by Robert B. Parker
I think most of us have read all of the light mysteries by Robert Parker. Well, at least I have, if only the ones in our local libraries – the Spenser novels, the Jesse Stone books, and the ones featuring the lady detective (her name escapes me right now – it’s not that she’s not memorable, it’s that my recall faculties are going the way of other functions).
I was browsing the stacks for a new supply of leisure reading the other day, and briefly scanned the Parker section to see if there was any possibility I had missed any. Truth be told, the snappy dialogue between Hawk and Spenser grows a bit tiresome for me, but who knows what treasures lurk in the nether reaches. Sure enough, down on the bottom shelf was a dog-eared volume with a film noir cover illustration.
Copyrighted in 1991, “Perchance to Dream”, was touted as a sequel to Chandler’s “Big Sleep”; the concept was so intriguing I couldn’t let it go by.
I’m glad I didn’t!
Parker manages to merge Chandler’s style with his own almost seamlessly. He even inserts italicized segments of Raymond’s original text to provide continuity. Here we have the further adventures of those vivid characters Eddie Mars, Vivian, her crazy sister Carmen, and, of course, Philip Marlowe. Parker’s Marlowe is as wise-assy as Spenser, but with the patois of the 1940’s when a gun was a “rod”, and being “wired” meant being connected with the power wielders.
A fun read if you haven’t enjoyed it before. Parker’s craftsmanship really shows in this old one.
Reviewed by Ken West
I was browsing the stacks for a new supply of leisure reading the other day, and briefly scanned the Parker section to see if there was any possibility I had missed any. Truth be told, the snappy dialogue between Hawk and Spenser grows a bit tiresome for me, but who knows what treasures lurk in the nether reaches. Sure enough, down on the bottom shelf was a dog-eared volume with a film noir cover illustration.
Copyrighted in 1991, “Perchance to Dream”, was touted as a sequel to Chandler’s “Big Sleep”; the concept was so intriguing I couldn’t let it go by.
I’m glad I didn’t!
Parker manages to merge Chandler’s style with his own almost seamlessly. He even inserts italicized segments of Raymond’s original text to provide continuity. Here we have the further adventures of those vivid characters Eddie Mars, Vivian, her crazy sister Carmen, and, of course, Philip Marlowe. Parker’s Marlowe is as wise-assy as Spenser, but with the patois of the 1940’s when a gun was a “rod”, and being “wired” meant being connected with the power wielders.
A fun read if you haven’t enjoyed it before. Parker’s craftsmanship really shows in this old one.
Reviewed by Ken West
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