The "Western" has faded considerably over the years, but when a book in this genre gets it right, it absolutely shines. Boone's Lick is one such book,The "Western" has faded considerably over the years, but when a book in this genre gets it right, it absolutely shines. Boone's Lick is one such book, written by the great Larry McMurtry. The story appears to start out quite lighthearted, but gets gritty real quick, reminding you just how unforgiving and brutal (even alien) life in "The West" was once upon a time.
Boone's Lick is the story of the Cecil family, a ragtag bunch scratching out an existence in Missouri at the end of the Civil War and under the care of their matriarch, Mary Margaret. When Mary decides to track down her wayward husband, the family sets off for Wyoming on a somewhat reckless adventure that will shape their lives for years to come. One the way the family bonds, and tragically tears, as they encounter wild predators, hostile Indians, and the destructive side of Mother Nature.
A short, enjoyable read steeped in the tradition of the Western, but elevated by McMurtry's prose, Boone's lick will make you laugh and smile, recoil in horror, and add some heaviness to your heart. A recommended read....more
Denis Johnson wrote one of my favourite novels of all time: Jesus's Son. Since then I've read other books of his, trying to find that magic again; theDenis Johnson wrote one of my favourite novels of all time: Jesus's Son. Since then I've read other books of his, trying to find that magic again; the poignancy mixed with the poetry, the mastery and mystery behind his written words. I have come across it, but not in the same supply or force as found in that one particular masterpiece.
Johnson's first novel 'Angels' definitely possesses his signature talent here and there. It follows the ill-advised journey of Jamie, a woman who has left her husband with two children in tow. She has the misfortune of running into (and shacking up with) Bill; a man with questionable ethics and loose morals, but someone just as lost in America as she is. Together they embark on a downward spiral into drugs, drinking, crime, and the penalties people incur when they don't know when to stop.
The story packs a punch in places, and takes the reader on a wild and tragic ride, but it is generally less controlled, less compelling, and more meandering that I was expecting. Johnson is a powerful writer all right, and this story was enough of a vehicle for what he wanted to say, but his first time out had some engine troubles and spun its wheels enough for me to give it three stars....more
Q: How do you know when a slow-burn story is done right? A: You can smell charring flesh, feel the tension as the temperature rises, and watch the embQ: How do you know when a slow-burn story is done right? A: You can smell charring flesh, feel the tension as the temperature rises, and watch the embers eat away at the characters.
Pete Dexter delivers this and more in 'The Paperboy'. Like I've previously said, this author has a keen sense of Southern darkness and how it infects swamps and cities and citizens alike. On the surface this is a crime story, one of those "whodunnit" type tales that proves to be something much more in the capable hands of Dexter. When a shithead of a sheriff turns up dead and gutted out in the sticks, a kangaroo court condemns an unlikable local redneck to the electric chair for the murder. Two reporters, Ward James and Yardley Acheman, dig up the cold case and see if they can breathe new life into it. They bring in Ward's younger brother Jack as a driver, and join forces with the accused inmate's deathrow-fangirl fiance, Charlotte Bless.
Told from Jack's perspective, 'The Paperboy' plays out a high-stakes investigation simmering with sexuality, violence, family history, distrust, and dysfunctional relationships. Pete Dexter rarely wastes a word in this exceptionally well-written tale of ambition and betrayal. It's another hell of a novel from one of the truest writing talents on earth. Dexter brings you in, holds you close, and claws out your insides with a story that can be as heart-warming as it is gut-wrenching....more
Fiction is a funny thing. The vast majority of it is lies based on lies. Naturally, of course, since most storytelling is about invention, exaggeratioFiction is a funny thing. The vast majority of it is lies based on lies. Naturally, of course, since most storytelling is about invention, exaggeration, and meeting expectation. Even the "dark stuff" (horror, thrillers, dramas) on the market often still cling to the romantic overtones of heroes embarking on quests to best villains and good inevitably triumphing over evil.
The best fiction is based on the truth. However, the majority of fiction writers are terrified of real truth. Why? Because it reflects us instead of peddling escapism, and we've been ugly as fuck throughout most of human history. More often than not we're confused, violent, ignorant, and constantly trying to find our way throughout life using a broken moral compass. Cormac McCarthy, as always, navigates the dark waters of the human experience with a fearlessness unmatched among his peers. He knows what we really are, what we've done, and what unforgivable trespasses we're capable of. He's not interested in telling you lies to make you feel better about your reading experience. That kind of honesty is hard to come by, and for Cormac it's his code.
Outer Dark is a story of a simpler time. It's a world where people lived elementary lives and employed straightforward methods of survival; scrimp or starve, work or waste away, steal or succumb, kill or be killed. Within a more basic world, the human instinct can be much more animal. Our nomadic tendencies were still settling, and our barbarism was barely tamed. People made their way in the world as best they could, sometimes with purpose, sometimes aimlessly, but almost always to some degree of mortal danger.
Written with Cormac's signature poetic minimalism and bleak beautiful prose, this simple story offers many themes and interpretations that could take up pages and spark numerous deep discussions. But I'll leave you with something plain and effective. There were scenes in Cormac's novels 'The Road', 'Child Of God, and 'Blood Meridian' that I thought were the most unsettling things I'd ever read, but one of the final scenes in 'Outer Dark' proved me wrong.
I'm not sure I've ever read a more gut-wrenching passage of such pitiful innocence coming into contact with such efficient and indifferent cruelty. It is a page in a book that will haunt me for the rest of my life....more
My God, Stewart O'Nan has to be the most underrated writer in the world. I cannot fathom how his talent is not more widely recognized.
Sure, plenty ofMy God, Stewart O'Nan has to be the most underrated writer in the world. I cannot fathom how his talent is not more widely recognized.
Sure, plenty of people know about him, but nowhere near the number he deserves. He's an absolute beast of a novelist, one who exhibits total control of his craft. A gifted writer, master storyteller, and brilliant imagination all rolled into one; an author who has such an uncanny ability to get under your skin, that he can actually wear you with a book like 'A Prayer For The Dying'.
Told in the rare second person (Trust me, that's a truly incredible feat) this book is one of the best I have ever read. Hell, it made it on to my Top 10 list before I'd even got through a hundred pages. It is just that riveting and well-written. In lesser hands, this could easily be categorized as a horror novel, but in the steady strong grip of O'Nan it transcends labels or genres. Harrowing and heartbreaking, 'Prayer' possesses a tenderness only matched by the bleak reality of the story's circumstances. Your jaw will drop more than once as you read about how an uneasy peace between townsfolk falls to pieces amid a terrible infection that invades homes and heads and hearts. You're drawn in, unable to free yourself from the pages, becoming the man trapped at it's center, impossibly tasked with trying to save the living, while overwhelmingly compelled to take care of the dead.
There is not a word wasted in this short, but brilliant piece of fiction based on historical fact. Put this on your list, make it the next book you buy. I want to punch myself in the teeth for missing out on this novel for as long as I did....more
Stephen King's IT holds a special place in my heart. I can safely say that this novel was my undeniable gateway into personal reading. King was the caStephen King's IT holds a special place in my heart. I can safely say that this novel was my undeniable gateway into personal reading. King was the catalyst, and this novel was the chemical reaction that detonated a huge desire to get my hands on books other than what I was having to read at school for classes.
When I was thirteen, IT was the first book I ever bought for myself with my own money. I took my allowance to a local church sale and found a dogeared copy in a pile of used paperbacks. Something about it called to me. Much to my surprise, my mother let me buy it. Looking back, I can see the book’s magnetism was an invitation to start down the path I’m on now as an author of thrillers. The novel was so adult, so scary, so beyond what I was used to reading. I’m a slow reader, and was even slower at that age. IT took me over six months to read, and all the while I felt like I was slipping into a long relationship with the characters and story. When it finally ended, I felt empty inside and was upset to see it all go. I quickly began filling the hollow with more books.
That was a long time ago, but I'll never forget this particular reading experience. I'm a lot older now and not a personal fan of King's style anymore. He has a large problem with overwriting and his prose is too tedious at times. I've never considered him a master "writer" per se, but there is little doubt that he is a true master storyteller. His work has the ability to genuinely scare you, and his ideas were often groundbreaking. His knack for getting inside the heads of kid characters is commendable, as is his gift for being able to tie your guts in knots and snake dread down your spine.
IT is an epic of a book, and one that will keep you turning its many, many pages. Of all King's big novels, this is the one I recommend the most. Pennywise The Clown is a high-ranking nightmare in the horror hall-of-fame, and for good reason. He's one of the most chilling supernatural monsters ever dreamed up. And we have Mr. King to thank for that.
It's official. I've just finished reading a book that will now join the slim ranks of the 'greatest books I've ever read'. These books are collected oIt's official. I've just finished reading a book that will now join the slim ranks of the 'greatest books I've ever read'. These books are collected on a special shelf placed above to my writing desk, and it is sparsely populated indeed... the novels require a particularly strong mix of skilled writing, compelling subject matter, intriguing plot, and slick storytelling.
Where to begin? How about this: If I could give 6 stars out of 5 to this novel I would. I often say of a great book "I couldn't put it down!", but 99% of the time that's a worn out embellishment. 'The Names Of The Dead' was, in fact, a book I literally (not figuratively) could not put down. It's a whole other level, and on so many levels too.
For starters, Stewart O'Nan has to be one of the most talented, yet largely unrecognized, writers in America today. He's one of Stephen King's favorite authors, and that's saying something. But as far as writing talent goes they aren't even in the same ballpark. O'Nan crushes it past the stands, dinging cars in the lot outside the stadium. Sadly, these home runs seem to sail over most people's heads. Like any of the arts disciplines, the true talent almost always gets overlooked while the big shiny celebrity shit gets all the attention from it's paid-for press paraded before every prospective reader's face. Stewart O'Nan has gained some popularity over the years, but nowhere near the amount he deserves. Certainly not enough to match his ability to tell a story. I've read other works of his, most notably 'The Speed Queen' (Which I also reviewed here on Goodreads), and I was blown away by his prowess and power. Incredibly, 'The Names Of The Dead' topped it, hitting me with both barrels.
The story is something else. Set in Ithaca, New York, Larry Markham is a damaged Vietnam vet who is having increasing trouble at home, works a shitty day job delivering junk food, and oversees a support group for other injured veterans at the local hospital at nights. Trouble starts when a new veteran named Creeley joins the group. As an ex-soldier of the infamous 'Phoenix Program' (CIA sanctioned murder) Creeley apparently tried and failed to commit suicide by eating the barrel of his gun, and is missing a quarter of his head as a result. Needless to say, he's not thinking straight, but when he insists that he knows Larry from the war (right down to his platoon code name) the story gets real creepy real fast. When Creeley escapes the hospital and proves highly skilled/dangerous even without part of his brain, things go from bad to worse.
Larry's marriage woes, mixed with his strained relationship with his WWII vet father and the encounters with Creeley, dredge up memories of his tour as a nineteen year old army medic in America's worst clusterfuck of a war. The chapters alternate between his current life, and the one he left back in the jungle with his dead platoon. Larry is a haunted man, and what's worse, he has become a hunted one as well.
Ostensibly, 'The Names Of The Dead' is a thriller. But before the word 'genre' even enters your head, know that Stewart O'Nan puts literary writers to absolute shame. Alice McDermott had this to say about it:
"The Names of the Dead is disturbing -- as with anything we know, but would sooner forget...It's also lovely, and heart-breaking, full of sympathy and humor. It should be required reading for anyone who studies war. It should be required reading for us all."
I cannot stress how good this guy is, or how well-written the novel is too. The prose is tight and lean and lethal, compelling without a single shred of bullshit. At times it is brutal, and then unexpectedly beautiful. This is the refined work of a craftsman writer and master storyteller; a prime example of fiction writing at it's utmost best. It's also a grim reminder that some of the most incredible stories can somehow slip through the cracks and never gain their rightful place. I've now added Stewart O'Nan to my very short, very selective list of writing influences.
I urge you to take note of this one, and then take it to the top of your TBR pile....more
Confession time: I was a scared kid growing up. And I mean fucking terrified. My imagination was fertile, and it tended to grow dark twisted things wiConfession time: I was a scared kid growing up. And I mean fucking terrified. My imagination was fertile, and it tended to grow dark twisted things with thorns that were poisonous to my thoughts, vines of blackened fish-hooks that would creep over me like ivy and ensnare my mind, body, and soul.
My early encounters with anything of the 'horror' variety would take on a life of it's own, finding a nest in my kid brain where it could grow into something much more monstrous. Thinking back to my childhood, there were several experiences that left a deep and dark impression on me. For instance, I watched 'Jaws' at far too young an age (and my parents had to cancel my swimming lessons because I refused to get into the pool after that). I accidentally switched channels on the TV one night and came across the famous eye-gouging scene from 'Blade Runner'. Didn't sleep for days as a result, wouldn't let anyone (even my trusted family) touch my face for a month.
I recall 'Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark' as the first book to ever visit this type of sheer dread on my little being. It had such a notable effect, giving me nightmares for weeks. It turned out that horror movies were pale in comparison to the terror my own mind could conjure up after listening to creepy stories matched with with hideous artwork. Alvin Schwartz undoubtedly helped set me on the path I'm on now as an author of thriller/horror fiction.
My grade two teacher read it to us in class, showing us the illustrations in between stories (the unbelievably arresting art of Stephen Gammell). Never in my young life had I been read anything like it. At home my parents read Roald Dahl to me, far different I must say. But during story time at school I could feel fear eating at me, the discomfort welling up from my gut to my heart as I tried to digest horrors I’d never been presented before. This was the first time I’d ever experienced a book that made me sweat and squirm and hold my breath.
I'm sure the publishers didn't know the kind of effect this book would have on impressionable children when they brought it out. But let me assure you, it had the power to shape the future of some. And I owe a debt of gratitude to such a fine work that didn't hold back, despite the young audience it was created for.
Some books are required reading for good reason. I like to think a book like 'Lord of the Flies' qualifies more as 'demanded reading'.
There are a hanSome books are required reading for good reason. I like to think a book like 'Lord of the Flies' qualifies more as 'demanded reading'.
There are a handful of works in the world that absolutely need to be read by all, and you can't call yourself an avid reader if you've missed out on them. William Golding's masterpiece is one such book.
'Lord of the Flies' is not so much a classic as it is a pillar in the literary Parthenon. It ain't just for high school curriculum, it's for every literate person to experience, absorb, and ponder....more
The writers I enjoy most are men of few words. So much can be said with so little when done right and it's a testament to the mastery of the written wThe writers I enjoy most are men of few words. So much can be said with so little when done right and it's a testament to the mastery of the written word when an author achieves this. Like Cormac McCarthy, Pete Dexter's prose has just as much to do with what is left unsaid, as with what has been spoken. Both men have an acute sense of southern darkness and weave worlds out of flesh, bone, and bleak realities. Never a word wasted, this novel is a lean and fast read.
'Paris Trout' is a story from more than a half century ago, and takes place in a part of the world that was dragged into the future kicking and screaming. Georgia in the middle of the 20th century was particularly cruel outside of white male dominion. The kind of inhumane trespasses and general treatment of black people was shocking and upsetting, and more importantly, it wasn't actually that long ago either...
Paris Trout, the main character, is a man from another time too, a time where overt racism was commonplace, celebrated, and often deadly. He cannot adapt with the changing times, does not abide by updated laws that now protect people equally regardless of skin color. He meets this new world with righteous indignation and increasing hostility. Soon, Paris is lashing out at anyone he perceives as weaker, and is shocked when he discovers he can't kill a minority as freely as he once thought.
'Paris Trout' is the story of one person's slow descent into madness, an insolent and hateful man being told he can no longer conduct business in the manner he has known his whole life. His defense lawyer and wife are the two people who bare witness to his increasing insanity as he fights a changing world that won't tolerate the likes of him much longer.
This is a disturbing tale told by a master storyteller. It will get under your skin, regardless of color. By the end it will leave you feeling like you've chewed long and hard on a particularly rotten piece of America's history.
It's very hard to swallow. And very necessary to digest....more
This is a novel that broke the mold. It's a story about the early days of covert operations, as ill-defined as the people and organizations that carriThis is a novel that broke the mold. It's a story about the early days of covert operations, as ill-defined as the people and organizations that carried them out. Disgraced Captain Jacinth Crewe is discharged from the British Army burdened with gambling debts and a lost sense of self. He is soon brought into the fold of an 'institute' that recognizes his skill set and flexible morals. By all appearances he is a promising candidate for their staff, so they make him an offer and begin putting him through their trials.
Simon Raven is one of those great writers who sadly got lost in the shuffle for the most part. What he wrote, and the time he wrote it, resulted in him and his works getting banned or labelled with an X-certificate. If you read 'Brother Cain' now, you'll say to yourself "What was all the fuss about? I've read far more racy stuff, and I've encountered this type of story a dozen times."
What you have to remember is that Simon Raven was one of the originators of all the dangerous-themed stuff you enjoy today. Brother Cain was written in 1959, and at the time Raven wasn't just pushing the envelope, he was tearing it at all four corners. This novel marches through territory where other authors feared to tread. It tackles corruption, espionage, morality (and lack thereof), bisexuality, murder, incest, and the stone cold heart at the center of covert affairs.
The writing is fantastic, with one drawback; it feels considerably dated. It's done in an older style, more robust (sometimes far too much) with long outdated language. A few parts even seem antiquated and clash with the pace and mood, softening the impact of a story that otherwise has a lot of punch. Occasionally it hammers points home with it's repetitive and heavy-handed nature, but again, this has to do with the times and the fact that the material was fresh and censor-worthy back then. It's also apparent that this author was miles ahead of the rest.
If you're into classic fiction, Simon Raven is a must read. 'Brother Cain' is a fine place to start.
Donald Barthelme is one of the most inventive, surrealist, post-modernist writers out there, and that's saying something. Whether you actually enjoy hDonald Barthelme is one of the most inventive, surrealist, post-modernist writers out there, and that's saying something. Whether you actually enjoy his work or not is another matter entirely. Personally, I found 'City Life' quite touch and go. I wanted to love it, but more often than not I was steered toward the opposite.
First published in 1970, this collection of short stories is very much a product of its time, but I didn't feel that it stood up to the test of time as a result. The works are an extension of 60s culture, a 'Beatnik-ish Book' if you're looking for a label. Barthelme's use of language is to be applauded, but it didn't stop a good deal of it from falling flat on its face. One short story, aptly called 'Sentence', which is comprised of a six-page run-on sentence, is a prime example of just how exhausting this stuff can be at times. Nothing says you can't be super-intelligent and super-annoying (or boring) while you're at it.
There were stories I liked, and stories I didn't care for. At no point did I find myself loving or hating any of them in particular. To be honest, much of this material started to blur together after awhile. Surrealism can go too far, and 'City Life' is a good demonstration of that. A few tales were quite memorable in a broad sense, yet for the life of me I can't recount much about them. That's how erratic and nonsensical the writing was more often than not.
By no means is there a lack of talent in this book. To be clear, Barthelme is the complete opposite of a mediocre writer, but this collection was too lukewarm too often for my taste to be singing its praises. ...more
As I've said before, I have a short list of guys I admire and want to emulate when it comes to writing. Thom Jones is undoubtedly one of them.
My feeliAs I've said before, I have a short list of guys I admire and want to emulate when it comes to writing. Thom Jones is undoubtedly one of them.
My feelings on 'The Pugilist at Rest' are pretty much the same as how I felt about Thom's other short story collection 'Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine'. Jones is a craftsman, his words are hard and unflinching, yet refined. His prose is unusually powerful. In short, they are the writings of a master. This collection reads like an act of desperation sometimes, drawing readers into a world where the stakes are high and the payoffs low, stories about people who fight because they live to fight, or because it is all they know. I loved the raw masculinity of this work, the blunt and sometimes sensitive tales of men weathered on the rough edges of a tough world.
Most of the stories boil down to boxing, war, insanity, and the various people immersed in those worlds. While effective and engaging, I found myself wanting more variation instead of the redundancy I felt I was getting toward the end of the book. I guess there are only so many stories about boxers I can take in one collection.
Also, there were some philosophical moments in these pages that felt out of place or forced, characters who recollected the wisdom of some of the world's greatest thinkers almost on a whim. These moments felt like speed bumps to me, sometimes unrealistic when compared to the characters and content of the stories.
Regardless, Thom Jones is a must-read author and 'The Pugilist at Rest' is a must-read book, particularly if you have any stake in the writing craft....more
*I'm heartbroken to hear of Denis Johnson's recent passing. The man was a personal hero and great literary influence of mine. I'm floating this review*I'm heartbroken to hear of Denis Johnson's recent passing. The man was a personal hero and great literary influence of mine. I'm floating this review of his quintessential masterpiece as a tip of the hat to an exceptional author who brought us some of the finest prose.
Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite works of all time. Denis Johnson is a major influence of mine, and Jesus' Son had a profound effect on me.
This was the book that showed me how far you could stretch your prose and still have it sound dynamite. A drug-addled mix of loosely interconnected stories, reading it is like navigating a string of dreams, both blissful and bad. The spectrum of themes is considerably wide, and the narrative draws you into worlds where you can feel as uncomfortable and out of place as the characters themselves. This is a book that actually makes you feel 'high' in some spots. The shifting line between chemical-fueled fantasy and uneasy reality isn't just blurred, it's burned down to almost nothing.
Jesus' Son features everyday kind of people who have slipped down notch or two into the gutter and lost their grip on normality. Much of the time they have nothing to do, nothing to be, and little to live for. It's bleak and beautiful at the same time, a trip through the entangled emotions of folks living simple lives complicated by poor choices.
Everything from love and loss to happiness and sheer horror is covered in this book. One moment the writing is slick as oil, the next it is jagged as broken glass. It’s downright chaotic in places where the mental states of the storytellers are in question. You know the main characters in this book are all unreliable narrators, but you still believe every word they say, because the stories Johnson tells are just that convincing. He's a master writer, balancing poetic passages with crisp, visual prose. This book is nothing short of a masterpiece.
If you haven't read it yet, read is ASAP.
*This book was one of my selections for my '5 Books That Made Me A Better Writer' piece. See which others I picked:
On a side note.... if you have a chance to get the audiobook version, definitely do so. Actor Will Patton narrates the stories, and does an incredible job of bringing Johnson's prose to perfection....more
When you hear the name Denis Johnson, you inevitably think of Jesus' Son, the book that put the man on the map. But 'The Stars At Noon' is another masWhen you hear the name Denis Johnson, you inevitably think of Jesus' Son, the book that put the man on the map. But 'The Stars At Noon' is another masterful work from a true talent that should not be missed.
This is a novel about being trapped out in the open; one American woman's paranoid escape attempt from a corrupt country while she tries to stem the erosion of both her sanity and soul. Set in Nicaragua in the 1980s, we experience the story through the main character as she is allowed to exist within the country, but forbidden to exit it. Supposedly a correspondent, her actual background and reasons to be in Nicaragua appear shady at best, as are the majority of the people she comes in contact with. Her entrapment/abandonment starts subtly, but it isn't long before she must try to flee using whatever means necessary: sex, manipulation, crime, bribery and beggary. The desperation and dismay feels so prominent on the page, it's enough to make you want to avoid ever traveling to any region in the world that has an ounce of instability.
It's no secret that Denis Johnson holds rank as one of the best writers in the business, and he delivers another compelling and unnerving piece of fiction that should be on everyone's must-read list. 'The Stars At Noon' is a walk in a frightened, yet cunning woman's shoes. It makes for a thrilling and uncomfortable story about being stuck on foreign soil while being increasingly perceived as an enemy by people who are more than capable of killing you. The lengths we will go to when backed into a corner is a hard swallow, particularly when we all know it's true.
I have a very short list of guys I admire and want to emulate when it comes to writing. It basically boils down to Raymond Carver, Cormac McCarthy, anI have a very short list of guys I admire and want to emulate when it comes to writing. It basically boils down to Raymond Carver, Cormac McCarthy, and a handful of others. Thom Jones is part of that handful.
Thom's writing hits the mark in almost every way I want to see on the page. This short story collection exemplifies the man's skill, full of raw power and precision, careful craftsmanship and strong executions.
When it came to the individual stories though, some fell flat for me, while others grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go. It's down to personal taste, but by the end I found myself picking and choosing the tales I dug and the ones I didn't. ...more
There are very few authors whose entire works I've personally sought out. Cormac McCarthy is one such gem. One of the world's greatest living writers,There are very few authors whose entire works I've personally sought out. Cormac McCarthy is one such gem. One of the world's greatest living writers, his skill is something to behold. His books are dark, understated, well-crafted, and void of the bullshit that stinks up the work of so many other writers. Cormac is compelling through and through, regardless of what story he is telling.
It should be said that McCarthy isn’t the easiest author to read sometimes. He’s an immeasurable talent who plays by his own rules of writing, breaking countless others as he does his thing. But ‘The Road’ is arguably his most accessible work, and a hell of a piece of speculative fiction. The prose is minimal and frighteningly effective, weaving a bleak world with all the right words and perfect pacing. It’s so sparse and fluid; yet holds surprising warmth in a world created out of coldness and indifference. It’s mastery more easily digestible than some of his prior works.
*This book was one of my selections in my '5 Books That Made Me A Better Writer' piece. See which others I picked:
Unquestionably one of the best books ever written in the thriller genre. I'd call this required reading for anyone who enjoys, or wishes to write, popUnquestionably one of the best books ever written in the thriller genre. I'd call this required reading for anyone who enjoys, or wishes to write, popular fiction. I'm incredibly hesitant to call anything contemporary a "modern day masterpiece", but there are a handful of exceptions, and this offering from Thomas Harris is undoubtedly one of them.
'The Silence Of The Lambs' is one of the novels I teach in my ‘Writing Popular Fiction’ course at the University of Toronto, and for good reason: Well written, great plotting/pacing, fantastic complex characters, in-depth research, and excellent dialogue. Clarice Starling is one hell of a protagonist, and Hannibal Lecter is one of the greatest fictional villains in the history of literature (not to mention his pages run parallel to serial killer Buffalo Bill, yet another high-ranking antagonist in the catalogue of men who have become monsters).
Harris' writing hits you in the heart, spears you in the gut, and raises the hairs on the back of your neck all too often. The insatiable hunger of human predators goes several shades darker in this masterpiece, pushing the envelope at all four corners until they tear. There is so much to experience, digest, and unpack in this novel that it is worth reading more than once. Personally, I've read it about half a dozen times. For an extra treat, listen to the audiobook narrated by none other than the great Kathy Bates. Her rendition of Hannibal The Cannibal will chill your blood....more
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