Leonard, Elmore

Average customer rating:

Recommended, But Only for Fans of Elmore Leonard
World War II with a fizzel
Rich in character and humor - light on plot
Up in Honey's Room: A Novel
Problem: Leonard's too good to be measured by . . .Leonard.

Up in Honey's Room: A Novel
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Hard-Boiled | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Historical | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Overlook (Harry Bosch)
Bad Luck and Trouble
Invisible Prey
The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel
Stalin's Ghost: An Arkady Renko Novel

ASIN: 0060724242
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Book Description

The odd thing about Walter Schoen, German born but now running a butcher shop in Detroit, he's a dead ringer for Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS and the Gestapo. They even share the same birthday.

Honey Deal, Walter's American wife, doesn't know that Walter is a member of a spy ring that sends U.S. war production data to Germany and gives shelter to escaped German prisoners of war. But she's tired of telling him jokes he doesn't understand—it's time to get a divorce.

Along comes Carl Webster, the hot kid of the Marshals Service. He's looking for Jurgen Schrenk, a former Afrika Korps officer who escaped from a POW camp in Oklahoma. Carl's pretty sure Walter's involved with keeping Schrenk hidden, so Carl gets to know Honey, hoping she'll take him to Walter. Carl then meets Vera Mezwa, the nifty Ukrainian head of the spy ring who's better looking than Mata Hari, and her tricky lover Bohdan with the Buster Brown haircut and a sly way of killing.

Honey's a free spirit; she likes the hot kid marshal and doesn't much care that he's married. But all Carl wants is to get Jurgen Schrenk without getting shot. And then there's Otto—the Waffen-SS major who runs away with a nice Jewish girl. It's Elmore Leonard's world—gritty, funny, and full of surprises.

Customer Reviews:

Recommended, But Only for Fans of Elmore Leonard.......2007-06-25

Set mostly in Detroit, 'Up in Honey's Room' details the federal pursuit of a couple of escaped German prisoners-of-war late in WWII. The story plops down in the midst of a pack of oddball pro-Nazis, some German and some American.

Elmore Leonard brings many of his standard elements to 'Up in Honey's Room'. Deputy US Marshal Carl Webster returns as the outwardly stoic hero figure, a real man's man, but underneath also a real human being. There's the criminal who's not nearly as smart as he thinks and does something incredibly stupid and impulsive. There's the attractive, bold, funny, and slightly dangerous woman and a cast of other memorable characters. Leonard also displays his ear for language as he plays with accents and regional variations. So far, so good.

Up in Honey's Room goes badly off track with a couple of jaw-droppingly implausible conversations that lead to equally implausible relationships and decisions. Federal agents spilling the beans to Honey within 5 minutes of meeting her. A transvestite amidst the Nazi cabal barely causes a raised eyebrow.

Recommended only for fans of Elmore Leonard (of which I have been one for a long time).

World War II with a fizzel.......2007-06-20

This has to be Elmore's poorest outing yet as a novelist. I could not find much in it to praise. I had hoped for some excitement; however, I found this to be a very trying read at best. No excitement, just plain dull. It is to be expected that a novelist, as good as Elmore is, to have novels cover the spectrum from excellent to bad and everything in between--this just happens to be his 'bad' novel. I find it hard to believe, that with his experience, he could not have enlivened it more. One wonders where the excitement from his classic '3:10 to Yuma' disappeared?

Rich in character and humor - light on plot.......2007-06-16

I enjoyed Up in Honey's Room. What it lacks in plot, it makes up for in character and humor.

Carl Webster is back, nearly forty years old now and married, but instead of chasing mobsters, he is after German POW's. Two escaped POW's from an Oklahoma detention camp have found their way to Detroit during the final days of WWII. Carl arrives in Detroit, where he meets Honey Deal, the estranged wife of a German butcher who has hidden the two POW's. The relationship that develops between Honey and Carl is central to the novel but my favorite parts involve the dysfunctional German spy ring, lead by a cynical, hard drinking Ukrainian woman named Vera. I especially enjoyed the character of Bohdan, her homicidal, cross-dressing house boy and lover.

The pacing is not as rapid-fire as one might expect from a Leonard novel but memorable characters abound and the dialogue is as sharp as always (at times hilarious). I always enjoy novels that feature a killer who makes things up as he goes along, even when the wheels start to fall off. Once Bodhan gets it into his head that he's going to kill everyone who might have information about him and Vera, the novel shifts into overdrive.

Prior to that, Up in Honey's Room lacks focus. There a few plot lines that don't seem to go much of anywhere and Carl's pursuit of the POW's lacks urgency. He doesn't seem especially concerned if he catches them or not - and in fact he never does.

This is arguably one of Leonard's funniest novels but it isn't one of his best. Fans of the author (and I count myself as one) will enjoy it, after all, a middling Leonard novel is still better than most novels by any other author.

As a side note: If you haven't read The Hot Kid, you should read it first. Not because you need to read it to understand this novel (you don't), but because so much of The Hot Kid plot is revealed in Up in Honey's Room that it may spoil the novel for you.

Up in Honey's Room: A Novel.......2007-06-13

The second in the Hot Kid series is even better!

Problem: Leonard's too good to be measured by . . .Leonard........2007-06-13

Not bad, but he can't hit a homer every time.

Average customer rating:

Gun Molls, Mobsters & Bank Robbers
Bad Western
A mess, but a fun mess
yawn
Marshal Dillon and Kitty Fight 20th Century Gangsters

The Hot Kid: A Novel
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Up in Honey's Room: A Novel
Crusader's Cross: A Dave Robicheaux Novel (Dave Robicheaux Mysteries)
Killshot
Split Images
Forty Lashes Less One

ASIN: 0060724226
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Amazon.com

Before Elmore Leonard abandoned westerns to blaze across the pantheon of bestsellerdom with his hip, stylish thrillers, punctuated with dead-pan humor and dialogue worthy of a David Mamet play, he might have written The Hot Kid; it has some of the same crisp pacing and well-defined, if not especially complex, characters that marked his earlier novels. A show-down between Tulsa oil wildcatter and millionaire Oris Belmont and his 18-year-old son, who's attempting to shake him down, says all there is to say about both men: <blockquote>"I don't know what's wrong with you. You're a nice-looking boy, wear a clean shirt every day, keep your hair combed ... where'd you get your ugly disposition? Your mama blames me for not being around, so then I give you things .. you get in trouble, I get you out. Well, now you've moved on to extortion in your life of crime ... I pay you what you want or you're telling everybody I have a girlfriend?" </blockquote>

Jack Belmont's blackmail scheme doesn't work, but after destroying his father's property, forging checks in his name, kidnapping his mistress, and joining a gang of notorious bank robbers after his release from prison, he encounters another man trying to get out from under his father's large shadow and create his own, bigger one. Deputy U.S. Marshal Carl Webster, who at age 15 shot a man trying to steal his cows and six years later dispenses equal justice to Emmet Long, the leader of Belmont's gang, now has Jack Belmont in his sights. Webster's exploits have earned him even more celebrity than Jack, who dreams of rivaling Pretty Boy Floyd as public enemy number one.

We're in the early 30's here, just as a dust cloud is rolling across the Oklahoma plains--the days of Bonnie and Clyde, when gangsters captured the public attention, and Leonard makes good use of place and time. His minor characters are much more interesting than his protagonists, especially the women, and the writing shows occasional flashes of his trademarked ironic humor. But it's not as cool--or as hot--as even his most dedicated readers are used to, and there's barely a trace of the bizarre plot twists and unlikely coincidences that define his most recent caper novels in this one. --Jane Adams

Customer Reviews:

Gun Molls, Mobsters & Bank Robbers.......2007-06-20

A new trend could easily start on the heels of this novel of bank robbers, gun molls, and US marshals during the Prohibition era. Worse things could happen. Elmore Leonard could apply his skills to any setting and come out a winner.

The hot kid is US Marshal Carl Webster, son of a pecan farmer with oil rights. Carl first killed a man when he was 15 for trying to steal his cattle. He then went on to make a name for himself killing bank robbers. Carl's nemesis is Jack Belmont, the no-good son of a wealthy banker whose father sent him to prison for blowing up an oil storage tank. Jack is determined to be an outlaw, settling on bank robbing when kidnapping and extortion don't work out. This puts him in Carl Webster's sights, but Jack seems to be in less danger from Carl than Carl is from Jack. After Carl apprehends Jack and sends him to prison, even though he helps him get out, Jack has vowed to shoot him dead the next time they meet.

Typical of Elmore Leonard, the timeline moves in fits and starts with the pace of the story. It's been awhile since I've read one of his books, but picking this up was like sitting down with an old friend who enacts great stories. Leonard's stories are expressed through impressions and dialogue, which is why they translate so well to the silver screen. I particularly liked his portrayals of the prostitutes and gun molls and the lives they were trapped in by circumstances and the men they chose. He also portrays his villains dispassionately, so we can come to our own conclusion, through their actions, that we don't like them, rather than being told we shouldn't.

Elmore Leonard is always a delight to read, and he chose an interesting time and place to set this novel: Tulsa, Oklahoma during Prohibition with a stopover in the wilds of Kansas City. Though the ending was rather abrupt, it still ended well, just not as tightly ironic as his endings used to be (Maximum Bob). As usual, I can only recommend this fine author who has more than earned all his good press.

Bad Western.......2007-05-14

Not sure what all the rave reviews are for. This book reads like a string a shootouts in a bad western. Honestly after the 6th shootout I lost interest and stopped reading.

A mess, but a fun mess.......2007-05-12

Let's start off with what's great about The Hot Kid. First of all, almost all of the characters are all interesting, well sketched and have real depth to them. Particularly Carlos Webster, US Marshal extraodinaire, who is as straight as an arrow but revels in killing criminals. The setting of the American dustbowl during prohibition, is a good one, and Leonard with perfect pulp prose portrays it quite lucidly. You'll feel like you're in the speakeasys and streets of Kansas City with the gangsters and gun molls . As well, the dialogue here is dagger sharp, captures the time period perfectly and jumps off the page.

Despite all that, the story is a mess. It builds up to a payoff that falls flat, feels rushed and is not nearly as inspired as the first two-thirds of the novel. As well, many of the characters, despite being well-sketched, do things completely out of character in service of the plot, a few of them are underdeveloped and unnecessary and there are plot holes you could drive a truck full of whisky through. All in all, a fun but less than memorable read. If you're an Elmore Leonard fan or a fan of prohibition-era gangster stories, it's worth checking out. If you're not, look elsewhere for something light and hard-boiled to read.

yawn.......2007-04-27

"The Hot Kid" only draws when he shoots to kill. Bully for the quick drawing hot kid. We know the bad guy is doomed when he calls the hero a "greaser". The rest of the hot one's career consists of issuing the challenge, plugging bad guys, and having affairs with sleazy gangster molls. The story would have been more believable, and I might have cared more, if the hero was a cowboy having affairs with dance hall girls. The name change from Carlos to Carl may have had some existential symbolism that escaped me. Did Leonard sell this lame rewrite because he had to meet a quota? A big two thumbs down.

Marshal Dillon and Kitty Fight 20th Century Gangsters.......2007-04-19

I had read one of Elmore Leonard's novels with a contemporary setting (MR. PARADISE), and while admiring the author's mastery of street dialects, the story didn't appeal to me very much. Though gritty, it did not really rise above pulp fiction. A friend convinced me to give Leonard another chance. I really enjoyed THE HOT KID a lot more. This novel is set in the early 20th-century, "heroic" gangster Midwest. John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, and, to a greater extent, Pretty Boy Floyd, comprise the real, if somewhat removed, historical backdrop for a story or, rather, a series of interconnected stories about a young, heroic U.S. marshal, Carlos "Carl" Webster. Marshal Webster is a dead shot who has made a name by, having successfully hunted his prey, the second-rate gangster, warning the poor, benighted fool that he shoots to kill--and doesn't hesitate to carry out his threat. The action is sexy, slick, and violent; in short, pulp fiction. But Leonard's work in this novel is more compelling to me because the stories are particularly well told and the characters interesting if not appealing. The ending is predictable and "Hollywoodish"--it's a novel on the verge of a screenplay--but who cares? Ride shotgun with Marshal Webster. If you're on a trip when you read this, you'll want your plane ride to go on until you've finished the book.

Average customer rating:

Gun Fetish
Funniest Leonard Novel
Harry Rides a Roller Coaster
So Criminal
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Pronto
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Mystery & Thrillers | Large Print | Formats | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Riding the Rap
Split Images
Killshot
Touch
Freaky Deaky

ASIN: 0385310870
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Amazon.com

In the world of Elmore Leonard novels, cops and criminals get by with a grudging respect for each other's capabilities: <blockquote> Harry had been arrested by Buck Torres a half-dozen times or so; they knew each other pretty well and were friends. Not socially, Harry had never met Buck's wife, but friends in the way they trusted one another and always had time to talk about other things than what they did for a living. </blockquote> Right now, 66-year-old Harry Arno's in trouble. In order to get at his boss, Jimmy Cap, the feds told Jimmy that Harry's skimming off the sports book he runs, the idea being that Harry will testify in exchange for protection from Tommy Bucks (a.k.a. the Zip), Jimmy's enforcer. But Harry's got a few tricks up his sleeve. Then when a straight-shooting U.S. Marshall decides to spend his vacation tracking Harry down, all hell breaks loose. Set in Miami, Florida, and Rapallo, Italy, Pronto is another brilliantly executed combination of suspense and black humor from the master of crime fiction. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

Harry Arno was grossing six to seven thousand dollars a week running a South Miami Beach gambling operation. To protect his position, he was forced to cut a deal with the local muscle, Jimmy Capotorto (Jimmy Cap to the likes of Harry), an even fifty-fifty split. For years Harry had been padding his own stake by skimming a grand a week off the top. A couple of local detectives wise to sticky fingers try to bag Jimmy the Cap by putting the squeeze on Harry. Now, the dicks suggest, would be a good time for Harry to rat the mobster out.

U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens has his own agenda. He has to deliver Harry to a Federal grand jury to testify at Jimmy's drug-running trial. Even though he's a step slower that he used to be, Harry's no fool. When Jimmy Cap's men are a hair too slow gunning him down and Raylan's surveillance slips, Harry's already two steps ahead of them. Years of preparation pay off and Harry slips out of the country pronto. Being on the lam is no time to get soft, but Harry didn't plan on missing his companion Joyce so much. Sneaking her to his hideout could save him from loneliness but Joyce's quick departure tips off his trackers. Jimmy Cap's men follow Joyce while Raylan stays close behind. The three sides end up in Rapallo, Italy, watching their own backs while keeping abreast of Harry's. But it's not until the chase leads back to Miami that the real winners and losers are revealed. Pronto is classic Elmore Leonard

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Download Description

E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels & The Westerns"; Selected Filmography The feds think bookie Harry Arno will squeal on his wiseguy boss if they put word on the street that he's skimming profits - but Arno's off to Italy. After losing the bookie once, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens wants him back...if he can find the fugitive before he's whacked.

Customer Reviews:

Gun Fetish.......2006-02-23

Guns and the names of guns, their heft and feel, the damage they could or might do. Elmore Leonard has a theme here. I'm not sure if the title, PRONTO, is only a cowboy term or a gun name or the speed at which a gun can be used.

But the theme is, "NRA types will love these guns."

A corolary: "Poets will love the allusions to poets even if they've never read The Cantos by Pound or stuff by Guest." It's the poetry that counts.

Then, there are some mighty fine women imbedded for romantic effect, even though their intended guys might be a little weird or mobbed-up.

This is not Detroit City, no way. Leonard has us in Miami Beach this time, soaking up food, drink and memories. Oh, and a little side trip to Italy. Nice atmosphere.

And if you like stare-down contests, there's a great one in the last act. Stay for it.

Review by Larry Rochelle, Author of the crime dramas BLUE ICE, GULF GHOST, DEATH AND DEVOTION and BOURBON AND BLISS.

Funniest Leonard Novel.......2005-06-14

"Pronto" while not Leonards best novel could easily be his funniest novel. Leonard is the Quentin Tarantino of books, by that I mean he is best known for his dialogue. The dialogue is Pronto is some of his best and wittiest. The book is about Harry Arno, a sports bookie who works for Jimmy Cap. Unknown to Jimmy, Harry has been skimming from him for a long time and is finally ready to retire and move to Rapallo, Italy where he shot a man during the war. Problem is the feds have set up a way to get Jimmy Cap and by doing this they have convinced him that Harry has been skimming more than he actually has. Now Jimmy wants Tommy Bucks (a.k.a The Zip) to catch Harry, but Harry has already ran off to Rapallo with his girlfriend Joyce (Joy when she was a topless dancer)
But now Harry has cowboy-hat wearing US Marshall Raylan Givens on his tail and he's stuck in a tight spot with both Givens and The Zip after him. B-.

Harry Rides a Roller Coaster.......2002-09-24

PRONTO by Elmore Leonard is a joyride of a story about Harry Arno, an over the hills Miami bookmaker. Harry plans to retire in Italy on money he skimmed from his corpulent mob boss, Jimmy "Cap" Capotorto. The feds want Jimmy Cap so they set up Harry to give information about Cap's activities by putting out the word about his skimming activities. An assassin is sent to get Harry but he's faster with a gun. In a final jab at the law, before he skips town, Harry gives the slip to U. S. Marshal Raylan Givens for the second time since they first met six years ago. In addition, "Zip", another mob affiliate, wants to take over Harry's action, so he tells Cap that he'll take out Harry in Italy. Consequently, Harry has so many people following him that the small village of Rapallo, Italy, becomes inundated with U. S. mobsters and federal agents plus Harry's old girlfriend, ex-stripper, Joyce. During all of these events, the sixty-six year old Harry starts drinking seriously again which causes the situation to deteriorate fast. Harry is in real danger of losing his life, as are several of the other players.

Leonard wrote twenty-three books before being discovered by the bestseller market in l983, the year LA BRAVA was published and won the Edgar Award. In l953, his first novel, THE BOUNTY HUNTERS, was published, but the market for westerns began to dry up. Leonard is best known for his crime novels.

All of the characters in PRONTO are drawn with clarity and colors so vivid the reader would know each one if he or she ran into them on the street. U. S. Marshal Raylan Givens is a fast-draw cowboy of the Old West variety. His cream cowboy hat bobbing aloft alerts readers to his entry in any combat zone. Though Raylan laments his inability to express himself emotionally, readers come to know him and root for his success where Harry is concerned. In addition, the inclusion of the Ezra Pound stories add more spice to the understanding of Harry and his reasons for retiring to Italy. How could anyone resist researching Pound's poetry after reading a line like: "Dinklage, where art thou, with, or without, your von?" (My dictionary says "von" is a German word that indicates nobility or place of origin.) It's a nonsensical and hilarious question. Never mind what Pound meant.

PRONTO is snazzy. It's loaded with notable characters and an enticing plot. The passage where Gloria, Jimmy Caps girlfriend, tells Nick Testa about Jimmy Cap's reason for wanting to visit Butterfly World is funny. The same story is repeated later from Jimmy's viewpoint. It's still funny. But Leonard's prose might be a small problem for some readers. It reads like people talk and think at the same time. His use of the language as a tool for his stories is brilliant. However, high school sophomore English students should probably not read Leonard for a few years as many of them already use sentence fragments and run-ons without his genius.

Leonard's novels are addicitive. Try GET SHORTY which was made into a movie starring John Travolta in l995. BE COOL is the follow-up to GET SHORTY. Some of his other novels are BANDITS, FREAKY DEAKY and KILLSHOT.

So Criminal.......2002-09-23

Harry Arno, a bookie in Miami, quietly lives the good life with a sometime girlfriend, Joyce Patton. He's skimmed money from the top of his operation without the knowledge of his boss, Jimmy "Cap" Capotorto, for years and has managed to salt away nearly a cool million toward his retirement. If everything had gone the way Harry had wanted, he would have retired and moved to Rapallo, Italy, where he once saw and briefly talked to the poet, Ezra Pound. Harry was in the army at the time, and Pound was incarcerated. That was also the first time Harry killed a man. Things go sour for Harry when the Justice Department sets him up by having a snitch tell Jimmy Cap that Harry has been skimming. Everybody knows bookies skim, but nobody's supposed to be able to prove it. The Justice Department figures that Jimmy Cap will try to have Harry killed, which will force Harry to ask for witness protection and turn evidence against Jimmy Cap. Harry remains optimistic about working things out-until he has to kill a gunman sent by Jimmy Cap. United States Marshal Raylan Givens is sent to protect Harry and try to get him to come in. Raylan has a past with Harry: six years ago Raylan was escorting Harry to a court date in Chicago when Harry gave him the slip in the Atlanta airport. Raylan is an old West kind of marshal, the kind who always gets his man, so bringing Harry in this time is kind of a point of honor thing and an attempt to clean his blemished record. So when Harry gives Raylan the slip again and disappears off to Rapallo, Italy, the marshal feels compelled to go after him-even if it means stepping into the line of fire of Tommy Bitonti, Jimmy Cap's main enforcer. Tommy Bitonti-also called Tommy Bucks and the Zip-has his own axe to grind. If Harry ends up dead, the Zip gets to take over the bookie operation, which is going to mean a lot more money. Harry's on the run in Italy, and Raylan and the Zip are on a collision course.

Elmore Leonard is America's premiere crime novelist. With dozens of novels written and more movie and television deals coming every day, Leonard has become a household name. Quentin Tarantino acknowledged Leonard's influence when the young director scripted and directed PULP FICTION, and made Leonard's novel RUM PUNCH into the movie, JACKY BROWN. Early in his long career, Leonard wrote pulp western stories, then moved into the paperback market after the pulps died in the 1950s. His early western novels and pulp novellas, HOMBRE, 3:10 TO YUMA, THE LAW AT RANDADO, LAST STAND AT SABRE RIVER, and VALDEZ IS COMING were all made into movies. He wrote original western scripts for JOE KIDD, HIGH NOON PART II, and DESPERADO. Several of his crime novels, including STICK, 52 PICKUP, GLITZ, CAT CHASER, SPLIT IMAGES, GET SHORTY, PRONTO, GOLD COAST, RUM PUNCH, and OUT OF SIGHT, were made into movies. MAXIMUM BOB was made into a television series. He began his journalism career as a crime reporter in Detroit, where he worked the graveyard shift and got to know both the police officers and the criminals in the city. When his writing career took off, he started writing novels and screenplays full-time, eventually moving down to Florida where he currently lives and works.

PRONTO is a greatly simple and simply great novel. Leonard introduces his three main characters and gets them moving against each other. In the beginning, there are no clear rules or definitions between them. Harry, Raylan, and the Zip will use anyone or anything to achieve the ends each desires. Of them all, Raylan seems to be the more altruistic, but even he is not without his flaws. Joyce Patton, Harry's girlfriend, is well-drawn and carries her own depth even though she is primarily there to move the plot and action along, as well as to bring out different facets of Harry and Raylan. No Elmore Leonard novel would be complete without the cast of extras that make up the team that brings his world to life. Even these extras take on real dimensions, and the reader knows those people well, knows what they will and won't do. The dialogue is amazing, a blend of realistic street and egocentric comments and declarations that bring the characters, the scenes, and the plot to rich, crisp life. Harry, at best, is a gruff, barely likeable guy, but he rings true. Readers have known guys like him, and the fascination of what's going to happen next to a guy like Harry keeps the reader turning pages. Raylan Givens, carrying the hero's task of being the cavalry and straight-shooter, stumbles and falls a little by not stepping fully into the role, but his no-nonsense rawhide cowboy manners are a tip of the hat to the American West that spawned such men. The Zip, although he is the bad guy, carries a lot of the humor by heckling Nicky Testa, Jimmy Cap's right-hand guy, and comes across as a real person because he's only reaching for what he desires that can be his.

The pacing seemed a little off at times in this novel when compared to past Leonard books. Jimmy Cap never quite came across as the awe-inspiring menace he perhaps should have been. And the ending came a little too quickly. Also, seeing more of what happened to Raylan after the final confrontation would have been welcome.

Fans of James Lee Burke, Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais, Donald Westlake, and Carl Hiaasen will find a new treasure in Elmore Leonard if they haven't already discovered this author.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.......2002-09-22

Miami Beach bookie Harry Arno is used to playing the odds, skimming money from gangster Jimmy "Cap" Capotorto, and socking away a cool million in a Swiss bank account. The game turns sour, however, when the FBI tips off the mob about Arno's skimming in an attempt to scare and `flip' Harry into becoming a federal witness against Cap. After Cap orders the hit, Harry shoots one of Cap's trigger men and flees to Italy, where he dreams of living an idyllic existence with his girlfriend Joyce in a villa by the sea. Following Harry to Italy is mob enforcer Tommy Bucks and U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens.

Elmore Leonard is the best-selling author of more than three dozen novels. His work is often pipelined straight to Hollywood, where his novels have been adapted for several blockbuster films such as Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Jackie Brown (Rum Punch).

`Pronto' is a strange pot-boiler, the plot driven by three characters: Harry, Tommy, and Raylan. Harry is constantly reminiscing about World War II; Tommy carries a picture of the old crime boss Frank Costello in his wallet; Raylan is a cowboy. All three men are anachronisms, stuck in a world without honor, while pining for a nobler past.

Unfortunately, `Pronto' is primarily the story of Harry Arno, one of the most unlikable protagonists in contemporary fiction. Harry is a self-centered jerk and liar, so lacking in human grace that he seems almost autistic, unable to relate to anyone. Note the following line, after the fortyish, childless Joyce admits to Harry a yearning to be a mother:

"You're not the mommy type, kiddo."

After Joyce's hotel room is trashed by Mafia killers, she mentions Raylan's kindness after he brings her luggage to the villa. Harry replies:

"He's used to picking up suitcases, doing the heavy work. It's the kind of law enforcement he's in."

There's an emotional deadness in Harry that makes the flesh crawl. Leonard has purposely cast Harry this way, perhaps as a literary stunt, yet it ultimately cripples what could have been an excellent thriller. When a reader becomes alienated from the novel's main character, any emotional investment in the story is lost. Readers will also wonder why Raylan and Joyce care so much about Harry, who treats both with condescending disdain. After one hundred pages into `Pronto', most will be rooting for Tommy Bucks, vainly hoping that he will blow Harry's head off.

Nevertheless, Leonard has an uncanny gift for staging dramatic action sequences that keeps the reader turning pages until the final bloody climax. When depicting the dark side of human nature, Leonard is masterful; yet he flounders when depicting noble men and women. Raylan is the sheriff in this spaghetti western, and Joyce is the long-suffering hooker with the heart of gold. Yet neither seems as real as Tommy Bucks, the most compelling character in `Pronto', whose motive and ambition is clear and focused.

Book Description

Quintessential Elmore Leonard, Split Images stars Palm Beach playboy Robbie Daniels. He's the kind of guy who gets away with everything -- even murder -- until a vacationing Motown cop, Bryan Hurd, starts asking questions. When this millionaire reptile reveals the psychopath beneath his slippery skin, Hurd finds out this is one helluva way for an out-of-town lawman to spend his vacation.

Download Description

E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels

Customer Reviews:

Fun and Games with Elmore Leonard.......2007-06-13

Split Images was fun to read! Elmore Leonard's books are fast, chocked full of interesting characters and punchy dialogue. A Detroit policeman, Bryan Hurd, must prove that a local millionaire, Robbie Daniels, is a serial killer. The book moves from Detroit to Palm Beach, FL, following the charming Robbie as he plans his ultimate thrill kill. The characters are alive and the plot has a few excellent twists. Pick this book up and have a good read.

Fun Quick Read.......2007-05-18

Reading Split Images was a good way to pass the day at my otherwise boring job. It reminded me of watching an old TV mystery of the week. Nice love story, interesting bad guys, and a bit of suspense here and there.

Tragic Police Procedures.......2007-01-17

Detective Bryan Hurd finally finds his true love in Elmore Leonard's SPLIT IMAGES. He's a hard-working homicide detective on a vacation from all the various ways people can kill each other in Detroit City. And, believe or not, he falls in love at first sight with the beautiful and talented writer, Angela Nolan. Problem is, the detective can't escape his Detroit roots even while he's in Florida.

We can almost see a tragedy coming his way as he hunts down the two Detroit killers, one a dashing movie star type, the other a jaded, disillusioned cop from the Polish neighborhood of Hamtramck, smack dab in the middle of rust-belt Detroit. These boys play rough and murder has become their game.

These characters are all strongly back-storied, so we feel we know them well. And when the murders occur, we wouldn't blame Detective Hurd at all for taking his full revenge.

by Larry Rochelle, author of the Kansas City thrillers: BLUE ICE, CRACKED CRYSTALS and DEATH AND DEVOTION.

Excitement At The End.......2006-11-25

Robbie Daniels, a wealthy businessman who has homes in Detroit and Palm Beach. He has an impressive gun collection that he enjoys using to eliminate bad guys. Walter Kouza is an experienced,quick acting detective from Detroit who has moved to Florida. Daniels hires him an a body guard and driver. He also has other services in mind. Bryan Hurd, is another key character. A fair,honest detective from Detroit. Angela Nolan is an attractive free lance journalist who is interviewing Mr. Daniels for an article about the rich and famous. Along the way she is attracted to and quickly falls for Hurd. Unfortunately, she is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is murdered. Hurd, as one might imagine, is the hero who solves the case. I found this book a reasonably good read along the way that picked up intensity at the end.

good ending.......2006-08-14

a very good detective novel. This one, like many of his novels, has great dialogue. I liked the get even, feel good, ending. This book is worth the time and effort to read.

Average customer rating:

Nice small-scale story
A quick but good read
Great Book/Quick Read
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THANKSGIVING
Eerie. But brilliant.

Touch
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: Arbor House Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Split Images
Riding the Rap
Pronto
City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit
Cat Chaser

ASIN: 0877959056

Book Description

Another crime classic by the bestselling author of Be Cool and Cuba Libre.

Charlie Lawson has the Touch. A former Franciscan monk kicked out of the Order for faith-healing too many of the afflicted, now he finds it hard to be a saint in the city, as his gift attracts a slew of cash-hungry hucksters and a beautiful baton-twirler who wants him to lay his hands on her. This Quill edition features an introduction that appeared only in the hardcover edition, in which Leonard discusses the novel's unusual subject, noting, "I had a good time writing Touch, imagining mystical things happening to an ordinary person in a contemporary setting." Treating a theme that has found new timeliness, Touch is perhaps Leonard's most moving, erotic love story; yet its violent and unexpected climax is pure, suspenseful Leonard.

Download Description

E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels & The Westerns"; Selected Filmography. A Michigan woman was blind and now she can see, after being touched by a young man who calls himself Juvenal. An evangelist and a wacko fundamentalist see dollar signs in this magic kid - but Juvenal's got a trick or two up his own sleeve.

Customer Reviews:

Nice small-scale story.......2003-05-03

Excellent, really more of a novella than a novel. The "August" character is prevented, I'm thankful, from taking over the story. Nice to see that Dutch has thrown in some descriptions of settings and some narrative passages to go with all the dialog this time.

A quick but good read.......2002-06-10

The only problem I have with this book is that it's too short. Perhaps where it ends is the right point, because it makes you think for yourself what actually happened, and what whould happen to the main characters after the incident. But take it as a compliment that I wanted to read more about these characters.

The story is about a stigmatic who may also have healing powers. One of the good points of the book is that they explain the phenomenon of those who have stigmata. For those uninitiated, this is the condition where humans periodically experience the wounds suffered by Christ at his crucifixtion. They actually get holes in their hands and bleed. This has been documented enough to prove it does indeed exist. Whether it is due to an extreme power of self-suggestion or an actual miracle I will leave to the reader.

Ditto with the healing power. The main character seemingly has this, and Leonard teases us by not showing any healing until the end, and that is even written to make us wonder. It does, however, have the actual stigmata occur, and when it does, it is powerful writing by the author.

Of course, being a Leonard novel, you have to surround him with a cast of con men and hucksters that see how they can benefit from this. What is tantalizing is that we never really know if the central character is good or just another con man. We think he's good, and we want to believe he's good, but Leonard just leaves little hints to make us wonder ourselves.

I'll also not reveal if he's a good man or not, and for that matter, I might be wrong myself. I highly recommend you read it and make your own decision.

Great Book/Quick Read.......2001-01-24

The book was actually written in the 1977 but took 10 years to get published because of the religious undertones. I honestly don't understand what the fuss was about but then again that was over 20 years ago. It's a story about a man, Juvenal, who has the ability to heal the sick and when he does heal them he gets the wounds of Jesus, stigmata. Juvenal does not claim to be a saint however the rest of the world disagrees. All Juvenal wants to help those in need and to be left alone. However, there are too many people who want a piece of him. They want to exploit this miracle for a profit. And then there's Lynne... with Lynne Juvenal has found a soulmate, someone who he can talk to and who understand him. Now this 'saint' has a girlfriend and people are up in arms. Should Juvenal live his life for the Church or for himself?

I highly recommend this book; it's a fairly quick read and very unique story.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THANKSGIVING.......2000-05-23

If only I had read this book back in the 70's, then it may have had an impact on me, somehow. But seeing as to the fact that I'm approaching 80, and will soon be too old to actually appreciate the sub-text of this wonderful novel - I'd have to say that tho' it is one of EL's best books he'd ever written, I would have to agree with my wife who keeps telling me to put the book down and connect myself back to reality.

Eerie. But brilliant........2000-05-16

I loved this book because for once EL has a direction which he follows. The main character Juvenal is vintage EL but with a human side. You can say he searches himself through the adventure taken by his main protagonist. Difficult to come to terms with at first, the final outburst of orginality makes the waiting worthwhile.

Book Description

He used to be on the bomb squad, but it's not until he transfers out that Chris Mankowski really begins juggling with dynamite. Rape and revenge are just the tip of the iceberg in a twisty tale that brings Detroit's denizens to life -- and occasional death -- in all their seedy glory. Electrifying, explosive, and unexpected, this is Elmore Leonard at his suspenseful best.

Download Description

"E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels & The Westerns"; Selected Filmography Motown cop Chris Mankowski has his hands full trying to keep Woody Ricks, dope-addled Detroit "rich kid," from being blown up by his former fellow "revolutionaries." Way back when revolution was the thing, bombs were Robin Abbott and Skip Gibbs's bag - until their explosive "freedom of expression" was curtailed by some considerable prison time. Now the ex-SDSers are back out in the material world and looking to put their pyrotechnic skills to more profitable use. Their target is Woody Ricks, dope-addled Detroit "rich kid" and aging former fellow radical who Robin thinks ratted them out to the Feds. But Motown cop Chris Mankowski also has his eye on Woody - albeit for another matter entirely - and until his recent switch to Sex Crimes, Chris was the Bomb Squad's golden boy. So it's only fitting that he'll be around when the really nasty stuff starts going down...or blowing up. "

Customer Reviews:

Characters are the highlight of an excellent thriller.......2006-09-25

A trio of former 60s radicals, who were always more thrill-seeking opportunists than truly idealistic revolutionaries, orbit an alcoholic millionaire who seems to have only a handful of brain cells remaining. They are all scheming to get their hands on his money. Some of their schemes involve explosives, which leads to the accidental involvement of a former Bomb Squad officer and an aspiring starlet. Once Elmore Leonard gets these characters and their conflicting agendas bouncing off one another, a solid, entertaining thriller is the result. This is my first Leonard novel, and I'm pleased to find that his reputation for masterful dialogue is richly deserved. All of the characters are well-drawn, but Woody, the millionaire, is a particularly brilliant invention. The climax seems a bit abrupt, though it has the virtue of being poetically just.

Have Fun in Dee...troit City.......2006-02-19

Funny how things happen. First, you're a cop; then you're not. You got an acting dream; then it's more than a dream. You got some dynamite; then, it's not there. Funny how Elmore Leonard makes things disappear in FREAKY DEAKY.

You gotta like the atmosphere he creates in Detroit: kinda grungy, sort of scummy, maybe a bit too scary for suburbanites. The highways get you everywhere so quick, maybe better than L.A. And Leonard says there's more to see in L.A., but, then, he likes Detroit more, don't you know?

The plot involves stunt men, the movies, a broken down cop with smarts, and two women who might or might not enjoy sex. Depends on their mood. And, oh ya, a servant lurks around with some steeet savvy, always good to have in Detroit City.

Elmore's got a good one here. Full of tension and cop humor. It's cool, if you stay cool, seems to be his message. And when you're holding dynamite, don't you think you should be as cool as possible?

Reviewed by Larry Rochelle, author of BLUE ICE. GULF GHOST, BOURBON AND BLISS, DEATH AND DEVOTION and CRACKED CRYSTALS.

Freaky allright.......2005-08-18

Chris is a cop in Detroit who is transferring from the bomb squad to sex crimes. He never imagines that right off the bat in his new division he will come across a victim that completely enchants him. But her complaint of rape leads him to be mixed up with a whole host of characters that are up to no good. Written in 1988, the story and characters reference much of the activites of the 60s and 70s and all somehow relate to each other and the time they spent at the University of Michigan protesting and getting high.

Leonard winds an interesting tale and creates characters that are larger than life. The best way to describe the story line is bizarre. The reader cannot anticipate what will happen next, but at the same time, the twists are not cliffhangers, but simply twists. This book is very hard to describe in that it is a quick read, but does not really suck you in. It just kind of is. It is worth the read, but I am curious to compare this to other Elmore Leonard books. I am not sure that he is for me.

Hippies turn deadly.......2005-02-06

Deadly. We have this couple, Robin and Skip, two 60's radicals used to be anti-establishment, anti-the man. How things changed. Now they're ex-convicts getting ready to score a huge payback on the wealthy family that originally snitched them out. Kaboom! Deadly. In comes Chris Mankowski. The Sexy Bomb Boy. He transfers from the Bomb Squad to the Sex Crimes Division for Detroit's Finest. His very first case involving a rape leads him to a gossamers web of Austin Powder, clothes pins, lots of copper wire, a big black dude named Juicy Mouth, Busby Berkley and the Banana Dance, bushels of grass and gallons of LSD, an explosive ending, and perhaps the coolest Elmore Leonard character ever in the ex-Black Panther, Donnell Lewis. He's just wicked nasty.

Why "Freaky Deaky" hasn't been made into a movie confounds--yes, confounds--me. How can "The Big Bounce" make it to theaters before "Freaky Deaky?" Even Don Cheadle is talking about making "Tishomingo Blues." Not cool. "Freaky Deaky" is a really good story, and it's about time that a big screen version of it gets made.

Dash For Cash.......2004-05-21

If you're planning to extort money from a multi-millionaire by threatening to blow up his house (or else) you should probably make sure of at least 2 things. First, the man you're threatening should be smart enough to understand the threat. Second, your partner, who also happens to be the explosives expert, probably shouldn't be spending most of his spare time tripping on acid. Thus Elmore Leonard sets the scene for Freaky Deaky. It's his penchant for creating characters just a quarter-turn from normal that makes his stories a delight to read.

The story opens with a lunch-time meeting between Robin Abbott and Skip Gibbs, a couple of former student radicals from the 1960s and 70s. You get the impression pretty quickly that these two people are not exactly your salt of the earth types when they fondly remember their finest moment together as the time they bombed a government building. Robin smoothly leads the conversation around to how they were both captured for their roles in the bombing, the prison sentences they served and her thoughts as to who tipped the police off as to their identities and whereabouts. She's still not happy and is after revenge in the form of a restitution payout and she needs Skip's knowledge of explosives to execute her plan.

This introduces us to Woody and Ricks, as well as Woody's chauffeur, ex-Black Panther Donnell Lewis. Now, Woody is a multi-millionaire, having inherited his parent's fortune after his mother died. She didn't like Mark all that much and he only received a small endowment, much to his eternal frustration. Although Woody has all the money, he is also an alcoholic and his brain has deteriorated to the point where he is totally reliant on Mark and Donnell.

A man with a mind like Woody's coupled with his net worth sets him up as a major target for the less scrupulous people on earth and, wouldn't you know it, Mark and Donnell just happen to be those kinds of people. Their plotting and planning from within the Ricks mansion combined with Robin and Skip's activities ensure that Woody is in for a bumpy ride. The question is, will he even notice?

But wait, I haven't even mentioned the story's protagonist. Chris Mankowski is a police detective who has just transferred from the bomb squad to the sex crimes unit. By just, I mean it's his first day, when he gets dragged into the picture when a woman walks in to report that she has been raped by Woody Ricks. The fact that a former bomb squad detective just happens to be thrust into the midst of an impending bombing may seem too coincidental to accept, but it is in keeping with Leonard's sense of irony.

Chris is by far the most complete character in the story. We learn a lot about his background, his bad luck with women, his wonderfully charming relationship with his father and his passion for his job. He is also a dangerously insightful detective who reasons problems out with startling speed, although that occasionally results in him getting himself into more trouble than he counts on. In short, he is an easy protagonist to like and I found myself quietly cheering for him.

So, from the set up, it sounds as though the story is just a simple grab for cash, doesn't it? Well, it's a grab for cash all right, but it's far from simple. You see, Robin and Skip's plan involves setting up bombs around the Ricks' mansion and then threatening to set them off unless they are paid. The problem with the plan lies in the fact that Skip is tripping on acid half the time and his attention to detail is not what it could be, with unexpected results.

Elmore Leonard sets up a hectic storyline, bordering on manic, with each attempt to carry out the extortion quickly following the last. The fact that the bad guys are a mixture of insanity and incompetence provides a strong feeling of uncertainty as to who or what is going to be blown up. There are too many humorous moments to call this a thriller, but there is also too much drug-taking and violence to describe it as a light-hearted caper. I think "black comedy" is the most fitting description for Freaky Deaky.

Chip Kidd: Book One: Work: 1986-2006 (Chip Kidd)
Average customer rating:

Why are you reading this itstead of buying the book?

FUN COVERS

Excellent book on the process of graphic design.

Inspirational

Stunning

Chip Kidd: Book One: Work: 1986-2006 (Chip Kidd)
Chip Kidd
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Books | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Book Industry | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

By Its Cover: Modern American Book Cover Design

Cheese Monkeys

Penguin by Design: A Cover Story 1935-2005

Chip Kidd (Monographics)

Sagmeister: Made You Look

ASIN: 0847827488
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

Described as "the closest thing to a rock star" in graphic design today (USA Today), Chip Kidd is universally recognized as an American master of contemporary book design. At the forefront of a revolution in publishing, Kidd's iconic covers, with their inventive marriage of type and found images, have influenced an entire generation of design practitioners in many fields.Chip Kidd: Book One collects all of his book covers and designs for the first time, as well as hundreds of developmental sketches and concepts-annotated by Kidd and by many of the best-selling authors he's worked with over the years. The result is an important contribution to the design canon today as well as a visually dazzling (and often hilarious) insider's look at the design and publishing process.The book also showcases Kidd's work with comics and graphic novels, including his collaborations with leading artists and writers in the field. Featured are projects for DC Comics, including Batman and Superman, as well as Kidd's award-winning exploration of the art of Charles M. Schulz. Chip Kidd: Book One is sure to enthrall design aficionados, book lovers, pop-culture fanatics, comics fans, and design students.

Customer Reviews:

Why are you reading this itstead of buying the book?.......2006-03-23

This book is bound with a split hardback/softback cover, so if you appreciate design -- which I assume you do since you're considering a compilation of book designs -- the book is worth buying for this odd cover arrangement alone.

FUN COVERS.......2006-01-26

This an excellent ,colorful book with very useful and informative comments,they are also humorous.Kidd mentions that he shows failed designs when he lectures to show that even a successful designer has failures.Unfortunately,in my opinion,the jacket for this volume falls in this category,its clever but not practical.because the cover is split in two parts its an irritation to hold and eventually the cover will be bent when laying down or storing in shelf.Still a must have in this genre.Now how about a Susan Mitchell collection?
ps.i followed my advice and bought the hardcover .Amazing its even more unwieldy,the cover is half hard and half soft,yikes!I ended up buying the soft cover to keep and treat it very carefully ,was that the point of this nutty design?I guess this cover will enter the hall of fame and certainly will be a collectors item if its never opened.Argghh!!!

Excellent book on the process of graphic design........2006-01-16

I highly recommend this book to any graphic designer. He details nearly every cover design, and its great to hear the back story, and see preliminary designs and alternate final designs. Ironically, my only complaint about the book is its cover. I have the paperback edition, the cover only covers half of the book, and this makes flipping through the pages kind of unwieldy. The cuteness of this cover design wears off quickly. It will be interesting to see how he rates this cover in the sequel to this book in 20 years.

Inspirational.......2006-01-11

Chip Kidd is one of those people who makes me think about the work that I do, and inspires me to try to be more creative. Some design lends itself to stealing and there is a tendency to try to emulate styles, but you can't do that with Kidd's work because it is the idea itself which is so fantastic. He manages to find a perfect way to complement the work of the author and create an ideal package. While his work doesn't conform to any particular style, I find that I can easily spot Kidd's covers on a crowded bookstore shelf. (Sometimes his colleague Carol Devine Carson can fake me out with a well designed spine, but I can pretty reliably pick out a "Kidd" 90% of the time. I find that I sometimes buy books on the strengths of his covers alone.)

Kidd makes me try to expand the way I think about what I'm trying to say, and for that reason, this book will be a frequent reference.

Stunning.......2005-11-21

Wow. This book - much like Chip Kidd's design work - is simply stunning. Every page is engaging.

Fortunately, Chip Kidd happens to be a very good writer. There is no ego here, Kidd keeps a sense of humor throughout.

This is a beautiful book for every designer to add to their library. My one suggestion would be to spend a few extra bucks for the hardcover edition...

Average customer rating:

HOMBRE - an absolute classic of the novel form
A good, not so typical Western
A Western with a moral.
His Best Western
Classic Elmore Leonard Western

Hombre
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Valdez Is Coming
Forty Lashes Less One
The Law at Randado
Killshot
Escape from Five Shadows

ASIN: 0380822245
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Book Description

John Russell has been raised as an Apache. Now he's on his way to live as a white man. But when the stagecoach passengers learn who he is, they want nothing to do with him -- until outlaws ride down on them and they must rely on Russell's guns and his ability to lead them out of the desert. He can't ride with them, but they must walk with him or die.

Download Description

John Russell has been raised as an Apache. Now he's on his way to live as a white man. But when the stagecoach passengers learn who he is, they want nothing to do with him -- until outlaws ride down on them and they must rely on Russell's guns and his ability to lead them out of the desert. He can't ride with them, but they must walk with him or die.

Customer Reviews:

HOMBRE - an absolute classic of the novel form.......2005-02-26

Elmore Leonard's HOMBRE is, irrespective of genre, an absolute classic of the novel form. In my opinion it's the best example since THE GREAT GATSBY of what I'd loosely term "self-effacing first person narrative", by which I mean narrative wherein the author so contrives things that the narrator - Carl Allen in HOMBRE - is not the main character or event in the story. Personally I think this tends to make for a greater semblance of objectivity since the person telling the story necessarily remains, like the reader, on the periphery of the central events.

I would unreservedly recommend Elmore Leonard's 's westerns to anybody interested in "a good read"- but especially to any reader who's completed his "modern" books. It's not that I'm a fan of the western genre in particular, but Elmore Leonard's output is infinitely superior to the norm. With great dialogue and memorable characters they make for a very tight read: more like Hemingway than Louis L'Amour.

There's a sort of underlying thematic quality to HOMBRE (to VALDEZ IS COMING, too) wherein the young United States is itself the hero - or heroine, as the case may be. For example, Gay Erin in VALDEZ shucks off her attachment to the small shopkeeper and the cattle baron in favour of the man of honour . . . and the man of honour (VALDEZ, HOMBRE), social outcast though he may temporarily be, is able to come into his own precisely because he was born in the Land of the Free.

You just know this ain't gonna happen in downtown Detroit or present day Dade County FLA.

Beats me why WHEN THE WOMEN COME OUT TO DANCE had to reprise so many stories out of THE TONTO WOMAN when there are so many uncollected Elmore Leonard western stories out there just waiting to be corraled.

PS If you like the narrative voice in HOMBRE, mosey on over to Arkansas and Missouri and check out TRUE GRIT by Charles Portis. It's another classic of the western genre with a quite differently stunning first person narrative voice. Meanwhile, here's a spoof reprise of that scene from the film where Richard Boone stomps into the stagecoach office and confronts Paul Newman . . .

`Frank Braden,' he said. His hands spread out along the counter.
I said, `Yessir? As if I still worked for the Sweetmary Library Service. Hell, I shouldn't have been behind the counter but I'd dropped off to sleep reading the latest John Grisham (hate the books; love the movies).
`Write it down for EL's EO.'
`I'm sorry.'
`I said: "Write it down for Elmore Leonard's entire opus.'
`That's a special batch.'
`I heard. That's why I'm having it.'
I looked down at the four orange library cards on the counter, lining them up evenly. `I'm afraid that one's taken. Four here and those two. That's all we could get a-hold of.'
`You can get another one,' he said. Telling me, not asking. `Sunny side up, easy on the adverbs, exclamation points and hooptedoodle.'
`Well, I don't see how.'
`On top of what you ordered.'
`We got half a dozen is all. That's a library service rule. I was just telling these boys here. Certain people can read . . .'
`You say they've got 'em?'
`Yessir. Both of them.'
He turned without another word and walked over to John Russell with that clumpy thumping sound as the Max Brands, Louis L'Amours and Zane Grays hit the library floor. He still had the Jack Schaefers slung low in his left hand: SHANE, THE KEAN LAND, THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES. You can say what you want about Frank Braden but he was nobody's fool.
He said, "That boy at the counter said you got the Forty less One.'
`Uh?' said John Russell.
`Elmore Leonard's stuff.'
`John Russell opened his hand on his lap. `This?'
`That's it. And the others. You give them to me and grab a Stephen King.'
`I have to take them,' Russell said.
`No, you want is all. But it would be better if you waited. You can read Captain Corelli, get drunk. How does that sound?'
`I have to take these,' John Russell said. `I have to take these and I want to take them.'
`Leave him alone,' the ex-soldier said then. `We were first in line, you find your own batch of books.'
Frank Braden looked at him. `What did you say?'
`I said why don't you leave him alone.' His tone changed. All of a sudden it sounded friendlier, more reasonable. `He wants the Forty less One, let him take them,' the ex-soldier said.
You heard the clumpy thumping sound again as Frank Braden shifted to face the ex-soldier and Charles Portis' TRUE GRIT hit the ground. He scooped it up again, stacked it alongside the Schaefers, stared at him and said, `I guess I'll have your Forty less One instead.'
The ex-soldier hadn't moved, his big hands resting on his knees, his feet propped on the canvas bag that contained the thirty-nine books. `You just walk in,' he said, `and take somebody else's Forty less One?'
Braden's pointed hat brim moved up and down. `That's the way it is.'
`Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!' I said - exclaimed even - thinking I was still in the employ of the Sweetmary Library Service.

A good, not so typical Western.......2005-02-22

'Hombre' is another entry in the western genre from Elmore Leonard. This novel tells the story of a man named John Russell that was raised as an Apache. He owns some property that he needs to sell and is about to take a stage coach ride with one Mr. Mendez to get where he is going. Quickly, several other passengers join the coach. When they discover Russell's background, they refuse to allow him to ride in the coach with him. It doesn't take too long for the coach to get into trouble when it becomes obvious that Mr. Russell is not the only one who isn't as he appears.

This is a good Western. The scenes are laid out well be Leonard and unfold nicley. For the most part, the characters are what you expect in a Western given their backgrounds. The various prejudices of the white man against the Apache's are obvious. In other words, the characters match the time period.

This novel has a moral that we've all heard before. Leonard simply repackages it. In addition to not judging a book by its cover, you need to walk a mile in its shoes. That is the lesson to be learned from this novel, which will become apparent by the time you get to the end.

As is usual, Leonard has created some wonderful characters. In addition to Russell, there is "the McLaren" girl who has her own ties to the Apaches. She had been kidnapped by them, and while she resents them, she has learned a few things from them. There is Dr. and Mrs. Favor. Dr. Favor isn't quite the good doctor, and his wife doesn't quite obey the rules of polite society. Mr. Mendez is the Mexican coach driver, and kind of a mentor to Russell. There are a few colorful bad guys that round out a diverse cast.

This isn't Leonard's best novel, but it is a very good one. Anyone that enjoys Leonard's work should like this. I'd also recommend it to fans of Westerns.

Grade: 4 stars.

A Western with a moral........2004-09-10

I'm new to the Western genre. After a few L'Amours, a friend put me on to Leonard's Westerns. So I'm reading them; they are a world apart (and very much a better one) than the good but stolid L'Amour.
I read Hombre just after Valdez is Coming, and now I'm going through the Leonard western list; he's my definite favorite for the time being.
Hombre is a distinctly moral tale. The moral punch comes suddenly and unexpectedly at the end. The hero (not anti-hero, in my opinion; here I differ from an earlier reviewer)is so laconic that you don't get much foreshadowing of his actions until they happen. This is a style I very much like, instead of the author's own ruminations through the thoughts and bloviations of his protagonist-- a major L'Amour characteristic. (I suppose I shouldn't dwell on L'Amour, but he's my only other Western author so far; and he's a solid 3-star writer, a very respectable thing to be.)
Leonard is very spare in his writing and very suited to the Western, in my mind. I'll be getting the well-regard Paul Newman movie, which I've never seen.

His Best Western.......2003-04-21

No writer chronicles the battles of misfits, underdogs, and renegades like Leonard. In Hombre, Leonard captures a land where the rich, the poor, and the wandering come together as equals __ and where honor is earned by courage and by blood.

Classic Elmore Leonard Western.......2002-09-30

After having read almost all of Leonard's crime novels, I finally got to this, his best known western. Written in 1961, it was made into the 1967 Paul Newman movie. I was surprised at the differences here compared to recent Leonard novels. The anti-hero, John Russell, is a young white man raised by Apaches in 19th century Arizona. He inherits some property which requires taking a trip away from the reservation. On this trip a stage coach robbery goes wrong and Russell fights the robbers to the death. Like all other Leonard protagonists, Russell is a man of action and of few words. Unlike other Leonard heroes, he inexplicably sacrifices himself at the end of the book to save a women that neither he nor the others really care about. Chili Palmer, Frank Ryan, or Ernest Stickley would have never done a thing like that. Leonard employs an unusual device of having one of the minor characters narrate the story. Later books have either an omniscient narrator of the protaganist's inner dialogue serving as narrator. Very good but not as much fun as more recent hits.

Average customer rating:

Unabridged Audio Book
Atmospheric and well-written
Strong Woman
An entertaining read
Leonard hits the bullseye

Killshot
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Split Images
LaBrava
Unknown Man #89
Hombre
The Hot Kid

ASIN: 0060512245
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Book Description

It's not Carmen Colson and her ironworker husband Wayne's fault that they were in the real estate office when a pair of thugs walked in with extortion on their minds. But as far as aging Ojibway Indian hit man Armand Degas is concerned the Colsons are going to have to pay dearly for seeing too much . . . and for the damage Wayne inflicted on Armand and his sicko partner Richie Nix with a tire iron. The cops here in middle-of-nowhere Michigan can't help Carmen and Wayne out, and the best the Feds can offer is the Witness Protection Program. So ultimately it's going to have to come down to one wife, one husband, two killers . . . and one lethal shot.

Download Description

E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels

Customer Reviews:

Unabridged Audio Book.......2006-10-04

Rider Strong reads this book with an impassioned, evocative style. I really like the way he reads one of the main characters, Armand Degas, an Ojibway. He gets the deep tone and cadence down pat. It must have been how Elmore Leonard heard the character as he was writing Armand.

The ADHD-type 35-year old adolescent criminal Ritchie is read in a snotty tone with a sniveling pace - perfect.

While it's often hard for men to voice women's characters, I thought Rider Strong did a decent job with the women of this story. Leonard's female characters are some of my favorite literary women. Killshot's Carmen Colson is realistically feminine, brave AND human all at once.

Atmospheric and well-written.......2006-03-27

Since I am a fan of the movie adaptations of Elmore Leonard's works ("Jackie Brown," "Be Cool") I've been wanting to start reading his books. This is the first I've read and I was most impressed with his writing style.

I was amused to find him not at all sympathetic toward police or U.S. Marshals, although he did seem to like his FBI character; in fact, if anything, he seemed most sympathetic toward Blackbird, his assassin character. Despite gaping holes in this character, his was the most filled in one in the bunch and by the end you almost found yourself wondering if he could be redeemed.

The Colsons, the couple who find themselves on the run after accidentally being caught in the middle of an attempted protection shake-down by an ex-prisoner, Richie Nix, and Blackbird, are presented initially as the perfect married couple, but as the strain of the chase gets to them, the strains they have kept hidden within their marriage start to come out. Perhaps to a certain degree this book is about how everyone faces the strain of day-to-day living by hiding how they feel? I hesitate to say, as I believe everyone will get something different from this book - however, I feel that there may be a deeper meaning hidden within this story.

I can't wait to go on and read more of Mr. Leonard's books, and accumulate more of them as well - I only have two more at this time, but will be on the lookout for more at my favorite 2nd hand and discount stores (which is generally where I buy my books - otherwise, as many books as I buy, I'd be in severe trouble . . . )

Strong Woman.......2006-01-04

The key character in Leonard's "Killshot" is Carmen, the wife of a steelworker. She has a strong heart, a love of her somewhat uncommunitive husband, and a strong belief in defending her home.

Detroit is again the setting for this mob-related thriller, and Leonard has invented two truly scary killers, Richie and Blackbird. Carmen must stare down these killers and defend her home. Whether she can do this while alone remains unknown until the end.

The atmosphere of Detroit is somewhat modified as Carmen and her husband enter the Witness Protection Program and leave for Cape Girardeau, Missouri, along the Mississippi River. Some of the most interesting scenes take place when her husband goes on the river in his new job, and Carmen is left behind again, all alone.

A movie of "Killshot" is being produced now, with second unit shooting in Cape Girardeau. Movie and Elmore Leonard buffs are sure to hope that the intensity of this thriller can be captured well on film.

Larry Rochelle, Author of the Palmer Morel Mystery Series: BLUE ICE, GULF GHOST, BOURBON AND BLISS, DEATH AND DEVOTION and DANCE WITH THE PONY

An entertaining read.......2004-09-09

An ironworker and his wife are being hunted down by a professional hitman and a murdering ex-con. Wayne Colson and his wife Carmen found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Armand and Richie, two lifelong criminals, are very poorly attempting to extort money from Carmen's boss. The inept thieves harebrained scheme is to walk into his office and take the money. But they are in for a surprise.

Wayne is visiting his wifes office the day the gangsters attempt to grab the money. They mistake him for Carmen's boss and a melee ensues. Wayne gives the crooks a real good lambasting and they take off empty handed.

When the goons trackdown the man responsible for giving them the beating, they want revenge. The Colsons, in an effort to save their lives, enter the Witness Security Program. They soon find out they might have been better off to try and make it on their own.

This book was the first I have read from Elmore Leonard. The dialogue is funny and smart. But I felt that the story was lacking in some areas. I believe Quentin Tarantino is supposed to be writing a screenplay based on this novel. I'm sure he won't disappoint.

Leonard hits the bullseye.......2004-05-12

Elmore Leonard strikes again with Killshot. Killshot, one of Leonard's best books, greatly emphasizes Leonard's outstanding writing talent. The story is of a hitman named Armand Degas, aka Blackbird. Armand has a chance encounter with an ex-con named Richie Nix, when Nix hijacks Armand's car. The two become partners, although Armand is clearly the leader. While on a job in Michigan, the duo encounters Wayne Colson and his wife Carmen, witnesses to the crime. Armand and Richie need to eliminate these witnesses.
The chase that follows is one of the most suspensful and exciting sequences of events that I have ever read in any book, ending in an awe-inspiring climax that will leave you with sweaty palms and a pounding heart. Leonard capitalizes on his outstanding characterization in Killshot, making it seem like you have known Armand Degas since you were in second grade. Leonard does a superb job of painting the picture of a criminal's life, making Killshot a hard book to put down.
Killshot is one of the most well written books that I have ever read, one of Leonard's best (not an easy thing to be!) This book proves that Elmore Leonard is indeed the undisputed king of crime writing.

Average customer rating:

Elmore's Best!
Gold Coast Not Solid Gold
How it pains me to write a bad review for Leonard!
good premise, weak ending
Not a Sunny Read

Gold Coast
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Hunted
City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit
Pronto
Split Images
Unknown Man #89

ASIN: 0060084057

Book Description

When he kicked off, Florida mob boss Frank DiCilia left his gorgeous widow Karen everything, but with strings attached. She loses the millions, the cars, the palatial Gold Coast mansion if she ever gets involved with another man. And there's a crazy cowboy-wannabe thug named Roland who's acting as Frank's eyes beyond the grave, making sure Karen doesn't dally, with serious muscle, if necessary. But now Cal Maguire's come into the picture. A sexy, street-smart Detroit ex-con, Cal's got a line and a scam for every occasion. And he's got the perfect plan for getting Karen DiCilia her money and her freedom ... if it doesn't get them both killed first.

Download Description

E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels

Customer Reviews:

Elmore's Best!.......2006-12-18

I've read 20 of Elmore's 40 books, and thus far, Gold Coast remains my favorite. I find the bad guy in this particular book endlessly facsinating and hilarious!

Gold Coast Not Solid Gold.......2006-08-04

Elmore Leonard's Gold Coast starts out solid, but weakens about half way through. This plot had so much potential that it made the ending an even bigger let down than if the book had been mediocre all the way through.

The first half is likely to hold your interest and the characters are quirky, strong, and solid. But mid-way through there is a lot of repetition and the sense that it should be coming to a conclusion long before this. You just want it to move on. But there is a sense that with such a good set up it is worth hanging on for what you expect to be a fantastic finish.

But, alas, all that glitters is not gold and the ending is extremely disappointing. I was expecting a great twist and something unexpected and creative. Instead, it was as if Leonard was tired of the whole thing himself and just stuck an ending on because he didn't want to make the effort to come with anything good.

I would recommend reading it; it is entertaining if somewhat redundant and slow toward the middle. But plan to be disappointed as you finish it up.

How it pains me to write a bad review for Leonard!.......2006-05-17

This one got off to a great start and I loved the Florida setting, with the protagonist being the half hearted worker at the Seaworld-like park. The story builds quickly, the dialogue is great and you get ready for another Elmore Leonard wild ride, but then it just fizzles. It really comes off to me as a rough draft. If not for the order of printing, I'd believe it was a first version of Tishomingo Blues or Maximum Bob. The plot just gets too twisted for no reason and the reader loses interest, which should never happen in such a short novel. I was anxious for it to end, not to find out what happens, just so I could go to the next novel.

Considering the ending, I don't really think the blurb on the back fits the story, but more the way it should have been.

good premise, weak ending.......2005-08-30

Like many Leonard novels, this one had a great beginning, great introduction of characters, etc. but it just fumbles apart by the end. There's so much pointless and confusing plotting in the last 50 pages that I got tired of trying to figure out what was going on. By the end, none of it mattered anyway. Still some good parts and funny exchanges but I have a hard time recommending it. It's disappointing to spend time on something like this and get cheated with a slack ending.

Not a Sunny Read.......2003-11-03

A Review by Amanda

When Karen DeCilia was widowed for the second time her husband wanted her to be with no one else. So he put a clause in his trust saying she couldn't sleep with any other man. If she did break this factor of the trust she would never receive another dime of his money, the cars, or the estate. In her way is a man named Rowland he wants to ruin it all. She needs Maguire's help, an ex-con, to find a way around Rowland.

I really didn't care for this book very much. I didn't like how the pace of the book was
slow and boring. There weren't many, if at all, any real suspenseful parts. The characters never really evolved into anything. Such as Karen she was just a rich girl trying to get out of her late husbands tight hold on her. But that was about it. There was a lot of mention of this girl named Vivian, but it truly never explained who she was or what significance
she was to the story. It was a very difficult story to follow and not a fun read at all. The story never evolved into something interesting. It was just a boring book to read.

I recommend you avoid this book. It wasn't any fun to read and had no climax that was interesting. Someone who might enjoy this book is a person who can follow a story really well or just wants to read a book by this author.

Authors:

Authors

Authors