Customer Reviews

Flood: A Novel (Burke Series)

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4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I stumbled upon the noir of Andrew H. Vachss quite by accident. I was browsing the section of mystery/noir novels, and found an entire slew of Vachss' books. I scanned the covers, and found them all in the hard boiled vein I appreciate. However, I decided to scan the Amazon reviews of Vachss' books before I would purchase one. The reviews intrigued me, and taking the advice of a reviewer I decided to read the first novel in the series Flood. And it was an incredible read!!! The main character a private detective known as Burke, comes to the assistance of a young woman named Flood. She is searching for a psychotic freak known as the Cobra. A child molester/killer who has murdered her closest friend's child. Burke accepts the job, and the reader is taken into an underworld of S&M, perversion, and snuff films, that will leave the reader both horrified, and enraged that the human monsters Vachss describes do actually exist. The reader should keep in mind that Vachss, a lawyer specializing in child abuse cases, from what I have been able to learn based his noir on many true life situations he had found himself involved in. Burke assisted by his crew of streetwise characters, who many would regard, like Burke himself as an anti-hero, create an elaborate trap for the Cobra. Allowing Flood the chance for her revenge. This book is truly noir for the late 20th Century. Vachss wants his book to upset you, but also to make you think, about life in our cites, and in particular of our nations children. And the all too glaring problem of child abuse, and kidnapping, which happens every day. Vachss' writing style is clipped and in the hard boiled style of the best of noir writers. However, the book did tend to loose momentum towards the end chapters, and once finished did leave me with the feeling of wanting to learn more about the fate of Flood. Regardless, Vachss does an excellent job, of detailing a side of our society, which we too often turn a blind eye too. In the balance, I'm glad I decided to read Flood, and I will continue to visit with Burke, and his crew in Vachss' other novels.

What is it about revenge that makes it such a vicariously satisfying experience? While most people would never act on their impulses for it, the desire for vengeance can be an overwhelming pleasure. To read about, or see, characters who follow their baser emotions can make for a thrilling ride.

Enter Andrew Vachss. A lawyer who has specialized in crimes against children, Vachss has condensed and distilled all his rage on the subject, and has created a revenge fantasy that may be one of the nastiest stories put to page.

FLOOD, Vachss' first novel, introduces the reader to Burke, an anti-hero like no other. Not necessarily a hitman, Burke is more of an avenging angel for hire, if he can be convinced the cause is worthy, and his Neopolitan mastiff Pansy doesn't rip a prospective client to shreds. His existence consists of an odd assortment of hookers, restaurant owners, gambling, and Max the Silent, his spiritual brother, and possibly the most dangerous man on Earth.

Into this world enters Flood, a woman with a dilemma. She wants Burke to find a man. When he is found, she will kill him. Burke doesn't immediately jump at the opportunity, but the man Flood wants is, among other things, a pedophile. For reasons that are his own, Burke has a particular intense hatred for child molesters. Soon enough, he agrees to help, for a price.

Vachss' novels (this is the first of many Burke novels) are as hard-boiled as they come. The characters can be seen as ridiculous in the light of day, but in Vachss' hands, they take on an eerie nobility. I say eerie, because in most circumstances, you would never sit next to any of his characters on a bus. It's quite a feat to write novels based on people you'd be afraid to even glance at, and still make them entertaining. But Vachss has a genuine empathy for his characters. His novels are not disposable. They are far too well-written to be dismissed as mere 'entertainment'.

There are some who might gripe about the uneasy moral tones of the novel. The idea of taking the law into your own hands is a repugnant quality in most aspects of our lives. But almost all literary heroes can be defined as loners who work outside of convention. Is Burke different than any number of fictional characters who do what we cannot, or dare not? Burke himself realizes that his universe is not for everyone. He did not create the world, he only does what he can to survive within it.

Burke's world is fictional, to an extent. The underbelly of society he inhabits may be seductive in its way, but it is a heightened reality that is hard to swallow sometimes. But Vachss is an able tourguide. And he understands what makes revenge such an irresistible emotion, and a dangerous one as well.

"Flood" is Andrew Vachss' first novel featuring Burke, the hard-boiled, in-your-face, ex-con detective, who still isn't sure on which side of the law he prefers to operate. Abandoned at birth, father and mother unknown, Burke has no real first name. "Baby boy" is the name on his birth certificate. He is a survivor. He's also a stand-up guy. The novel is set in 1980s NYC, before Mayor Guiliani came to office and cleaned up the mean streets - or tried to. I have read a few other Burke books and became so fascinated with this complex character, and with the strange folks who people his world and call him" friend," that I wanted to read this first book in the series to get a better sense of how he was developed. If you are a Vachss/Burke fan, or become one, I would suggest that you try to read the books in order. Of course, every novel stands on its own, independent of the others, but the growth and development of the characters are continual. There are also references to past events, and for a richer reading experience it is helpful to know the history. If you're just looking for a good read, and not interested in becoming a Burke maven, then by all means, read at random.

"Flood" is one hard-hitting novel, reminiscent of crime fiction in the 1940s and 50s, though much more disturbing. Burke is our narrator. And the narrative, at times, goes off on a tangent, like his thought processes. Our protagonist is a meticulous man. He always returns to make his point. I think this occasional stream of consciousness is very effective and enhances Burke's persona. Vachss still manages to maintain a tight writing style throughout. Everything and everyone comes under Burke's cynical, seen-it-all scrutiny. I have never learned more about the underworld and the seamier side of life, the one most people rarely observe, than in this compelling tale. Burke's expert eyes take in details of life on the street that mine never would. His gritty urban world is one where "citizens" dwell side-by-side with "maggots."

Flood, a young woman with an attitude and a black belt in karate, hires Burke to track down a freak, Martin Howard Wilson, a.k.a. The Cobra. He is a vicious pedophile, at the very least, and responsible for killing her best friend's child. She has sword a blood oath to kill this degenerate, but she has to find him first. That's where our man comes into the picture. Flood will become an extremely important person in Burke's life and her presence in this novel is a powerful one.

Vachss populates Burke's world with a colorful assortment of characters, and I am just crazy about all of them. Max the Silent, a mute, 20th century Mongolian warrior with creative ways of communicating; Pansy, another warrior of another species - she's a Neapolitan mastiff, just like the kind that came over the Alps with Hannibal; the Mole, a pasty-faced genius who lives in a bunker beneath a high-tech junkyard; the Prophet, a scam artist who speaks in rhyme; Mama Wong, group doyenne - a Chinese Jewish mother and restaurateur, "keeps her prices high and the ambiance foul to discourage yuppies." She cares for the gang and holds Burke's stash; Michelle, a gorgeous transvestite who needs to "break out;" Mouse who continues to exploit his one successful scam "despite a lengthy sojourn in the federal joint;" Maurice the bookie, who Burke speaks to almost daily, due to his appreciation for all things equestrian; I should add here that our hero drives a souped-up Plymouth, another important character. It usually looks like it's been painted with rust. That's the fresh coat of primer it almost always sports - "the Mole makes sure to change the car's color after it is used on a job."

In "Flood," published in 1985, Andrew Vachss began to publicly address the plight of kidnapped and abused children - way before the era of Amber Alerts and photographs of missing kids on milk cartons. Mr. Vachss is a lawyer, who specialized in prosecuting child abuse cases. He has worked as a federal investigator in sexually transmitted diseases, a caseworker in New York, and managed a maximum-security prison for violent juvenile offenders. He was also deeply involved in the relief effort in Biafra, now Nigeria. Vachss calls the child protective movement "a war," and considers his writing as powerful a weapon as his litigation. He openly admits that he writes about the abuse of children because he wants to raise people's awareness of what's going on, and he'll reach a wider audience with fiction.

"Flood" has some of the toughest prose and most intriguing characters around - an absolutely riveting read!!

JANA

...than to turn away because you don't like what you see. Vachss's work is compelling; his stories are the product of what he has seen in his long-standing and ongoing defense of children.

I've prosecuted criminal cases for eleven years. Sadly, I can tell you that Vachss's "fiction" is grounded in the real world. That means the man won't be bound by crime fiction convention, and those who live and die by formula will be disappointed. But more importantly, it also means his books are required reading for anyone interested in learning how and why we fight the War to keep our children safe. Highly recommended.

I am someone who has read the entire Burke series, and many of Mr. Vachss other unique, disturbing, and informative novels about the inter relation between Child Abuse of all kinds and Crime, of all kinds. It isn't for everyone. It's violent, sad, disturbing, and enraging work, by turns. It's also disturbingly true, as anyone who has worked in the court, criminal justice, or mental health system will instantly recoginize. It's also very compassionate towards wounded children in ways that are not an insult or false monument to their suffering. These are the thoughts and perceptions of a character and author that are all too aware of the worst human tendecies, and have some distinct, and direct ideas about how to address them. Flood is a good starting point. If you can handle the particulars of this peice, you can handle the others, as it seems Mr. Vachss work stays consistently challengeing to our society and its screwed up values. While similar to Thomas Harris' work in its technical details and clinical accuracy, Mr. Vachss lacks the formers weird sense of voyeurism and grosteque detail for it's own sensational sake. Anyone who wants some idea of why and how "senseless" crime happens, and what it ultimately costs it's particpants, victims, and society, this is a good clue. Wake up and smell the napalm....

"Flood" is the first novel featuring the anti-hero Burke, and the best place to get to know him and his crew. Especially since later novels build one on top of the other more than is usual for a "detective" series. Burke is not a happy man. He survives despite the vast emptiness he feels inside. Emptiness that he calls "The Zero." Abandoned as a child, he grew up hard in the system. Only now as he approaches middle age has he developed any sort of wisdom. When the femme fatale "Flood" comes into his life with her own tragic background, she does the worst to Burke, she begins to make him feel. In addition to being the first Burke novel, this is also one of the best.

This was Andrew Vachss' first Burke series crime novel, and it is something of a gem. The book is now in its bazillionth reprint and you can usually find it on your bookstore shelves (or in the local library) even though its initial publication was back in 1985. 20 years! Many books fall off the face of the Earth after 20 years, but this is one of those that's persevered.

So who is this Burke guy? Well, he's a tough little S.O. B. who knows the streets of New York and utilizes them to his advantage. He's not above taking on a job that results in the death of a scumbag (no trial needed here), nor does he have any qualms about not paying any bills (like rent or telephone. He "borrows" his neighbor's phone without their knowledge). He lives in a small office space with his pet dog, Pansy. A loveable but ultimately frightening creature who guards Burke's possessions.

One day, a woman contacts Burke and asks to meet with him. Her name is Flood and she has a problem: a friend of hers was killed by someone named "The Cobra" and she wants revenge. She's been training in Japan under the tutelage of a master Karate instructor in preparation for the day she meets The Cobra, too.

Burke has to pool all of his resources in order to find out about The Cobra. I mean, he wouldn't mind getting rid of a true slime, but he wants to be sure that he's on the right side. So Burke deploys his "team" of New York misfits, hoping to find out more about The Cobra. Among this gathering are Burke's long time friend (and adopted brother), Max the Silent. He's a martial arts expert with the grace of Gene Kelley and the powerhouse body of Arnold Schwarzenegger during his Mr. Universe days. Then there's Michelle, the beautiful prostitute with a heart of gold and the plumbing of a man! She's Burkes' ears on the street. The Mole is Burkes' geek-in-residence who lives in a junkyard and has the IQ of Albert Einstein. He's the man you call when you need anything mechanical or electronic manipulated . . . or blown up.

Burke also uses some pull that he has with various political figures within the city and with someone named The Prophet, a man who lives on the streets of New York City but has the pulse of the Big Apple wrapped inside himself. An amazing character.

With the help of his "team", Burke finds The Cobra, and the final scene between Flood and her enemy comes to a head. Who will win? Can revenges' thirst be quenched so easily?

What drew me into this story was the author's abilities. His narrative prose bulldozed by without ever slowing down. I was amazed to see that, during my first sitting with the book, I'd read over 50 pages. That's how fast this book reads. Also, the characters are so memorable that you never have to look back and see who is who. You KNOW these people. They're flawed and terrible and great and bad.

I also found it interesting that Mr. Vacchs incorporated a lot of the sexual underworld in the book. Pornography, child abuse, prostitution, all make their ugly appearances but without smacking the reader in the face with their obvious unpleasantness.

The fact that this book was entitled FLOOD also made me smile. A "flood" is a natural occurring phenomenon, a natural disaster that you can't control. I found that to be very appropriate for the title.

I recently revisited the first book in Vachss' BURKE series -- FLOOD. This book still holds up and shows what an inventive and original writer Vachss really is. When it was originally released it was a tour de force of masterful and original crime fiction. Something that the genre was seriously lacking -- precise, hard-hitting writing combined with anger and outrage at the crimes visited upon society's innocents. Many years later the book still stands as a uniquely original and compelling piece of fiction-fact. We all know *now* the truth of what Vachss writes. To try and compare him to anyone else writing in the crime-fiction genre just isn't possible and does other authors a disservice. FLOOD is a one of a kind masterpiece and Vachss is a one of a kind writer, who writes from ground zero in the war against the predators who prey on the innocents.

...The novel introduces us to the toughest, take-no-[stuff]-I-dare-you-to-take-a-swing-at-me-if-you-value-your-life detectives, Burke (no first name, just that)!!! Set in what would seem to be a pre-Giuliani New York City, Vachss's narrative strikes you harder than a locomotive. The story deals a lot in the shady business of sex, prostitution, pedophilia and good old revenge. If you read the book twice, you may even get a scent of a love story in there too. The main female character, in which the book is named after, Flood, wants revenge on her friend's and her daughter's killer. She wants Burke to catch the bad guy, so that she could kill him herself. We know the killer. We know the ending. We know what's going to happen. Then what is it that makes this book such a pleasurable read? For one, it's the style of the writing. Narrated from Burke's point of view, you just can't stop feeling amazed by this man and the way he thinks. He's tough, but not into guns and killing. He's loud, but not into the screaming and shouting aspect of it. He's paranoid, but not in the freaky sense of the word. And he has the most ecelectic group of friends (and a dog) that are as mixed as a Macintosh Quality street candy box. Reading how Burke goes on with his everyday life is pure unadulterated entertainment at its best. You just can't be amazed enough at his antics and his witty narration.

Vachss cuts back on the English language, making his book accessible to many readers. The theme, however, is very real and very much mature. Looking back to his experiences with kids, Vachss knows how to punch the right buttons and pull the neecssary strings to make the reader feel his cause.

This is an excellent, in-your-face book that's high on the entertainment factor, but with a moral. Burke is one tough hombre, and with Vachss keeping his origins still a mystery, his character is unforgettable. I'm definitely going to have to read another Vachss novel (Burke all the way, baby). The style and characters have got on to me and will get on with anyone who is swept away by this gem of a book.

This is the first in the Burke series. I read the second (didn't even know they were a series at the time) when I was a teen... you really don't need the first to read the second... Anyways, I read it, and thought "yes". Burke is a con artist, an ocasional murderer, a paranoid (but they're really after him) and a theif. He lives on the edges of the gene pool, where the scum grows thick and green. He also, incedentaly, hates loaths and despises child molesters and abusers in general. Voilla, a story is born. Flood, as the first book, is also the first of several tough sexy women, all physically different but all sharing similar charactistcs (Vachss doesn't deal in innocence much, unless it's in how it was taken away).

Andrew Vachss became somewhat of a target of controversy for writing these books; some people say he's capitalizing on child abuse, others think he should be sainted for drawing such unflattering attention to it & campaigning against it. Personaly, I give less than a smidge for the politics of my authors; if I had to research the backgrounds of everyone who writes the books I read I'd never bother to read. I generaly just judge a book on how it was written. And I really, really like these books. They crack me up (ok, so some people seem to think they're morbid and cynical. So?) and [annoys me]at the same time.

If there's one thing about this series that gets to me it's a sameness about the women as Vachss writes them. Not a physical sameness... he's good about that. And as characters, they stand out vividly in mind. But... while Vachss characterizes his main people extremely well (I love Michelle and the Mole) he doesn't give as much depth to the ones who arn't sticking around. They tell their stories and step offstage.

The stories get more complex later in the series, and better, which is why this one - as simple, prefect and sweet as it is - gets only 4 stars. I'd call it 4.5, but there's no catagory for half stars.

People with a low threshhold for the really grim stuff in life should read these in moderation.