Forgotten Books for May 30, 2008
Ken Bruen’s Forgotten Book
Michigan Roll by Tom Kakonis
The great neglected forgotten writer in my opinion is Tom Kakonis.
He
wrote a wondrous series of novels featuring an ex professor who'd
served time and is now eking out a precarious existence in Las Vegas
under the dubious mentorship of a very shady acquaintance.
The
writing is dark dangerous poetry and the violence when it comes, is
sharp and shocking, an air of doomed menace looms over the novels like a
palpable cloud.
Michigan Roll, perhaps the very best in the series,, is a true forgotten classic.
Kakonis abandoned this stunning series and now writes under a different name.
The atmosphere of being damned, of no hope, of no redemption is noir like you rarely read.
The characterization is superb and the sheer agony of seeing a decent man
who never caught a break and knows he is screwed is heart wrenching.
12 comments:
Kakonis died in 2018. What was the other name he used? Another book appeared before his death. https://leegoldberg.com/remembering-tom-kakonis.
Ken Bruen is also now dead.
Kakonis also wrote as "Adam Barrow" (FLAWLESS, 1995, and BLIND SPOT, 1997).
Thanks, Jerry. I know I read his first couple of books at least, back when they first came out, and I seem to have bought the third in the Waverly series (SHADOW COUNTER) 10 years ago. Of course, I still haven't read it.
Yes, Ken died a few months ago. I have read most of his books but still haven't gotten to Kakonis.
I have a stack of Ken Bruen books waiting to be read. I'll track down Tom Kakonis.
Thank you Jerry.
Thanks to all of you for stopping by.
George, while you'll enjoy the Jack Taylor series, you should also check out Bruen's earlier stuff, especially the crazy, over the top series about Brant & Roberts.
Speaking of over the top, Hard Case Crome is releasing an omnibus editioon of Bruen and Jason Starr's Max & Angela series (BUST [2006], SLIDE [2007]. and THE MAX [2006]) in November as SUPERMAX. I believe the fourth in the series, PIMP [2016] will also be reissued. Great stuff!
Thanks for keeping the memes rolling, Patti! I haven't read Kakonis yet, either, but it's a memorable byline...I wonder if his latter-day publishers thought a Greek name was contributing to poor sales. (Or if he just wanted to go off in another direction.)
Sorry about missing the notice about Bruen...and the greater sadness behind it.
I am glad to see this review. I bought this book at the annual book sale two years and haven't read it yet.
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