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afrp's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The dialogue is superb, especially when people are flirting or fighting, but the actual stories left me a little cold.
surfmonkey01's review
4.0
I'll be honest, my review is basically for the title story. I've gotten into the show "Justified" recently, and was curious to see how accurate a depiction it was of the short story on which it was based. The answer? Incredibly accurate, right down to most of the dialogue. A very good read, and I'll definitely be checking out some of Leonard's other Raylan Givens stories
hidusty's review against another edition
2.0
A quick read of the short story that launched the television series Justified. I have to say though, this is one case in which I prefer the show - or movie - to the book.
quetzi's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
kandicez's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I admit to ordering this only because I was halfway through the Justified television series and couldn't remember the details of Fire in the Hole. At least not separately from what rang as familiar on the screen.
This time as I read I couldn't help populating this book with the actors from Justified. Leonard has such a sparse style that it is easy to dismiss his work as simple, but that is a disservice. His words may be simple, but each seems perfectly chosen with economy. There is broiling tension in so many of his scenes, that the welcome respite of the calm description of a Kentucky sky or hillside is sweet relief. Leonard allows the reader to fill in the blanks. Maybe allows is too passive a word. Leonard INSISTS the reader fill in the blanks.
This time as I read I couldn't help populating this book with the actors from Justified. Leonard has such a sparse style that it is easy to dismiss his work as simple, but that is a disservice. His words may be simple, but each seems perfectly chosen with economy. There is broiling tension in so many of his scenes, that the welcome respite of the calm description of a Kentucky sky or hillside is sweet relief. Leonard allows the reader to fill in the blanks. Maybe allows is too passive a word. Leonard INSISTS the reader fill in the blanks.
alexiusr's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Antisemitism, and War
zeroiv's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kecb12's review against another edition
4.0
I need to start reading more short stories. My reading brain is so attuned to the structure of the novel that I've made it so I don't have to pay attention as closely to how things are said or details that are dropped because the picture the author paints is so large that you get the basic idea without over-focusing on the minutiae of the novel. Reading short stories completely blows that method of reading out of the water. I liked reading Leonard's stories, particularly because of his female characters. He has an easy style of writing, but there's a latent edge to everything that he's writing. Great, great stories. I would read all of them again.