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A review by ojtheviking
Mucho Mojo by Joe R. Lansdale
4.5
When it comes to the first three Hap and Leonard novels, I haven't gone into them blind, as I started collecting these books to begin with because of the far too short-lived TV series. But usually, I try to separate a book and its movie/TV adaptation, thus I managed to enjoy this book all over again as if it were a different (albeit similar) story.
I'm not too well-versed in Southern noir, but I have a feeling that Joe R. Lansdale is one of the better authors within the genre. His writing style makes it all seem so easy, and as I indicated in my review of Savage Season, these stories feel less like standard literature and more like a person (I suppose in this case that would be Hap) just rambling on while reminiscing about his past experiences.
Because of this, I mean it in a good way when I say that it's as if the entire book lacks the classic form of narration, and is solely character narration. To clarify: There are plenty of novels that are narrated from the main character's point of view and still feel like classic, literary storytelling. But with the Hap and Leonard novels, you get more of a sense that these are Hap's personal memoirs.
At the same time, all the characters throughout the story are distinct and unique, all with their own personality and energy. I can retrospectively tell how well these characters lent themselves to the TV adaptation (even though there were some changes here and there), because the whole story has an ensemble of colorful, flawed, and quirky personalities that you can vividly imagine.
There's also this paradox of the story being compact and to the point, while at the same time, Lansdale manages to take his time with it and adds just enough embellishment and world-building to avoid making it feel like just a pointless string of action and plot. There is action for sure, but there is also a lot of warmth, and a delicious touch of humor throughout to make it entertaining and fun beyond just descriptions of macho men getting into brawls and investigating mysteries like a couple of more adult Hardy Boys. Humanity and societal issues are sprinkled on top of the overall plot, and give the story a bit more meaning than just an action-adventure (although the action-adventure part is pretty damn entertaining too).
I loved it!
I'm not too well-versed in Southern noir, but I have a feeling that Joe R. Lansdale is one of the better authors within the genre. His writing style makes it all seem so easy, and as I indicated in my review of Savage Season, these stories feel less like standard literature and more like a person (I suppose in this case that would be Hap) just rambling on while reminiscing about his past experiences.
Because of this, I mean it in a good way when I say that it's as if the entire book lacks the classic form of narration, and is solely character narration. To clarify: There are plenty of novels that are narrated from the main character's point of view and still feel like classic, literary storytelling. But with the Hap and Leonard novels, you get more of a sense that these are Hap's personal memoirs.
At the same time, all the characters throughout the story are distinct and unique, all with their own personality and energy. I can retrospectively tell how well these characters lent themselves to the TV adaptation (even though there were some changes here and there), because the whole story has an ensemble of colorful, flawed, and quirky personalities that you can vividly imagine.
There's also this paradox of the story being compact and to the point, while at the same time, Lansdale manages to take his time with it and adds just enough embellishment and world-building to avoid making it feel like just a pointless string of action and plot. There is action for sure, but there is also a lot of warmth, and a delicious touch of humor throughout to make it entertaining and fun beyond just descriptions of macho men getting into brawls and investigating mysteries like a couple of more adult Hardy Boys. Humanity and societal issues are sprinkled on top of the overall plot, and give the story a bit more meaning than just an action-adventure (although the action-adventure part is pretty damn entertaining too).
I loved it!