tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post7462353863939174223..comments2024-03-25T11:29:25.356-04:00Comments on Existential Ennui: The Grofield Files: The Blackbird (1969) by Richard Stark; a ReviewNick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-45676163296682770352010-11-09T15:15:44.580-05:002010-11-09T15:15:44.580-05:00I know what you mean: I'm naturally inclined t...I know what you mean: I'm naturally inclined to look for inconsistencies from book to book, and even within just one book (and sometimes find them too). That's the comics fan in me. But I try and remind myself that, while Westlake doubtless referred back to previous Parkers when he was writing each one, he probably didn't get too caught up on that kind of thing. For one thing, he was writing too many books to worry about it too much.<br /><br />As I said, The Blackbird definitely seemed closer to the meaner Parkerverse than the previous two Grofield books, as if Westlake was feeling his way back to that 'reality', which, as you mention, perhaps culminates in Lemons. I dunno if I see Parker's world as a parallel universe though: I kind of see what you mean in that it's hard and cold and populated by people on the make, but to me that just identifies it as our world. Westlake's writing is so convincing to me that I'm totally prepared to buy his vision as the reality of criminal life back then, and maybe even now.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-87817300466203030732010-11-07T00:55:30.718-04:002010-11-07T00:55:30.718-04:00Without consulting my own notes on the Grofield bo...Without consulting my own notes on the Grofield books, I seem to recall that I thought the first three were enjoyable enough, with <i>The Damsel</i> my favorite and <i>The Blackbird</i> my least, but the whole concept of these novels just seemed--wrong.<br /><br />The reason for this, I think, is that I think of Parker as existing not in our universe, but in a parallel universe that's just plain bad and nasty. These books fit into the Parker universe I have in my head about as well as a humorous tale by H.P. Lovecraft would fit into the Cthulhu mythos.<br /><br />This is the way geeks think, especially geeks who grew up on science fiction and fantasy where this idea of a consistent universe is important. I don't read much of that stuff anymore, but I think the idea that "this universe must have consistency and rules!" has stuck with me for better or worse (probably worse).<br /><br />This sounds like the germination of an essay. Maybe I'll take a stab at it in my next pass through the books.<br /><br /><i>Lemons Never Lie</i>? That one definitely fits into the Parker universe.Trenthttp://violentworldofparker.comnoreply@blogger.com