Rating: 
Summary: Not The Same Burke
Review: .. "Choice of Evil," though full of the urban misery and blues we've come to expect, doesn't pack the same punch. Granted, it would be hard to top "Sacrifice."Burke's women either leave or die. So, Crystal Beth dies in what seems to be a drive-by at a gay pride rally. We get Burke the Sleuth, but not the Avenging Angel. The online search for the killer teases us with the possibility of Wesley's return.. What I miss in recent Vachss is the destruction of children as a plot element; lately it's left in the background as a short-hand device for character development. True to form, there's the Next Twisted Woman - a dominatrix named Nadine. their dialogue is a departure from the usual Burke-woman banter; Burke seems downright crotchety. His impatience with female posturing is at an all-time high. Nice to see Strega again, though. She still scares Burke 'cause she's a reminder that despite his resignation, he still desires... As Vachss moves an aging Burke further away from ground-zero vengeance, he moves into Thomas Harris-style psychological intrigue. Give me the hellish terrain of "Sacrifice" and "Hard Candy." Reempower him as the bloody-handed avenger of the Children of The Secret.
Rating:
Summary: Not The Same Burke
Review: .. "Choice of Evil," though full of the urban misery and blues we've come to expect, doesn't pack the same punch. Granted, it would be hard to top "Sacrifice." Burke's women either leave or die. So, Crystal Beth dies in what seems to be a drive-by at a gay pride rally. We get Burke the Sleuth, but not the Avenging Angel. The online search for the killer teases us with the possibility of Wesley's return.. What I miss in recent Vachss is the destruction of children as a plot element; lately it's left in the background as a short-hand device for character development. True to form, there's the Next Twisted Woman - a dominatrix named Nadine. their dialogue is a departure from the usual Burke-woman banter; Burke seems downright crotchety. His impatience with female posturing is at an all-time high. Nice to see Strega again, though. She still scares Burke 'cause she's a reminder that despite his resignation, he still desires... As Vachss moves an aging Burke further away from ground-zero vengeance, he moves into Thomas Harris-style psychological intrigue. Give me the hellish terrain of "Sacrifice" and "Hard Candy." Reempower him as the bloody-handed avenger of the Children of The Secret.
Rating: 
Summary: Spiralling into the light
Review: A fast-paced and dark descent into a fascinating story. When Burke's bisexual girlfriend is killed at a gay rights rally, he vows to find the culprit. When a serial killer starts murdering fagbashers and child molesters by using the killing motifs of a dead friend of Burke's, Burke wonders about how dead his friend actually is. This being the first book by Vachss I read, I was a bit confused about the characters, but it didn't daunt me from pursuing the story, rather it made me more intrigued about this Burke guy and his relations with his friends. What I most like about this book is the depths of the characters, they're fully fleshed and yet mysterious enough to warrant curiosity. After a couple dozen pages, I couldn't put the book down if I'd tried.
Rating:
Summary: Spiralling into the light
Review: A fast-paced and dark descent into a fascinating story. When Burke's bisexual girlfriend is killed at a gay rights rally, he vows to find the culprit. When a serial killer starts murdering fagbashers and child molesters by using the killing motifs of a dead friend of Burke's, Burke wonders about how dead his friend actually is. This being the first book by Vachss I read, I was a bit confused about the characters, but it didn't daunt me from pursuing the story, rather it made me more intrigued about this Burke guy and his relations with his friends. What I most like about this book is the depths of the characters, they're fully fleshed and yet mysterious enough to warrant curiosity. After a couple dozen pages, I couldn't put the book down if I'd tried.
Rating: 
Summary: A novel of the twisted workings of human hearts
Review: A rally in Central Park to protest against gay bashing encounters a murderous drive-by resulting in five people down and two dead. One of the dead is Crystal Beth, Burke's girlfriend. Claiming responsibility is someone calling themselves "Homo Erectus". Burke is unsurprised when the cops pull him in for questioning because he is homeless, homicidal, a man gun and unable to find the shooters who killed his last chance at love. Choice Of Evil is a novel of the twisted workings of human hearts, the dark side of the human experience, and the bleak life offered marginal men and women caught up in webs of fear, bigotry, violence, and evil.
Rating:
Summary: No Choice better than this!
Review: All of Vachss' books are good, but this is the best yet. It weaves together old characters in new ways, and closes some gaps--like what happened to Strega? If you like Vachss, you'l lovethis one. If you've never tried Vachss, start here. Can't wait for the movie!
Rating:
Summary: magnificent characters live here
Review: Andrew Vachss creates the truest, most three-dimensional characters in fiction, people whose emotions are real and whose language is expressive. Gem and Burke develop a warm and romantic communication which is enchanting and exciting. The suspensful plot is developed with a master's eye for perfectionYet, there is not a hint of overheated dialogue or flowery passages; problems that spoil so much of fiction written by other authors who have created as many bestsellers as Vachss. He has mastered his art -- but has not fallen into the trap of gilding the lily.
Rating:
Summary: No one better, ever.
Review: Andrew Vachss has a gift for exposing the ugliness masked under pretty gilding, and the glory of love hidden by hard exteriors. He knows the difference between talk and action, and he tells you the truth in a way you cannot forget. This novel presents a new level of excellence in his writing.
Rating:
Summary: a very important writer
Review: Any book by Vachss is part of a crusade against the exploitation of children, sexually or otherwise. That is a worthy cause, and in addition, the books are good. In many ways, Vachss is an eye-opener. He takes readers to places which are so hideous that they are hard to imagine, and he tells those readers not to accept the foulness and cruelty that children all over the world must endure on a daily basis. "Choice Of Evil" confronts the moral problems that arise when a super-intelligent mind deliberately choses to be evil, and the ugly results of such a person's actions. The book is disturbing, but extremely thought-provoking, and on top of that, it is a serious page-turner. Vachss is never dull. This novel is not an exception to that rule.
Rating:
Summary: a very important writer
Review: Any book by Vachss is part of a crusade against the exploitation of children, sexually or otherwise. That is a worthy cause, and in addition, the books are good. In many ways, Vachss is an eye-opener. He takes readers to places which are so hideous that they are hard to imagine, and he tells those readers not to accept the foulness and cruelty that children all over the world must endure on a daily basis. "Choice Of Evil" confronts the moral problems that arise when a super-intelligent mind deliberately choses to be evil, and the ugly results of such a person's actions. The book is disturbing, but extremely thought-provoking, and on top of that, it is a serious page-turner. Vachss is never dull. This novel is not an exception to that rule.
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