D_Davis
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- Joined
- Jan 14, 2008
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Edge of Dark Water, by Joe R. Lansdale
In Edge of Dark Water, Joe R. Lansdale treads the all-too familiar territory that he previously ventured into with The Bottoms, A Fine Dark Line, and All The Earth, Thrown to the Sky - only it's not as good as even the lesser of those. It lacks the social impact of The Bottoms, doesn't have half the heart as A Fine Dark Line, and the adventure seems more insignificant than All the Earth.
Right off the bat I had some trouble with the novel. Most importantly, the POV character seemed like an odd choice to me. I still don't understand why Lansdale wrote from the POV of a teenage female, especially since she's a total tomboy and basically acts like a dude. There is a perfectly good male character that would have made a much more interesting POV character (especially given Lansdale's ability to write about persecution, of both the racial and sexual varieties). Also, I don't believe for a moment that the main POV character would have, or could have written such a tale.
If it sounds like I'm being ultra-critical, it's because I am. From many other authors, this thrilling offer would rank among their best. It's well written (above niggle aside), and contains many examples of Lansdale's expert ear for regional dialog, and he creates some truly harrowing moments. There's a chase down a river that is truly something special, and I thought the novel was going to turn into something great at this point - it did not.
Truth is, I expect more from Lansdale, and I want him to return to greatness; I truly believe that he is a National Treasure, easily on par with Mark Twain and Flannery O'Conner when it comes to southern-fried lit. It seems to me as if Lansdale has lost his edge, or that he needs to find some new inspiration. There is an old saying that one should write what one knows, but I think it'd do Lansdale some good to venture outside the boundaries of East Texas and the south. I know he still has it in him, but I can't help but accuse him of being a bit lazy, and relying too much on what he knows. There was a time when Lansdale was pushing the boundaries of thrilling fiction - he once started where every author would stop.
That's no longer the case, and thus I'm left feeling disappointed, even if the work isn't necessarily bad. I want the King to return, and I hope he does. At least the Hap and Leonard novels are still good, and I do have Devil Red still on my to read shelf.
In Edge of Dark Water, Joe R. Lansdale treads the all-too familiar territory that he previously ventured into with The Bottoms, A Fine Dark Line, and All The Earth, Thrown to the Sky - only it's not as good as even the lesser of those. It lacks the social impact of The Bottoms, doesn't have half the heart as A Fine Dark Line, and the adventure seems more insignificant than All the Earth.
Right off the bat I had some trouble with the novel. Most importantly, the POV character seemed like an odd choice to me. I still don't understand why Lansdale wrote from the POV of a teenage female, especially since she's a total tomboy and basically acts like a dude. There is a perfectly good male character that would have made a much more interesting POV character (especially given Lansdale's ability to write about persecution, of both the racial and sexual varieties). Also, I don't believe for a moment that the main POV character would have, or could have written such a tale.
If it sounds like I'm being ultra-critical, it's because I am. From many other authors, this thrilling offer would rank among their best. It's well written (above niggle aside), and contains many examples of Lansdale's expert ear for regional dialog, and he creates some truly harrowing moments. There's a chase down a river that is truly something special, and I thought the novel was going to turn into something great at this point - it did not.
Truth is, I expect more from Lansdale, and I want him to return to greatness; I truly believe that he is a National Treasure, easily on par with Mark Twain and Flannery O'Conner when it comes to southern-fried lit. It seems to me as if Lansdale has lost his edge, or that he needs to find some new inspiration. There is an old saying that one should write what one knows, but I think it'd do Lansdale some good to venture outside the boundaries of East Texas and the south. I know he still has it in him, but I can't help but accuse him of being a bit lazy, and relying too much on what he knows. There was a time when Lansdale was pushing the boundaries of thrilling fiction - he once started where every author would stop.
That's no longer the case, and thus I'm left feeling disappointed, even if the work isn't necessarily bad. I want the King to return, and I hope he does. At least the Hap and Leonard novels are still good, and I do have Devil Red still on my to read shelf.
