The Hunted

Rating:
Summary: Sleeper hit
Review: I think I've figured out why Leonard is the lit crits' token crime-writer darling: They don't give a rat's behind about plot, and neither does he. Me, I like a little plot in my crime books.

What's interesting is that this book was originally published in '77, and back then, Leonard actually bothered to cook up some pretty good stories (especially in The Switch). So you can read The Hunted as a harbinger of modern Leonard. He starts with three or four good characters (the no-BS middle-aged hero; the black-guy-and-white-guy likeable hoodlum team; the attractive young woman who knows how to watch out for herself). He has them sit around in bars, cars and hotels staring at each other. Eventually, there's a showdown. No twists, no real surprises.

OK, fine. But as far as I can recall, every single Leonard book since the mid-1980s has gone the same way. I suspect Leonard starts with the showdown, then works backward to figure out how it developed. This guarantees lots of filler; you get the feeling Leonard gets a kick out of showing you his cast of characters, and another out of his climax, and doesn't much care about the stuff in between. Hence cars, bars, hotel rooms.

Rating:
Summary: Evolution of a Marine
Review: I was a little skeptical of an Elmore Leonard novel set in Israel. However, 'The Hunted' pleasantly surprised me.

Al Rosen is hiding out in Israel, living off the checks sent his way by the company he helped found. He spends his days hanging out in hotel lobbies, getting sun, and just simply staying out of sight. Before he knows it, he finds himself on the run after his picture appeared in the daily newspapers in the States--the result of having helped a dozen senior citizens escape a hotel fire.

Sgt. David Davis is about to finish his tour with the marines. The big problem is that he has no idea what to do with himself once he is out. On the side, he has helped deliver packages for Rosen, without really knowing who Rosen is. Before he knows it, his future plans are of no real concern as he attempts to help Rosen out of his mess.

I'll give Elmore credit, he took what I thought would be an uninteresting setting, and really turned it into something. There isn't a lot, but Leonard makes some interesting observations about Israel and Americans there. Most of it comes from the ignorance of some of the American characters as they interact with the Israelis.

The dialogue is classic Leonard. Some of the best conversations come between Rosen and Davis as Rosen attempts to give Davis advice on what to do when he finally gets out of the marines. Nearly every scene involving Mel Bandy, Rosen's sleazy lawyer (and he is sleazy), involve some comical dialogue. Rosen's assistant, Tali, has some decent remarks as she deals with Bandy and translates for others.

The only disappointment is the end. To some degree, it seems like Leonard just ran out of things to write about and came up with whatever plausible ending occurred to him. Still, its a good read and will be appreciated by Leonard fans.

Rating:
Summary: Evolution of a Marine
Review: I was a little skeptical of an Elmore Leonard novel set in Israel. However, 'The Hunted' pleasantly surprised me.

Al Rosen is hiding out in Israel, living off the checks sent his way by the company he helped found. He spends his days hanging out in hotel lobbies, getting sun, and just simply staying out of sight. Before he knows it, he finds himself on the run after his picture appeared in the daily newspapers in the States--the result of having helped a dozen senior citizens escape a hotel fire.

Sgt. David Davis is about to finish his tour with the marines. The big problem is that he has no idea what to do with himself once he is out. On the side, he has helped deliver packages for Rosen, without really knowing who Rosen is. Before he knows it, his future plans are of no real concern as he attempts to help Rosen out of his mess.

I'll give Elmore credit, he took what I thought would be an uninteresting setting, and really turned it into something. There isn't a lot, but Leonard makes some interesting observations about Israel and Americans there. Most of it comes from the ignorance of some of the American characters as they interact with the Israelis.

The dialogue is classic Leonard. Some of the best conversations come between Rosen and Davis as Rosen attempts to give Davis advice on what to do when he finally gets out of the marines. Nearly every scene involving Mel Bandy, Rosen's sleazy lawyer (and he is sleazy), involve some comical dialogue. Rosen's assistant, Tali, has some decent remarks as she deals with Bandy and translates for others.

The only disappointment is the end. To some degree, it seems like Leonard just ran out of things to write about and came up with whatever plausible ending occurred to him. Still, its a good read and will be appreciated by Leonard fans.

Rating:
Summary: Great!
Review: Just a perfect little Leonard novel. East to read, plot twists but not too many. Not a literary masterwork, but certainly worthwhile. Leonard makes no mistakes here.

Rating:
Summary: Not a good book
Review: Not a good book, but just a few ideas for a good one. The changes in the behaviour of the main character Rosen are baffling and go without further explanation. There's not much plot and most of it doesn't make much sense (in some situations, you just can't figure out why the characters act the way they do - mostly it seems to make a thin book a bit more substantial). The end isn't particularly satisfying, too. Just the dialogue saves the day - and the second star. Even though the book's from 1977, this is my second straight disappointment after Be Cool

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable story of mid-budget movie level
Review: This book is pretty entertaining. The story is interesting but not super. Leonard's strength seems to be in his character development and crisp dialogue. There's not much to write about this book that is deep and insightful. If the story sounds interesting and you like Leonard you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Leonard in an unusual setting
Review: This book was first published in the 70's (?) and is set in Israel with references, only, to Leonard's usual turf - the criminal world in the USA.

His hero, Rosen, who has done the dirty to a mobster hides out in israel where he believes he will not be found. A freak incident leads to his photograph outside a hotel in Israel being published in an American newspaper and his whereabouts being discovered.

In the ensuing story, which no Leonard fan will want to miss, Rosen is pursued and the story makes for exciting reading, BUT it is not vintage Leaonard mainly, I think, because it is not set in the USA. It lacks some of the usual black humour one finds throughout Leonard's ouevre and somehow, it is less moral than Leonard's books usually are.

But get it to complete your Leonard collection - he is still the best crime writer writing !

Rating:
Summary: The Hunted
Review: This is my first Elmore Leonard book, and I loved it, loved his characterization and dialogue. The book was intense, but at the same time didn't seem to take itself too seriously. And as a female reader who loves the late 20th/early 21st century romance genre, I have to say that Davis--the hunky marine--was quite the treat.

Rating:
Summary: The Hunted
Review: This is my first Elmore Leonard book, and I loved it, loved his characterization and dialogue. The book was intense, but at the same time didn't seem to take itself too seriously. And as a female reader who loves the late 20th/early 21st century romance genre, I have to say that Davis--the hunky marine--was quite the treat.