I know what you mean, there is something of a contrivance in setting up the situation. Where Westlake/Stark sold it to me was in the details that convinced me it was a real environment. The amusement park being closed, snowbound, with the electricity turned off, it loses all of its front and just becomes buildings, shacks, sidewalks, stopped machines, and the landscape, with a fence around it. Parker's clothes get wet, he has change into summer clothes from out of a gift shop and layer them on. The only weapons are a few cheap souvenir knives, the only food a box of candy bars in a desk drawer. Those kind of details rang so true to me. And his ultimate solution for getting out made sense too. Once he put it in play I totally bought it.
Maybe my taste in Parker novels is weird. I loved "Green Eagle Score" all out of proportion too.
Tom Armstrong
--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "acoe170" <acoe170@...> wrote:
>
> Slayground reminded me of the various thrillers that try to recreate the experience of a violent video game in book form. I don't like violent video games. I don't like the books. Too stagey and contrived. I like the Parkers that occur in more-or-less real settings.
>
> --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "tomarmstrongmusic" <tom@> wrote:
> >
> > Got the latest batch of Parker reprints, tore through "Deadly Edge" and then got to "Slayground". Wow. I don't even...I mean this book...it's...
> >
> > It's the ultimate expression of something. I don't know what exactly, but it's the most...it's the epitome of...
> >
> > I'm just speechless, with my tongue hanging out. I found that book to be incredible. What were other readers reactions to this thing?
> >
> > Tom Armstrong
> >
>
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