Valediction

Rating:
Summary: Hawk Takes The Lead
Review: This is another Spenser and Hawk story set in Boston with much of it concentrated in the Back Bay section. It was written during a period when Spenser was heavily involved with Susan Silverman and, in this book, distracted by her absence. Spencer seems to stagger through the story while Hawk is always there to save him. Hawk is mentally and physically one step ahead of Spenser on this case. Judged as a whole, I found this to be one of Parker's best novels.

Rating:
Summary: Hawk Takes The Lead
Review: This is another Spenser and Hawk story set in Boston with much of it concentrated in the Back Bay section. It was written during a period when Spenser was heavily involved with Susan Silverman and, in this book, distracted by her absence. Spencer seems to stagger through the story while Hawk is always there to save him. Hawk is mentally and physically one step ahead of Spenser on this case. Judged as a whole, I found this to be one of Parker's best novels.

Rating:
Summary: Philosophy from Parker; a pleasant departure.
Review: This is the book in which Susan Silverman ~ that's Dr. Silverman to you and me ~ leaves Spenser for the West Coast, freedom, and the attempt to be someone apart from Spenser. The attempt, of course, miserably fails, as is revealed in "A Catskill Eagle". Spenser does actually have a legitimate case in this book, at least at the beginning it is legitimate; after a while it becomes a cat and mouse game, and it is no longer clear who is playing with whom. Throughout the whole novel Parker explores, to a degree, what it means to love someone: Spenser loves Susan; Spenser loves Linda, but will drop her for Susan if he can; Susan loves Spenser, but has to be away from his completeness to become complete herself; Sherry loves Tommy, but organises his death; Winston loves his Church but uses it for drug-dealing. How are we to understand all this love? This is the question Parker wants us to ponder as we dig through the depths of Boston society. It is unusual for him to be posing philosophical questions in this way, as opposed to the regular quesions of life and death (Will Spenser kill or be killed?); i quite like the departure, especially as the questions never subordinate the plot but grow out of it properly. A pleasant afternoon's read (as what Parker isn't?).

Rating:
Summary: Philosophy from Parker; a pleasant departure.
Review: This is the book in which Susan Silverman ~ that's Dr. Silverman to you and me ~ leaves Spenser for the West Coast, freedom, and the attempt to be someone apart from Spenser. The attempt, of course, miserably fails, as is revealed in "A Catskill Eagle". Spenser does actually have a legitimate case in this book, at least at the beginning it is legitimate; after a while it becomes a cat and mouse game, and it is no longer clear who is playing with whom. Throughout the whole novel Parker explores, to a degree, what it means to love someone: Spenser loves Susan; Spenser loves Linda, but will drop her for Susan if he can; Susan loves Spenser, but has to be away from his completeness to become complete herself; Sherry loves Tommy, but organises his death; Winston loves his Church but uses it for drug-dealing. How are we to understand all this love? This is the question Parker wants us to ponder as we dig through the depths of Boston society. It is unusual for him to be posing philosophical questions in this way, as opposed to the regular quesions of life and death (Will Spenser kill or be killed?); i quite like the departure, especially as the questions never subordinate the plot but grow out of it properly. A pleasant afternoon's read (as what Parker isn't?).