"How many deadbeats are in this town just sitting around waiting for a chance, any chance, to get out? Those are the guys we want. They’ll drive your"How many deadbeats are in this town just sitting around waiting for a chance, any chance, to get out? Those are the guys we want. They’ll drive your trucks, Humphrey. They’d drive them through hell and high water. By God, they’d crawl on their hands and knees with the stuff on their backs, just so they earned their fare to Mexico. And no strings attached to them. No next of kin if they don’t make it." Good thrillers are built on how well their plots provide excitement without showing gaps or leaps, and it's hard to find a thriller that does it better than Wages of Fear. An oil fire that can only be stopped by an explosion removing the oxygen. A poverty-sticked town ruined by the oil company, where some people will do anything to make the cash to get somewhere else. The job? Transport several tons of nitroglycerin up rocky roads to the oil fire. Being a 1950s French existentialist thriller, things will likely not end happily. I'm unsure whether it becomes more nihilism than tragedy at the end, and whether the symbolism elevates it to something larger. The satire of large corporations exploiting South America certainly still feels relevant today....more
Amazing job of flashing out Robin Hood's origin story, capturing the influences-pagan or christian, Saxon or Norman-that pool and pushes your life, anAmazing job of flashing out Robin Hood's origin story, capturing the influences-pagan or christian, Saxon or Norman-that pool and pushes your life, and form him into the character we know. Also does a brilliant job of making us very invested in his story and setting even though none of the classic Robin Hood moments have arrived yet. Very well crafted start to what looks to be a fun series....more
As crass as the first book, but with an equally clever plot. The "what if a working class Londoner rose up the culture ranks by becoming a James BondAs crass as the first book, but with an equally clever plot. The "what if a working class Londoner rose up the culture ranks by becoming a James Bond style spy" concept proves to still be fascinating....more
I cut my teeth reading the 80-90s edgier Hardy Boys case file series, but somehow they never matched up to these older, less gimmicky boys own adventuI cut my teeth reading the 80-90s edgier Hardy Boys case file series, but somehow they never matched up to these older, less gimmicky boys own adventure stories....more
The timeline for the story appears to be about 20 years after the Vietnam War, which fits with my theory that The Last Chance Detectives are the GooniThe timeline for the story appears to be about 20 years after the Vietnam War, which fits with my theory that The Last Chance Detectives are the Goonies without the profanity. In fact, the best Last Chance Detective stories always seem to be ones that feel really threatening (much like an 80s adventure film) and just barely plausible, even as they avoid the blood and swearing we associate with Goonies, Temple of Doom, Gremlins, etc. This story hits that sweet spot pretty well, although it may not be as plausible as some other installments. Very exciting, very intense, and highly amusing when the comedic breaks come. A worthy addition to the franchise....more
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