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Yet Spenser drags Susan along to his job, sees his Arch Enemy and does NOTHING. That is now said. It would be OK if she would do something. One in which he gets hired, one to go to the wedding see Gray Man, kill him and then a wrap up chapter.
Or better yet, make a couple of books with barely a reference to her at all. Despite the fact that the rest of the book is pretty standard (if not tired) RBP Spenser, the whole book does not work because of the beginning. It is his JOB to be there for his employer. I am a long time RBP fan. Don't waste your money. Also, wayyyyyy too much Susan.
By now it is like watching paint dry when she is in a chapter. Let something happen to her like some of the previous novels.
Quick fix for most of this book:If RBP had not let The Gray Man be seen at the start of the wedding and let it be a surprise later that it was him, the book would have worked and everyone would be happy (at least I would have). However, this book should have been 3 chapters long.
Thank goodness, I got this one from the Library. What the hell did he think GM was there for.
At bare minimum Susan should have been sent home and Hawk called in to deal with this. I give it two stars just because of RBP.
I just cant believe ole Spense let it happen that way.
In fact, he's the one foe who has come closest to ending Spenser's reign. Throughout this series Spenser's fans could always count upon his quick wit, fast hands, an unshakeable ethical code, and his "See It Through to the End" credo. He and his allies (most notably his paramour Susan Silverman and his tougher-than-nails sidekick Hawk) have meted out their own special justice in over three dozen mysteries--most but not all in the Boston area. Spenser may finally be facing the one fundamental foe he cannot vanquish, the one enemy he cannot overcome: a languid Robert B. Parker is just earning a paycheck.As I read "Rough Weather" I once again watched as all the basic elements were wheeled out: the sexy repartee between Our Hero and the perpetually "ready for a roll in the hay" Ms. We know that Spenser is going to run up against some amalgamate of evil corporate types; sexually frustrated women who spin out of control when he walks by; pseudo intellectuals who appear to know it all but are only a Spenser quip away from a humbling experience; tough brutes who would scare the pants off you and me, but Spenser and Hawk routinely dispatch like they're swatting flies, and the perennially steamy repartee between Spenser and Susan, who falls into a swoon with him about a dozen times a book.Unfortunately, I think, after all of this time, that P.I.
And I loved Parker's spare writing style, one that always seemed to me to symbolize how Hemingway would have written had he a sense of humor.That is, until recently. During the interim I felt I always got what I'd paid for: humor, adventure, a clever plot, and a compelling case that moored my guy in a quandary that required an unusual and clever resolution. Not usually a naysayer, I've heard the complaints of others and yet I tried to ignore what they were saying: the formula is getting stale; there have been too many trips to the well; no new ground is being broken. But I hung in there.the books were still fun, and I'd rather spend my time inside Spenser's head, even on a bad day, than with most characters on their best. First on, let's focus on the positives: for almost four decades the Spenser stories have collectively been, without doubt, one of the greatest detective series ever. It's kind of a.well.a boredom has set in. Like so many other fans, I think Mr.
Silverman; the racially centered badinage between him and Hawk (whose most essential feature lately is to alternate his speaking style between that of a street thug and a college graduate); the inevitable punch out scene where our Hunk knocks out a tough guy; and the women who throw themselves at him but he remains true to Dear Old Sue.But it goes further than even that: in "Rough Weather," the antagonist doesn't even remain consistent within his own characterization. He's appeared before, and up until now the most interesting thing about him has been his sheer professionalism; he is maddeningly thorough and NEVER makes a mistake. It's not just that for the umpteenth time he's re-treading an old character, doing more or less a sequel. Whether the cases involved a missing person, a cheating spouse, personal security, or even carrying out vengeance, Spenser's work always carried with it an ethical dilemma from which true justice would have to be extracted, with or without the consent of his employer.I've been reading these novels ever since my late college years in the early 1970s ("The Godwulf Manuscript"), and I have always been enthused every time a new Spenser paperback hit the shelves. But by the end of this novel he's behaving like a sniveling fool.
But with "Rough Weather," I have to admit that I, too, am getting bored. No, it's more than that. And yes, everything HAS been done before. Parker, who has gotten too comfortable himself, and is content with doing what Our Hero never would: phoning it in.
Spenser brings Susan for the weekend nuptials, and meets up with a recycled character called the Gray Man. Apparently Spenser knows everyone in Boston law enforcement, and they enjoy his help and witty dialogue. This is the first Spenser book that I have read, although of course we all know the 1970's TV show. Next all hell breaks loose, the Gray Man disrupts the wedding, kidnaps the bride, and murders the minister and the groom. Parker does not write for the book to be read aloud, but Mantegna gives it his best and he is an accomplished actor. Apparently the name is due to his clothing, not the one-dimensional aspect of his character. Spenser follows various leads, crosses paths with unsavory characters, shoots a few of them, and settles into a quiet lifestyle with Susan and his side-kick Hawk.
Lucky break that, since it seemed Spenser was stuck in solving the crime, and more interested in weekend trips and quiet dinners with Susan.All in all, not a bad read. in this caper, Spenser is hired by a mysterious woman, to provide undefined services at her daughter's wedding on her remote island estate. After chasing down leads, pushing people to tell him more than they should, and boxing matches with minor characters, the Gray Man shows up and explains the whole thing to Spenser. Spenser and the Gray Man have been on the opposite sides of previous rhubarbs, but apparently have reached a rapproachment, driven by mutual respect, neither will harm the other or anyone from the other's camp. Spenser seems ambivalent about the whole encounter, somewhat non-chalantly finds Susan and makes his return to Boston.Now the detective part commences. The audio version is good with a spirited Joe Mantegna doing the voices. Too bad they are not still churning out Rockford Files episodes, that was a much better 1970's TV show than Spenser, although Barbara Stock was hotter than Rockford's scrawny girlfriends.
So, this is the first Spenser novel I have read from Robert B. Enjoy the beginning, middle and end. Yes, there were some parts that were a bit cliched, but for the most part, it was one of those books that sort of involves you into the storyline.
Someone had wanted to get rid of all their books and I decided to take some, one of them being 'Rough Weather'. I won't go into much detail, but let's just say that it is a mystery that will keep you going and thinking of how it all will eventually turn out. Parker.
The story begins in a detective's office and ends there, which was a neat way to start and end it. So, on a rainy day I decided to take it out and read it. After going through it in 2 days, I must say that I found it to be a very easy read and hard to put down.
The characters are few, but that makes for good characterization with each one, which makes me wonder how the other Spenser novels must be like. Take this book for what it is.a mystery you can pick up on a rainy day and enjoy.
Other reviewers who have been less than thrilled with the book have noted that the characters, dialogue and plots are getting a little tired. She mentioned that at one point she referred the young woman to a 'pediatrician.' Following this, the doctor appears to magically change into a psychologist/psychiatrist. Much as I love the series, I think I have to agree, and I think better editing would help. For example, in this book, Spenser is talking to the headmistress of the school the kidnapped victim attended. He refers to himself as a 'shrink' and Susan mentions him in that context. That's really getting complacent, on the part of the writer and the editor.
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