“Finn,” by Jon Clinch

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 10
2. Prose 10
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

I love the idea of spinning off a novel from a classic, especially when it's done well as it is here. Another great example is "Caliban," by Robert Devereaux, which tells Shakespeare’s story, "The Tempest," from the perspective of the most depraved character in the work, the son of the evil witch, Sycorax. "Finn" echoes that idea, with arguably the most depraved character in Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the starring role. This is a very dark work, exploring the psychotic mess that is Huck Finn's father in the original work and filling in the details with some vivid and disturbing images of the river-dwelling alcoholic. The literary perfectionism of the prose offers a highly effective contrast to the seamy, almost barbaric actions and language of the characters. Several distinctive dialog devices add to the almost allegorical quality of the story. The author includes an explanation at the end for some of the most extreme ornamentations of the original novel, especially the idea that Huck's mother was a black woman. The sheer depravity of Mr. Finn is so powerfully portrayed that I actually felt myself being negatively influenced by the man. What better compliment can one pay to an author than that?



Dear Readers!

This is the last post that will show on this Blogspot page. The club is being moved to Facebook!

The new location on FB is Foreverman's Book Club. We will continue with the same format for now, with possible wrinkles to allow for the new format. 

Next month marks the 6th anniversary of the club and, as every April, will begin with a book by Dean Koontz.

Here's the April line-up!
"The Silent Corner," by Dean Koontz [4-7-18]
(My favorite Author for many years)
"The Forever Man," by Gordon R. Dickson [4-14-18]
(Representing Sci-Fi, originally my favorite genre)
"The Black Cat Knocks on Wood," by Kay Finch [4-21-18]
(Representing Cozy Mysteries, my current favorite genre)
"The Good, the Bad, and the Undead," by Kim Harrison [4-28-18]
(Representing my love of "dark" stories)

Hope to see you at the new site! Happy Reading!

“Caught Dead Handed,” by Carol J. Perry

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 9
2. Prose 8
3. Plot 9
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

It's almost hard to justify giving a "just-for-fun" novel like this an overall rating of a "9". But this one is so skillfully rendered and the mechanisms of the Mystery aspect so artfully executed that I feel it deserves the rating. Could be I'm just a sucker for the trappings of this story: the supernatural element, the witches, tarot cards, crystal balls, visions, and more; the ambiance of these things. And if the premise had been even more evil or creepy or other-worldly, I might have given the premise a "10". People who "aren't into" these things (and don't misunderstand - I'm perhaps the most skeptical person you have ever encountered when it comes to the supernatural - I just like it in my fiction, where it belongs!) - those people might not get past the first few chapters before losing interest. As it turns out, the solution to the mystery is explainable by science, even if the science involves the psychiatric muddle of split personalities. The subtitle: "A Witch City Mystery," is merely a reference to Salem, Massachusetts, and some of the back story there is consistent with my own scant research into the topic. I had wondered if the setting was going to be a mythical place inhabited by witches. Oh well, maybe in Perry's next series. As for this series, I will be looking at the sequels soon enough - but for now it's time to move on.

Here’s the April line-up!
"The Silent Corner," by Dean Koontz [4-7-18]
"The Forever Man," by Gordon R. Dickson [4-14-18]
"The Black Cat Knocks on Wood," by Kay Finch [4-21-18]
"The Good, the Bad, and the Undead," by Kim Harrison [4-28-18]

“Sackett,” by Louis L'Amour

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 8
2. Prose 7
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 7
5. Overall 8

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

A while back, I picked up a book by Mr. L'Amour - "The Haunted Mesa" - with the idea of finally getting around to experiencing what it's like to read him. My grandfather as well as many of his peers was a huge fan of Louis L'Amour and I had finally gotten past my aversion to all things Western to give it a shot. (The excellent movie, "Silverado," probably played a large role in this.) As it turned out, "The Haunted Mesa" takes place in the modern-day Four Corners area, so when I finished, I still hadn't accomplished my purpose! Well, this time I made sure I knew what I was reading, and sure enough, found the book quite enjoyable. The man can write. That's a great start in itself. The best surprise, though not an unexpected one, was that L'Amour's descriptions of the natural world of the Rocky Mountain area in particular, are very impressive. The lawlessness, the utter dependence on one's own resources, the relentlessness of the weather and the elements: all these things really hit home in the first-person narrative of a relatively uneducated, but otherwise very savvy protagonist. Throughout the story, our hero compares himself unfavorably to his well-educated brothers, who nevertheless can shoot a gun as well as he can and track an animal or man almost as well. He carries a law book by Blackstone with him wherever he goes and tries to get as much meaning from his awkward attempts at reading it as he can. He feels that a "real" man should be educated as well, though other characters in the story think of him as one of a rare breed of "real" men due to his abilities as a marksman, tracker, and survivor of impossible odds. This is great Escapist reading, especially today when more and more of us are becoming strangers to the wild. Yes, there are more of these wonderful novels in my future!



Here’s the April line-up!
"The Silent Corner," by Dean Koontz [4-7-18]
"The Forever Man," by Gordon R. Dickson [4-14-18]
"The Black Cat Knocks on Wood," by Kay Finch [4-21-18]
"The Good, the Bad, and the Undead," by Kim Harrison [4-28-18]

“A Dirty Job,” by Christopher Moore

FM's ratings:

1. Premise 9
2. Prose 9
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 8
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This was the first book I read by this author, and I feel so violated! Actually, the style of writing, the subject matter, everything about this book is right on target with me. I couldn't help comparing him to Chuck Palahniuk, which is unfair to both writers because of the significant differences. Palahniuk's humor is much more understated and Moore's philosophical bent, although just a twisted as Palahniuk's, plays a secondary role to his hilarity. Great stuff - looking to read much more of Moore!

“V is for Vengeance,” by Sue Grafton

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 8
2. Prose 9
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 9
5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This marks my first departure from reading this series in order. I read the first ten books, "A" through "J," and have now skipped forward a dozen books to "V." Has the series evolved? I would say yes, quite a bit, and in ways that I find appealing. The most important added feature is the alternation between first-person narrative by Kinsey Millhone and third-person narrative featuring Dante and Nora. Other authors have used this technique well; Joan Hess with her "Maggody" series comes to mind; and Grafton handles it masterfully as well. Particularly interesting is the meeting of Dante and Kinsey late in the book wherein we get to see Kinsey from another person's perspective. She comes off differently to someone - especially to a gangster - who is meeting her for the first time than she appears to herself, and that perspective shift is depicted here beautifully. Will I eventually read all of the books in this series? Oddly, that's not necessarily a goal, even though I enjoy them very much. Sad that she didn't get to Z (Or will she ? "Z is for Zombie"?) but I intend to read W, X (I still think "X" should have been "...is for Xenophobe" but who am I to second-guess Ms. Grafton?), and Y before returning to K. I also recommend her book "Kinsey and Me," with some of the best short story writing I have experienced!