Breakout (Parker Novels)

Rating:
Summary: Meh
Review: I like Parker books, and this one is typical; but I couldn't see an actual climax and finish in this one. On top of that we lose several characters along the way and never find out what happened to them. Overall, its your typical Parker fare. Same action, same dialogue, same characters. Sometimes I like reading the same stuff, but not really this time around.

Rating:
Summary: Brief but compelling. Great fun.
Review: Parker, the antihero thief of Richard Stark (AKA Donald Westlake) is one of my favorite creations. The books are always written with one caper or problem to be solved. This usually includes a set up of a robbery then problems develop. The fun is to see how Parker solves the problems and keeps out of jail.
BREAKOUT is a bit of a departure from this formula in that Parker is arrested and jailed in the first chapter. He must try to figure out a way out of, not only jail, but out of town. He is paired with the usual miscreants in which it is difficult to determine who is trustworthy.
The book is, as usual, relatively brief, yet always compelling. It can be read in one lengthy sitting. Parker is a cold-blooded thief and killer, yet, Stark breathes such life into him that the reader cannot fail to root for his success. A truly fun read.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely entertaining read
Review: Summary: Parker's wiles take center stage as he gets busted and thrown in jail when a job goes bad. A different character might spend the bulk of a novel in jail, but ultimate pragmatist Parker doesn't tarry in planning and executing a daring escape. Author Stark throws a series of breakout situations at Parker, as he struggles for the room to operate within the confines of an ever-shrinking police search. As always, there is a seedy citizenry to take advantage of, and a division between thieves with honor and those without.
The Good and the Bad:
This is only my third Parker novel, but I thought it was the best one of those I've read. There's something innately exciting about a prison break, and Stark treats it with a master's touch. The writing is lean and evocative, as always, and the relentless action keeps the pages turning. Stark has a way of throwing interesting problems at the characters, and then having them solve those problems in ingenious and yet believable ways. The combination of the fantastic elements of Parker's glamorous life and the realistic manner in which he moves through the world is one of the things that makes this series so enjoyable. The body count in this book was very low as compared to the other Parker novels I've read, which points to the variety of skills that he must employ to think his way out of trouble.
On the down side, Parker puts his faith in others far too often in this book. At least three times in the book, he relies entirely on the ability of others to navigate trouble, and in two of the instances, he's relying on non-criminals with whom he's had very little contact. This seems unlike the paranoid Parker, and I suppose I just didn't like seeing him so vulnerable.


Rating:
Summary: A Fun Read
Review: That's all I have to say about it.....It was a fun read. Make it a beach or picnic book.