Customer Reviews

Random Walk

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

 

 

Guthry, a bartender, determines one day that it's time to take a walk. And remarkable things begin to happen. He finds his walking comes easy to him, and as time goes on, he starts to meet people, who join him on his journey. On a seperate plotline, Mark, a successful young businessmen, starts a string of horrific strangulations, and seems to live a perfect, if frightening life. The story weaves the plotlines together; the walkers, guided by Sara, a young woman who is going blind as she sees inwardly, are experiencing healings and amazing instances of endurance. The meeting with other walkers, and the revealed purpose will bring a warm feeling to your heart.

Random Walk, Lawrence Block's brilliant send-up of the New Age movement, is as funny and relevant today as it was when first published in 1988. Block takes the New Age movement for a ride -- make that a walk -- and dumps its body in a dark alley (where Matt Scudder just may stumble on it some dark and rainy night). In this witty novel, an Oregon bartender decides to go for a walk one day, and winds up attracting a rag-tag band of fellow travelers who hike across the country with him, crossing paths with a vicious serial killer. A must read for Block fans and those new to the author as well.

I usually try to avoid the use of personal pronouns in writing my reviews, but Random Walk is not a book one can discuss without revealing one's feelings. First, let me express my happiness that PS Publishing has chosen to bring this extraordinary book back into print--it's the kind of book that makes you think, the kind that gives you hope, the kind that helps achieve an instantaneous, strong connection between those who have read it if it comes up in a conversation (which it has many times, at least for this reviewer). The mere mention of the title brings a smile to each participant's face, triggering pleasant shared memories. The enthusiastic conversation that ensues is peppered with many sentences starting with, "Wasn't it great when..." or, "I liked the part when..." and usually ends in mutual agreement that Block was on fire when he wrote it.

The novel proceeds from a simple premise--one day, ordinary guy Guthrie Wagner sets out on a walk, with little idea of where he's going or why he feels compelled to do so. As he walks, people from all races and walks of life join him, again for no other reason than that they feel it is the right thing to do. As the group grows, wondrous things start to happen, causing the walkers to wonder if they are not part of something bigger, whether there's a deeper reason why they have been brought together in this manner. Their journey to discover their purpose occupies the rest of the book, which is filled with surprises galore, and also with a sense of looming disaster, as their path seems destined to cross with that of a prolific serial killer, whose grim story occupies another track of the novel.

I won't gush any more about this book, one of Block's most unusual, enthralling and compelling tales--noted SF writer Spider Robinson does an excellent job of this in his insightful introduction, which opens with the words, "Welcome to one of the most glorious journeys ever undertaken." I can't recommend this book highly enough--I think you will enjoy it, and suspect it will stay with you long after you turn the last page, just as it has for the last twenty years with Mr. Robinson and me.

I loved this book when I first read it, way back in the day when I was a practicing psychic. Ok, teeth didn't grow back, but things like this were happening. Now, I have been on a quest to read all Lawrence Block's books, liking some series better than others. It's hard to believe it's the same author. Read Random Walk with an open mind...

The first thing that struck me about this book was that it's setting began in Oregon. I checked the front cover again, to make sure I'd picked up a Lawrence Block book and not some other author by mistake. Almost all of the Block books in my library (I'm missing only a handful) are set in NYC, so his starting off in Roseburg OR (near where I live) was a real jolt. I was not nearly as surprised when, after being introduced to two of the principles, Guthrie (Roseburg) who was the first to start walking, and Sara (Fort Wayne IN) who brought her 'vision' to the process, Mark the serial killer made his appearance. I knew Block knows serial killers well, so that was actually rather comforting. And in fact the entire book was rather comforting, even though I was not prepared for Mark's 'final disposition'. So why, I asked myself later, did I go into such a depressive state when I'd finished the book? To find out, I decided a day later to read it again. And now that I've finished my second read I'm here to suggest that you run, not walk, to your shopping cart and get this book into your own hands as soon as you can. You may conclude, as some have, that it's some kind of smarmy joke or you may find yourself confronting deep-seated fears/guilt as I did; but I can almost guarantee you won't be bored. The man is truly a master story teller.

I have been a fan of Lawrence Block for a few months now that I have discovered his books via my Kindle. Lets just say this book is nothing like anything he has ever written and I still loved it. I had no idea where it was taking me and where I would end up, and after reading it i'm not sure if I really know still, and that is the magic of this book.

It is a book that looks at life in a totally different perspective, One man takes a walk and many join him on his quest and on our quest. This book touched me emotionally and I hope to turn many of my friends onto it. It is an amazing read I'm sure I will revisit. Some of it is very dark as part of the book takes you on another persons road trip as he goes from town to town killing women.

Then the book takes you back to the group on their walk where miracles are happening and a quest for humanity just might be put into place. So grab some comfy shoes and give this book a try.

Maybe the end is just the beginning

Lawrence Block is a great writer and, in his autobiography, Step by Step, he says that this is one of his favorite books and that he wrote it in a burst of energy in two weeks straight. Unfortunately, only the latter makes sense. This just isn't a very good book.

It is severely handicapped by a completely absurd line of silly mystic mumbo-jumbo that propels its characters on their "walk." They are boring because there is no conflict. They join the walk, they experience a miracle cure, they all get along. The other half of the book is from the point of view of a prolific serial killer. He is not boring, but he sure is super creepy, so much so that it's hard to enjoy the book.

The Kindle formatting is fine, no issues.

Skip this one unless you are a New Age loon, a serial killer, or a Block completist.

This pseudo heavy "walk" through Oregon with a serial killer story spliced in between windbags spouting about their being healed etc.... is surely one of the worst pieces of junk I ever tried to read. This book takes itself way too seriously and the writing is amateur. Total garbage.

Lawrence Block shows his readers a different side of him in his novel, Random Walk. He explores a bigger picture of society and our collective effect on the planet and shared spirituality. I found the book easy to read, like actually taking a walk, even after being somewhat shocked at the topics Block illustrates. In the end, I reached realizations about myself and relations I have with others, a lot like Block's characters in Random Walk.

I have all the Matt Scudder stories, all of the Burglar books, and a number of other books by Block. He is one of the greatest writers of our time, in my opinion. That is why I simply can't believe he wrote Random Walk. I read it some years ago, but it remains in my memory as one of the *stupidest* stories I ever read. Mercifully, it is out of print now, and let's just hope it stays that way. Guess this book just illustrates that even the best writers have their off times.