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stevem0214's review against another edition
5.0
Good book, that I think I've read in the past, however I couldn't remember the plot. This one has Hawk as the main character, so there is a lot of interaction between he and Spenser...always my favorite!
papidoc's review against another edition
4.0
Spenser novel featuring the literary detective and his nearly amoral friend, Hawk. Hawk is shot and nearly dies, then seeks justice for himself and the son of the man he was supposed to protect. Great quote encompassing the idea that love is strongest when it loves unconditionally, without seeking to change the object of love. "If you love me, you could have me. You love somebody else and insist I be him." (Hawk to his lady-friend, Cecile, upon their breakup, p. 288)
koshpeli's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books where every scene Spencer is with Hawk they make endless jokes about how Spenser is white and Hawk is black. It’s all here. Hawk doing “ghetto” accents, then Shakespeare, Spenser joking about how he’s smart cause he’s white, pretending to be Hawk’s master, how people stare at Hawk in fancy places cause he’s black. This happens literally every scene as opposed to the usual once or twice. Then they go visit Tony Marcus several times so we have to hear that Spenser is white again. None of this advances the plot or points to any new insight-it’s the usual ad nauseumn.
Then there are 5 or 6 scenes where they talk about their Code. It’s great once but this book is full of “I’m me and being me is what makes me and I have free will to do things that are considerate of others but only if me is me”. And Hawk is the same. At least they didn’t do the Spenser role call this time. Only one special guest star, who acts nothing like he did before. The one thing that made him interesting they took away from here.
Also for a book about revenge, the revenge is really easy to get. In fact, at one point Hawk is like, I will only kill them when they are scared. Then he guns then down any way! So I guess Hawk can be Hawk any way he wants. He makes the rules so he can change the rules.
Then there are 5 or 6 scenes where they talk about their Code. It’s great once but this book is full of “I’m me and being me is what makes me and I have free will to do things that are considerate of others but only if me is me”. And Hawk is the same. At least they didn’t do the Spenser role call this time. Only one special guest star, who acts nothing like he did before. The one thing that made him interesting they took away from here.
Also for a book about revenge, the revenge is really easy to get. In fact, at one point Hawk is like, I will only kill them when they are scared. Then he guns then down any way! So I guess Hawk can be Hawk any way he wants. He makes the rules so he can change the rules.
boleary30's review against another edition
2.0
generic Ukrainian tough guy, pointless, nothing that hasn't been done before by many an author.
brianlokker's review against another edition
4.0
Cold Service, the 32nd book in the Spenser series, flips the Spenser/Hawk script as Hawk takes the lead and Spenser becomes his sidekick. The book begins with Hawk in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds after being shot in the back while he was trying to protect a bookie and his family. The man’s entire family was killed except for his young son.
Now, not only does Hawk feel like a professional failure, but beyond that, he questions his very identity. Both Susan Silverman and Rita Fiore tell him it’s normal to be affected by what happened. Rita says it wasn’t his fault. “‘They shot you in the back; how can it be your fault?’ ‘I ain’t supposed to get shot in the back.’ ‘For crissake,’ Rita said. ‘You’re a man, like other men. You can be hurt. You can be killed.’ ‘Ain’t supposed to be like other men,’ Hawk said. Rita looked at him for a moment. ‘Jesus,’ she said. ‘It must be hard being you.’ Hawk was quiet for a time, then he smiled at her, which was nearly always a startling sight. ‘Worth it, though,’ he said.”
Hawk learns that members of the Ukrainian mob were behind the hit, and he vows to get revenge and in the process, arrange some financial security for the boy who survived. Spenser agrees to help him, although he’s not sure he can buy into the killing that Hawk has in mind. Spenser has always prided himself on killing only if it’s absolutely necessary, and revenge killings usually don’t qualify. But Hawk is Spenser’s best friend and has always been there for him, so he will be there for Hawk too.
Hawk is such a great character, and I love the notion of a Hawk-centric story. And Cold Service is a good one. The setup provides numerous opportunities for the humorous banter that makes Spenser’s relationship with Hawk so enjoyable to readers (and presumably to Spenser and Hawk themselves). Much of it involves racial jokes—of a kind that only good friends could get away with—and they’re mutual. One minute Hawk will be using Black dialect and the next he’ll be speaking the Queen’s English. Or, as Spenser teases him: “‘One minute Stepinfetchit. The next Noël Coward.’ ‘Ah embraces diversity,’ Hawk said.”
But their joking is done in the context of great mutual affection and respect. As the narrator, Spenser often shares his admiration for Hawk: “Hawk drove as he did everything else, as if he were born to do it.” And it’s been clear throughout the series that Hawk admires Spenser and will do anything for him.
This time around, Hawk is the man in charge of the plan, and his plan is about as well developed as Spenser’s plans usually are. When they go to visit a potential suspect, Spenser asks what they’re hoping to accomplish. “‘Hell,’ Hawk said, ‘you ought to know how this works. Start in, poke around, talk to people, ask questions, see what happens? I learned it from you all these years.’ ‘It’s known in forensic circles as the Spenser method,’ I said. ‘Also known as I don’t have any idea what the f*ck I’m doing,’ Hawk said. ‘Also known as that,’ I said. ‘Nice to know you’ve been paying attention.’ ‘Learning from the master,’ Hawk said.”
Susan tells Hawk that it’s hard for him to have a plan because he’s being pushed by emotion, whether he’ll admit it or not. “‘Spenser ain’t got no plan, either,’ Hawk said. ‘He ain’t being pushed by emotion.’ ‘But he won’t impose. You know him nearly as well as I do. He will stay with you, let you run it, go where you want to go.’ Hawk nodded. ‘He do that,’ Hawk said.”
And stay with him Spenser does. Along the way, he is forced to examine the lengths to which he’ll go to help his friend, but it comes as no surprise that he never lets him down.
Now, not only does Hawk feel like a professional failure, but beyond that, he questions his very identity. Both Susan Silverman and Rita Fiore tell him it’s normal to be affected by what happened. Rita says it wasn’t his fault. “‘They shot you in the back; how can it be your fault?’ ‘I ain’t supposed to get shot in the back.’ ‘For crissake,’ Rita said. ‘You’re a man, like other men. You can be hurt. You can be killed.’ ‘Ain’t supposed to be like other men,’ Hawk said. Rita looked at him for a moment. ‘Jesus,’ she said. ‘It must be hard being you.’ Hawk was quiet for a time, then he smiled at her, which was nearly always a startling sight. ‘Worth it, though,’ he said.”
Hawk learns that members of the Ukrainian mob were behind the hit, and he vows to get revenge and in the process, arrange some financial security for the boy who survived. Spenser agrees to help him, although he’s not sure he can buy into the killing that Hawk has in mind. Spenser has always prided himself on killing only if it’s absolutely necessary, and revenge killings usually don’t qualify. But Hawk is Spenser’s best friend and has always been there for him, so he will be there for Hawk too.
Hawk is such a great character, and I love the notion of a Hawk-centric story. And Cold Service is a good one. The setup provides numerous opportunities for the humorous banter that makes Spenser’s relationship with Hawk so enjoyable to readers (and presumably to Spenser and Hawk themselves). Much of it involves racial jokes—of a kind that only good friends could get away with—and they’re mutual. One minute Hawk will be using Black dialect and the next he’ll be speaking the Queen’s English. Or, as Spenser teases him: “‘One minute Stepinfetchit. The next Noël Coward.’ ‘Ah embraces diversity,’ Hawk said.”
But their joking is done in the context of great mutual affection and respect. As the narrator, Spenser often shares his admiration for Hawk: “Hawk drove as he did everything else, as if he were born to do it.” And it’s been clear throughout the series that Hawk admires Spenser and will do anything for him.
This time around, Hawk is the man in charge of the plan, and his plan is about as well developed as Spenser’s plans usually are. When they go to visit a potential suspect, Spenser asks what they’re hoping to accomplish. “‘Hell,’ Hawk said, ‘you ought to know how this works. Start in, poke around, talk to people, ask questions, see what happens? I learned it from you all these years.’ ‘It’s known in forensic circles as the Spenser method,’ I said. ‘Also known as I don’t have any idea what the f*ck I’m doing,’ Hawk said. ‘Also known as that,’ I said. ‘Nice to know you’ve been paying attention.’ ‘Learning from the master,’ Hawk said.”
Susan tells Hawk that it’s hard for him to have a plan because he’s being pushed by emotion, whether he’ll admit it or not. “‘Spenser ain’t got no plan, either,’ Hawk said. ‘He ain’t being pushed by emotion.’ ‘But he won’t impose. You know him nearly as well as I do. He will stay with you, let you run it, go where you want to go.’ Hawk nodded. ‘He do that,’ Hawk said.”
And stay with him Spenser does. Along the way, he is forced to examine the lengths to which he’ll go to help his friend, but it comes as no surprise that he never lets him down.
cjeanne99's review
2.0
I love a good Spenser and Hawk book. For me - this is not one of them. A bookie is killed leaving a small child behind, Hawk feels responsible for the child and wants revenge. He and Spenser team up to find the power behind the shooting. They encounter a lot of people involved in gambling and opium distribution. Hawk focuses on getting the child taken care of with a trust fund to be financed by the man behind the operation that killed the bookie. Along the way, Hawk kills five or six people, others are shot- the man behind the opium business is left to continue plying his trade.
Too much senseless killing and violence for my taste. And, as the Gray Man says on page 280 - Hawk sounds like a minstrel show. His dialogue in this book is very folksy from the 'hood - not the usual Hawk banter. It's almost as if Robert Parker is trying to turn Spenser and Hawk into Myron and Win - but it doesn't work.
It started this book in March - and put it down because I didn't like the way Hawk and Spencer interacted, and did not like Hawk's girlfriend. I didn't want to see a Spenser novel on my DNF shelf - so I forced myself to finish it.
Too much senseless killing and violence for my taste. And, as the Gray Man says on page 280 - Hawk sounds like a minstrel show. His dialogue in this book is very folksy from the 'hood - not the usual Hawk banter. It's almost as if Robert Parker is trying to turn Spenser and Hawk into Myron and Win - but it doesn't work.
It started this book in March - and put it down because I didn't like the way Hawk and Spencer interacted, and did not like Hawk's girlfriend. I didn't want to see a Spenser novel on my DNF shelf - so I forced myself to finish it.
cheriekg's review against another edition
3.0
"Wait, haven't I read this one? I feel like I've read this one. Nope, I haven't read this one but it just seems so familiar...."
Nothing new to see here, I guess.
Nothing new to see here, I guess.
papi's review against another edition
4.0
Spenser novel featuring the literary detective and his nearly amoral friend, Hawk. Hawk is shot and nearly dies, then seeks justice for himself and the son of the man he was supposed to protect. Great quote encompassing the idea that love is strongest when it loves unconditionally, without seeking to change the object of love. "If you love me, you could have me. You love somebody else and insist I be him." (Hawk to his lady-friend, Cecile, upon their breakup, p. 288)