Rating: 
Summary: More of a thinking thriller
Review: "The Maltese Falcon" is an interesting, if not a completely confusing mystery novel. Having only seen bits and pieces of the movie of the same title, I had nothing to draw on visually. While place descriptions were not plentiful, dialogue and physical body descriptions were. The only thing lacking was tension, and clearer depictions between names. I sometimes could not tell one person from the other, barring the women. I do wish the ending wasn't so abrupt, but I am glad it isn't a "happy" ending. For a slower, more mind-using mystery, then I recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: As good as the movie, which is saying a great deal
Review: "The Maltese Falcon" is better known to most of the public these days from the movie -- which is as close to a perfect adaptation as any movie has ever gotten. The novel is just as wonderful, if not more. There is a certain muscular quality to Hammett's prose that is mirrored by Huston's graphics, but Hammett has to be read to see what marvelous sentences he constructed. There are a few significant differences from the movie: Sam Spade in the book is described as a "blond Satan," and the heroic quality that Humphrey Bogart projected is darker in the novel. There is a long story, told while Brigid and Sam wait, about a man named Flitcraft who disappears; the story is central to understanding Sam's view of humanity. And there is Gutman's daughter, who is cut completely from the film. There are other minor differences, but taken all in all, the movie served the book well. Fans of the movie will love the novel, and fans of the mystery and detective genre who haven't read Dashiell Hammett are missing the genesis of the hard-boiled detective. An outstanding read!
Rating:
Summary: The paramount of Noir Literature and later film
Review: Alongside Raymond Chandler's Marlowe, Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade is one of the most famous detectives from American literature. These two writers define what we know as the noir literature. Personally speaking, I found it more pleasant to read Hammett than Chandler. Both writers are great, and deliver the best in the prose, character development, settings and all, but I found "The Maltese Falcon" more interesting than "The Big Sleep" and "Farewell, my Lovely".
Hammett's prose is straightforward. He doesn't waste time with digressions and many descriptions -- only the essential. As a consequence, his novel is packed with action and mystery. It is not a surprise that this author writes with so much authority -- he used to be a private detective. Most of the book --if not the whole narrative --feels like getting inside information.
Hammett's style became a paramount in this genre and he has a major influence on many contemporary writers -- e.g. James Ellroy, Jeffery Deaver, and the French Jean-Christophe Grange among others. Hammett's prose is filled with witty observations on the American way of life -- mostly on the violence and corruption that were permeating the American Society.
Contrary to what many contemporary readers may wrongly assume, the older mystery novel is not as prudish and conservative as it may sound. Hammett's prose is more related to the 20s than the 50s. And in that early period society was looser than after the McCarthyism. Therefore, "The Maltese Falcon" can be a grateful surprise to many readers -- who will find drink, drugs, sex and sexual orientation (the Cairo character's sexual orientation has been largely discussed since the book was published).
However we are almost all the time with Spade, the reader has no access to his thought. It is the reader's job to reach conclusions and put the pieces together. And we can learn this from dialogues, events and mostly Spade's reactions and facial expressions. But this is not a hard job for the reader -- on the contrary, this is one of the best features of Hammett's style.
Of course, the movie version of the book is very famous --and almost as good. But it is always an irreplaceable pleasure to read Hammett's words. And to meet Spade before he `had' Bogart's face.
Rating:
Summary: A Legendary Novel
Review: Although several of his novels have considerable merit, Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) will be best remembered for a single work: THE MALTESE FALCON.Perhaps the single most extraordinary thing about the novel is its radical departure from the norm. In the 1920s and early 1930s, detective novels were not really considered "literary;" they were light entertainment, and they generally came in two varieties: pure pulp, which was more akin to action-adventure, and "the master detective" as created by such authors as Agatha Christie. In one fell swoop, however, Hammett not only fused these two ideas but also endowed his novel with tremendous literary style--more than enough to catch the eye of "serious" critics and more than enough to stand the test of time. THE MALTESE FALCON is not a long novel, but Hammett packs a lot into it. The plot, which generally concerns the theft of a priceless, jewel-encrusted statue, walks a fine line between pulp mythology and modern pragmatism, never veering too far in either direction to seem impossible; the prose is lean and clean and packed with detail conveyed both simply and sharply; the characters stand out in a sort of high relief on the page. It is all memorable stuff. It is difficult to discuss THE MALTESE FALCON without reference to the famous 1941 film version starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor. The film has been both a blessing and a curse, so famous that it has drawn thousands of readers to the novel, but so widely seen that it can become difficult to read the novel without seeing it through the lens of the film. But while the film presents the plot and much of Hammett's dialogue intact, readers will find the novel has somewhat different strengths--not the least of which is Hammett's prose itself. An essential of 20th Century American literature; strongly recommended. GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Rating:
Summary: One of the best hard-boiled novels ever written
Review: Dashiell Hammett's gritty created world is alive with slick original lingo and larger-than-life characters, most of whom are up to no good. The book opens with the now legendary gumshoe Sam Spade, described here as a "blonde Satan," in a style that has since been imitated several times over. A beautiful client enters his office and the rich dialogue that ensues begins an uphill tale of suspense and intrigue that makes for the wonderful page-turner that is The Maltese Falcon. A classic in truest form, Falcon is easily one of the greatest detective novels ever written, with its smooth, original language and fleshed out characters (notably Gutman and Joel Cairo). A must read for those of you who want to be entertained, and a gem for those who love good literature. Hammett at his best!
Rating:
Summary: The classic, original, hard-boiled detective story.
Review: Despite the fact that only one novel was ever written about him, Sam Spade is nearly as famous among literary detectives as Sherlock Holmes. However, "The Maltese Falcon" differs from the Holmes stories and other detective tales preceding it in that it is one of the first to be set in a large urban center - San Francisco - and to deal with big city crime. Most detective stories written prior involved small town and country detectives who dealt more with solving mysteries than solving crimes. Spade is the epitome of the tough, big city private eye, and countless detective characters since, in both book and film, have been created in his image.
The plot, involving the theft of a valuable jewel-laden falcon statuette, is not very elaborate, but Hammett's presentation of the story makes it seem so and keeps the reader thoroughly engrossed. The narrator follows Spade throughout the story, but Spade's own inner thoughts are never revealed. We are only told what happens. This way, we see the clues as they appear, but cannot put them together ourselves and are kept guessing. It is not until near the very end that everything begins to come together.
In addition, none of the characters are what they appear to be. The book opens with a young woman approaching Spade and his partner to seek their help in investigating a man she claims her sister has run off with. When Spade's partner is shot while trailing this man, however, it becomes apparent that their client has lied about nearly everything, including her own name. Spade must then begin digging to get to the bottom of the situation, and we encounter a whole host of characters just as shady and two-sided as the treacherous Brigid O'Shaughnessy referred to above. Even Spade himself is duplicitous, playing whatever role is required for him to accomplish the task at hand.
Hammett's writing is simple and straightforward, yet still conveys enough detail to make everything come to life. We can see the smoky offices, the shadowy alleys, all as if they were right there in front of us. Hammett is truly a masterful writer. The heavy, overpowering atmosphere of the book will draw you right in and hold you there. Hammett also sticks to a gritty reality throughout the story. Nothing is romanticized, and there is no proselytizing of moral messages. Spade does what he has to do to uphold basic principles - namely investigating and and avenging the murder of his partner - but he doesn't hesitate to stoop to the level of the criminals in the story in order to trap them at their own game.
I am one of the few who has not seen the famous film adaptation of "The Maltese Falcon," starring Humphrey Bogart, so I cannot comment on the relationship between movie and book. My observations here are purely drawn from the novel itself. I can attest that the book is definitely worth the read, whether you frequent this genre or not - I generally don't, and still found it fascinating in many different regards. The writing, plot, and characters are all original and among the most memorable in literature. "The Maltese Falcon" is certainly a literary cornerstone and will remain a classic for generations to come.
Rating:
Summary: Noir from the Master of Noir
Review: Even the most cursory examination of the noir genre will quickly turn up Dashiell Hammett's name. Not only is he a giant in the field, with books like "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Thin Man" to his credit, he practically invented the genre by fusing traditional pulp detective narratives to a snappy, streetwise sensibility. Some of the best noir stories I ever read were Hammett's Continental Op tales. I have read a lot of these types of stories over the past few years, everything from Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe yarns to James M. Cain's classic thrillers, and I have to say I have rarely been disappointed with the result. I worried slightly when I finally decided to sit down with Hammett's classic "The Maltese Falcon." The movie version starring Humphrey Bogart is an unmitigated cinematic classic, no doubt, but would the book measure up? Usually, movies never match up to their book versions; such is not the case here. After reading the book, I don't think I should have worried as much as I did. Hammett's story contains all the classic noir elements: the staccato prose, the damsel in distress, murders, manipulation, and the requisite explanation of the moral code held by main character Sam Spade. "The Maltese Falcon" is a gem of a book that I should have read years ago.
Sam Spade has never even heard of a Maltese Falcon when he and his partner Miles Archer agree to take what on the surface looks like an easy case. A lady shows up at the office claiming that a guy named Floyd Thursby presents a danger to her. All she wants is for either Archer or Spade to follow this guy around and make sure they know what he's up to. No big deal. Spade and his partner routinely take mundane cases, and when this woman sweetens the pot with a couple hundred bucks, the two detectives don't hesitate for a minute to seal the deal. Spade's at home asleep when he receives the phone call that something unpleasant happened to his partner. He soon learns that something unpleasant happened to Floyd Thursby as well. The police recognize that this general unpleasantness is important and try to make Spade's life unpleasant. Sammy doesn't like it when his life's complications bring in the city's finest, doesn't like it at all, so he leans on his female client to figure out what his chances are in escaping a stretch in the stir. Along the way, the detective discovers his client's real name is Brigid O'Shaugnessy, that she's involved in some sort of shady international smuggling deal, and that he, Spade, is now right in the middle of it.
By the time our hero runs into Joel Cairo, a dandy sporting perfume soaked hankies, he's knows he's on to something big. Cairo wants to hire the detective to search for an enigmatic object, a black statuette of a bird, which seems to carry great value. Throw in an obese art collector named Gutman and a gunsel who cannot look his enemies in the face, and the cast of characters is complete. Spade's got his work cut out for him with this seedy bunch, but the bad guys forgot one simple fact when they started messing around with Sam Spade. This private detective is a man accustomed to walking the fine line between criminals and the police, used to dealing with men and women who would sooner reach for a gun than bat an eye. Gutman, Cairo, and O'Shaugnessy also never bothered to learn that Sam Spade has his own strict code of ethics that prevent him from becoming a pretty woman's sap or letting the bad guys go. Nothing will compromise this man's ethics, not a priceless art treasure worth millions of dollars nor a redheaded beauty's amorous overtures. Even when a man Spade disliked fell victim to a crime, like Miles Archer, the detective knows he is duty bound to follow through. "When a man's partner is killed he's supposed to do something about it. It doesn't make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and you're supposed to do something about it."
"The Maltese Falcon" takes a while to warm up, but when the story finally gets going it is a roller coaster ride all the way to the conclusion. Spade is the consummate private cop, a man impervious to the charms of others (or nearly so). He can search a hotel room in no time flat, figure out the bad guys are tailing him, and verbally spar with even the most hard nosed cop. He's a master of controlled facial expression, of tightly checked emotion. Spade's a whiz with his fists when he needs to be, and he needs to be on a regular basis. Most importantly, he knows how the psychology of the criminal mind works. The final confrontation between all parties in the Maltese Falcon affair takes place in Sam Spade's apartment, and the face to face is a masterwork of mental feint and parry. If you need a reason to read Hammett's book, this series of scenes is it. Spade methodically turns each of the principals against each other, slowly and with relentless, unforgiving power.
While "The Maltese Falcon" is a masterstroke on the part of author Hammett, I still consider Raymond Chandler my favorite noir author (with Cornell Woolrich running a close second). Whichever author you ultimately prefer, noir isn't as much about the mystery and its ultimate resolution as it is about the atmosphere, the dialogue, the violence, and the ethics of the men standing on the front lines of the war between civilization and those dark forces, lurking in the alleys and back streets, working to bring about chaos and destruction in the urban jungles. Give this one a go immediately.
Rating:
Summary: A book as good as the movie
Review: Everyone knows Bogart as Sam Spade in "The Maltese Falcon." Far fewer know Hammett's book, the original story. I feel so sorry for those who haven't read the story too. It's just as good.
It's a dark story about the dark edges of a carnivorous world. Everyone and everything is for sale - friends, love, loyalty, and life. Lives, really. Spade is the private eye doing business only in cash. He just wants to make it through the day and into one more day. The babe, her name doesn't matter even to herself, has used up more men than she can count. His partner is dead, but his partner's wife wanted it that way. Cairo, Gutman, and the rest all have morals you can weigh on a jeweler's scale. And should, more than once, because they'd steal the tip off the all-night cafe's table if you didn't see the waitress stick it somewhere safe. Safe enough.
Do you think that people are the best that evolution can do? Or ar you afraid that's true? "Gut-man", the fat man, "Wonderly", the wonderful woman, too wonderful, "Spade" who digs down to the truth - it's a morality play.
I know you liked the movie. If you're a reader, you already read this far. That means you'll like the book. It starts gently, but by the end, it slaps you around like a bad date at the trailer park. No, you won't like it, but you'll be really glad it didn't happen to you.
//wiredweird
Rating:
Summary: A Mystery Landmark
Review: Thanks to the fact that I can't watch the image of Humphrey Bogart for more than thirty seconds before anti-peristaltic forces start taking over my digestive system, I knew of the Maltese Falcon, but did not know its story line.
Based on its literary acclaim and its high score on mystery officionados' "best of all time list", I spent a couple of hours with Sam Spade in the dark and dangerous dungeons of his imaginary existence. While I considered the plot development decidedly average, the atmosphere Hammett's prose sets and the uncertain world in which our "hero" and fellow cast try to make their moves helped define the genre.
Looking at the origin of the detective/mystery novel Poe and Conan Doyle stand out as the pillars on which the majority of the genre was built. While Conan Doyle set the stage for all puzzle solvers, Poe mined the deeper and darker territories of the human (sub)conscious.
Hammett's work strikes me as a defining link between Poe and the modern mystery novel. Sam Spade is a modern day Beowulf, following his own compass and code of honor in an atmosphere that was set in Poe's "Cask of Amontillado". He likes money, he likes booze, would be a good candidate for a "Sam-quits" anti-smoking campaign and last but not least can't keep his eyes or hands of the opposite sex.
Hammett surrounds Spade with a cast of characters who could be considered clichés to the modern reader, but are in fact archetypes that by now have populated millions of mystery volumes.
To me the plot was of limited consequence, yet Hammett's style and prose generate an endless series of sharp black and white photographs in a fast paced existentialist drama. Like Jorge Luis Borges, who acknowledged his depth to Poe's work, Hammett was instrumental in carving out a genre of his own that may miss the former's intellectual appeal, but is still more effective than the entire world of "classical literature" in keeping mankind reading.
Rating:
Summary: The best detective story I have ever read
Review: The Maltese Falcon is the best detective novel I have ever read. I had seen the movie before I read the book and I must say that this is one of those rare cases where the book is more exciting. Usually if you see the movie first you picture those actors while you are reading, but Dashiell Hammett does such a wonderful job with his description, you can't help but develop a whole new cast in you mind. With nifty phrases like "limp freshness" or "a weary grimace" Hammett vividly portrays every scene without any clutter, making for a fast-paced and exhilarating novel. I rarely had to take the time to re-read sentences unlike many other books that leave you reading the same page three times with their wordiness and deadwood. The originality of the subcharacters is also a high point of the novel. Although Sam Spade is practically a stock character for the books and films of the time period, the other characters in the book are fascinating and undoubtadly original. Joel Cairo, the Levantine, and Wilmer, the rookie hitman, were the two characters I simply could not get enough of while I was reading The Maltese Falcon. Finally, the last reason why I consider this the best detective novel of all time is that it stands the test of time. Originally published in 1930, the book makes as much sense today as it must have seventy years ago. As I read, I pictured the story happening today proving that The Maltese Falcon is a timelss classic. I would recommend this book to any reader out there prepared to stay up into the long hours of the night because they can't get enought of The Maltese Falcon, the best detective novel ever written.
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