Re: RARA-AVIS: Survey

From: Msedano@aol.com
Date: 19 Jan 2002


Cast my lot with mark harris. the more the better.

i'm just starting Abella's _Final Acts_. So far, two perspectives. Chapter one, the lawyer, in serif regular font. Chapter two, the other character, bold in sans serif. I appreciate the visual cue. I hope in a few more chapters the characters will assume distinct voices mooting the need for font signals. Decapitated bodies among santeria ritualistic clues. Tough talking cops. Tough talking female cop captain. Unfrazzled hero. It's a lot of fun so far.

One important gloss on "more the btr" the stuff has to be well written! Chicano novelist Alfredo Vea, in his Vietnam war novel, _Gods Go Begging_-- which, Manuel Ramos, I wonder if this Vea might qualify as tending toward the noir? fully noir?-- has a central character and an off-center character whose paths eventually coalesce, along with a small cast of other figures. I wanted the book to be longer so Vea could give me more of those other characters.

(Totally off topic, but among my favorite satires, _Giles Goat-Boy_ has a cast of hundreds, and 700+ pages later, I close the book wanting more! more!).

regards, mvs

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