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timinbc's review against another edition
4.0
No matter what he uses as the author's name/persona, Westlake always delivers a delightful reading experience. His plots are tight, coherent, fast-paced and interesting. The prose flows along so smoothly that you don't even notice the craftsmanship. There are always interesting characters.
Parker is fascinating, of course. Logical, decisive, understands how people think and act just a little better than others do. Never kills if it can be avoided, never hesitates if it can't.
Most of the way through, there is A Major Occurrence as they are leaving a place. Parker's reaction to it is perfect for explaining his utterly pragmatic character.
For a really great Westlake experience, read a Stark/Parker novel then try one of the Dortmunder series he wrote as Westlake.
Parker is fascinating, of course. Logical, decisive, understands how people think and act just a little better than others do. Never kills if it can be avoided, never hesitates if it can't.
Most of the way through, there is A Major Occurrence as they are leaving a place. Parker's reaction to it is perfect for explaining his utterly pragmatic character.
For a really great Westlake experience, read a Stark/Parker novel then try one of the Dortmunder series he wrote as Westlake.
posies23's review against another edition
4.0
This is another in the long-running Parker series by Richard Stark, aka Donald Westlake. This one starts out with Parker running into problems with the police, resulting in all sorts of problems for our favorite anti-hero.
As usual, this is a well-written, well-plotted crime thriller. It's not the best in the series, but it's well worth reading, especially for the sections where Parker has to try to create relationships with people to get what he needs. The third section dragged a bit for me, but overall, another good entry in a great series.
As usual, this is a well-written, well-plotted crime thriller. It's not the best in the series, but it's well worth reading, especially for the sections where Parker has to try to create relationships with people to get what he needs. The third section dragged a bit for me, but overall, another good entry in a great series.
jeansbooks's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
This was one of the best post Butchers Moon entries. I liked the concept and the follow through was good. It was fun and frivolous. I still don't like the modern touches, references to cars and cell phones, it looses the gritty vintage feel that the original books have. Oh well, I still enjoyed it more than many others.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
The robbery of a pharmaceutical wholesaler goes south and Parker winds up in the clink. The cops have his prints and link him to the killing he did as Ronald Kasper when he escaped the work camp ages ago. Can Parker bust out of the hoosegow? And what's waiting in the wings when he does?
I've been complaining about the post-Butcher's Moon Parker books not being as good as the early ones for quite some time. They're too long and don't have the punch of the earlier books. So, is Breakout more of the same?
Well, it's still a little long but I thought it was an improvement over the last couple Parker books I've read. Parker having to survive in jail for a period of time was a nice change of pace, and the caper he had to participate in with Marcantoni (who I kept calling Macaroni) was both an interesting idea and a bad idea from the start. A tunnel into a former armory to rob a jewelry wholesaler?
The supporting cast other than Ed Mackey and Williams, Parker's cellmate, weren't much to speak of. I was surprised when Brenda got pinched. Parker seemed a little softer in The Breakout but he seems that way in most of the post-hiatus Parker books. The writing lacked some of the punch of the earlier books but seemed less Westlake-ish than the previous couple books.
In conclusion, the Breakout is almost a return to Stark's earlier form and my favorite of the post-Butcher's Moon books so far.
I've been complaining about the post-Butcher's Moon Parker books not being as good as the early ones for quite some time. They're too long and don't have the punch of the earlier books. So, is Breakout more of the same?
Well, it's still a little long but I thought it was an improvement over the last couple Parker books I've read. Parker having to survive in jail for a period of time was a nice change of pace, and the caper he had to participate in with Marcantoni (who I kept calling Macaroni) was both an interesting idea and a bad idea from the start. A tunnel into a former armory to rob a jewelry wholesaler?
The supporting cast other than Ed Mackey and Williams, Parker's cellmate, weren't much to speak of. I was surprised when Brenda got pinched. Parker seemed a little softer in The Breakout but he seems that way in most of the post-hiatus Parker books. The writing lacked some of the punch of the earlier books but seemed less Westlake-ish than the previous couple books.
In conclusion, the Breakout is almost a return to Stark's earlier form and my favorite of the post-Butcher's Moon books so far.
matt4hire's review against another edition
4.0
Not my favorite Parker, though I did enjoy the constant variations on a theme (Parker and others keep on finding themselves locked up in various places that they have to escape from). Fun, if flawed.
bundy23's review
4.0
A prison breakout, a heist, another breakout and then escape... Parker's kept pretty busy in this one and it roars along at the usual quick pace, no fat to trim, no unnecessary characters, no words wasted... I've still got 2 books to go but I find it hard to imagine there's ever been a better series written.
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
Another classic Richard Stark, a.k.a. Donald Westlake, or vice versa if you prefer. Again featuring that completely amoral thief, Parker, as usual, several things go wrong with the caper forcing Parker to extricate himself from a mess. Unusually, Parker finds himself in prison (again due to a colleague’s carelessness and his own use of a name that had a record from another state) and must breakout. This he and a couple of colleagues accomplish but then he reluctantly becomes involved in another theft only to again have things go terribly wrong (this hardly qualifies as a spoiler since it’s part of the formula.)
Their entrance into the armory and attempted exit is a brilliant example of Westlake’s descriptive writing making this one of the best of the Parker novels. The only problem with reading these novels is that you realize they inevitably come to an end; there is no endless supply.
Their entrance into the armory and attempted exit is a brilliant example of Westlake’s descriptive writing making this one of the best of the Parker novels. The only problem with reading these novels is that you realize they inevitably come to an end; there is no endless supply.
guiltyfeat's review against another edition
4.0
Another fantastic Parker book. He gets caught in the opening chapter and has to breakout of jail thereafter. Cold-blooded as ever, he eventually make it back to Claire with little to show for his efforts.
hcq's review against another edition
3.0
More solid Parker, though, oddly, without much focus on Parker himself; this one is more of an ensemble piece, as our hero pulls together a crew to bust out of prison.
Another sort of throwback in time piece, although at least in this one a couple of people do have cell phones.
Another sort of throwback in time piece, although at least in this one a couple of people do have cell phones.