Dennis Lehane

[GeddyRulz]

I've been tearing through the books of Dennis Lehane lately, and I won't stop until I've read his whole catalog.

 

What got me started was his novel "Mystic River," which was the basis for the Oscar-winning film starring Sean Penn and Tim Robbins. It was an awesome book!

 

Then I read Lehane's most recent book, "Shutter Island." Not as good, and it had a "suprise ending" that I predicted, but still very good. Now I'm reading Lehane's first five books, a series of suspense novels featuring the same pair of private investigators - Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. (I'm finishing the 2nd in the series and heading for book three.) This is just pure sugar candy for fans of detective fiction and suspense novels. I recommend all of Lehane's books, particularly the brilliant "Mystic River."

 

Any other fans? I guess this guy has some kind of following, like James Patterson or something.

[lerxt1990]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Aug 8 2007, 03:56 PM)

I've been tearing through the books of Dennis Lehane lately, and I won't stop until I've read his whole catalog. What got me started was his novel "Mystic River," which was the basis for the Oscar-winning film starring Sean Penn and Tim Robbins. It was an awesome book! Then I read Lehane's most recent book, "Shutter Island." Not as good, and it had a "suprise ending" that I predicted, but still very good. Now I'm reading Lehane's first five books, a series of suspense novels featuring the same pair of private investigators - Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. (I'm finishing the 2nd in the series and heading for book three.) This is just pure sugar candy for fans of detective fiction and suspense novels. I recommend all of Lehane's books, particularly the brilliant "Mystic River." Any other fans? I guess this guy has some kind of following, like James Patterson or something.

IM looking for someone new to start reading, maybe Ill give him a try...

[treeduck]

I read Sacred back in 1997 and I wasn't impressed at all. It was totally unconvincing. Compared to people like James Ellroy, Joe Lansdale, George Pelicanos, James Hall, Elmore Leonard, Michael Connolly he's merely treading water...

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (lerxt1990 @ Aug 8 2007, 05:57 PM)

IM looking for someone new to start reading...

Get these, then!

[lerxt1990]

Looks interesting!

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (treeduck @ Aug 8 2007, 06:30 PM)

I read Sacred back in 1997 and I wasn't impressed at all. It was totally unconvincing. Compared to people like James Ellroy, Joe Lansdale, George Pelicanos, James Hall, Elmore Leonard, Michael Connolly he's merely treading water...

I'm not familiar with all of those authors, but I know some of them. I wouldn't necessarily recommend Lehane to fans of more "artsy" fare; it'd be like recommending the plays of Neil Simon to a Shakespeare fan.

 

Ellroy and Hall are stylists; Lehane is more of a populist suspense author, similar to James Patterson but with a little bit of a "modern noir" feel. (Ellroy does real noir, like classic Dash Hammett and Raymond Chandler.)

 

I haven't read "Sacred" yet - it's the third book in the Kenzie/Gennaro series, and I'm still finishing book two - but maybe it wasn't the best representation of Lehane? "Mystic River" is more literary; perhaps you'd like that one if you dislike populist stuff.

 

 

 

[lerxt1990]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Aug 8 2007, 09:35 PM)

QUOTE (treeduck @ Aug 8 2007, 06:30 PM) I read Sacred back in 1997 and I wasn't impressed at all. It was totally unconvincing. Compared to people like James Ellroy, Joe Lansdale, George Pelicanos, James Hall, Elmore Leonard, Michael Connolly he's merely treading water... I'm not familiar with all of those authors, but I know some of them. I wouldn't necessarily recommend Lehane to fans of more "artsy" fare; it'd be like recommending the plays of Neil Simon to a Shakespeare fan.   Ellroy and Hall are stylists; Lehane is more of a populist suspense author, similar to James Patterson but with a little bit of a "modern noir" feel. (Ellroy does real noir, like classic Dash Hammett and Raymond Chandler.)   I haven't read "Sacred" yet - it's the third book in the Kenzie/Gennaro series, and I'm still finishing book two - but maybe it wasn't the best representation of Lehane? "Mystic River" is more literary; perhaps you'd like that one if you dislike populist stuff. I prefer more lowbrow pop fiction..

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (lerxt1990 @ Aug 8 2007, 09:52 PM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Aug 8 2007, 09:35 PM) QUOTE (treeduck @ Aug 8 2007, 06:30 PM) I read Sacred back in 1997 and I wasn't impressed at all. It was totally unconvincing. Compared to people like James Ellroy, Joe Lansdale, George Pelicanos, James Hall, Elmore Leonard, Michael Connolly he's merely treading water... I'm not familiar with all of those authors, but I know some of them. I wouldn't necessarily recommend Lehane to fans of more "artsy" fare; it'd be like recommending the plays of Neil Simon to a Shakespeare fan.   Ellroy and Hall are stylists; Lehane is more of a populist suspense author, similar to James Patterson but with a little bit of a "modern noir" feel. (Ellroy does real noir, like classic Dash Hammett and Raymond Chandler.)   I haven't read "Sacred" yet - it's the third book in the Kenzie/Gennaro series, and I'm still finishing book two - but maybe it wasn't the best representation of Lehane? "Mystic River" is more literary; perhaps you'd like that one if you dislike populist stuff. I prefer more lowbrow pop fiction.. Then check out Lehane.

[GeddyRulz]

 

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/09/18/books/given-day-190.jpg

 

I'm giving this another try. I had taken it from the library when it was a new, 14-day loan, and barely cracked it. Now I've gotten it for Christmas. With each new book now, Lehane is becoming more "literary" and less "populist." This one is very ambitious and 700-pages long.

 

Like many books which must first establish setting and characters, it takes about 100 pages before it really gets going... but then it takes off. I finished a chapter on Sunday night and was like "Man! That was totally badass!" Now I'm nearing page 200.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jan 12 2010, 03:09 AM)

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/09/18/books/given-day-190.jpg I'm giving this another try. I had taken it from the library when it was a new, 14-day loan, and barely cracked it. Now I've gotten it for Christmas. With each new book now, Lehane is becoming more "literary" and less "populist." This one is very ambitious and 700-pages long. Like many books which must first establish setting and characters, it takes about 100 pages before it really gets going... but then it takes off. I finished a chapter on Sunday night and was like "Man! That was totally badass!" Now I'm nearing page 200.

About 100 pages to go, and I'm very impressed with this novel. This was terrific.

 

Highly recommended, if anyone cares.

[Mara]

Shutter Island was the first of Lehane's books I read. Then I had to go check out the rest of them. No, it's not "great" literature, but the man can write.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 18 2010, 08:59 PM)

Shutter Island was the first of Lehane's books I read. Then I had to go check out the rest of them. No, it's not "great" literature, but the man can write.

Mystic River and The Given Day are definitely more "literary" than the others. And even a couple of the novels in the Kenzie/Genarro detective series were a cut above. Gone, Baby, Gone (which became a movie directed by Ben Affleck) was deeply layered, and it leaves the reader with a moral dilemma at the end for which I don't think there's a "correct" answer. When I finished that book, I was like, "Wow. So which side is right? There's a plus and minus for each!" It left me thinking, and I don't see that in most detective novels. Darkness, Take My Hand was also a deeply layered detective novel in that series. (The other three in the series: Meh.)

 

I think Lehane is becoming more of a "serious" novelist. The Given Day was very ambitious, and I think it succeeds.

[Mara]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jan 19 2010, 12:04 AM)

QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 18 2010, 08:59 PM) Shutter Island was the first of Lehane's books I read.  Then I had to go check out the rest of them.  No, it's not "great" literature, but the man can write. Mystic River and The Given Day are definitely more "literary" than the others. And even a couple of the novels in the Kenzie/Genarro detective series were a cut above. Gone, Baby, Gone (which became a movie directed by Ben Affleck) was deeply layered, and it leaves the reader with a moral dilemma at the end for which I don't think there's a "correct" answer. When I finished that book, I was like, "Wow. So which side is right? There's a plus and minus for each!" It left me thinking, and I don't see that in most detective novels. Darkness, Take My Hand was also a deeply layered detective novel in that series. (The other three in the series: Meh.)   I think Lehane is becoming more of a "serious" novelist. The Given Day was very ambitious, and I think it succeeds. So you didn't think much of Prayers For Rain? That one kind of got to me. The ending was a little sloppy, but otherwise I quite liked it.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 18 2010, 11:31 PM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jan 19 2010, 12:04 AM) QUOTE (Mara @ Jan 18 2010, 08:59 PM) Shutter Island was the first of Lehane's books I read.  Then I had to go check out the rest of them.  No, it's not "great" literature, but the man can write. Mystic River and The Given Day are definitely more "literary" than the others. And even a couple of the novels in the Kenzie/Genarro detective series were a cut above. Gone, Baby, Gone (which became a movie directed by Ben Affleck) was deeply layered, and it leaves the reader with a moral dilemma at the end for which I don't think there's a "correct" answer. When I finished that book, I was like, "Wow. So which side is right? There's a plus and minus for each!" It left me thinking, and I don't see that in most detective novels. Darkness, Take My Hand was also a deeply layered detective novel in that series. (The other three in the series: Meh.)   I think Lehane is becoming more of a "serious" novelist. The Given Day was very ambitious, and I think it succeeds. So you didn't think much of Prayers For Rain? That one kind of got to me. The ending was a little sloppy, but otherwise I quite liked it. I remember Sacred and Prayers for Rain as being the worst two of the series, particularly Sacred. They weren't as densely plotted and they seemed rushed-to-print in comparison with Lehane's others. (Not that this is necesarily a tell, but they also happened to be his shortest.)     It's like another of my favorite novelists, John Irving. The Fourth Hand came out very close to his previous novel (A Widow for One Year), which is very unusual for an author who's normally four years or more between books. Irving himself said he cranked it out in no time and rushed it to print, looking for it to get optioned into a movie screenplay. The lameness of the book shows, especially in comparison to his other novels. (And I just learned that he published another new novel back in late October that I didn't know about, Last Night in Twisted River. I wonder if this one will also be a bad novel, since it came so soon after his last one, Until I Find You.)

[GhostGirl]

I'm thinking of reading Shutter Island - I've seen the previews for the movie, which I don't want to see...but I'm intrigued by the storyline.

 

I've read Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Feb 5 2010, 10:23 AM)

I'm thinking of reading Shutter Island - I've seen the previews for the movie, which I don't want to see...but I'm intrigued by the storyline. I've read Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone.

Scorcese doing a creepy Lehane story doesn't intrigue you? How come?

[GhostGirl]

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Feb 5 2010, 09:31 AM)

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Feb 5 2010, 10:23 AM) I'm thinking of reading Shutter Island - I've seen the previews for the movie, which I don't want to see...but I'm intrigued by the storyline. I've read Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone. Scorcese doing a creepy Lehane story doesn't intrigue you? How come? Dunno...   Sometimes I just don't enjoy scary movies in the theater. I'm a big wuss.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Feb 5 2010, 10:23 AM)

I'm thinking of reading Shutter Island - I've seen the previews for the movie, which I don't want to see...but I'm intrigued by the storyline. I've read Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone.

So far, you've read two of his best.

 

I saw the "surprise ending" for Shutter Island coming from miles away. It's an okay book, but not as good as Mystic River or The Given Day or even a couple of the books in the Kenzie/Gennaro series (Darkness, Take My Hand and Gone, Baby, Gone).

 

An interesting thing I've noticed about Lehane's catalog: I believe his even-numbered books are excellent and his odd-numbered books are only "okay" or totally "meh." So far, every other book has been outstanding, alternated with a "just okay" book. I almost wonder if this is by design, with Lehane cranking out the odd-numbered books too quickly and working harder on the others. Or, if we want to get "conspiracy theory" about it: what if Lehane was in cahoots with a ghost writer, the two of them taking turns releasing books in Lehane's name; one of them wrote the great stuff while the other wrote the blander stuff? In any case, if Lehane's streak of okay/excellent/okay/excellent books continues, it means his next book will be just "okay." Hopefully, he'll break his streak and release another "excellent" book on the heels of the excellent The Given Day.

 

Odd-numbered novels ("okay" or "meh"):

A Drink Before the War (1, Kenzie/Gennaro)

Sacred (3, Kenzie/Gennaro)

Prayers for Rain (5, Kenzie/Gennaro)

Shutter Island (7)

 

Even-numbered novels ("excellent"):

Darkness, Take My Hand (2, Kenzie/Gennaro)

Gone, Baby, Gone (4, Kenzie/Gennaro)

Mystic River (6)

The Given Day (8)

[GhostGirl]

I finished Shutter Island a couple of days ago, and I really liked it. Maybe because I was too busy to really think about the "twist" that I knew was coming (after reading GR's post ) I was surprised about how it turned out.

 

I MIGHT reconsider seeing the movie now...maybe...

 

Right now I'm reading a book that my son recommended called The Hunger Games. He read it and really enjoyed it. He told me about it and now thinks it's pretty cool that I'm reading it too.

[GeddyRulz]

[blackeyedpig]

I'm reading through Lehane's books right now and I came across this in "Prayers for Rain" which brought me here looking to see if you guys had picked up on it. I'll try and type it out verbatim but I apologize if I screw it up, I working off the paperback copy scanned into google books.

 

"...and a faded farm table stood behind the couch under what I believe were original paintings by Pollock and Basquiat and a lithograph by Warhol. I had no problem with the Pollock and Basquiat, though I'd never replace the Marvin the Martian poster in my bedroom with either of them, but I sat in a position so I wouldn't have to look at the Warhol. I think Warhol is to art what Rush is to rock music, which is to say, I think he sucks." Pages 66-67

 

I was surprised that when I came here looking for someone to let loose on Lehane with guns blazing that instead I found an intelligent discussion of his work. Did you just miss this or are you able to take the high road?

 

If only I didn't agree with him.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (blackeyedpig @ Jan 4 2011, 06:02 PM)

I'm reading through Lehane's books right now and I came across this in "Prayers for Rain" which brought me here looking to see if you guys had picked up on it. I'll try and type it out verbatim but I apologize if I screw it up, I working off the paperback copy scanned into google books. "...and a faded farm table stood behind the couch under what I believe were original paintings by Pollock and Basquiat and a lithograph by Warhol. I had no problem with the Pollock and Basquiat, though I'd never replace the Marvin the Martian poster in my bedroom with either of them, but I sat in a position so I wouldn't have to look at the Warhol. I think Warhol is to art what Rush is to rock music, which is to say, I think he sucks." Pages 66-67 I was surprised that when I came here looking for someone to let loose on Lehane with guns blazing that instead I found an intelligent discussion of his work. Did you just miss this or are you able to take the high road?

I caught that, and sent it to our friend Eric, who maintains the awesome Rush website "Power Windows." www.2112.net/powerwindows He has a full list of Rush references in other works. He took the information I gave him and added it to his website.

 

QUOTE

If only I didn't agree with him.

 

So you also think Rush sucks? Thanks for visiting our site. I guess you won't be staying?

Edited January 5, 2011 by GeddyRulz

[blackeyedpig]

I work with a guy who is a huge Rush fan and I'm kept up to date through him about what the band is doing. The music doesn't appeal to me in the same way that Yes's music doesn't appeal to me. Growing up in the mid '70's to early '80's there were always people trying to make a point that the guys in Rush were great musicians as if virtuosity equaled greatness.

 

I'm a Dylan fan, a Stones fan, a Ramones fan. Hell, no one is ever going to make an argument that the Ramones were great musicians but watching them explode through a 22 song set in under 90 minutes sure was fun; gave me a sense of joy that I never got from listening to Rush.

 

So yeah, I'm probably not going to drop by much. I do believe that reasonable people can have reasonable disagreements and that your critique of Lehane was thoughtful and well written. I have to say that I really liked Prayers for Rain even if the ending was a little too neat. I saw the end of Mystic River coming from early in the book but I was more surprised by Moonlight Mile. I'm 60% through Gone Baby Gone right now but I've seen that movie so it's like a giant anti-climax. I'll be going back to the beginning next with A Drink Before the War.

 

Nice chatting with you and sorry for the cheap shot. Sometimes I can be a little petty. I'm working on it.