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Review
Book Description
They’re thieves. Heisters, to be precise. They’re pros, and Parker is far and away the best of them. If you’re planning a job, you want him in. Tough, smart, hardworking, and relentlessly focused on his trade, he is the heister’s heister, the robber’s robber, the heavy’s heavy. You don’t want to cross him, and you don’t want to get in his way, because he’ll stop at nothing to get what he’s after.
Parker, the ruthless antihero of Richard Stark’s eponymous mystery novels, is one of the most unforgettable characters in hardboiled noir. Lauded by critics for his taut realism, unapologetic amorality, and razor-sharp prose-style—and adored by fans who turn each intoxicating page with increasing urgency—Stark is a master of crime writing, his books as influential as any in the genre. The University of Chicago Press has embarked on a project to return the early volumes of this series to print for a new generation of readers to discover—and become addicted to.
“Westlake knows precisely how to grab a reader, draw him or her into the story, and then slowly tighten his grip until escape is impossible.”—Washington Post Book World
“Elmore Leonard wouldn’t write what he does if Stark hadn’t been there before. And Quentin Tarantino wouldn’t write what he does without Leonard. . . . Old master that he is, Stark does all of them one better.”—Los Angeles Times
“Donald Westlake’s Parker novels are among the small number of books I read over and over. Forget all that crap you’ve been telling yourself about War and Peace and Proust—these are the books you’ll want on that desert island.”—Lawrence Block
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great follow up,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Man with the Getaway Face (Paperback)
You don't need to read the predcessor of this book to enjoy it, but you might as well. This is book is great from start to finish. It is thoroughly enjoyable.
4.0 out of 5 stars
No-Nonsense Criminal,
By Untouchable (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Man with the Getaway Face (Paperback)
Most people who have just had their face reconstructed would be inclined to go through a period of mourning as they lament the loss of their familiar appearance. Not so with Parker. Apart from a quick glance in the mirror to make sure he looked different, he is completely unaffected.This reaction probably best sums up this mysterious and dark character. He always prefers to take the most prudent action rather than be ruled by his emotions, giving him a cold, calculating persona. But these same qualities also make him very efficient and strangely likable. After receiving his new appearance, Parker goes straight back to work in planning an armoured truck heist. He has some misgivings about the job because it involves someone he has never worked with before, but this is just another contingency for him to plan around. Indeed, it appears that Parker has been built with no reverse gear installed. Once a course of action has been planned, it's full steam ahead and as obstacles rise up, as they inevitably do in this caper, he deals with them head on, scarcely breaking stride. This is the second Parker book, following his appearance in The Hunter and is a thoroughly enjoyable story. The no-nonsense attitude of Parker, whether it's going ahead with a plan or casually shooting someone in the ankle makes for very entertaining, if a little cold-blooded, reading.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Parker Is Baaaad!,
By sweetmolly (RICHMOND, VA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Man with the Getaway Face (Paperback)
Richard Stark (Donald Westlake), where have you been all my life? Yes, I have read and enjoyed the Westlake capers, and particularly liked the deft and humorous touches. Who would have dreamed, this same man could come up with Parker?Parker is impersonal, a completely professional robber and sometimes murderer. He rarely murders with any passion, unless you consider "irritation" a strong enough emotion to rate as "passion." We are not told where Parker comes from or how he became the way he is. However, he is by no means a robot. He is skillfully presented with many shadings of character. The title refers to Parker's new face. He has undergone plastic surgery to make himself more anonymous to anyone looking for him. He is quite indifferent to this new face with not a thought to whether it is an improvement or otherwise on the original. The story is a caper that begins dubiously ("too many things to watch out for"), and he is right to be doubtful. In spite of his meticulous planning (a joy to read for sheer professionalism), more and more factors clog up the works. We are saved from a bloodbath because Parker is not a vindictive man. I marvel at the perfection of the writing; the story flows, everything fits and there are no loose ends (Parker would not stand for that.) It's a fast read, and I am now totally addicted. The Parker books are just coming back into print, and those that are not are usually available used. Come join the fun if you like your mysteries and humor very noir.
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