Customer Reviews

Gun Work (Hard Case Crime)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't know if it started with Richard Stark (a.k.a. Donald Westlake), but there is a certain type of crime novel I always think of as a Parker novel. In Stark's books, Parker is a thief, a man with little in the way of emotions or emotional ties who shouldn't be interesting but somehow is: it's his purely professional nature, his methodical approaches to problems and his coldly ruthless (but never malicious nature) that is--in the capable hands of Stark--compelling to read about.

The main character in David Schow's Gun Work has certain Parker-like qualities. He is a man without ties who operates outside of the law when necessary. Barney is not a thief but, when necessary, he can be a gunman. For Carl Ledbetter, an old war acquaintance, Barney's skills are necessary. Carl's in Mexico City, where his wife has been kidnapped for $1,000,000 ransom. To get his wife back, Carl enlists Barney.

Barney comes to Mexico City, where he quickly suspects that there is more going on than a mere kidnapping. Unfortunately, what's really going on will not become apparent until it's too late. Betrayals will occur and Barney will become a prisoner himself, subjected to torture and slated for gangland execution. Of course, it wouldn't be much of a story if he didn't eventually get free and seek revenge against those who wronged him, and Schow does deliver the goods.

This is the first time I've read Schow and I had fun reading Gun Work. This is not classic literature filled with multiple levels of meaning and symbolism, but it's not meant to be. Instead, it is intended to be pure entertainment, a lean mean crime story, and as such, it works perfectly. If you enjoy the Parker books, this one should be a good read.

Gun Work has several things going for it. It has a fast plot. The plot is complex. And there is a great sense of place for Mexico. Plus the protagonist is a real tough guy.

However, there are a lot of coincidences that seem forced, a few "Why did they do that?" moments, and a number of plot surprises that failed to surprise.

If you're a real devotee of this series, then dig in. Otherwise, there are at least three dozen better books in the series.

NOTE: In what follows I've tried not to give away too many plot details, but I've discussed the overall shape of the plot (which is pretty obvious from the start). If you don't want to know anything about that plot shape, don't read this review until you've read the book.

I was tempted to give this book four stars right after finishing it, because the ending is good. But too much of "Gun Work" has problems. This is basically a typical violent action story about a loner tough guy who's betrayed, left for dead, and roars back for vengeance. The book's most interesting elements occur when the author tries to deepen this predictable plot a little, but he doesn't go far enough. Barney, the hero, remains undeveloped; the reader never finds out enough about what makes him tick. Instead we have to settle for some interesting ambiguities about whether Barney is, or wishes to remain, as cynical as he tries to be. And ultimately he's pushed out of his cynicism, and that occurrence is almost enough to redeem the book.

But not quite. The early pages are flawed by too much of what amounts to "scene summary" rather than scenes. These are clearly set-up pages, and I would guess the author wanted to get through them quickly in order to get to the real meat of the plot within the space limitation of a Hard Case book. This tendency to summarize actions rather than show them quickly becomes annoying. For example, when Barney and his friend walk into their hotel room to find a dead body waiting for them, it's mentioned almost in passing, with no effort to make the reader experience the shock the characters must have felt.

After the set-up (which ends somewhere around page 60), the action kicks in fast, and doesn't let up. At first it's fun (if you like gruesomely violent fun), but it soon becomes boring. In this long middle section there's some good writing, and the scenes with Barney's Mexican saviors are fascinating, but the revenge scenes are all just boring action.

And where did that convenient group of warrior friends come from, anyway? The reader has been told all along that Barney's a loner, but suddenly he can call upon these guys, who are willing to go all-out for him -- not just putting their lives on the line, but nursing him back to health, re-training him, obtaining or creating exotic weapons and gear ... it's all rather too much to be believed.

Everything that happens from page 60 to page 225 has the initial appearance of just action, action, action. No real plot. Barney wants to survive and get vengeance, that's it. A few pages during his recovery in Mexico hint at something deeper, but that's delayed too long and doesn't go deep enough to satisfy. Meanwhile, through all this, Barney (and the reader) doesn't know the WHY behind any of it. It all seems frustratingly meaningless, and Barney himself doesn't ask why very much. To satisfy a reader, a book like this has to have progressive revelation of the truth about what's happening, and what we get (when we get anything at all) is too vague and untrustworthy. There's some unintelligible stuff in the set-up pages about one of the bad guys mixing money-laundering, kidnapping, and cross-border commerce in some sort of bizarre scheme, but it never adds up to anything for the reader. From the moment Barney is betrayed, the reader already knows essentially everything he'll get to know about the bad guys until the book's final pages. And that's just not enough.

The story builds to a big battle scene before any of the important revelations occur, but the lack of revelation turns the battle into pure Hollywood tripe. It all feels meaningless and silly; the "justice" finally meted out to the evil ones feels superficial and irrelevant, satisfying only because, yes, the bad guys do get what they deserve. But *those* bad guys were never the bad guys the reader cared much about in the first place. Sure, they had to be stopped, and they were, but so what? Why should I care about that enough to read it in a novel?

What I care about is the people, especially the hero, and what he is going through. But he and his enemies remain complete ciphers until the book's last pages.

There are also problems with transitions. Sometimes shifts occur that are really inexplicable. For example, we're told repeatedly while Barney is recovering that he's still so weak that his hand start to bleed when he squeezes the trigger of a gun; then suddenly we're told he's involved in intense training, firing guns hundreds of times a day. How is this possible? Then there's the events at the book's end, when the villain's responses to Barney's actions are so fast they become implausible. Even after we get a semi-explanation near the very end of the book, it doesn't quite add up.

There are similar problems in the later scenes where Barney is again almost killed. Given the context, how were these villains able to get the jump on Barney? It just doesn't make sense.

Having said that, it's also true that this a fast, fun read. The style is usually great -- classic noir slang mixed with action-story technical gun talk. I have no idea whether all the stuff about guns would hold up to scrutiny by someone who really knows the subject, but it sure sounds authentic to an ignoramus like me.

So, in conclusion: flawed but decent.

PS: Before you read "Gun Work," examine the cover painting carefully for clues about the plot!

And when you read it, notice this is a "tharn" book, like "Watership Down" and "The Stand." I wonder how many other clever in-jokes the author added?

Gun Work is a fast-paced, complex novel. Mexico comes to life and brilliantly painted, without the two-dimensional characters we are normally fed. Barney the gunman (or should that be gunslinger?) is tightly drawn and very original and is well named el hombre de las armas. A quick read of a book. Buy it. Read it. Steal it.

Gun Work qualifies as pulp fiction for the 21st century. Unfortunately its appeal is limited to a very distinct niche audience. Specifically gun aficionados who enjoy tales of extreme violence unencumbered by character development or coherent plotting.
The main character, Barney (no last name), is a soldier of fortune type who travels to Mexico City at the frantic request of his old army buddy, Carl Ledbetter. Carl's wife has been kidnapped and is being held for 1 million dollars ransom. Out of loyalty to his friend, Barney gets involved in a big way and before long becomes a hostage himself.
There's plenty of graphic violence including wholesale killings and sadistic maimings. Author David J. Schow expends a good deal of descriptive effort on the many types of firearms, ammo and other combat gear used by Barney, his allies and his adversaries. One would really have to have an in depth knowledge of armaments in order to fully appreciate or even care about the detailed specs given each and every time a new weapon is introduced.
Far less background information is available to explain why the characters act as they do and why all the violence is in fact necessary.
Bottom line: The average consumer of Hard Case Crime will probably be disappointed by Gun Work. It was written with gun aficionados and fans of graphic violence in mind.

The experience of reading Gunwork is more akin to watching an action movie than reading a crime novel, this book's fast pace and energy makes for good weekend reading.

David Schow's novel of kidnapping, torture, betrayel and revenge has a great noir vibe, and his style is both dark and amusing; and keeps you reading (and maybe even gussing a few times as to what will come next).

Setting the tale in Mexico pays off quite well, with Mexico City's poverty and squalor creating some rather formidable and vicious villains for the oddly named hero, Barney, to face (stark contrast to Hard Case Crimes earlier foray into Mexico with Wade Miller's "Branded Woman" from the 1950's, which featured a much more elegant Mexico).

But Schow's Mexico is not a place of silly caricatures and cliche's. He also shows the good side of the Mexican people who are caught between ramapant street crime and a kidnapping epidemic on one side, and a corrupt or ineffectual police force on the other.

One critcisms would be Schow's reliance on coincidence to move the tale along, and there may be a few instances of implausability here and there, but suspend your disbeleif and enjoy (This isn't a documentary, after all!).

Gun Work is Great Weekend reading if you are looking for pure entertainment value and one of HCC's better original offerings. Pick it up!

Gotta love that cover. Be sure to read this in public so others can admire your fine taste in literature. Very precisely rendered, too. Count his fingers.

I've read about 20 in the Hard Case Crime series and this is far and away the most violent. Like gunfights? You've come to the right place. Like femme fatales. This one's a doozy. Curious about guns? You'll learn a lot.

And if you look up "tough guy" in the dictionary, you'll see Barney's picture.

Masked Mexican wrestlers, too.

I bought this novel because of the author DJS, I am a big fan and read all of his work. Gun Work is a bit of a departure for him, ( and me as it is my first hard case crime novel) as he usually writes off beat, or splatter punk horror (DJS is in fact credited with coining the term 'splatter punk'), but the razor sharp prose that defines DJS is here and glistening.
The story is not one that over all will go down as highly original, but the characters, the clever turn of phrase, and the page turning veracity with which the story unfolds will keep it in the mind of all genra readers and should put it at the top of their must read list.
I loved almost everything about this novel. I found the story engaging, the characters where so cleverly written that they where brought off the page and the story...in classic DJS fashion will keep you guessing right till the end...no matter how much pulp fiction you have ingested.

A Hard Case favorite. I agree with the previous reviewer that it resonates Richard Stark's: Parker. Shades of Block's: Kellerman too, without the criminal motive. Great local color and unlike Parker, comaradeship that only combat provides. Combines noir with body rolling come up firing "Gun Work".

This story just goes to show you, people change and not always for the better.
Also shows that you really can't kill a "true" tough guy and you better watch out if you don't.
The story takes place for the most part in Mexico, where sad to say kidnapping for ransom, has become a big business.
I am a fan of Hard Case Crime and have at least 6 more on my "read pile".
Enjoy this "fast read"........I did.