Comments on: Book Review: “Rough Weather: A Spenser Novel” by Robert B. Parker http://www.bloggernews.net/119079 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:05:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: JenGCinFLA http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-1104763 JenGCinFLA Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:05:36 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-1104763 Sure, "Rough Weather" is typical latter-day Spenser, the one-liners, glib conversations, the sexual activities of the never-aging Susan and Spenser. Sure, it's predictable. But, it is Robert B. Parker, tossing out his annual bone to his Spenser fans. And, because I love the earlier RB Parker, I look forward to reading Spenser year after year. I had been hoping that Robert B. would be serving up something different with his other two series -- Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall -- and, at first, he did seem to write in a different voice for each. However, they, too have fallen into the same 'ole banter of the Spenser novels. I think Parker has become tired and burnt-out (look at his photo on the jacket of "Rough Weather"). Oh well, at the top of his writing, Robert B. Parker was one of the best. I'll always remember and appreciate him for that. Sure, “Rough Weather” is typical latter-day Spenser, the one-liners, glib conversations, the sexual activities of the never-aging Susan and Spenser. Sure, it’s predictable. But, it is Robert B. Parker, tossing out his annual bone to his Spenser fans. And, because I love the earlier RB Parker, I look forward to reading Spenser year after year. I had been hoping that Robert B. would be serving up something different with his other two series — Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall — and, at first, he did seem to write in a different voice for each. However, they, too have fallen into the same ‘ole banter of the Spenser novels. I think Parker has become tired and burnt-out (look at his photo on the jacket of “Rough Weather”). Oh well, at the top of his writing, Robert B. Parker was one of the best. I’ll always remember and appreciate him for that.

]]> By: spenserfan http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-918749 spenserfan Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:59:55 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-918749 I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with this latest Spenser outing. While it doesn't hold a candle to the early stuff (hardly anything does as far as classic hardboiled detective fiction goes), it was a welcome reprieve from the stale stories Parker has churned out for the past five or six years. Sure some of the conversations feel a tad cut and pasted, but just as often Spenser felt like he was back in top form with his trademark one-liners. I can only hope we're seeing the front end of a trend here as far as Spenser goes. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with this latest Spenser outing. While it doesn’t hold a candle to the early stuff (hardly anything does as far as classic hardboiled detective fiction goes), it was a welcome reprieve from the stale stories Parker has churned out for the past five or six years. Sure some of the conversations feel a tad cut and pasted, but just as often Spenser felt like he was back in top form with his trademark one-liners. I can only hope we’re seeing the front end of a trend here as far as Spenser goes.

]]> By: rick http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-871953 rick Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:40:28 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-871953 I was sorely disappointed in this latest Spenser novel. It seemed very weak, used ten words when two would have sufficed, used a typecast that probably added 100 pages to the book, and had redundant conversations between himself, Susan and Hawk that probably added another 50 pages. After I read the first 6 chapters, I was thinking plagarism as it was so similar to a book I read several years ago; the party on the island, storm to isolate it, bad guys doing their thing, hero unable to stop it, and the escape by unusual means. (submarine in the other book). I have enjoyed the Spencer novels in the past and wish I hadn't read this one as it was such a letdown. I was sorely disappointed in this latest Spenser novel. It seemed very weak, used ten words when two would have sufficed, used a typecast that probably added 100 pages to the book, and had redundant conversations between himself, Susan and Hawk that probably added another 50 pages. After I read the first 6 chapters, I was thinking plagarism as it was so similar to a book I read several years ago; the party on the island, storm to isolate it, bad guys doing their thing, hero unable to stop it, and the escape by unusual means. (submarine in the other book).

I have enjoyed the Spencer novels in the past and wish I hadn’t read this one as it was such a letdown.

]]> By: Kevin Tipple http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-834066 Kevin Tipple Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:54:30 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-834066 I have kept reading though it seems to me there are getting lower on the scale. I'm not sure how much is him and how much is the publisher worrying about his fans. Once they get an author typecast a certain way they are loath to do anything to change that image. I have kept reading though it seems to me there are getting lower on the scale. I’m not sure how much is him and how much is the publisher worrying about his fans. Once they get an author typecast a certain way they are loath to do anything to change that image.

]]> By: MOLLYBEAR http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-834012 MOLLYBEAR Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:28:10 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/119079#comment-834012 When I first started reading the Spenser mysteries, I decided Robert Parker was trying to write like Hemmingway. Unfortunately, like you said, the characters are not well drawn. I quit reading them because I thought a fifth grader could write better than Parker. When I first started reading the Spenser mysteries, I decided Robert Parker was trying to write like Hemmingway. Unfortunately, like you said, the characters are not well drawn. I quit reading them because I thought a fifth grader could write better than Parker.

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