Rating: 
Summary: Flat Characters Over-praised and Predictable
Review: For those of you not familiar with the literary terms, flat character and round character, here's a brief definition. Flat characters have clearly defined (almost rigid) characteristics and don't change or develop in a story. Most Dickens' characters, though delightful, are flat, in contrast to Huck Finn or Harry Bosch in M. Connelly's novels, both of which are round and have tension, ability to change, often ironic touches etc. Mcbain's characters are always, and tiresomely so, flat. Carrella and Ollie are good examples: Carrella good, p.c., loves his wife passionately (idolizes her and her deafness, not a nice touch but too friggin' p.c. for me) and cares for people. Ollie is a stereotype villain in McBain's universe: bigot, gross, and totally un-politically correct, actually the one of the only interesting characers in McBain's galaxy. Fat Ollie's Book is humorous and flat characters can be fun: the transvestite reaches beyond McBain's usual inflexible character--some minor characters have some roundness: pawnbroker for example. Black doctor and white cop is rather sweet, but again so cloyingly flat and predictable. Do they ever disagree on anything? Black and white lovers is oh so passe. Average plot and sometimes spot-on satire of myster writers characterize this overrated and rather silly book. But McBain gives his readers what they want--could he add a little Rendell and Bill James to his novels--not likely, when he can grind out these stale hamburger novels while watching reruns of Colombo. Come on Mr. Mcbain reach, take a risk. Your Hope novels show promise, but you still can't go for a little more than a modicum of rust and edginess. Entertaining, bus book, nothing else.
Rating: 
Summary: 87TH DELIGHT
Review: have read eveyone of the 87th novels-yes i paid 20 bucks for some of the early 79 cent out-of-print paperbacks-and this is one of the best and certainly one of the most humorous....the first 87th novels had the detectives as WW II vets....now the same guys are still 40...ain't fiction wonderful!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Horrible!
Review: I couldn't finish the book..it was that bad. Coming from a writer who has created a character like Matthew Hope..it was indeed surprising. But Fat Ollie comes across as an ordinary white American ( WASP) who has forgotten than America is not an exclusive domain of whites!
Rating:
Summary: This is one of my favorite in the series
Review: I couldn't imagine what to expect from the title. What a fantastic surprise. Ollie, the large, pun intended, bigot that he is, is simply irresistible. Throughout the book, I found myself shaking my head in wonder. It was packed with so many weird and quirky characters in situations so bizarre, it was masterful - the murder was in the periphery. My only complaint is that I see the set-up for upheaval in Bert's life just when it seemed to be heading in an interesting direction.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I have read all of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct books and have loved them. However, I found this one moved slow. I've almost finished and can't quite get through the last couple of chapters.
Rating:
Summary: The First One i Didn't Finish
Review: I have read every 87th Precinct novel -- and every one of McBain's "Matthew Hope" novels -- and enjoyed them all to a greater or lesser degree.Even "Hail to the Chief", which was a satire of Watergate. Even "He Who Hesitates", in which the cops of the 87th are barely seen, in a story about a murderer's state of mind. Even the latest "Deaf Man" book (though that one *did* try my patience a bit). I didn't finish this one. And i *really* expected and *wanted* to enjoy it; friends and reviewers who i trust had given it glowing notices. Just proves the old saw about meat and poison and two different men. The running joke this time (virtually every 87th Precinct novel has some running shtick, often humourous) is that Fat Ollie, the fat, bigoted, annoying cop, has written a novel. And it's terrible. Wow. I wish he'd actually worked on a readable plot for this book to go with the joke. 'Cos the joke ain't very funny and wears out its welcome long before the book is over. Yes, Ollie's book *is* terrible. I knew that was going to be true before he rubbed my nose in it. And that's the problem, because, essentially, this book *is* Fat Ollie's book; if you took out the quotes from Ollie's manuscript, this would be a longish short story. And it still wouldn't be readable, so far as i'm concerned. I -- apparently almost alone among 87th Precinct readers -- don't like Fat Ollie. If McBain feels a need to write about fat bigoted cops, there's always Andy Parker (who, last time i remember encountering him, was actually becoming a bit sympathetic). And the pathetic geek who gets hold of Ollie's manuscript and is stupid enough (i estimate an IQ slightly below that necessary to sustain life) to believe that it's a coded official report that will lead him to Great Riches is just too annoying to be allowed to live. The Worst In The Series. Pass it by; re-read some of the earlier ones. Or, if you haven't yet read any of the Matthew Hope novels, try some of those.
Rating:
Summary: McBain at His Best!
Review: I just finished this book and thought it one of the best of the 87th Precinct novels so far. Oliver Wendall Weeks, aka Fat Ollie, is so obnoxious, he's hilarious. He's obese but considers himself simply a large man who hates fat people. As McBain describes him, he is an equal opportunity bigot. McBain gives his reader something you can count on him to provide with each book: the joke. I always look forward to that. In this installment, Ollie has written a book, all 36 pages, which reads like an actual police report. Ollie's car is burglarized while he's investigating the fatal shooting of city councilman Lester Henderson, and his manuscript is stolen. The burglar, Emilio Herrera is also a transvestite and somewhat dim-witted. He thinks Ollie's book is an actual police report. From there, the book just gets better and better. The investigation into the councilman's death is mainly handled by the best of the 87th detectives: Steve Carella and Bert Kling. There isn't much of a mystery here - I figured that out rather quickly. But this is a wonderful book which is so funny in places, you'll laugh out loud.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling
Review: I never fail to get goose-bumps reading Ed McBain's books. His brilliant style and voice--born from the gajillion books he's penned, certainly--draws one in immediately to the story without sacrificing character development or the element of mystery. Set in his famous 87th Precinct, "Fat Ollie's Book" is another excellent notch in McBain's belt as fabulous storytelling. His characters verbal sparring and jousting is unequaled in the mystery genre as their individual peculiarities speed the plot along to its surprising conclusion. One can never go wrong with a McBain novel, and this one is as good as it's ever been!
Rating:
Summary: Accomplishing The Impossible
Review: I'd figured it would be impossible to take a character like Ollie- who has been an utterly unlikable irritant in every previous appeaerence- make him the lead character, and still like the book. Though McBain "cheats" a little, softening some of Ollies bitterest racism and introducing an utterly unbelivable(though enjoyable) love interest, I still found it a surprising accomplishment. A very good book, provided you can stomach rooting for someone so lacking in redeeming characteristics.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific again! Typical McBain!
Review: I've read ALL of the 87th Precinct books to date and have loved and reread all of them. This one was unique and captivating, as is typical Ed McBain style. Keep them coming!!
| 
