--- William Denton <
buff@pobox.com> wrote:
> I don't think this got mentioned on the list. I
saw
> it on Sarah Weinman's
> blog at http://www.sarahweinman.com/
(which is one
> to follow, and where
> Mr. Starr recently held guest control):
>
>
>
http://lostpages.net/blog/2004/08/crossgenre-noir-50-favourites.html
>
> LaLumiere says the list "is my personal 'top
50'
> noir books -- including
> collections and novels -- regardless of
primary
> genre affiliation: horror,
> crime, SF, 'mainstream', etc." There's quite a
bit
> of SF on the list, and
> at least one book I seriously disagree with
(Donna
> Tartt's THE SECRET
> HISTORY). He's missing a number of writers I'm
sure
> most of us would add
> just because he hasn't read them yet, but
what's
> there is interesting and
> looks like great reading.
>
> Bill
That's an extremely interesting list, thanks.
Of what I've read:
I agree that a lot of Ballard edges into noir, as does a lot
of dystopian SF of that era more generally. My only
hesitation is that the noir protagonist is usually an
individual, while a lot of SF of this era is more
sociological, "case-studyish" in approach. Let's just say
that someone who likes O'Connell would probably like CRASH
and especially HIGH RISE, which is crying out for a David
Cronenberg movie.
I don't think DYING INSIDE really fits, as it's more a
"this is the way we live now" downbeat novel of the Sixties
(ala Ann Beattie, say)with some sf elements. Great book,
though.
A SF novel that might fit is THE SHOCKWAVE RIDER by John
Brunner.
THE SECRET HISTORY isn't noir, but could have been with a
change or shift in pov. As it stands it's more a classic
example of the "university" novel, with a thriller plot.
Great book, though.
I'm not a huge fan of the BERLIN NOIR trilogy, but the first
book, MARCH VIOLETS, is remarkable.
One obvious sub-genre that might be appreciated by noir fans
would be the grimmer British spy novels ala Le Carre, Len
Deighton, Joseph Hone (THE SIXTH DIRECTIVE), Noel Behn's THE
KREMLIN LETTER,etc.
doug
doug
===== Doug Bassett
dj_bassett@yahoo.com
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