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Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 3, 2016 21:02:11 GMT -5
I figured something like that, though it would also make sense that Burroughs, as a (or perhaps THE) pre-eminent author in the field, would keep an eye on young talent. I was picturing more like someone asking Burroughs what he thought of Howard in an interview or something of that nature. I have done some more digging. And I can't find anything. Not that that means a lot. But I can't find anything with ERB mentioning REH. I do find that Lovecraft was familiar with ERB and his work. But likewise nothing to indicate that Burroughs was familiar with HPL. ERB's career had peaked by the time that fandom started up. I honestly don't find a lot of interviews with him.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 3, 2016 21:10:04 GMT -5
Wow, thanks for checking it out. It's hard sometimes to remember how different the world is now, and how easy it is to know everything, whereas back then they could have easily co-existed and never crossed paths.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 7, 2016 22:24:10 GMT -5
Swampmen ed. Jon B. Cooke. The long awaited muck-monster history that turned into a long issue of Comic Book Creator. You can tell that this could have been at least three times as long as it ended up...and still have been interesting. As with all of Twomorrows books and magazines, you know what you're getting and you know it's going to be good.
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Post by berkley on Mar 7, 2016 23:06:31 GMT -5
I gotta get that Swampmen thing.
I'm in the middle of a re-read of The Brothers Karamazov, which is so intense and has me so engrossed that it's kept me from reading much else the last week or so.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 9, 2016 10:38:36 GMT -5
The Outfit by Richard Stark
This is a bit of a departure from the 1st 2 Parker novels. Parker's only in the story for about 1/2 of it. When he is, the majority of his time he's writing letters, visiting people he did jobs with in the past (he doesn't call anyone a friend), or on stake out. Sounds boring, right?
Somehow, it's not. This is certainly the best of the 3 so far, though honestly if written today they'd probably be a single book. Parker survives a hit attempt from the Outfit (who like to call themselves the Syndicate now), and he does what he promised... he rallies the 'professionals' he knows, and encourages them to break the unspoken rule about not hitting other bad guys, and do that job against the outfit you've always wanted to try.
We then get what amount to short stories about a few of those guys (all of whom appeared in passing in one of the previous two novels), while Parker takes the Outfit leadership. He gets a promise from the guy likely to take over in the event of an unfortunately incident with the current leader that he'll be left alone, then goes on the hunt.
The strength of he book is in the characters.. the mob boss is very well developed, as are the other 'professionals' we see. We get several heists instead of just one, and we get major developments for Parker himself, including a new girlfriend (Who will feature prominently next book) and a semi-permanent sidekick in Handy, who still isn't retiring.
If there are any flaws, the book (which is short to begin with) spends a bit too long recapping the first two books, which, while probably needed for a new reader, was a bit much for one who has read them. A Comic Book style intro/recap Prologue would have served better.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 9, 2016 12:09:26 GMT -5
The Outfit by Richard Stark This is a bit of a departure from the 1st 2 Parker novels. Parker's only in the story for about 1/2 of it. When he is, the majority of his time he's writing letters, visiting people he did jobs with in the past (he doesn't call anyone a friend), or on stake out. Sounds boring, right? Somehow, it's not. This is certainly the best of the 3 so far, though honestly if written today they'd probably be a single book. Parker survives a hit attempt from the Outfit (who like to call themselves the Syndicate now), and he does what he promised... he rallies the 'professionals' he knows, and encourages them to break the unspoken rule about not hitting other bad guys, and do that job against the outfit you've always wanted to try. We then get what amount to short stories about a few of those guys (all of whom appeared in passing in one of the previous two novels), while Parker takes the Outfit leadership. He gets a promise from the guy likely to take over in the event of an unfortunately incident with the current leader that he'll be left alone, then goes on the hunt. The strength of he book is in the characters.. the mob boss is very well developed, as are the other 'professionals' we see. We get several heists instead of just one, and we get major developments for Parker himself, including a new girlfriend (Who will feature prominently next book) and a semi-permanent sidekick in Handy, who still isn't retiring. If there are any flaws, the book (which is short to begin with) spends a bit too long recapping the first two books, which, while probably needed for a new reader, was a bit much for one who has read them. A Comic Book style intro/recap Prologue would have served better. None of the Parker books are actively bad. Some are definitely not as good as others. The Outfit is near the top of the list. It really is a very good book and a good conclusion to the initial three books that are very closely entwined into what is essentially one storyline. Unfortunately the next book, The Mourner, is one of the weakest entries in the series. But the one after that, The Score, is what I consider the very best. You'll see Alan Grofield again. And he does get his one four-book spin-off series, which I have not read as they are not as readily available for cheap as the Parker books.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 9, 2016 12:35:14 GMT -5
I haven't found any of the Parker books cheap.. so far it's been library for me... though The Mourner doesn't seem to be in the system at all (gonna have to actually ask the libarian). They have relatively new printings (with super boring covers) that are around, but the older editions seem pretty pricey on Amazon, and I've haven't seen any of the early ones at any used book places I've been at recently.
I suspect they're good enough that people hang on to them, unlike similar more popular but less good long running series.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Mar 9, 2016 12:45:14 GMT -5
I haven't found any of the Parker books cheap.. so far it's been library for me... though The Mourner doesn't seem to be in the system at all (gonna have to actually ask the libarian). They have relatively new printings (with super boring covers) that are around, but the older editions seem pretty pricey on Amazon, and I've haven't seen any of the early ones at any used book places I've been at recently. I suspect they're good enough that people hang on to them, unlike similar more popular but less good long running series. FYI: The NYC library system also has a few Parker novels available on audiobook. And they also have more titles that you can temporarily download and keep on your computer for a few weeks
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 9, 2016 12:59:00 GMT -5
I haven't found any of the Parker books cheap.. so far it's been library for me... though The Mourner doesn't seem to be in the system at all (gonna have to actually ask the libarian). They have relatively new printings (with super boring covers) that are around, but the older editions seem pretty pricey on Amazon, and I've haven't seen any of the early ones at any used book places I've been at recently. I suspect they're good enough that people hang on to them, unlike similar more popular but less good long running series. You can honestly skip The Mourner if they don't have it or it's a pain to get. It's definitely one of the weakest books in the series.
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Post by Calamas on Mar 9, 2016 13:00:54 GMT -5
The Outfit by Richard Stark This is a bit of a departure from the 1st 2 Parker novels. Parker's only in the story for about 1/2 of it. When he is, the majority of his time he's writing letters, visiting people he did jobs with in the past (he doesn't call anyone a friend), or on stake out. . . . It’s been years since I read The Outfit but Lawrence Block once observed--and broke down--the four-part structure of the Parker novels this way: Parts 1 and 2 feature Parker, usually setting up or pulling off the job, and the complications that ensue, with Part 2 often ending with a cliffhanger-type close involving Parker. Part 3 follows the other characters we’d met, either leading up to the end of Chapter 2, dealing with the events of Chapter 2, or both. Parker often dramatically reappears in its concluding chapter. Part 4 explains how Parker survived/arrived and wraps up the story. I’ve only completed the “classic” Parkers so can’t say if Westlake stuck to this pattern when he returned to the character in 1997.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 9, 2016 13:50:14 GMT -5
Yeah, that's pretty much one went, though it's not as distinct as that in the Outfit There is set up, then more set up, then others doing jobs (Which is the bulk of the book)... we get a profile/vignette on Parker's intended victim and how he's dealing with the set up, then, in fact Parker dramatically appears. The last couple chapters go back to tell us how he go there, then resolve the story and set up the next.
I can't say I noticed that structure in the first 2 books, but it makes sense.. the first definitely had the extended flashback sequence that is essentially Parker's origin, and how the other players all go to where they were. Book 2 definitely spent a fair amount of time on the Syndicate guys, so I think you're probably right on.
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Post by Prince Hal on Mar 9, 2016 13:53:34 GMT -5
Don't know if anybody here has read anything by Hampton Sides. (Proniunced as one syllable, btw. Googled an interview with him b/c I wasn't sure if it were two.) I'd recommend any of his books about American history that I have read. The subjects are always different, and always fascinating. Sides write with a historian's eye for detail, but with a novelist's idea of storytelling.
I started with Ghost Soldiers about the raid on the prison camp at Cabantuan to rescue the survivors of the Bataan Death March, a term you will never use as a metpahor to describe some difficult time in your life again.
Then I read Hellhound on His Trail, about James Earl Ray's killing of Dr. King. The banality of evil, indeed.
I am finishing In the Kingdom of Ice , about an ill-fated polar expedition in the early 1880s. Harrowing and vivid account of a time not so far removed from our own.
I have Blood and Thunder on deck, about Kit Carson and the conflict with the Navajo. I cheated and read about 50 pages into it a while back and very much enjoyed it.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 10, 2016 13:18:41 GMT -5
Those are some cool topics, and it seems he's got some good ratings on good reads, so you're not alone in liking him... on the list it goes
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Mar 10, 2016 13:42:53 GMT -5
I've got Hellhound on His Trail and In the Kingdom of Ice on my extraordinarily long list of books to read.
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Post by Prince Hal on Mar 10, 2016 13:52:37 GMT -5
I've got Hellhound on His Trail and In the Kingdom of Ice on my extraordinarily long list of books to read. FWIW, Hellhound reads more quickly, simply because the focus is narrower and Ray is the predominant character. In Kingdom, the story is epic and the cast suitably larger, with several sharing substantial co-star staus to GW De Long, who is the main charcter.
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