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alexcarbonneau's reviews
349 reviews
The Innocents by Ace Atkins
4.0
Everybody needs a little Quinn Colson, Tibbehah County and Ace Atkins in their lives once in a while.
This is number 6 in the series and I move to rename the thing to the Tibbehah County Series instead of the Quinn Colson Series.
This modern western saga is so much more than a single MC, especially this iteration where Atkins finally centered it a bit more around Lily Virgil. It was refreshing to have her point of view. Virgil definitely has the strengh and complexity to get her own novel.
Tibbehah affectionados : this one follows the same recipe and even though you won't re-evaluate your life priorities after reading it, it is still damn good southern grit-lit and it sure is nice to renew with this universe.
Bonus points. Is it just me or Atkins got a bit more litterate on this one than his writing was in the previous Colson novels ?
This is number 6 in the series and I move to rename the thing to the Tibbehah County Series instead of the Quinn Colson Series.
This modern western saga is so much more than a single MC, especially this iteration where Atkins finally centered it a bit more around Lily Virgil. It was refreshing to have her point of view. Virgil definitely has the strengh and complexity to get her own novel.
Tibbehah affectionados : this one follows the same recipe and even though you won't re-evaluate your life priorities after reading it, it is still damn good southern grit-lit and it sure is nice to renew with this universe.
Bonus points. Is it just me or Atkins got a bit more litterate on this one than his writing was in the previous Colson novels ?
Nothing Gold Can Stay: Stories by Ron Rash
4.0
Highly recommended !!!
I can't seriously write a review of a Ron Rash book. Who am I to do that ??
I can't seriously write a review of a Ron Rash book. Who am I to do that ??
Nothing Short of Dying by Erik Storey
4.0
Action-packed, straight to the point, in your face thrill ride.
And that's basically it for first installment of what anyone could predict of many in the Clyde Barr series.
Don't go looking for literary, lengthy descriptions. What you got here is straight as an arrow exploding action from the tenth word of the novel until the acknowledgments. No big plot twist, although at one point, the author takes the reader by surprise by stepping outside the clichés a little bit - something I personally enjoyed - but then again, complex and spider webbed story isn't the goal of this novel.
Nothing Short Of Dying doesn't reinvent the wheel but it is one of the most effective novel in it's genre that I have read in a while. It manages to be a refreshing one when nearly every "action novels" are about rogue military of secret agent or CIA asset. It doesn't step outside the format but still has the effect of a breath of fresh air, probably the result of writing a whole thriller without - almost ever - using technology in a modern world.
Made me think of Ace Atkins' The Ranger and Steph Post's Lightwood at some point.
All in all a very nice summer read that could go in a single serving. Will definitely go for #2, A Promise To Kill.
And that's basically it for first installment of what anyone could predict of many in the Clyde Barr series.
Don't go looking for literary, lengthy descriptions. What you got here is straight as an arrow exploding action from the tenth word of the novel until the acknowledgments. No big plot twist, although at one point, the author takes the reader by surprise by stepping outside the clichés a little bit - something I personally enjoyed - but then again, complex and spider webbed story isn't the goal of this novel.
Nothing Short Of Dying doesn't reinvent the wheel but it is one of the most effective novel in it's genre that I have read in a while. It manages to be a refreshing one when nearly every "action novels" are about rogue military of secret agent or CIA asset. It doesn't step outside the format but still has the effect of a breath of fresh air, probably the result of writing a whole thriller without - almost ever - using technology in a modern world.
Made me think of Ace Atkins' The Ranger and Steph Post's Lightwood at some point.
All in all a very nice summer read that could go in a single serving. Will definitely go for #2, A Promise To Kill.
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
4.0
Attica Locke's place is right up there, on top of all of the lists and top-tens and listings of our generation's most important writers and novelists.
Not only does the woman writes great on-the-edge-of-your-seat crime and mystery novels, but she wraps it up in a social portrayal of our racist, mysogynist world in an unfortunatly too close to reality manner. Which is what is actually the most amazing an important part of her novels, the part you should be looking forward to when you pick her books up from the shelf.
Black Water Rising is no exception to the rule.
Being her debut novel, it actually defines what I'd like to call the Locke genre, since literally no one does it quite like her. Not even Greg Iles who could be mentionned in the same category as Locke.
A mystery, crime novel that sets appart from the classic "whodunnit" novels and a novel that should be the benchmark of what the Big5 publishers look for in a crime novel.
Not only does the woman writes great on-the-edge-of-your-seat crime and mystery novels, but she wraps it up in a social portrayal of our racist, mysogynist world in an unfortunatly too close to reality manner. Which is what is actually the most amazing an important part of her novels, the part you should be looking forward to when you pick her books up from the shelf.
Black Water Rising is no exception to the rule.
Being her debut novel, it actually defines what I'd like to call the Locke genre, since literally no one does it quite like her. Not even Greg Iles who could be mentionned in the same category as Locke.
A mystery, crime novel that sets appart from the classic "whodunnit" novels and a novel that should be the benchmark of what the Big5 publishers look for in a crime novel.
She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper
3.0
It pains me to hand out a 3 star rating to that novel.
First of all because I loved the Leon-themed background. Although déjà-vu, it was refreshing and original in its own way. The comparaison to the Luc Besson masterpiece stops where Nate, an ex con, ex Arian brotherhood "protégé" --athough I can't seem to find the right word to describe his affiliation with the gang, teaches his 12 year-old daughter - and her Teddy Bear - the basics of how to survive in a World where "Men are dogs".
Nate found his reason to live - so he found his reason to die. Protecting Polly would be his last accomplishment, he has no choice. Fresh out of prison, he steals a car and embark on a Father/Daughter journey. A violent, gritty and fast paced one.
I feel like Jordan Harper can write a terrific novel and maybe if I hadn't heard so many good praise about She Rides Shotgun, I would have loved it more. I felt like there was a little something missing. The gelatine that will hold the whole jam together. Some kind of binding element that would wrap the whole story and take it home with a bang.
Nonetheless, the novel is good. More than good. The prose flows, the story is tight and the characters are well crafted. If you wanna have a go at Benjamin Whitmer or Frank Bill, She Rides Shotgun is more than a decent introduction to this kind of work.
First of all because I loved the Leon-themed background. Although déjà-vu, it was refreshing and original in its own way. The comparaison to the Luc Besson masterpiece stops where Nate, an ex con, ex Arian brotherhood "protégé" --athough I can't seem to find the right word to describe his affiliation with the gang, teaches his 12 year-old daughter - and her Teddy Bear - the basics of how to survive in a World where "Men are dogs".
Nate found his reason to live - so he found his reason to die. Protecting Polly would be his last accomplishment, he has no choice. Fresh out of prison, he steals a car and embark on a Father/Daughter journey. A violent, gritty and fast paced one.
I feel like Jordan Harper can write a terrific novel and maybe if I hadn't heard so many good praise about She Rides Shotgun, I would have loved it more. I felt like there was a little something missing. The gelatine that will hold the whole jam together. Some kind of binding element that would wrap the whole story and take it home with a bang.
Nonetheless, the novel is good. More than good. The prose flows, the story is tight and the characters are well crafted. If you wanna have a go at Benjamin Whitmer or Frank Bill, She Rides Shotgun is more than a decent introduction to this kind of work.
Like Lions by Brian Panowich
5.0
Message to Putnam's : Stop f*cking around and publish this novel.
I've heard that Putnam's holding the publishing of Like Lions because they wanted a more conventional crime series out of Bull Mountain.
From what i've learned about Brian Panowich, he is nothing but unconventional.
Here's something Big Five should understand.
A series that produces a novel a year following the same MO from sequel to sequel can be fine. Ace Atkins does a great job in the Quinn Colson series in that area. But sometimes, letting the author use the world he created to see how the environment evolves and use other characters instead of the same protagonist over and over again is as good, if not better.
Unlike its predecessor, Like Lions is a linear told story - whereas Bull Mountain was told back and forth over the span of 6 decades - and it suits the story perfectly.
Clayton Burroughs is back, shattered, bruised and looking for redemption in the bottom of the whiskey bottle while Kate, Like Lions, keep everything together.
While the word on the street that the Burroughs are a thing of the past, lurkers and roamers don't take long to invade Bull Mountain and seek to take over the Burroughs operations.
One Burroughs isn't about to hand Eden's Kingdom without a fight.
I've heard that Putnam's holding the publishing of Like Lions because they wanted a more conventional crime series out of Bull Mountain.
From what i've learned about Brian Panowich, he is nothing but unconventional.
Here's something Big Five should understand.
A series that produces a novel a year following the same MO from sequel to sequel can be fine. Ace Atkins does a great job in the Quinn Colson series in that area. But sometimes, letting the author use the world he created to see how the environment evolves and use other characters instead of the same protagonist over and over again is as good, if not better.
Unlike its predecessor, Like Lions is a linear told story - whereas Bull Mountain was told back and forth over the span of 6 decades - and it suits the story perfectly.
Clayton Burroughs is back, shattered, bruised and looking for redemption in the bottom of the whiskey bottle while Kate, Like Lions, keep everything together.
While the word on the street that the Burroughs are a thing of the past, lurkers and roamers don't take long to invade Bull Mountain and seek to take over the Burroughs operations.
One Burroughs isn't about to hand Eden's Kingdom without a fight.
Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
5.0
David joy once mentioned that this novel, paralleled with True Grit from Charles Portis and Robert Gipe's Trampoline would make a hell of a good literature study.
As I can't talk about Gipe's novel, I sure can say that Winter's Bone is reminiscent of Portis' True Grit, except for that fact that this one was WAY up there. WAY, WAY up there.
Woodrell's writing feels like a ton of bricks and I will challenge to a duel anyone who dare say that his sentences are over written.
Instant Classic is a rusty, old cliché that takes all of its meaning here. And I can't come up with a better comparison. That's why Woodrell's Woodrell and I'm here giving stars and comments.
As I can't talk about Gipe's novel, I sure can say that Winter's Bone is reminiscent of Portis' True Grit, except for that fact that this one was WAY up there. WAY, WAY up there.
Woodrell's writing feels like a ton of bricks and I will challenge to a duel anyone who dare say that his sentences are over written.
Instant Classic is a rusty, old cliché that takes all of its meaning here. And I can't come up with a better comparison. That's why Woodrell's Woodrell and I'm here giving stars and comments.
The Deputy by Victor Gischler
4.0
Imagine if Forrest Gump had a long lost twin who grew up on the other side of the tracks.
Now imagine that for some reason, he'd become a deputy and was asked to babysit the body of a bad apple who was most probably mixed-up with corrupted people of all kind.
And now imagine that hot Oklahoma night filled with the same level of action as a Lars and Shane novel.
That one was one sweet hell of a ride. It's too bad that Victor Gischler seems to stick to fantasy now...
Now imagine that for some reason, he'd become a deputy and was asked to babysit the body of a bad apple who was most probably mixed-up with corrupted people of all kind.
And now imagine that hot Oklahoma night filled with the same level of action as a Lars and Shane novel.
That one was one sweet hell of a ride. It's too bad that Victor Gischler seems to stick to fantasy now...