King Suckerman by George P. Pelecanos Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of King Suckerman
Book Review: Rent Pulp Fiction instead
Summary: 1 Stars
Maybe it's just me but this whole violence being cool thing has wore very thin for me. This is not the 70's that I remember though I'm sure at some level it existed. This book reminds me of a 70's version of "Less Than Zero"; worthless unredeeming characters caught in worthless unredeeming lives. A pathetic "Pulp Fiction" ripoff and a waste of time. I mean "Superfly" was one thing but this?Book Review: Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll
Summary: 4 Stars
Probably a more appropriate title for the book would have been "Sex, Drugs and Rock `n' Roll". All the action takes place amidst a heaping helping of all three "pleasures". King Suckerman is set in the late 70s and really focuses closely on the drug scene in and around Washington DC. To describe it, I would say it's Cheech and Chong meets Reservoir Dogs.Cheech and Chong because everyone seems to be stoned, getting stoned or looking to get stoned. As a result, I just couldn't take the characters all that seriously, even those with murderous intent. Reservoir Dogs because, at times, the violence was very graphic, the bad guys took no prisoners and the undercurrent of menace was constant.
It's an unusual book in that there really is no obvious lead character. Dimitri Karras is the nearest thing to the lead. He is a deadbeat who gets by dealing pot and playing pickup basketball games.
The pace is frenetic, there's definitely never a dull moment, mayhem abounds and there's a nice little cameo by Nick Stefanos for all the insiders who have read "Nick's Trip". I enjoyed it, it was very entertaining.
Book Review: Suckerman is pure funk. Oh yeah!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Open this book and you can hear Issac Hayes say: "Shaft's one bad mother - shut your mouth - just talking 'bout Shaft." Excellent characters, and a great soundtrack. This book rocks, no wait a minute it funks. That's what I'm talking 'bout. As James Brown would say, "Make it funky!"Book Review: Superbad, Superfine, Super 70s all the time...
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't have much time here, but I just had to chuck down a quick review of this fantastic book. I began this book at the start of an interstate car journey and by the time we had stopped, I had pretty much read most of it. This book rips along from the very first page, with an amazing attention to detail, interesting and believable (in a way) characters, great cross-cutting, and wonderful evocacation of the 70s. The story has already been cited here already, so I won't recap, but you care for the characters you like and you're in awe or fear of the others. Referencing all kinds of 70s trappings, music, films, Iceberg Slim, muscle cars etc, you feel like you're watching an awesome film and indeed I'd be less than surprised if it was made into one. I only hope it's by the right people, not someone like Sean Puffy Combs, who would probably cast Jennifer Lopez in the role of Virginia.
I only hope Pelecanos' other books are as good as this.
Book Review: Terrible book!
Summary: 1 Stars
This was my first book by this author, and I don't think I want to read another. I like the genre of "hard-boiled" detective novels, but Pelecanos obviously thinks "scummy" means the same. There's not one likable character in the book, nor is there a believable one. A small potatoes dope dealer and a record store owner who pride themselves on knowing the bass player for Funkadelic do not compelling protagonists make. A real bummer and a chore to read. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!