Customer Reviews

Bronx Noir (Akashic Noir)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really like this collection (maybe even more so because I'm from New York) because it evokes so much atmosphere as well as history and context to various regions in the Bronx, that I suspect many readers do not know too much about. But after reading these stories, you will come away with more than a feeling for this borough that is world famous yet still over-stereotyped and misunderstood.

These stories as a whole create a fine read with great atmosphere and setting and again, a sense of authentic history. But in the end these are well crafted short stories that are driven by characters who are haunted by their dreams and desires and flaws--many trying to right wrongs from the past, many still living in the midst of conflicts they cannot escape, some by their own creation.

My favorite stories are: Terrence Cheng's "Gold Mountain" (after reading this you will never look at a Chinese delivery man the same way again); Kevin Baker's "The Cheer's Like Waves" (set in and around Yankee Stadium); S.J. Rozan's "Hothouse" (Botanical Gardens, the writing is so sharp and clear); Joseph Wallace's "The Big Five" (if you've been to the Bronx Zoo, you will be chilled by this piece); and "The Prince of Arthur Avenue" by Patrick Picciarelli (puts a twist on the stereotypical gangster story).

Wow! Here's a rare batch of short mystery stories that really covers the full spectrum of styles and moods. All of the works here are set in NYC's Bronx, but the similarity ends there. Some of the authors are well-known, even bestselling, and a few are just getting started--but they all write at a very high level of excellence. From private eyes to shady ladies to desperate citizens at the end of their rope, each story creates a dark, frightening world. And that is the essence of "noir."

The best thing an anthology can do is introduce us to a wide range of writers, and this one really delivers. S.J. Rozan has assembled an impressive gallery of voices (including her own) with crime stories that shock, amuse, disturb, and--most importantly--entertain. This is a great addition to the great Akashic series of noir anthologies. Highly recommended.

This was my third read of the Noir series. I enjoyed this collection. Not as much as the Manhattan book. But, more than the New Orleans venture. Any work that includes 19 different authors may suffer from some inconsistency. However, by and large this delivered. Particularly, I liked Jerome Charyn's White Trash; Terrence Cheng's Gold Mountain about an illegal Chinese immigrant delivery man who found ways to a financial windfall; Lawrence Block's Rude Awakening about a woman who murdered and robbed men she picked up in bars; Abraham Rodriguez,Jr.'s Jaguar about wealthy murderers who came from Westchester to find their victims; Steven Torres's Early Fall about about a young prostitute who met her fate;Joseph Wallace's The Big Five about would be game hunters who met their ends and Patrick Picciarelli's The Prince Of Arthur Avenue about an aging boss with years of service to La Cosa Nostra who was going senile. Definitely a fast paced worthy read.

This is a very nice collection of short crime stories. They come with clever twists, snappy endings, true to life dialogue and of course a great setting, the Bronx! As a second generation Bronxite, reading this anthology was extra fun for me. The neighborhoods and locales are familiar, the characters are those you know, bumped shoulders with or tried to desperately avoid. These are people living on the low down, where the street is king. I don't usually care for short stories, but these held my attention. A variety of styles, often funny, and the right length. There is one story about the Bronx Zoo so positively creepy I couldn't finish it. Get the book and check it out, you'll see what I mean.

Short stories aren't usually my thing anymore but S. J. Rozan never disapoints . Clever with a bite-the bullet !

I have read many of the "Noir" series and this is one of the better ones. Definitly worth the read.