Rating: 
Summary: Middling entry in an increasingly self indulgent series
Review: "Pastime" reintroduces a character first glimpsed in the book "Early Autumn" ,the dancer Paul Giacomo .In the early novel he had been taken in hand by Spenser and turned from an unprepossessing and gangly 15 year old slacker into an achiever .Now he re-enters Spensers life and asks for help in finding his mother who has gone missing.
Unfortunately she has absconded with a man named Beaumont who just happens to have fleeced the local mob and is being hunted down by Gerry ,the no good incompetent son of the local mob chief.There is every chance that Paul's mother is in harms way by virtue of her association with Beaumont
During the course of the book Spenser battles mobsters ,is sseriously wounded and eventually comes to an understanding with the mob.
There is a great deal too much back story in the book for my taste -the ever over inquisitive Susan probes Spenser for details of his past and his relationship with his sidekick Hawk while the conversation of Paul is saturated with psycobabble to a teeth clenchingly irritating extent
What has knocked the series off the rails for me has been the increasing space given to Spencers relationship with the shrink Susan -it has transformed what were sharp and almost over readable crime stories into "touchy-feely "exercises redolent of the self absorbtion I see as the ultimate sin of psychoanalysis
The action when it comes is crisp and sharp but there is too little of it and until Parker dumps Susan and the damnable dog they share this series will continue to be seen as the irrelevance it at present is
What a waste.
Rating:
Summary: Middling entry in an increasingly self indulgent series
Review: "Pastime" reintroduces a character first glimpsed in the book "Early Autumn" ,the dancer Paul Giacomo .In the early novel he had been taken in hand by Spenser and turned from an unprepossessing and gangly 15 year old slacker into an achiever .Now he re-enters Spensers life and asks for help in finding his mother who has gone missing.
Unfortunately she has absconded with a man named Beaumont who just happens to have fleeced the local mob and is being hunted down by Gerry ,the no good incompetent son of the local mob chief.There is every chance that Paul's mother is in harms way by virtue of her association with Beaumont
During the course of the book Spenser battles mobsters ,is sseriously wounded and eventually comes to an understanding with the mob.
There is a great deal too much back story in the book for my taste -the ever over inquisitive Susan probes Spenser for details of his past and his relationship with his sidekick Hawk while the conversation of Paul is saturated with psycobabble to a teeth clenchingly irritating extent
What has knocked the series off the rails for me has been the increasing space given to Spencers relationship with the shrink Susan -it has transformed what were sharp and almost over readable crime stories into "touchy-feely "exercises redolent of the self absorbtion I see as the ultimate sin of psychoanalysis
The action when it comes is crisp and sharp but there is too little of it and until Parker dumps Susan and the damnable dog they share this series will continue to be seen as the irrelevance it at present is
What a waste.
Rating: 
Summary: A good outing but not the revelation advertised...
Review: Although I should be used to this by now, this Spenser outing doesn't live up to the jacket hype. This book, we are told, will tell "all" about Spenser's "mysterious" past. Which turns out not to be so mysterious after all.Unfortunately, Parker does NOT clear up references in the early novels (God Save the Child, The Promised Land) about a woman Spenser refers to as his "mother" since we are informed that his mother died whilst giving him birth. This isn't a big problem, after all a girlfriend of his father or a favored aunt good have filled the role and gotten the title. Still Parker should have cleared up the apparent inconsistency... The almost skeletal, almost negligible, plot involving Paul Giacomin's mother hardly sizzles. Hawk and a long chase through the woods save the book. This is a must read for the Spenser fan. Just don't expect anything shocking, or, terribly interesting about Spenser's past.
Rating: 
Summary: "Pastime" may well be the very best of the Spenser novels
Review: Here we are up to the 18th novel in Robert B. Parker's Spenser series and we finally get to find out a whole lot of interesting things about our hero's past. Ten years earlier in "Early Autumn," Spenser saved Paul Giacomin from a destructive family situation and basically adopted the boy. Now Paul shows up to report that his mother is missing and he wants the help of his surrogate Father in finding her. As Paul tries to deal with what his mother means to him, Spenser reveals key details from his own life, raised out west by a father and two uncles, to both Paul and Susan. Like us, they are both fascinated to find out more about the history of the most important man in their lives. Ultimately the mystery of what happened to Paul's mother means Spenser again crosses paths with mobster Joe Broz, his inept son Gerry and his right-hand man Vinnie Morris in what proves to be a final reckoning for them all. It is by combining this plot line with the search for Paul's mother as the context in which we discover the secrets of Spenser's past that "Pastime" is elevated to the top rank of Parker's novels. In many ways I consider this novel to be the height of the Spenser series rather than "A Catskill Eagle," because while it is not as epic in scale, "Pastime" is more true to the essence of the character of Spenser and has much more depth. Although the book starts off as a son's search for his mother, ultimately "Pastime" is about fathers and sons. But if you read just one Spenser novel this is not the one to read, because you simply cannot appreciate it unless you have along for the ride from the very start.
Rating:
Summary: vintage parker emerges
Review: I began Pastimes with some reluctance. I started Spenser at book one, and have proceeded in sequence. The life and strength of the earlier books had recently wavered, as the series has at times become bogged down in the relationship between Spenser and Susan. Susan's general self-absorption is bothersome, and Spenser's overt philosophization in her presence is losing whatever novelty it ever had. Indeed, as the chapters progressed, I started to fear this book would continue the generally downward trend, with Parker indulging in a Spenser commentary of his past and the philosophy of life. Pastimes looked to be a struggle for even three stars. But then, things changed. Parker moved on to what he does very well -- action. Susan took a back seat, leaving Spenser to shine. The closing chapters are among the best I've read in the series, leaving me looking forward to continue it with renewed enthusiasm. Even if you haven't read all the books preceding it, Pastime is a good selection. Then, if you're hooked, dig up a copy of the Godwulf Manuscript, and start the series in order. The early books won't disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: A CAN'T PUT DOWN BOOK
Review: I have just recently started to read Robert B Parker and have found him to be very exciting and riveting in is stories and his spencer novels. Pastime was a the very first book I have read of his and I just loved it. with my line of work, I don't get a chance to read as much as I would like to and I really love to read. And I finished this book in I think about 2 1/2 days and just couldn't put it down at all. I have since ready Double Deuce and found it also a good book and one of his newest ones Gunmans Rhapsody. Pastime is the best one yet, but I love them all. A definate must read for mystery lovers.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite Spenser
Review: Loved it! The plot is involving, the action is exciting, and best of all, the backstory is important, intriguing and holds it all together. Paul Giacommin is back, as is his mother, and their relationship leads Spenser to explain a bit of his own family dynamic to Susan (and us). I include his relationship with Hawk in that, as he has become family to Spenser. Speaking of families, the Broz crime family turns out to be a family in more ways than one. And, best of all, this is the book where we meet the beloved Pearl. As an animal lover, I did cringe every time Spenser brought Pearl along on his adventures. If there's any opportunity that fighting might break out, I think the precious "Baby" is better off left at home.
Rating:
Summary: Spenser Rox
Review: Spenser is such a great character. I'm not sure if I like him, Hawk or Susan best. The relationship with Paul is interesting, mob references intriging and an overall great read.
Rating:
Summary: Parker on parenthood....
Review: This book provides closure to the door left open by Early Autumn. Paul returns to the forefront as he and Spenser seek his wayward mother. The theme of this novel is parenthood...Paul and Spenser...the Brozs...Spenser and his father (and the uncles)...even Spenser and Susan and their "baby" Pearl. The underlying quest/adventure is good but the real draw for Spenser fans is a look back into the detective's youth. The story of the young Spenser's encounter with the bear alone is worth the price of the book. My second favorite Spenser novel; I'll let the readers of this review guess what the first is.
Rating:
Summary: Come meet Pearl!
Review: This installment does have Paul back, lots of action, and a great woods scene in the end. But more importantly, you get to meet Pearl, the Wonder dog!
Actually this Speenser novel is one of the better ones. I've gone back and re-read it many times. Highly recomended.
| 
