Firebreak (Parker Novels)

Rating:
Summary: Parker is an entertaining sociopath:
Review: Did Richard Stark (Donald Westlake) start the convention of having his lead character only go by his last name? In any event, it fits Parker better than the sensitive Spenser. Parker is a kind of sociopath. He is totally immoral -- his decision whether to kill someone is based solely on whether it will benefit him or not -- if it will, he has no hesitation. As this book makes clear, he also is not a romantic version of a criminal who believes in honor among thieves -- when two crooks who worked with his present conspirators threaten to turn them in, he expresses no surprise that they may betray their friends to stay out of jail.

Firebreak is made more interesting by a character who is a kind of anti-Parker, Larry. Parker is totally controlled; even when he takes revenge, he does so carefully and cooly. Larry, on the other hand, is a crook out of control. Their interaction makes this somewhat different than the typical Parker novel. This is hardboiled fiction at its best.

Rating:
Summary: A popular noir series
Review: Parker is a thief. That is the basis for this very popular noir series. He goes on a different caper with each book. In most cases the plots are straightforward. Parker is approached by some unsavory characters about a job. He usually accepts. They plan the job, something goes wrong. It is corrected and Parker moves on. The books are all short and quick to the point. They are also quite insightful concerning the human character of greed and what it can do to the individual and those around them.
In FLASHFIRE, our antihero is faced with the problem that somebody wants him dead. He must try to find out who and eliminate the threat. At the same time, he is asked to help out on a job stealing paintings from a remote house. As usual, things go wrong and Parker must overcome them on the way to the usual satisfying conclusion.
The Parker series is one of my favorites. The books might be a bit repetitive and I wouldn't suggest reading several of them one after the other. However, they are a lot of fun. Besides the clever plots, one of the major strengths of this work are the characters. They are each so unique and full of their own personal failures, that meeting each one of them makes this series especially worthwhile. Start with any book of the series. Just start.

Rating:
Summary: Robbing From the Rich
Review: The Parker series from Richard Stark (the pseudonym of Donald E. Westlake) is the flip side from the author's comedic Dortmunder series. Parker is tough, no nonsense, and kills when necessary. His latest job teams him up with a gang of crooks looking to resteal some masterpiece paintings from a nouveau riche com-type billionaire who is less than honest. The paintings are secreted in a hidden location in the billionaire's luxurious hunting lodge. This book follows a familiar Parker plot outline: the crooks get together to plan a heist; Parker gets involved in some side business; plans go awry; things get improvised. In this book Parker's side business builds to a climax, but then ends too quickly. The final heist sequence packs suspense and action.

One reads a Parker book knowing that one cuts straight to the action, with little of the fat and detours found in too many crime books these days. Parker is not someone you would want to meet in a dark alley, but you do enjoy reading about.