Customer Reviews

The Ink Truck

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This is Kennedy's first novel, differing from his sequels in skirting around Albany's past and lacking the dark depths he revels in when describing the seamy underbelly of his native tone. However, in his surreal description of a heroically futile and increasingly surreal newspaper strike, he more than compensates for his reduced complexity by an emphasis instead on zany humor, absurd plot twists and a wide range of outlandish characters. Highly recommended to Kennedy aficionados who are interested in savoring a lighter touch.

Kennedy's Albany Cycle of novels is a remarkable acheivement by any standard. This, his first novel, is not part of the Albany Cycle of novels, and it's not remarkable, either.

The book is the story of the late stages of a newspaper strike from the point of view of Bailey, a striking writer. As the strike unravels, so does Bailey. As his actions become increasingly disconnected from reality, the reality he experiences becomes increasingly surreal.

One can see the future, mature Kennedy at work here, but the book is ultimately unsatisfying. I guess that's no real surprise; after all, every writer-- even great writers-- has to go through a first novel on his or her way to greatness. It's not realistic or even fair to expect a first novel to be great. This one isn't.