Customer Reviews

Hell's Half Acre

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
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Writing with the gritty realism of Andrew Vachss, Baer has aptly titled Hell's Half Acre, a descent into darkness that requires a strong constitution, but is worth the effort. In this world, killers appear unannounced and strange men mutilate their bodies for kicks, cash can buy anything, no matter how obscene and death is always a heartbeat away. It takes a fertile imagination to construct the layers of this elaborate, unpredictable nightmare.

Phineas Poe is on a strange trip, part psychological, part real. His first order of business is to track his girlfriend, the very tough Jude, trained by Special Forces and his former partner in crime-cum-romance. Jude and Poe's drug odyssey alone could cure a junkie. A violent act sundered their earlier cohabitation; since then, Poe's only mission is to find Jude. An ex-cop, Phineas Poe is an ambiguous character, following his more bizarre instincts, fueled by drugs but secretly nurturing a hopeful heart. Within the first couple of pages, Poe makes a fateful choice, when he notices the "thin shallow mouth of the alley my possible monster had come running from" and "I walked into that dark mouth". From that point on, the action only accelerates.

Meanwhile, the pathological John Ransom Miller is planning his snuff film, starring Jude, Phineas and assorted others. Jude has revenge on her mind and Phineas wants to be there for her, drug-hazed but willing. To that end they step into some very dark places, assuming an escape route that never quite materializes. Miller has a propensity for life and death games, ratcheting up the danger with the addition of more mayhem to expand the film's appeal, setting the actors up like pawns in a rigged chess game. To say that most of these characters are cynical would be an understatement; however, in a city's netherworld, survival dictates a certain perspective. But Poe doesn't want to play anymore, pushed to the edge of his fragmented integrity.

Reading this novel is like watching a triple X-rated movie, where all the X's are for violent acts. Pop culture seeps through the pages, images jumping out at random moments: Travis Bickle, the white rabbit. The novel is successful because it is never exploitative. Baer's dark journey of the soul, while tinged with excessive violence, is driven by an impressive imagination, as Poe masters the art of walking on the wild side, skirting the edge without tumbling into the abyss or accidentally slitting his own throat. Luan Gaines/2004.

As stated above, I'm generally not good at giving reviews. I try, but somehow I can never seem to do a story the justice it deserves.
This is one such example of my incompetence; but don't let that dissuade you from reading this book. It is worth every second of your life you choose to expend to reading it.

First of all, the storyline is strong and there aren't many distractions at all. Baer's first two contained scenes that may have been confusing, but this one is tight and straightforward without losing any of its poetic appeal. If you've read the other two, Kiss Me Judas and Penny Dreadful, you are well aware of Baer's fantastic prose. This book is not lacking.

It isn't as dark as the other two, but there are still many taboo subjects within these pages to keep someone who craves those things entertained. Snuff films. Sex. Amputation fetishes. A rape scene. And none of this, as per Will Christopher Baer's style, is gratuitous. Not like Bret Easton Ellis. I'd say this story is as good as it gets if you're looking for great story, elegant writing, dark content without being too graphic, pacing, and perfect climax/ending. This isn't one of those endings that leave you wondering what you missed. It will leave you wanting more.

Will Christopher Baer has created his best work yet with Hell's Half Acre. The hallucinatory quality which other reviewers of the book have talked about is indeed a strange and compelling theme that permeates Baer's work. The reader, like main character Phineas Poe, may find themselves wondering what is real and what is just another twisted part of a dream. Baer's quick pace writing makes the book a very fast read, and the twists and turns help to keep things flowing down the increasingly curvy road that Baer has created. The book is so well written that the previous two novels concerning Phineas Poe: Kiss Me, Judas and Penny Dreadful, are not required reading for enjoying Hell's Half Acre. However, I would recommend picking up all three books. I look forward to what Baer has in store for us in the future.

Will Christopher Baer returns to conclude the trilogy that started with kiss me judas. In his return, he brings even stronger writing and story telling.


Don't make the mistake of not buying this book.

Where to begin... This is the third in a trilogy featuring Phineas Poe, an ex-cop who may or may not have murdered his wife, who may or may not love a feminine poison named Jude (one of the deadliest and sexiest characters ever written), and who may or may not be just a tad insane. Either way, Baer proves a master at writing compulsive and obsessive reading. If you have not read the first two in the series (Kiss Me, Judas and Penny Dreadful), don't let it stop you from picking up this addicting piece of literature. Be warned, however: Once you start reading about Phineas, you will not want to stop. For more insight into the strange universe of Will Christopher Baer, check out the his site at willchristopherbaer dot com.

Also highly recommended: The Contortionist's Handbook by Craig Clevenger.

While not prone to review-writing, I feel compelled to get the word out about this most excellent book. Hell's half Acre is unlike the first two. It's much more intricate than Kiss Me Judas and a little more plausible than Penny Dreadful. The interplay between characters is delightful. Baer continues to weave vivid imagery with amazing efficiency. I was holding my breath about the ending--whether or not it would be a bloody, depressing apocalypse. I was very delighted.

I have no reservation recommending this book to any open minded adult.

Hell's Half Acre a truly wonderful novel, after what I believe was a bit of a sophmore slump with Penny Dreadful.
But I Hell's Half Acre, Baer seems to once again capture that non-urgent nihlist qualty that our man Phineas possesses. Poe is the ultimate nihlist because instead of preaching about the virtues or sitting around debating the philosophical implications, he simply lives it. Course I guess most Junkies are and do just that. Or in our case a Pseudo-Junkie.
Jude makes her return and we see that maybe, just maybe Jude isn't as tough as she thinks she is. And there is the possibility that she has finally gone over the deep end of sanity and likely isn't coming back, but instead falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of a psychological blackhole.
Hope this helped, probably didn't if you haven't read the 1st 2 novels. Thanks for reading.

I had wondered if the sacrifices made with the previous book would be worth it. They were. Twisted and brilliant; I couldn't have been more satisfied with the ending if I wrote it myself.

I have read about Phineas Poe and his wild, drug and alcohol induced sex romps, nonstop supply of blood on his clothes and not showering for days and still getting laid for three books now. I have to say, like the previous two books, Hells Half Acre was hard to put down- probably more so than judas and penny- but i am sooooo glad this trilogy is done. i dont think Poe could stand anymore!! Strong finish in the series, highly recommend for all you sickos out there to read them all.

how I love this book. Phineas pisses me off sometimes, but the story is really exciting. This is the final book in the series, and I just gotta say that I am very satisfied. I can't wait for more from Baer.