The Triumph of Evil

Rating:
Summary: Worth Reading, Worth Buying & Worth Finding
Review: Now that this book is now out of print, I want to assert that this is by far and wide not a poor book by accomplished crime author Lawrence Block. Originally published under the pseudonym Paul Kavanagh, just like the first Kavanagh SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS, Block exceeds the reader's expectations in the unique creation of a taut, tense and memorable novel about a hired political assassin who falls in love with a girl who proves that his actions are very very wrong. The plan is to overthrow the current US government through careful manipulation of the general public through murder after murder of high-profile political figures representing all causes and extremes. Dorn's cruel calculating violence is a marvel to behold, and so are counter-reactions in the public and political spheres. A tragic figure in tragic times. A very powerful novel. If it isn't in print - find it!

Rating:
Summary: Early eeriness from a master
Review: Scary and thought-provoking. I first read this over thirty years ago and have never been able to forget it. I just read it again, after finding out it was really written by Lawrence Block (author of the "Burglar" series), and it's even better than I remembered it. The main character is much more interesting than the one in Block's later "Hit Man" stories. Fascists hire this assassin to manipulate the Presidential election with a series of killings. The plan seemed quite plausible at the time. A very spooky note: one they want to kill is a racist Southern demagogue similar to George Wallace. But the assassin just arranges for him to be crippled and politically and literally emasculated. One year later, the real George Wallace was shot and left in a wheelchair. Coincidence?

Rating:
Summary: A work of Lawrence Block that shows his early years
Review: This is an interestng, but in my opinion, poorly written tale by Lawrence Block. In this novel, Block is too obsessed with dialogue. That is the only way the story is told. Instead of the rich extra thinkings of the hero that we usually get from Block, this character is only seen through his speech, giving us an unclear view of what could be a great, tragic figure. Otherwise, the story is interesting. All in all, if I could have known him better, maybe Miles Dorn would have deserved the title evil.