Skip to main content

The Blade Itself - Marcus Sakey

A stated goal of 2007 is to read all the books I buy in 2007. Don't hold it against me if I buy book late in '07 and don't read before the witching hour.

So one of the big early releases of 2007 is The Blade Itself. There is a great deal to like in this first novel by Marcus Sakey. It has gotten good reviews, with the worst thing being said about it is that it does not really break any new ground in the genre.

True it does not break any new ground, but if that is the only negative thing to say then what is the point of saying it. A well told tale is a well told tale.... so leave it at that.

Our lead.... hero is to strong... is Danny, a reformed thief who is drawn back into the life when his partner, Evan, is released from prison. Evan took the fall for a pawnshop heist gone wrong, and now he thinks he is owed one last score to settle this debt. Danny is less interested to say the least.

The first third of book settles the 'how' Danny ultimately feels obligated to make it right with Evan. This set up come off very nice. The characters are well drawn. Danny desperate to leave 'the life' behind. Karen, Danny's girlfriend, whose character could have easily become the shrill voice of reason that the girlfriend/wife character usually devolves into. Bless him, Sakey has enough sense not to let that happen here. And finally Evan who is the bad guy and perhaps a bit one dimensional. But when Sakey has to sell Evan's menace he does it with a shattered kneecap and a cold shiver down my spine.

The middle section of The Blade Itself is a series of one step forward eight steps back for Danny. Just as Danny thinks he is getting a handle on the situation, Evan proves to be one step ahead of him. Apparently, you get a lot of time in Jail to plan your revenge.

This is the part where I think reviewers probably felt the story grew stagnant. Essentially the whole point is to turn Danny's life into a living hell of regret. Every decision that Danny makes is going to be the wrong one and having that in the back of the readers mind can give the impression that this section of the novel is too by numbers. Again true, but that is such a negative way to look at. Good writing is good writing. Praise it and move on.

The end is excitingly tense. I read it in one big gulp.... okay two gulps because I did not have enough time at lunch. My one tiny criticism.... SPOILER..... is that Danny really needs to suffer a little more for all that he has done no matter how well intentioned he wanted to be.

Finally, Sakey's setting of Chicago was nicely observed. I'm from the Midwest and Chicago was my first big city experience. It was great reading about some of the places I have visited. Sakey clearly has a great love for the city.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Very Best of Mr. Dennis Lehane

I thought this post would appear in October. Ya, know when SHUTTER ISLAND: THE MOVIE was supposed to be released. And then it wasn't. Something about Leo not being able to do 'press' for the movie. Doesn't really matter the reason, a February release date has one of those fancy Hollywood meanings: Not Good. Look I'll be honest, I didn't connect with SHUTTER ISLAND. I loved the fifties setting, the haunted house atmosphere, and impending doom of the Hurricane. Even the set-up of the story was intriguing but how it played out just didn't work for me. Some interesting characters, a bunch of great set pieces, but the ending announces itself with an expected, thud that went nowhere. Am I still going to the movie? Its Lehane, Scorsese, Leo, and Ruffalo of course I am. Anyway the list. 8. Prayers for Rain - 1999 The last Kenzie-Gennaro book follows our heroes as they investigate a guy who is terrorizing women into committing suicide. The book played like an episo
4 comments
Read more

A Fogotten Post: A Remembrance

[Editor's Note: Started this missive, never came back to it. Still relevant, I suppose.] I am reading MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY by Nev Marsh. This was... technically still is... on my to buy pile. In the before time... the overwhelming to be read pile time... I would have bought this and thrown it on the shelf to read in the near or more likely distant future. I hope I like it enough to buy the second in the series. Buying a book is fun, buying a book that is good is better. [Editor's Note: Abandoned this book, unfinished.] BLACKTOP WASTELAND - S.A. COSBY So glad I didn't buy this last summer. Good decision to put off buying and reading what would have certainly been one of the best books of the year. New goal for the remaining 2021 calendar. Don't be dumb. Buy Mr. Cosby's follow up and read day one! [Editor's Note: I did buy a signed copy of RAZORBLADE  TEARS, meanwhile B.W. won every award, except the Edgar where it wasn't even nominated!? Also Signed firsts of
Post a Comment
Read more

Small Mercies - The Return of Dennis Lehane

 A time honored tradition at The Hungry Detective HQ is to perform the twice annual, and largely ceremonial, 'Dennis Lehane New book 20XX" Google search. Nothing comes up on his long abandoned Website, except notification of the script work for his television and film projects.  Grousing aside, 2022 was a big year for Mr. Lehane. BLACK BIRD, a show he created, played on Apple+ to solid acclaim. The show's star, Paul Walter Hauser, won a Golden Globe. But despite that I have yet to watch it. Not for any other reason than I am a movie person more than a TV person. The TV I do watch is watched in an arcane order that is difficult to decipher and even more baffling to explain. Short story, I need to watch ANDOR [Editor's Note: Slow going on ANDOR despite everyone telling me it is amazing.] And then BLACK BIRD, or maybe SLOW HORSES. I'll get there...  Anyway at the dead end of 2022, I did the search. Found out he wrote a book. SMALL MERCIES . I was excited to hear it. I
Post a Comment
Read more