Customer Reviews

Perchance to Dream

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

a little background is in order (as I understand it): the heirs of Chandler approached Parker to finish the Poodle Springs manuscript, and part of the deal was that he had to write one more Marlowe story. 'Dream' is that one more. The job was almost impossible to begin with (Chandler's drinking had taken the edge off his talent by that time, and the Poodle manuscript got off on the wrong foot to boot), the Chandler fans ripped it for not being up to Chandler's prime (which even Chandler himself wasn't, towards the end), the Parker fans ripped it for not being true Spencer, and Parker felt the strain of wearing another man's shoes. So by the time he got to this one, my guess is, his heart wasn't in it. He's said he'll never do another Marlowe book. That said, it's still good to have Marlowe back, cracking wise and cruising the mean streets again. I liked it better than Chandler's "The Pencil", and better than some of the Spencer books! I just wish Parker would reconsider, and do another Marlowe book without the pressures and constraints of a contract. Marlowe, like Sherlock, is a detective who deserves to live on after his progenitor, but the return of L.A.'s hard-boiled prose-poet is, perchance, just a dream.

We really admire Parker for having the knowledge and creativity to "dream" up a new Philip Marlowe some fifty years after the original "Big Sleep" {1939} was published. We may be influenced by having just recently read Chandler's original first novel (so it was fresh in our mind), but we thought Parker did a great job. First, his use of literal quotation from the original made an effective prologue as well as effective transitions for the plot line that continued in his sequel. Second, his replication of Marlowe, with which he had prior experience in finishing Chandler's last work, Poodle Springs {to which Chandler only contributed the first four chapters}, was so credible we barely missed the masterful prose of the series creator.

In the story, the younger of (now deceased) General Sternwood's daughters, Carmen, is missing from a sanitarium to which she was committed as part of the outcome of "Sleep". Her sister Vivian, with whom Marlowe eventually became infatuated enough to bed, wants her found, but turned to another of her friends from the first book, Eddie Mars, to find. Meanwhile Norris the butler hires Marlowe to do the same, and ironically he and Eddie form an unlikely alliance at times to pursue matters. Before it's over, a scheme to make a millionaire out of the sanitarium founder, in cohorts with a wealthy land baron recluse, is uncovered; as is the perpetrator of a couple more killings along the way. Naturally the urbane but dogged Marlowe finds time in between drinking, smoking, and wowing attractive women, to unravel all and ride off into the sunset as a hero.

Some might quibble that Parker is a mediocre substitute for Mr. Chandler, but who might be up to the task of stringing wordcraft in that author's stead? We found Parker's plot quite entertaining in its own merits and his ability to credibly bring Marlowe back to life after fifty years quite remarkable. We enjoyed the book immensely, and found it no unworthy companion to his main man Spenser. Indeed, we commend this book to Chandler and Marlowe devotees!

Perchance to Dream is Robert B. Parker's sequel to Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep. Here, once again, Marlowe runs into the crazy sisters Vivian and Carmen Sternwood. In the Big Sleep, as you know, Carmen is totally insane and killed a man and was put away in a sanitarium. Here, she disappears and the Sternwood butler, who has been left a lot of money by the girls' father, hires Marlow to find her. Problem is it seems nobody wants him to look for her, much less find her. Of course Marlow runs into all kinds of shady dealings and nefarious characters in his search and it turns out to be rather standard mystery novel.

Overall, this novel is a bit too much like the Big Sleep. Although the plot is quite different, I almost felt like I was reading the same novel over again. And I never really did find the Sternwood sisters to be all that believable as characters. Nevertheless, it was very entertaining and well done novel so I would recommend it to Parker and Chandler fans.

This book is a good sequil to The Big Sleep, and is much easier to read. You can picture Bogart (albeit 6 foot tall and 190 lbs) trouncing around southern California in search of the missing Carmen Sternwood, with Bacall having a bit part as sister Vivian. Parker is faithful to the characters, and does a nice job. This was a fun read.

If you know have ever read a book by R.B. Parker you will find yourself in a familiar environment in this book. Parker sets himself a brave task in writing a sequel to Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep" and succeeds in pulling it off superbly. Parker is one of the rare modern writers who still believe that characters can have principles, and live by them even in extreme circumstances. Although this is not Parker's best work, I still recommend this book in which, in my opinion, Parker surpasses one of the legends of detective fition, Raymond Chandler.

It's almost as good as the master. The writing is great, and Elliot Gould did his usual fabulous job. I have ALL the books he has done. This one never skipped a beat.

Robert B. Parker has written many mystery novels. This 1991 novel is his sequel to Raymond Chandler's first novel "The Big Sleep". The `Prologue' repeats the ending of "TBS"; it explains how the super-rich use criminals to get rid of problems. Chandler had been an oil company executive and knew things. General Sternwood has died. Marlowe was called to the mansion by Norris the butler. Miss Carmen has disappeared from the sanatorium and Marlowe must find her. Parker embeds quotes from "TBS". Chandler's descriptive prose contrasts. Literary types may admire it but it does not contribute to the story; its inefficient. Parts of "TBS" were taken from Chandler's earlier short stories. Parker's prose has words and descriptions that Chandler could not use.

Marlowe can get no information from Dr. Bonsentir, the owner of the sanatorium. He is well connected. Marlowe interviews others, like Eddie Mars. Then he surreptitiously returns to this sanatorium and gets a clue about Carmen. Who is "Mr. Simpson"? Vivian gives her information to Marlowe. Parker's conversations aren't equal to Chandler's (Chapter 11). This story is set after the war (Chapter 12). Marlowe learns about Simpson's clout (Chapter 14); he is untouchable. [Would the wealthy Sternwoods have only one telephone number?] Would Marlowe get involved with Vivian (Chapter16). Marlowe is warned off the case (Chapter 18), but follows a lead to far out in the country (Chapter 19). He visited Rancho Springs (Chapter 21). A phone call brings Marlowe back to Rancho Springs (Chapter 27).

Marlowe watches Bonsentir and follows him to Fair Harbor. He sees the big yacht offshore and calls Eddie Mars. Marlowe boards the yacht after dark (Chapter 31). The villains are there (Chapter 32). Marlowe rescues Carmen from her fate. The authorities sort things out (Chapter 34). There will be no scandals in the press. Rich Randolph Simpson will be committed. Marlowe left and didn't look back. [I don't think there will be a sequel.]
This is a very good story which continued the characters of "The Big Sleep". I thought the ending was weak. Wouldn't it be better if that ship disappeared at sea during a storm?

Robert B. Parker comes the closest to the attitude of Phillip Marlowe. Stuart Kaminsky writes his Toby Peters stories more for laughs. Andrew Bergman (The Big Kiss-Off of 1944) had flashes where he nailed the speech, but was more in keeping with Spillane overall. William Nolan (The Marble Orchard) copies some of the dialogue- and I do mean copies- in his enjoyable Chandlerian mystery. And there are others, myriad others. But none of them get it quite right.

Neither does Parker, but he comes the closest. He matches the world-weariness, the cynicism and the reluctant romanticism, finding the knight in tarnished armor that is Marlowe. Yes, he very nearly matches the attitude. But he falls short with the style.

Chandler nearly ruined literature for me, because everything about every line of his writing'- the dialogue, the descriptions, the societal observations'- is so incredibly entertaining. Nothing can meet its rarified level. So I try to make due with 'close-enoughs.' When I finish a Chandler novel, I am depressed it came to an end; when I closed Parker's Perchance To Dream, it elicited a 'That's all there is?'

In P2D, the narrative is much too straightforward. The villain was clear from the first quarter of the book and there were few mysteries to solve. No convoluted Black Mask motives, no people impersonating other people. Marlowe doesn't even get sapped until distressingly late in the story. There is only one real subplot; then that ties in with the other so they can both be too-neatly wrapped up. It becomes clear what Marlowe must do and he sets out to do it. Then, very abruptly, the novel is over. It is strenuous but not complex. There is no last minute twist because the story followed a Spenser-like plot; it more resembles the structure of the first Lethal Weapon movie than it does that of The Big Sleep.

And as 50 years have passed between the publishing of the original novel and this one, some subtlety has been forsaken. Parker shows welcome restraint given the subject matter, but Carmen's decadence seemed in Chandler's novel somehow exotic and vague. In P2D, as postmodern psychology and sensibilities are applied, it seems cold and open and dirty.

Still, there is a lot that is great in this book. The flashbacks and tips-of-the-hat to the original novel come off better than they might have. We root for Marlowe and hiss the villain, as we should. Parker has penned an abundance of juicy wisecracks and has figured out how to end his chapters in the bittersweet tone much like Chandler accomplished. And the story, despite what I said above, is furiously-paced and viscerally entertaining. It just isn't Chandler.

Perchance To Dream is a good novel; but when someone slaps the words 'Sequel to The Big Sleep' on the cover of anything it had better be blackjack-to-the-head *great*. The fault isn't really Parker's' he came close, and his was a nigh-impossible task. After all, who can be as great as Raymond Chandler?

P.S. Poodle Springs was a more accurate tribute, if a less actionful read.

I did not buy really this book, so I can not make any review. I received a book in English when I wanted a book in Spanish.

THE PLOT OR PREMISE:
In Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep", the reader was introduced to all the main characters -- Sternwood himself, his butler, his two daughters, and a gangster. And of course Marlowe was along for the ride. In this sequel by Robert B. Parker, Philip Marlowe returns to Sternwood Manor to solve the case of a missing daughter, Carmen, who disappeared from her much-deserved stay in a sanitorium.

WHAT I LIKED:
A nice tribute to the Marlowe style, and you get to see Parker's and Chandler's styles side-by-side.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I found this to be a very strange book to read because of its constantly switching styles. The main text, written by Parker, reads like classic Spenser -- same style, sentence structure, etc. However, there are constant "flashbacks" that show up as classic Marlowe in the style of Chandler. If they were just occasional flashbacks, it might have made for an interesting read, but the constant jumps made it very hard to adjust at times.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
Nice tribute, but I hope future Marlowe stories will stick to the Spenser style. 3.00 lilypads out of 5.00.

Other Information:
- Source: New
- Original date of review: January 2001, updated 2011
- Series: Philip Marlowe
- Tags: Fiction, Prose, Action, Crime, Mystery, Professional Detective, Police