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mschlat's review
4.0
A short one, but a good one. This novel is all about a heist with a strong Bond vibe, as Parker is hired to take down a casino on a private island run by a somewhat mysterious ex-Nazi. We get back to the wonderful "Parker assembles a team" vibe and have the return of Grofield.
A note: this version (from the University of Chicago Press) sadly has a couple of typos and some faintness in the printing on some pages.
A note: this version (from the University of Chicago Press) sadly has a couple of typos and some faintness in the printing on some pages.
jimmypat's review
3.0
This Parker novel starts off very strong and then fizzles out midway through. Parker disappears and the book gives a (too) lengthy back story of the villain, ending with an extended look at Parker farting around in Mexico. It was good enough, but the weakest Parker yet.
ricparks's review against another edition
4.0
Although this isn't the best of the Parker books, it moves briskly and exhibits Westlake's (Stark's) wit and intelligence throughout. For a satisfying guilty pleasure, you can't go wrong with Parker.
ryno23's review against another edition
4.0
As a little background -- during the first three books of the series, Parker first had to steal back the money from The Outfit that was stolen from him. Then The Outfit put a hit out on Parker, which he avoided and in the process, put a responsible person in charge of The Outfit.
It didn't appear that there would be any need for The Outfit to use Parker, or vice versa. But there was an island off the coast of Galveston that wasn't a U.S. territory (it belonged to Cuba). On the island, there was a big casino operation -- so big that it was eating into The Outfit's profits. So The Outfit contacted Parker to put them out of business. Then the U.S. government wanted Parker to bring the head of the operation to the U.S. so he could be arrested. The latter part didn't really interest Parker, but he used them where it was for his own benefit.
The majority of the story was interesting, but for the first time, the ending was a little ragged. Still an interesting book, just not as good as The Jugger, for example. 3.5 stars.
It didn't appear that there would be any need for The Outfit to use Parker, or vice versa. But there was an island off the coast of Galveston that wasn't a U.S. territory (it belonged to Cuba). On the island, there was a big casino operation -- so big that it was eating into The Outfit's profits. So The Outfit contacted Parker to put them out of business. Then the U.S. government wanted Parker to bring the head of the operation to the U.S. so he could be arrested. The latter part didn't really interest Parker, but he used them where it was for his own benefit.
The majority of the story was interesting, but for the first time, the ending was a little ragged. Still an interesting book, just not as good as The Jugger, for example. 3.5 stars.
colophonphile's review against another edition
This reads like author Stark/Westlake doing a Bond story -- Parker, the great anti-hero, tries to rob an entire island. The island is, in essence, a floating casino, ruled by an overly theatrical owner, who's like any number of colorful Bond adversaries. The island is tantalizingly close to the American coast, just out of reach of law enforcement.
What's especially interesting about this entry in the Parker series is that he works for both his main antagonists: the outfit (the syndicate, or mob) and the law. Both want the island's owner taken care of -- taken out, or brought in.
As always, though, Parker is only in it for himself.
What's especially interesting about this entry in the Parker series is that he works for both his main antagonists: the outfit (the syndicate, or mob) and the law. Both want the island's owner taken care of -- taken out, or brought in.
As always, though, Parker is only in it for himself.
jeremyhornik's review
3.0
Two star Parker. Heist underplanned, overly referential. Bad guy is a Nazi. Supporting characters underdrawn, except for Grofeld. Too much Grofeld. The seeds of a decent book about loyalty in here, but.
msand3's review
3.0
This has been the weakest Parker novel of the series so far. It felt rushed and slapped together, whereas the previous novels were brisk, but expertly plotted. There were so many loose ends at the end that I felt like some of these characters (other than Grofield, of course) should be making appearances in later Parker novels, if only to justify their breezy exits from this novel. (On a side note, this edition had at least ten major typos that editors should have caught. Totally inexcusable. I was especially surprised considering these University of Chicago editions have been very good up to this point.)
psteve's review
3.0
Excellent early Parker novel, and also includes a guest appearance of another Stark character, Grofield. In this one, Parker is tasked on robbing an island near Galveston. He can get the money, but he needs to turn the boss of the island over to the outfit, and make sure everything on the island is burned to the ground. As always, things don't go the way they figure.
As with all the Stark novels, the key to the book is the Parker character. He's fascinating, cold, smart, unemotional, no-nonsense. But some nuances of his character reveal themselves slowly, in this case in the small affair he has with a woman slightly involved in the heist, and also in the ending. I also enjoyed Stark's nod towards the excellent Continental Op story, The Gutting of Couffignal, also about an island robbery.
Another thing I got a kick out of was the various footnotes in the book. In the story, there are various references to other Parker stories. In this book, at least, footnotes tell you which books in the Parker series these events are in. I don't remember seeing that in very many books (the Quarry series could use it), and it's kind of fun.
As with all the Stark novels, the key to the book is the Parker character. He's fascinating, cold, smart, unemotional, no-nonsense. But some nuances of his character reveal themselves slowly, in this case in the small affair he has with a woman slightly involved in the heist, and also in the ending. I also enjoyed Stark's nod towards the excellent Continental Op story, The Gutting of Couffignal, also about an island robbery.
Another thing I got a kick out of was the various footnotes in the book. In the story, there are various references to other Parker stories. In this book, at least, footnotes tell you which books in the Parker series these events are in. I don't remember seeing that in very many books (the Quarry series could use it), and it's kind of fun.