Peter Walker (pw@pw.cablenet.co.uk)
Sat, 4 Dec 1999 14:35:46 +0000
"Chocolate Lizards" Cole Thompson Pub No Exit (UK)
As they say in East Texas (apparently): Sharper'n a snake's
ass an smarter than a shithouse rat. This is a sure fire
winner. Great fun, lots of laughs, plenty of plot and
character and well written to boot. It can't fail. Commentary
Immediate impact in a first chapter which has got it all. Guy
gets of Greyhound bus in windswept Texas town with no money
etc. Makes you want to read more. There are moments of
amateurish writing but this is largely youthful (?)
enthusiasm. The relationshipbetween the two central
characters - the older Roughneck Merle and the Yankee kid
Erwin - runs through the book and is handled really well.
Some real side cracking moments of laughter. Added to this
there are some good little moments slipped in to the story
and the plot/action is always on the go. You aren't quite
sure what will happen next but you want to find out. Little
gripe: sometime the good old Texas talk gets lost in the
translation eg "Butchoo" = "But you" and
"Ever'thayng" = "everything" but, hell, it's an education.
Its not a`top of the range' writing style a la Woodrell but
Thompson has a good eye for descriptions/action and a good
ear for dialogue. Youthful exuberance carries it though. Look
out for the inevitable comparisons with Jim Thompson even if
they aren't entirely justified other than something like "The
best novel about wildcat oil rigs since...". There is a very
good description of working on a rig. As you know I love my
minor characters and see them as an indicator that a writer
is giving his all. Thompson doesn't let us down with some
wildly off the wall characters such as Scheermyer who has the
complete works of Penthouse and the voluptuous Tex-Ann big
Love (I think that's a made up name, by the way). They
certainly live up to their billing. Good touch of North V
South in it all which brings to mind that wacky TV
programme
"Northern Exposure" (if you ever saw it) but its got that
kind of feel to it. The whole plot centres on Merles rush to
strike oil and all the obstacles in his way. It has a great
conclusion to it which has you turning the pages not knowing
whats going of happen. Good down beat ending. Pete recomends
- so but it. Pete
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