Afterburn

Rating:
Summary: A disappointing follow-up to Manhattan Nocturne
Review: I went into this book already a fan of Colin Harrison based on his previous novels. I happened across Manhattan Nocturne on vacation a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that I sought out his two previous novels, Break and Enter, and Bodies Electric. All three were good reads. Afterburn is a disappointment.

There seem to be no middle of the road opinions about this novel-you either love it or hate it. Harrison has always written about destructive relationships, but this time he carries the theme to a literal extreme. I am not put off by the gruesome descriptions of torture and dismemberment that other reviewers have remarked on. I am, however, put off that the entire novel reads like an exercise in creative writing. After one particular descriptive passage (of the Jim-Jack Bar and Restaurant) I came away not admiring the meticulously constructed prose as much as thinking "Was that sentence really 175 words long?" And after a four-page sex scene (part of a letter Charlie Ravich receives) I found myself not aroused, amused, or entertained, but trying to decide if Harrison's stylistic tendency is to my liking. A writer whose style becomes the focus of the reader's attention is trying too hard.

I admire Harrison for setting himself a challenge, but in taking on so many challenges the novel became a homework assignment. I can see him in front of his Columbia fiction writing class on the first day of the semester: "Your project this term, class, is to write a novel. The novel must include four elements. To begin with, you must create multiple main characters and make them all compelling. But that alone would be too easy, so the characters must be unlikable-make us like them. Think you have the makings of a good author? Write about a repulsive act and make it enjoyable to read-human vivisection for example. And while you're at it, turn that task around--write about an intensely likable subject, but take our thoughts away from that subject-for example, write about sex, but leave us admiring your talent, not thinking about sex. And for extra credit, blend the devices of Walt Whitman, William Faulkner, John Grisham, and James Patterson into a seamless whole."

Mr. Harrison's grade: C minus.

Rating:
Summary: A pile of sadistic tripe
Review: This book does for literature what fecal matter does for holiday dinner. In a wandering, hollow story Harrison writes of a main character who has none, a series of events that are pointless, and a sick focus on over-described torture. All books are supposed to enlighten you about some aspect of life and Mr. Harrison certainly has with Afterburn -- I'll never read another book he writes. Ever.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down.
Review: I finished it at 6 a.m., got up at noon and explored the first 20 Amazon reader reviews. Am relieved that so many gave Colin Harrison the on-target swiftkick I think he deserves for this.

I didn't appreciate the author's determination to punish, re-punish, and then re-re-punish Charlie...for what? Vietnam? Yes, I wonder too what vets think of it.

Then of course, Charlie had to be punished (no...TORTURED) some more for his first-time stray into adultery at age 58, and for wanting another child, and for making the $8 million by the death of a Chinese superbillionaire. UNFORGIVABLE. Charlie was apparently a worse person, in the author's judgement, than Tony Verducci who skipped out of the story at the end untouched by any of it - he even got his money back. And of course, no one actually RESPONSIBLE for Vietnam was highlighted and punished. God is often cruel, it seems to us, so when you play God by writing a novel, you outta be nicer than God, not meaner, you silly (expletive deleted).

God at least has a Plan, and strange cases of fairness and retribution in the right corners crop up all the time in real life, courtesy of FATE. Colin Harrison had no plan after all, except to create in order to pointlessly destroy. BUMMER is too good a word for the ending, so is SUCKS; yet it doesn't rate more careful words than those.

Some brilliant reviews here, a handful of incredibly stupid ones by readers who don't know fantastic characterization when it oozes off the pages, but most of you are on the mark far as this reader is concerned. I'll strictly avoid this author hereafter and forevermore. Got to read something better SOON to clear my head of this fine literary atrocity.

As for Mr. Colin Harrison...he'll read our reviews (these writers do read our comments, avidly!) and persuade himself to be proud that he wrenched from us such reactions, even if the reactions are terribly negative. And he'll be kidding himself.

For the record, I am female. For the record, I liked Rick almost as much as Charlie, and hated Christina.

Rating:
Summary: Not his best work
Review: I've read two of Harrison's previous novels, and I consider him to be probably the most gifted writer currently churning out thrillers. His stories are far from cookie-cutter, and his novels tend more toward thoughtful meditations of moral issues than by-the-numbers romps that proceed and conclude predictably. "Afterburn" is no exception, and yet I could not help but find it the most disappointing of the Harrison outings I've read. It is not the graphic sex, which seems to be part of the package for Harrison, and always seems to serve some more compacted function than the titillation of the reader. Nor is it the graphic violence, a new addition to Harrison's arsenal, which, again, seemed as much meditative as it did gratuitous. The problem for me was that the many narratives did not mesh as well as I wanted them too, his characters at time devolved into the cartoonish, which I have never seen happen in his writing before, and in the end I just stopped caring what would come next - again, something new.

Harrison is an absolutely gifted writer, and the book is worth reading if for no reason than to enjoy his sparkling prose, but "Afterburn" lacks the precise control that made his previous works such stand-outs. If you are considering reading this novel, I strongly urge you to first find a used copy of the (sadly) out of print "Bodies Electric," which will provide a much better of example of what is worth celebrating about this man's writing.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: AFTERBURN is an intelligent, visceral, well-told literary thriller. Harrison ignores the convenient, overused plot devices found in many thrillers. His characters are drawn with unnerving clarity. Yes, the story is a little brutal, and certainly he spares no detail when painting sex scenes, but for readers who appreciate novels that don't pull punches, that shine a spotlight into the dark corners of our minds and lives, AFTERBURN is nearly perfect. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Completely ruined by truly sick, pointless violence
Review: Out of the all of the many books I've read in recent years this is probably the only one that ever left me extremely angry at the author, because I enjoyed about two-thirds of the book only to feel like I was deliberately kicked in the teeth in the final third.
Now what bothered me wasn't the fact that it didn't have a cookie-cutter "they live happily ever after" type of ending, I've enjoyed and recommended other books which had dark, even grisly endings. But at least when authors like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Lawrence Block are explicit they do so with a purpose that serves their story, and they know where to draw the line.
But "Afterburn" is needlessly cruel and openly sadistic, putting it's main characters through unbelievably graphic physical torture, which Harrison describes in excruciating detail. In the end I couldn't find any purpose it had served, other than what seemed to be an inexplicable attempt by the author to punish his readers.
When I finished this book I felt sucker-punched, with all the stomach-churning sadism I had endured reading it I found the end held no real surprises, no ironies, no last minute saves, no poetic justice, or any thing else of substance to justify what Harrison puts you through. This was the first and will be the last book I'll ever read by this author, I hope to never stumble upon another like him.

Rating:
Summary: A Waste of Paper and Time
Review: I am at a complete loss as to how anyone could have liked this book. ....

The author goes through great lengths to set up these characters and their lives (hundreds of pages of overly descriptive prose about asian finance, artifical ensemination and retirement homes), and all for absolutely no reason. Almost none of it had any bearing what-so-ever on the story or ultimately on the fate of the characters. ....

Rating:
Summary: Read on an empty stomach!
Review: This was one of the best works of fiction I have read in a long time. I gave copies to everyone I know who likes a good, suspenseful pageturner as long as they were not squeamish. No, this novel is not for the faint of heart. The character development is awesome, the story darkly complex, the social commentary deeply disturbing. You will walk away like I did, slightly dazed, certainly horrified, and definitely wanting more. I went on to read all his other works.

Rating:
Summary: Burning is too good for this book!
Review: I didn't waste much money on this .25 for the record, but the time is another thing. I can't think of one redeeming quality in this book. I guess bad guys always win? One reader asked wonder what vets think of this. The part that covered his military service was just the prologue so not much to base an opinion on. I do wish I had read these reviews first as this book certainly left a bad taste in my mouth. How it gets the raves printed on the first couple pages is a mystery to me.

Rating:
Summary: book should be called "burn this before you read"
Review: this is a truly useless book (unless you want to use it for kindling - but then make sure you use the paperback version). the author invests so much of his efforts (and therefore the readers' efforts) for in-depth characterizations of each of his main characters which then have little relevance (or improbable relevance) on the events that happen in each characters' lives. the result is an inane book that is completely improbable.

i won't tell you what the book is about - the other reviewers have done a wonderful job describing the story. my only goal here is to prevent another reader from wasting their valuable time.