Category: Books

Don Winslow’s Savages

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I really enjoyed Savages by Don Winslow.  Of course what crime fiction loving fan didn’t?

Naturally, I’m looking forward to the movie adaptation starring Aaron Johnson, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Salma Hyeck, and Benicio Del Toro.  Savages opens July 6th and although the full length trailer doesn’t break until tomorrow, MTV has the teaser for the trailer here.

If you’re already on board or think Savages is something you’d really dig, then you’ll probably be interested in Don Winslow’s prequel called The Kings of Cool.  It hits the streets on June 19th.

“Goodfellas” TV Series Coming to AMC

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The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that AMC is developing a new tv series based on the critically-acclaimed movie “Goodfellas.”   Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the novel [and co-wrote the screenplay along  with director Martin Scorsese] is on board as an executive producer.

If AMC’s “Goodfellas” lives up to expectations, then they’ll have another hit on their hands.  I’m ready to set my DVR now!

Drive Sequel Due in April 2012

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Just a little over five years ago I posted about two great crime noir novels I’d just read.  One was Drive by James Sallis.  [The other was The Wheelman by Duane Swierczynski.]  Drive was the story of a get-a-way driver brought in on a heist that was a set-up from the start.  It went on to become a major motion picture that fans and critics loved.  This coming April, James Sallis and the Driver return in the sequel, Driven. 

Six years later – Phoenix.  Out of nowhere someone wants Driver dead.
Who?  Why?  Big mistake.

I’m looking forward to the novel and would love to see the team that made the movie return for the sequel.

Max Allan Collins, Chris Mills & Nolan

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Don’t you love the look of the new editions of Max Allan Collins’ Nolan crime novels coming for Perfect Crime Books?  For those not in the know, Nolan is an aging thief and Max Allan Collins is the author of the Nate Heller series, the Quarry series, and many, many other books.  I’ve never read anything that wasn’t excellent that was written by Max Allan Collins.   

Oh, by the way, our buddy, Chris Mills designed the Nolan covers and did a fantastic job.  Take a bow, Chris!

Rare Marilyn Monroe + Nate Heller

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Would you like to see some rare photos of Marilyn Monroe taken in 1953 when she was filming [my favorite] Monroe film, River of No Return [with Robert Mitchum]?  Thanks to The Huffington Post, you can.

If you have any interest in Marilyn Monroe and/or  historical fiction you should check out Bye Bye, Baby by Max Allan Collins.  It’s one of my favorite Nate Heller books and they are all excellent.

 

Fun and Games with Duane Swierczynski

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I’m a huge fan of Duane Swierczynski.  His novels are  fun, full of twists and never follow a familiar path.  Fun & Games is the first in his Charlie Hardie trilogy and although I just finished it a few days ago, I’m already chompin’ at the bit to read Hell and Gone.

Hardie makes his living as a house sitter.  There’s not a lot of dough in that line of work, but as an ex-cop with baggage, it’s been a good way to spend the last couple of years.  All that changes when Hardie finds a semi-famous actress hiding in the house he’s supposed to be sitting.  Is she crazy or could there really be a hit team coming to kill her and everyone in the house?

If my description makes Fun & Games sound like your typical ex-cop coming to the aid of a hot but endangered woman, let me assure you that it’s not.  Give  Fun & Games a read and if you don’t like it I’ll buy ya a Diet Coke or a Mocha Frappe.  If you do like it, you owe me nothing.   Deals don’t get much better than that, amigo.

So why do I have “A Texan’s Motto” post card along with my praise for Fun and Games?  Read on, friend.

In the interest of full disclosure [and the fact that I’m always happy to hear from people whose work I admire], I want it to be known that received a post card from Duane Swierczynski this summer.  He sent a personalized card to all of his fans who had pre-ordered Fun & Games.

How do I know it was personalized?  Well, do you think he wrote every fan of his calling them a fellow Stallone fanatic?  Yeah, I didn’t think so either.

How do I know Duane Swierczynski is a Stallone fan?  Well, Duane is from Philly and everybody there [or from there] loves Sly.  Oh, and Mr. Swierczynski used a couple of quotes from Sly as chapter headers.  Only a true fan would go THAT far.

Drive: Crime Classic in the Making

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Have you seen the trailer for “Drive”?  It is the best looking trailer I’ve seen in a long time and if the movie turns out to be as good as the teaser indicates, then we are in for a crime classic.  The source material is more than solid since it’s based on the crime novel Drive by James Sallis [that I reviewed here].

Ok.  Enough of my praise.  Check out the redband trailer and see for yourself.

Talking with Duane Swierczynski and Josh Bazell

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Recently a couple of my favorite writers, Duane Swierczynski and Josh Bazell sat down for a two part conversation.  In part one Duane and Josh talk about how they write novels, the influence of comic books & movies, and why they want to keep readers turning the page.  In part two Duane and Josh discuss their first jobs, their first books, 80’s movies and tv shows, James Ellroy’s White Jazz and more.

Brock Lesnar Taps Like Gregory Hines on a Hot Plate

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After Brock Lesnar nearly got whipped by Shane Carwin, I thought that Brock developed a bit of humility.  Then when Cain Velesquez beat Brock in every aspect of the game and pounded him into the fetal position before a ref stopped the fight, I was pretty sure that Brock became more humble.  I was wrong.

The first paragraph of Brock’s forthcoming autobiography ends with this sentence…

  • “I handed this guy, who will never be half the man I am, a victory he didn’t deserve.”

Brock is talking about Frank Mir.  You know, the guy who made Brock, in the first round, tap like Gregory Hines on a hot plate.  Sure, Brock won the rematch by ref stoppage in the second, but which loss was quicker and more humiliating?  Exactly.

At any rate, Brock Lesnar has an autobiography coming out soon.  It’s called Deathclutch: My Story of Determination, Domination and Survival.  Any bets on how much humility he shows in it?

Want Some Real Cheap Yellow Medicine?

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I guess I’m old fashioned.  Or maybe just old.  You see, I like the books I read to be real… not some digital concoction that you read from a machine.  I love being able to read a great book and then place it in my collection on my bookshelf.  But that’s not what this post is about.

What this post is about is the fact that Anthony Neil Smith, the author of two excellent crime novels featuring bad cop Billy Lafitte is offering a super deal on the first, titled Yellow Medicine.  Starting May 1st at 2pm you will be able to get a copy of Yellow Medicine for just 99 cents.  The idea is to get everyone who wants a copy to jump on at the same time and get Yellow Medicine on the charts.

At 99 cents the novel is a steal.  Heck, I paid a lot more than that for my hardcover copy and the story was so good, I thought I got a bargain.  So if you read your novels from a screen, then give Yellow Medicine a try.  [And if you’re like me and want a “real” book then order up one here.]

Batman: Year One – Feature Length Animation

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One of my all-time favorite graphic novels is Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli. I was pleased to read in The Hollywood Reporter today that a feature length animated adaptation is in the works with Bruce Timm on board to executive produce.  Timm indicates that the production will closely follow the graphic novels story and look when he says:

“The source material is surprisingly cinematic; it’s a pretty straight forward literal retelling… Mazzucchelli’s artwork is beautifully composed and we were able to refer to the comic for about 80 percent of the camera setups.”

Ben McKenzie will provide the voice for Batman/Bruce Wayne and Bryan “Breaking Bad” Cranston will do the same for Liet. James Gordon.  You can read more about the production here and here.

Lee Marvin, Mel Gibson & Jason Statham

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Variety reported today that…

  • Jason Statham is in negotiations to star in the thriller “Parker” with Taylor Hackford directing… based on the book series by Donald Westlake [aka RIchard Stark], [and] revolves around a thief who, though at times is forced to be a killer, still lives by a code of honor that includes never stealing money from people who need it. His word is his bond, and if he is crossed he will strike back relentlessly.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Richard Stark’s Parker novels as well as the graphic adaptations by Darwyn Cooke.   I also enjoyed Lee [“Point Blank”] Marvin and Mel [“Payback”] Gibson in movies based on the Parker character.  I have little doubt that Taylor Hackford directing Jason Statham will be welcome additions to the Parker legacy.