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A review by brianlokker
Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker
4.0
Early Autumn is among my favorite novels in the Spenser series. Its premise — Spenser's decision to mentor a fifteen-year-old boy whose parents have neglected him and are now using him as a pawn in a custody dispute — provides Spenser with the opportunity to expound on his philosophy of life and his code of behavior as a man.
When Spenser meets Paul Giacomin, the boy is a lost soul with no strengths, no opinions, and no interests. Spenser decides to help him develop self-respect and autonomy, to free him from the destructive influence of his disinterested parents. The book's title refers to Spenser's assessment of the difficulty that Paul faces.
Much of the pleasure in reading this book comes from watching Paul's relationship with Spenser develop from wary nonchalance into openness and trust. But the book also doesn't lack the characteristic tough-guy action that readers expect from Spenser. It's especially satisfying to see Spenser team up with Hawk in some pivotal scenes, and to see how the two of them respect and trust each other despite their different “codes” (as Spenser tells Paul, Hawk isn't good, but he's a good man).
Some of the Susan Silverman passages are cloying as usual, but overall that's a small price to pay for this excellent story. I prefer reading series books in order, but if you're new to Spenser and just want to read one as an introduction to the character, you can't go wrong with Early Autumn.
When Spenser meets Paul Giacomin, the boy is a lost soul with no strengths, no opinions, and no interests. Spenser decides to help him develop self-respect and autonomy, to free him from the destructive influence of his disinterested parents. The book's title refers to Spenser's assessment of the difficulty that Paul faces.
Susan was quiet, looking down at me. “Spring will be a little late this year,” she said. “For Paul? Yeah.” I laughed with no pleasure. “Spring is gone. It’s early autumn for Paul. If I can do it.” “And if he can,” Susan said.
Much of the pleasure in reading this book comes from watching Paul's relationship with Spenser develop from wary nonchalance into openness and trust. But the book also doesn't lack the characteristic tough-guy action that readers expect from Spenser. It's especially satisfying to see Spenser team up with Hawk in some pivotal scenes, and to see how the two of them respect and trust each other despite their different “codes” (as Spenser tells Paul, Hawk isn't good, but he's a good man).
Some of the Susan Silverman passages are cloying as usual, but overall that's a small price to pay for this excellent story. I prefer reading series books in order, but if you're new to Spenser and just want to read one as an introduction to the character, you can't go wrong with Early Autumn.