Book Recommendation: "The Rogues' Game" (crime noir) (1 Viewer)

[Greg_S_H]

There was a write-up in the Dallas Morning News a couple of weeks ago about The Rogues' Game, the first novel by Texas author Milton T. Burton. Burton said he "blazed it off" in less than a month, and then began sending sample chapters to various literary agents. This kind of gave me hope--maybe I could try my hand at writing a novel! The feeling lasted until I was about two pages in, and I realized Burton has an ease of style and an eye for detail that I would never be able to match.

Anyway, if you like crime fiction, you might want to give this one a try. It's a pretty quick read, and it kept me wanting to read "just one more chapter." I'm kind of sorry to see it's only ranked #37,960 at Amazon. It deserves a little more recognition than it's getting. I will say that you're probably better off not reading the Amazon review, as it's best to go in cold.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

 

[James T]

Thanks for the reading material. I'm almost done my latest book, Hit List by Lawrence Block and I'm gonna be in need of something new fast.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I know how that goes. I read the Bond books this year and was at a loss as to what to read next. I still wish I could be under Fleming's spell a while longer. Any Bond-esque suggestions? Early Cussler, maybe?

 

[James T]

I can't give any suggestions for that, but I can give a good thriller series.

I've read the Atticus Kodiak books at least twice in the past year (Critical Space I read three times now), so yeah, it's my favourite book series. There are five books by Greg Rucka that are about a bodyguard protecting his client. Trust me when I say that it goes a lot deeper than that. If you like the way Lawrence Block writes, I can guarentee you'll love these books.

There's also a Queen & County book that he wrote based on his comic book series with an eerie take involving London, subway, a bomb and panic. Pretty creepy, considering the book came out last Fall.

 

[Andy Sheets]

I'm not sure. Maybe the Modesty Blaise series by Peter O'Donnell? Or Donald Hamilton's Matt Helm novels. There was also a novel that came out last year that I haven't read yet but it's by an author I like. It's called Under the Volcano, by "Forrest M. DeVoe Jr." (his actual name is Max Phillips, one of the founders of the Hard Case Crime imprint), and it's written as a homage to 60's spy characters.

 

[Kevin Grey]

That book is already out? I picked up a flier at Comic Con for Rucka's Gentleman's Game that mentioned an upcoming Q&C book for this fall and I had assumed it was the first. What was the title of the previous Q&C novel?

EDIT- Crap- nevermind. Just dawned on me that Gentleman's Game *was* a Q&C novel.

 

[James T]

Ya, it was a Gentleman's Game and he has another one coming out this Fall. I look forward to reading it in the Fall. I also do my best not to read anything about Rucka's book since each chapter has a little twist he throws in, making any plot summary a spoiler. After that, I think he's going back to the Atticus stories.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Most of these names are new to me, and it sounds like a good list of authors to try. I appreciate the suggestions.