>Just out of curiosity, are there any sidekick novels
where the >sociopath
>is the main character and the honorable guy is the
sidekick?
>Mark
Carol O'Connell's Kathy Mallory is arguably a sociopath and
she hangs with this sweet unassuming fellow whose name I
can't remember. I've only read
"Mallory's Oracle" and didn't care for it - I liked the
concept but so much of the book consisted of men chuckling
"Wow, that Kathy, man, she sure is crazy." Got on my nerves
after a while as did her beautiful blonde looks and perfect
manicure, uggh. But a lot of people love this series, and
they often mention its reversal of the good/psycho
dynamic.
I don't know about Hawk and Spenser, but I rarely feel like
the sidekick is actually used to keep the hero's hands clean.
There is always a bit of that lurking in the background, but
when it comes down to actual events in the books, I can't
think of Pike doing something Elvis wouldn't have done or
Bubba doing something Patrick wouldn't have done. Lehane does
use "deus ex machina" devices a few times I can think of but
it's usually Patrick's lawyer who works the magic, or in some
cases bad guys finishing each other off. Mouse, at least in
"Devil" is a shadow from Easy's past he'd just as soon get
rid of, and Mosley is obviously using this device very
consciously.
Ditto for Coben - though I despise both Myron and
Win, I assume from their
Kant-and-Machiavelli-do-Abbott-and-Costello routine that the
relationship is set up to make us ponder their actions. .
.etc, etc.
Carrie
*****************
"When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was
drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball
Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonoma,
California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring
afternoon."
-James Crumley, "The Last Good Kiss"
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