RE: RARA-AVIS: Re: The Tough Cookie Crumbles

From: Ron Clinton (clinton65@comcast.net)
Date: 12 Jun 2009

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    Sorry, Dave -- I didn't catch the mention of "two" novelizations. I haven't read The Undefeated, either (in fact, didn't recall he did any beyond the Ironside item). I suspect, though, like most of his fringe, lesser-known material, it's passable, but nothing to write home about. The only work of his that I've found utterly unreadable and without any redeeming merit is KING BLOOD. That one was just god-awful.

    I've read mixed comments on CHILD OF RAGE, but am too cheap to part with $60 to find out for myself:

    http://www.centipedepress.com/childofrage.html

    I fear it'll be another KING BLOOD, and I'll have felt as though I flushed
    $60 away. I think at this point, if I need a Thompson fix, I'll just re-read one of his classics and be reminded just how tremendously talented he *could* be...though always wasn't.

    But then again, who is?

    Ron C.

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com [mailto:rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com] On
    > Behalf Of davezeltserman
    > Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 1:42 PM
    > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
    > Subject: RARA-AVIS: Re: The Tough Cookie Crumbles
    >
    > I read Golden Gizmo pretty early once I discovered Thompson. I'm going to
    have to
    > give this one another read. I remember liking it enough, although
    disappointed at
    > the time that it wasn't one of his psychotic noir books. I thought
    Ironside as a
    > novelization was decent enough, with flashes of Thompson coming through.
    I liked
    > Texas by the Tail--but then again I like Thompon's two Mitch Allison con
    man
    > shorts, and this played as an extension to those.
    >
    > Ron, how was his other novelization, The Undefeated?
    >
    > --Dave
    >
    >
    > --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "Ron Clinton" <clinton65@...> wrote:
    > >
    > >
    > > >
    > > > > Which Thompson titles specifically are "a far cry form Jim
    > > Thompson"?
    > > >
    > > > Child of Rage, King Blood, The Golden Gizmo, and the two
    novelizations,
    > > just off
    > > > the top of my head.
    > > >
    > > > **********************************
    > > >
    > > > I have missed those titles. To date, however, I have never been
    > > disappointed by a
    > > > Jim Thompson novel.
    > >
    > > Read KING BLOOD and your streak will end.
    > >
    > > I thought THE GOLDEN GIZMO was okay, and haven't read CHILD OF RAGE or
    > the
    > > "Ironside" novelization.
    > >
    > > Ron C.
    > >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > ------------------------------------
    >
    > RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
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    >
    >
    >



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