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nicovreeland's review against another edition
3.0
This is a power fantasy/wish fulfillment type of detective novel. It reminded me a lot of Andrew Vachss's Burke novels, which last came out 15 years ago. It feels outdated, in much the same way I think Burke novels would feel today.
Mosley's hero, "King" Oliver, shares a lot of DNA with Burke: he is morally perfect, a put-upon vigilante angel; he is martially perfect, easily able to defeat multiple elite hit squads; he has a wide array of friends and "partners," who are more than willing to lend him any amount of money he might need, along with resources like hackers, bodyguards, information, etc.
The writing style is as earnest as can be, sometimes searing, sometimes wincingly cheesy, as earnestness usually is.
King has some sharp observations on race, but he's hopelessly old-fashioned with women, equating every woman's beauty with their level of respectability, even a 75-year-old woman who is obviously competent and powerful because she doesn't have many wrinkles, and still looks hot.
As for the case(s) in the book, King's involvement is pretty unbelievable. He takes a job basically defending a Proud Boy from a frame job, assigned by his grandmother's boyfriend, a white billionaire. King accepting and working this case used up my full allotment of suspension of disbelief. When King then takes another case--this one defending his ex-wife's obnoxious new man, an incompetent low-level criminal--I just couldn't believe it, especially when both the ex-wife the new man repeatedly insults and disrespects him.
That's tough, because this kind of book requires A LOT of suspension of disbelief, as hit men drop out of helicopters, and King uncovers web after web of sinister conspiracies that go all the way up into the highest echelons of law enforcement.
King lacks the righteousness of Burke. Burke's deal was protecting children from anybody who wanted to hurt them. He didn't care as much about adults, especially not low-level criminals pulling diesel fuel scams. King treats any case as life or death, willing to risk everything for anybody who needs his help. It makes listening to his self-important narration a bit tiresome.
The two cases are also, improbably but inevitably, related. The plot is good, but not great. I think if you know what you're getting into, basically a comic book in novel form, you might be able to focus on the story itself, and not how bombastically absurd every element is.
Mosley's hero, "King" Oliver, shares a lot of DNA with Burke: he is morally perfect, a put-upon vigilante angel; he is martially perfect, easily able to defeat multiple elite hit squads; he has a wide array of friends and "partners," who are more than willing to lend him any amount of money he might need, along with resources like hackers, bodyguards, information, etc.
The writing style is as earnest as can be, sometimes searing, sometimes wincingly cheesy, as earnestness usually is.
King has some sharp observations on race, but he's hopelessly old-fashioned with women, equating every woman's beauty with their level of respectability, even a 75-year-old woman who is obviously competent and powerful because she doesn't have many wrinkles, and still looks hot.
As for the case(s) in the book, King's involvement is pretty unbelievable. He takes a job basically defending a Proud Boy from a frame job, assigned by his grandmother's boyfriend, a white billionaire. King accepting and working this case used up my full allotment of suspension of disbelief. When King then takes another case--this one defending his ex-wife's obnoxious new man, an incompetent low-level criminal--I just couldn't believe it, especially when both the ex-wife the new man repeatedly insults and disrespects him.
That's tough, because this kind of book requires A LOT of suspension of disbelief, as hit men drop out of helicopters, and King uncovers web after web of sinister conspiracies that go all the way up into the highest echelons of law enforcement.
King lacks the righteousness of Burke. Burke's deal was protecting children from anybody who wanted to hurt them. He didn't care as much about adults, especially not low-level criminals pulling diesel fuel scams. King treats any case as life or death, willing to risk everything for anybody who needs his help. It makes listening to his self-important narration a bit tiresome.
The two cases are also, improbably but inevitably, related. The plot is good, but not great. I think if you know what you're getting into, basically a comic book in novel form, you might be able to focus on the story itself, and not how bombastically absurd every element is.
pinskal's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
A decent Mosley read. Though it’s really tough to distinguish the structure and substance of these books from Mosley’s much more interesting Leonid McGill ones. King Oliver is an interesting character but at this point, I’d just as soon Mosley go back to McGill for his New York tales. Either way, if you liked the first, you’ll like this one too.
stevenanteau's review against another edition
4.0
The good
-Never eye rolling
-Great writing throughout, lots of emotion and description in every paragraph
-Just enough action and intrigue
-Lot of characters that carry over from the previous book
-Introduction of new characters that have me thirsty for part 3 and where they may go
The bad
-There are some real eye-rollers at the way characters always seem to have some extravagant safe house in just the right place full of weapons, tools, liquor, dogs, whatever is necessary
-Like the last novel it ends with a quiet conversation where the bad guys are embarrassed by some never-heard-of plot point
The so-so
-Because it's a series I'm not dying for part 3. The characters are the draw and I really love them
-But not every character from part 1 has as prominent a role in part 2 (Mel)
-There are 2 plot lines and I was more interested in the B plot than the A
Overall I read the book in 3 days, I love this character despite how goofy and cliche it can be, and the writing is top notch.
Waiting for the third.
-Never eye rolling
-Great writing throughout, lots of emotion and description in every paragraph
-Just enough action and intrigue
-Lot of characters that carry over from the previous book
-Introduction of new characters that have me thirsty for part 3 and where they may go
The bad
-There are some real eye-rollers at the way characters always seem to have some extravagant safe house in just the right place full of weapons, tools, liquor, dogs, whatever is necessary
-Like the last novel it ends with a quiet conversation where the bad guys are embarrassed by some never-heard-of plot point
The so-so
-Because it's a series I'm not dying for part 3. The characters are the draw and I really love them
-But not every character from part 1 has as prominent a role in part 2 (Mel)
-There are 2 plot lines and I was more interested in the B plot than the A
Overall I read the book in 3 days, I love this character despite how goofy and cliche it can be, and the writing is top notch.
Waiting for the third.
rosafb's review against another edition
3.0
I like the main character but hit a bit confused with whether I should have known more of the characters. It might just be the Christmas season but I found it hard to track all the people, plot lines and companies involved.
dogtrax's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable, although it requires close reading (various threads and characters intersecting at different times as King grapples with more than a few mysteries)
egapal's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
nolasgem's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
momankara's review against another edition
4.0
I think Walter Mosley is slowly morphing into Percival Everett. This book is similar to previous Mosley novels in its use of language, large cast of characters, and highly complex plot. It is different in that the setting is kind of irrelevant. NY is not a character. Like an Everett novel, it is a surrealist exploration of power at this point in history. But then again, the characters contain real reflections of today's power players, including Epstein, Musk, Blackwater, etc. Truth is stranger is fiction at this point. Mosley is obviously an amazing writer. I don't think I enjoyed this one as much because it was less atmospheric and more intellectual.