Rating: 
Summary: Parker fans may be disappointed.
Review: I was unabashedly giddy at the prospect of renewing my aquaintance with Parker, the mono-monickered "hero" of such exciting novels as the Outfit, and The Man With The Getaway Face. While Comeback was better than much of what passes as crime fiction, it was below the standard set by Stark some twenty, thirty odd years ago. The characters in this story were a tad too single dimensional, the plotting so void of imagination it's as if Stark was rushing through, racing to a deadline or something. The old Parker was a single minded automaton, behind a chiselled visage of pragmatism and professionalism, a killer. This new doppleganger is thinner, weaker, softer. Not by much, but noticable to his old running mates. Nevertheless I wish Mr. Stark would try again, I'd buy another one.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than Backflash!
Review: If you liked Backflash, than you'll love Comeback. Stark writes with determination. His to the point technique is truely refreshing.
Rating:
Summary: A very loosely knitted plot with too many even characters
Review: Not so good this time. The writer splitted the main character by describing too many words on the other supporting characters that sometimes made a reader like me lose the focus on the main character. Robbed the TV swindler then stood at the angle to portray the victim's mind and feelings and then changed angle to stand at other characters's feelings and activities, often made me forget Parker was the guy the writer was trying to deliver to me. But once Parker reappeared for short while, he disappeared again, there were some other guys, even women suddenly became the information centers. This one read like a total cash-in work of Westlake and if everybody knows R. Stark is D. Westlake, there is no need to have Stark around anymore since Westlake writes better. you could find out the better writer in his latest THE AX. And that, was a damn good work.
Rating: 
Summary: Criminal adventure, intricate heists, fun read.
Review: Parker is a heister, a man who plans and carries out major thefts with the help of other heisters, chosen for the job at hand. He is unabashedly a crook. The stakes are real -- if you are hurt on a job, you will likely be killed by your partners who want to ensure their safety. In this book, Parker is ripping off a televangelist, at a stadium prayer revival. Things start going wrong after his team gets the money. The story is gripping, and a fast read. The author stays true to the characters and situation. There is an entire genre of fiction -- Block's hitman series, Max Allan Collins' Quarry novels, and these fine novels about Parker -- that involve criminal men acting within their criminal impulses in adventurous situations. For some reason I am drawn to these stories -- they offer no moral redemption, but have a hard boiled honesty about the human condition. And they are fun to read. probably because your average white bread suburbanite loves to imagine a transgressive life of adventurous crime.
Rating:
Summary: Criminal adventure, intricate heists, fun read.
Review: Parker is a heister, a man who plans and carries out major thefts with the help of other heisters, chosen for the job at hand. He is unabashedly a crook. The stakes are real -- if you are hurt on a job, you will likely be killed by your partners who want to ensure their safety. In this book, Parker is ripping off a televangelist, at a stadium prayer revival. Things start going wrong after his team gets the money. The story is gripping, and a fast read. The author stays true to the characters and situation. There is an entire genre of fiction -- Block's hitman series, Max Allan Collins' Quarry novels, and these fine novels about Parker -- that involve criminal men acting within their criminal impulses in adventurous situations. For some reason I am drawn to these stories -- they offer no moral redemption, but have a hard boiled honesty about the human condition. And they are fun to read. probably because your average white bread suburbanite loves to imagine a transgressive life of adventurous crime.
Rating:
Summary: kick a** numero uno
Review: Parker is the real thing.If u r tired of the make believe heroes of the late 80's and the 90's,take a trip to memory lane,25 to 30 years ago.Check out Stark's novels and go home happy.The characters are real,everyday people,there is no good and evil.It's in the eye of the beholder,not beautified or politically correct.Hail to Parker.Enough said.
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