been given the charge of "taking care of" in his old stomping grounds of New York City. Obviously chaos ensues, and it is enjoyable every step of the way.

I have not read a book recently with such penetrating and believable characters. The characters (and the situations they are put in) are above and beyond the driving force of these books. A DANGEROUS MAN is an exceptional conclusion to the series, and should be considered a "must read" book.

Good reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Six Bad Things by Charlie Huston (4 stars)

If It Wasn't For Bad Luck, I'd Have No Luck At All

SIX BAD THINGS is a worthy sequel to the phenomenal. It was another hard core ride into non stop running, hiding, terror, and the worst of luck.

The antihero, Henry Thompson, has been living safely in Mexico for several years when he is discovered by the nephew of the Russian mob. What happens next? More of the same as happens in CAUGHT STEALING, only with a whole new cast of characters.

Charlie Huston has continued his wonderful trademark noir, cast with grit, dirt, swearing, and non-stop, grip you by the throat action. While not as good as CAUGHT STEALING, it is certainly a worthy followup and a great transition into the final volume of this trilogy, A DANGEROUS MAN.

This book is a must read for Noir fans and Charlie Huston readers. While the first book could be a stand alone book, this one catapults it into a must read set of three books. You should not miss this one, if you have already.

Good Reading,

Plants and Books

Review: Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston (5 stars)

When Doing the Right Thing Becomes Increasingly Impossible

CAUGHT STEALING was a fantastic novel from the beginning to the very end. I started reading this book and literally (and figuratively) did not put it down until it was over, several hours later.

There is an all star cast of characters that it is impossible not desire to learn about their motivations and anticipate their next moves. They are so unique it is almost laughable... almost. The pacing of the story is extremely fast and furious and the dialogue is sharp. I could not help but be compassionate to some of the characters.

The plot is gritty, dark, and mildly disturbing in some parts. This is one of those books that sucked me in from the first page and took me for the ride of a lifetime with two hands clinching my throat. The situations posed in the book test the characters in every sense. The main character is especially real, and I truly felt for each painstaking decision he had to make while his life spiraled out of control. I loved how just when I thought his life could not get any worse, it did... by leaps and bounds. This book was a tour de force. I highly recommend this book for noir buffs, action junkies, and really... anyone.

I cannot say enough how glad I am I discovered this author. I anticipate finishing SIX BAD THINGS tonight and A DANGEROUS MAN the following night, because the story was that compelling.

Good reading,

Plants and Books