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pocketbook's review
A combination of the writing, the genre, and fighting a nasty cold while reading turned me off of this book after finishing the tv show and the movie. I may re-attempt at another time.
treborc29's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've ever read, and it definitely helps if you're already a big fan of Luther as this story leads straight into the first episode of the first series.
I don't think I've ever read any other book as quickly and obsessively as I did with this one. It's fantastic, that's all I can really say without giving anything anyway.
It looks like there's a new Luther novel due out soon and I can't wait!!
I don't think I've ever read any other book as quickly and obsessively as I did with this one. It's fantastic, that's all I can really say without giving anything anyway.
It looks like there's a new Luther novel due out soon and I can't wait!!
jacki_f's review against another edition
3.0
Neil Cross is a screenwriter who created the TV series Luther. This novel is a prequel to that series, which I have never seen, but it also works as a standalone crime novel.
DCI John Luther, "a big man with a big walk", is a damaged cop whose marriage is falling apart. The story involves two cases. In the first, a property developer is putting heavy pressure on an aged tenant to move out of his home and when the book opens his heavies have just beaten up Luther's colleague, who has been trying to protect the old man. The second and major plotline involves the murder of a young couple and the theft of their unborn baby. In both instances, Luther becomes heavily and very personally involved.
Neil Cross has a taut style of writing. He doesn't spend a lot of time on back stories or lengthy descriptions. It's tight and relentless and bang! - it draws you in immediately. After only a few pages, I felt like I had been reading the book for some time. The storyline in this book is more complex that his books usually are. He's juggling a large cast of characters. It feels reminiscent of Simon Kernick's early books, about flawed cop Dennis Milne. The pace is fast and the action continues right up until the final page. My main critique is that there's not a lot of suspense (compared to his other books), and the suspense that there is tends to be about what's going on in Luther's head rather than how the plot will resolve itself.
Be aware that it's fairly violent and some of the sexual descriptions are pretty graphic.
DCI John Luther, "a big man with a big walk", is a damaged cop whose marriage is falling apart. The story involves two cases. In the first, a property developer is putting heavy pressure on an aged tenant to move out of his home and when the book opens his heavies have just beaten up Luther's colleague, who has been trying to protect the old man. The second and major plotline involves the murder of a young couple and the theft of their unborn baby. In both instances, Luther becomes heavily and very personally involved.
Neil Cross has a taut style of writing. He doesn't spend a lot of time on back stories or lengthy descriptions. It's tight and relentless and bang! - it draws you in immediately. After only a few pages, I felt like I had been reading the book for some time. The storyline in this book is more complex that his books usually are. He's juggling a large cast of characters. It feels reminiscent of Simon Kernick's early books, about flawed cop Dennis Milne. The pace is fast and the action continues right up until the final page. My main critique is that there's not a lot of suspense (compared to his other books), and the suspense that there is tends to be about what's going on in Luther's head rather than how the plot will resolve itself.
Be aware that it's fairly violent and some of the sexual descriptions are pretty graphic.
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
5.0
Upside, Neil Cross has written some fantastic recent books. Downside, LUTHER THE CALLING has a connection with a TV series which I've never seen. So interesting to see if a fabulous author has written a fabulous book, regardless of whatever's been going on over on the small screen. Especially as, I believe, this has been a reverse adaptation with the TV series coming before the book.
The most important thing about any of this author's books is that, particularly as he has such a name as a scriptwriter, there's nothing filmic or screen treatment about the books. These are fully fleshed out stories, with strong characters, really good plots and whilst there's nothing staid about the books, there's nothing obviously "treatment" about them either. This factor is a particular relief for this reader who has ploughed through way too many film scripts loosely disguised as novels over the years to be at all comfortable.
What is particularly worthwhile about this book is the character of DCI John Luther, a moody, difficult, man with a volatile personality and absolute tunnel vision when it comes to getting the bad guy. Rules are broken, lines aren't just crossed - they are obliterated and bridges go up in smoke as Luther strides through the world that Cross builds in LUTHER. Despite the moodiness, despite the intensity of this character, Cross is also able to pull off a fantastic storytelling style. Crisp, pointed yet descriptive, Luther and the world he occupies come vividly to life.
So in a poor attempt to take a leaf from the author's own book: LUTHER's a fantastic character. LUTHER THE CALLING is brutal, in your face, fabulous.
The most important thing about any of this author's books is that, particularly as he has such a name as a scriptwriter, there's nothing filmic or screen treatment about the books. These are fully fleshed out stories, with strong characters, really good plots and whilst there's nothing staid about the books, there's nothing obviously "treatment" about them either. This factor is a particular relief for this reader who has ploughed through way too many film scripts loosely disguised as novels over the years to be at all comfortable.
What is particularly worthwhile about this book is the character of DCI John Luther, a moody, difficult, man with a volatile personality and absolute tunnel vision when it comes to getting the bad guy. Rules are broken, lines aren't just crossed - they are obliterated and bridges go up in smoke as Luther strides through the world that Cross builds in LUTHER. Despite the moodiness, despite the intensity of this character, Cross is also able to pull off a fantastic storytelling style. Crisp, pointed yet descriptive, Luther and the world he occupies come vividly to life.
So in a poor attempt to take a leaf from the author's own book: LUTHER's a fantastic character. LUTHER THE CALLING is brutal, in your face, fabulous.
clarks_dad's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I'm a huge fan of the Luther television series and while I usually don't go in for these sorts of adaptations, Neil Cross, the author of this prequel to the television series, was the writer for all three seasons of the BBC drama. That type of consistency led me to believe that the book would be good - at least on the plotting level - and that the author would get the characters just right because, well, they're his characters.
John Luther is one part Sherlock Holmes and one part Dirty Harry; brawny as well as cerebral and full of insights and brilliance, Luther is the rising star of the Serious Crime Unit in London. Obsessive and sometimes violently fixated on doing his job, Luther's relationships are in a rut and as a serial killer and child abductor is running rampant and pressure mounting to stop him, Luther embarks on a downward spiral of rage, depression and frustration that leads him into the predicament we find him at the beginning of the show. Luther exists in a thin gray area between right and wrong and regularly bends procedure to do what he sees as the right thing. Ultimately, the first season of the show, and this prequel novel, shows how a life of working with violent crime (even on the good side) is not without repercussion. It shows the nobility and personal sacrifices of law enforcement agents in characters you truly sympathize with.
Unfortunately, as a standalone, this novel is not very character-driven. My general rule about prequels is that they're not a great idea, but if you're going to watch or read them, you should generally read the series in the order it was published. The Calling is no different. One of the great things about this novel is the blanks it fills in. For viewers of the television series, we already know and love these people, so all Cross has to do is build connections. The reason we react so strongly to it is that we know where these people, making these decisions they believe to be right will ultimately lead. It gives the novel a gravitas and a sense of tragedy that it wouldn't have without having watched the show. We know the Henry Madsen case is the one that pushed John over the edge and cost him everything. We know that Ian is shady, but we don't know the extent or motivation behind his initial plunge into the world of corruption. We know about Zoe's relationship with Mark, but we don't know exactly how it began. These questions are all answered, and answered very satisfactorily by Cross in The Calling. Generally, I don't like television or film adaptations ruining my own conceptions of the characters and their appearance, but I guess since my attachment to the tv show characters came first, I had no problem just picturing them ideally just as they appeared on the show.
The plot is gripping and the story follows the inverted detective story format - the "howcatchem" where we get a glimpse into Madsen's motives and we see his actions with the main story revolving around Luther and the Serious Crimes Unit trying to piece together enough clues to identify and find Madsen. Usually I'm a pretty big critic of this format and I think that revealing too much about the killer and seeing his POV usually removes some of the mystery and danger from them. Villains tend to be much more ominous when they're unknown, and I generally like the feeling of trying to figure out and solve a crime with the investigators - limited to their POV and the things that they see. Luther, both in this novel format, and in the show, seems to be the exception to this rule. For some reason, I not only don't mind the format, but I find the villains created by Cross to be terrifically creepy and scary. Madsen is no exception. A eugenics driven, far-right Nazi sympathizer with a ridiculous sadistic streak, a suppressed pedophile, manipulator and breeder of fighting dogs, pretty much every terrible trope is combined in a single man and it doesn't seem forced. Cross makes the character a logical product of his environment and past, revealed mainly through Luther's detective work as we see first hand the products of his psychology.
Sometimes the narration can be a bit crude, which I expect from characters living in the seamy underbelly of these large cities and it's generally okay with me as an expression of dialogue or thoughts, but not from objective narrators. Call me prudish, but it sets me outside the narrative a bit.
My recommendation: WATCH THE SHOW BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I was looking for a great detective story to fill the True Detective void, and this was it! Finish at least through season two, then read this book. It'll be satisfying, engaging and satiate your desire for more Luther!
John Luther is one part Sherlock Holmes and one part Dirty Harry; brawny as well as cerebral and full of insights and brilliance, Luther is the rising star of the Serious Crime Unit in London. Obsessive and sometimes violently fixated on doing his job, Luther's relationships are in a rut and as a serial killer and child abductor is running rampant and pressure mounting to stop him, Luther embarks on a downward spiral of rage, depression and frustration that leads him into the predicament we find him at the beginning of the show. Luther exists in a thin gray area between right and wrong and regularly bends procedure to do what he sees as the right thing. Ultimately, the first season of the show, and this prequel novel, shows how a life of working with violent crime (even on the good side) is not without repercussion. It shows the nobility and personal sacrifices of law enforcement agents in characters you truly sympathize with.
Unfortunately, as a standalone, this novel is not very character-driven. My general rule about prequels is that they're not a great idea, but if you're going to watch or read them, you should generally read the series in the order it was published. The Calling is no different. One of the great things about this novel is the blanks it fills in. For viewers of the television series, we already know and love these people, so all Cross has to do is build connections. The reason we react so strongly to it is that we know where these people, making these decisions they believe to be right will ultimately lead. It gives the novel a gravitas and a sense of tragedy that it wouldn't have without having watched the show. We know the Henry Madsen case is the one that pushed John over the edge and cost him everything. We know that Ian is shady, but we don't know the extent or motivation behind his initial plunge into the world of corruption. We know about Zoe's relationship with Mark, but we don't know exactly how it began. These questions are all answered, and answered very satisfactorily by Cross in The Calling. Generally, I don't like television or film adaptations ruining my own conceptions of the characters and their appearance, but I guess since my attachment to the tv show characters came first, I had no problem just picturing them ideally just as they appeared on the show.
The plot is gripping and the story follows the inverted detective story format - the "howcatchem" where we get a glimpse into Madsen's motives and we see his actions with the main story revolving around Luther and the Serious Crimes Unit trying to piece together enough clues to identify and find Madsen. Usually I'm a pretty big critic of this format and I think that revealing too much about the killer and seeing his POV usually removes some of the mystery and danger from them. Villains tend to be much more ominous when they're unknown, and I generally like the feeling of trying to figure out and solve a crime with the investigators - limited to their POV and the things that they see. Luther, both in this novel format, and in the show, seems to be the exception to this rule. For some reason, I not only don't mind the format, but I find the villains created by Cross to be terrifically creepy and scary. Madsen is no exception. A eugenics driven, far-right Nazi sympathizer with a ridiculous sadistic streak, a suppressed pedophile, manipulator and breeder of fighting dogs, pretty much every terrible trope is combined in a single man and it doesn't seem forced. Cross makes the character a logical product of his environment and past, revealed mainly through Luther's detective work as we see first hand the products of his psychology.
Sometimes the narration can be a bit crude, which I expect from characters living in the seamy underbelly of these large cities and it's generally okay with me as an expression of dialogue or thoughts, but not from objective narrators. Call me prudish, but it sets me outside the narrative a bit.
My recommendation: WATCH THE SHOW BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I was looking for a great detective story to fill the True Detective void, and this was it! Finish at least through season two, then read this book. It'll be satisfying, engaging and satiate your desire for more Luther!
readincolour's review against another edition
4.0
It's reading a lot like a script instead of a novel so far. It makes sense since Neil Cross write the show, but it's a little distracting. I imagine I'll get used to it as I read further.
jacqui_des's review against another edition
4.0
5-Word Review:
Mother f@#kin’ Idris Elba. Boom!
Check out the parody video
Memorable Quotes
Mother f@#kin’ Idris Elba. Boom!
Check out the parody video
Memorable Quotes
"John Luther, a big man with a big walk…"
"He turns. He looks at her. She’s wet. Elegant. Drenched in London rain. He loves her inexpressibly."
"He watches her walk away; perfectly poised and perfectly lost to him."
"She moves her wine glass around on the table like a planchette on a Ouija board."
"He wonders how many children see her in their dreams, then tucks the thought back inside himself, like a prolapse."
samuelson_obi's review against another edition
3.0
Intense, dark, and disturbing. This wasn’t a fun read exactly, it was haunting and at times uncomfortable.
A glimpse in the dark depths of a human’s psyche, as well as a glimpse into that other side of London most people avoid.
The narration by David Bauckham reflected that, from the forceful and tortured voice Of Luther, to the somewhat creepy and menacing barely restrained voice of the antagonist.
This was a 3.5 stars for me.
I liked it and then some.
A glimpse in the dark depths of a human’s psyche, as well as a glimpse into that other side of London most people avoid.
The narration by David Bauckham reflected that, from the forceful and tortured voice Of Luther, to the somewhat creepy and menacing barely restrained voice of the antagonist.
This was a 3.5 stars for me.
I liked it and then some.
canadian_booknerd's review against another edition
3.0
I wish you could give half-stars because I am somewhere between a three and a four with this one. I didn't know going into this that this book was based on a BBC drama series of the same name. It is intriguing to me to see a character go in that direction instead of the other way. This book was a dark trip into the life of a homicide dectective who's life is beginning to crumble. I found it to be darker that a lot of this genre probably because of all the other issues being dealt with by the main character. I did like that even though this is the first Luther novel, the characters were so well developed. There was an accepted history there that you don't often see in first of a series books. Even though this is a stand-alone novel I can see it leading to more books focused on Luther.
leo_fleet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0