Let's Review....

I thought I would take a day every other week to review a book that is definitely worth your time.  At the end of the review, we'll rate it's plot, characters, plausibility, and overall rating.  Check it out and you won't be disappointed!  Oh...and here is a cool picture to motivate you.

Is anybody else sick of hearing about a lone hero going up against some post 9/11 terrorist organization only to stop America, or the world, from being destroyed at the last possible second?  Or maybe it's your average police officer being called on by the director of the FBI to catch a serial killer?  It seems like books are stuck in a revolving door, and every now and then, we all need a break from it.  Let's take a quick look at one of my favorite novels (listed below, too!) The Big Sleep.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon the work of Raymond Chandler, heralded as the man who crafted the modern American mystery.  His first book, The Big Sleep, introduced the iconic private detective Phillip Marlowe.  Now, this book was released in 1939, so private detectives actually did something other than catch cheating spouses and find lost pets.

It takes a while to get used to the diction in the novel, since things have obviously changed in the 73 years since the book first came out.  Once you get used to private detectives being referred to as "private dicks" and pistols being called "gats", the dialogue is almost addictive.  It seems like everything Marlowe says brings a smile to your face or makes you pause to think.  There is no big lead up to the story, either.  Chandler merely dumps you into the life of Phillip Marlowe and let's you decide what to think for yourself.  From the time you are first introduced to this quirky detective, at the home of a strange millionaire, Chandler has you hooked.  The plot is nothing too abstract: that strange millionaire has two daughters who are....outgoing, we'll say.  Marlowe is hired to keep tabs on them and deal with a mysterious blackmailer, but quickly finds himself immersed in something darker.  While that plot doesn't sound all that exciting, it is filled with twists and turns, and Marlowe's character is so original, even when reading it 70-odd years later, that you can not put the damn book down!  I think it is mainly that central character that keeps you hooked.  He is sympathetic, thoughtful, a wise-cracker (there's some '30's lingo for you), a true cynic, and a subtly intelligent guy, who can't seem to catch a break until the last page.

The part that really sets this novel apart from all others in stores, though, is the realism displayed on each and every page.  Whether it be in movies, books, or on TV, it seems like the fight scenes continually escalate until the point where even the toughest of tough guys would be unconscious.  That's not the case in this book, everything is pre-modern technology and purely authentic.  Highly entertaining!

Plot:  * * *     ( 3 stars)

Characters: * * * *     ( 4 stars)

Plausibility: * * * 1/2     ( 3 and a half stars)

Overall:  * * * *      ( 4 stars)


There ya have it, folks.  A great read you can find anywhere for 14 bucks...can't beat that!  Next time, I'll be reviewing a completely different novel, so if the struggles and triumphs of a 1930's private detective doesn't sound like your cup of tea, come on back for a new read on the 6th of February.  Plus, keep an eye out for new poll questions, cover art ideas for my novel Out of Arms Reach, new pages being released, and much more!!

Cheers, everybody!