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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This is what I think of when some one says "a good read.",
By Small Press Fan (parts unknown) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Revenge of Kali-Ra (Hardcover)
I was recently given a copy of THE REVENGE OF KALI-RA by a friend who thought I would enjoy it, knowing my fondness for Pulp fiction (and all things Pulp related).Being unfamiliar with the work of K.K. Beck, I added this novel to a precariously balanced stack of other books that had already accumulated in my bedroom that has come to called my "BOOKS TO BE READ...SOMEDAY" stack, figuring that I would get to it "eventually". But, every time I glanced at the mockingly large mound of books in the corner, the gaudy red book cover with the 30's heroine in peril on the top of the pile kept egging me on, "Pick me up and read me," it said, "thrills, spills & chills are waiting for you beneath my tawdry red cover." Finally, unable to ignore it's lure any longer, I picked up this book hesitantly, unsure what to expect from this intriguingly titled book by an author with whom I was completely unfamiliar...and am I glad that I did. This story revolves around a hot young Hollywood starlet who stumbles across a long out of print pulp novel written by a long forgotten 1920's hack by the name of Valerian Ricardo (Uncle Sid to his family back in MN). The starlet, Nadia Wentworth, decides that she must play the main character featured in a series of out of print books written by Ricardo about a femme fatale character called Kali-Ra, Queen of Doom (think Fu Manchu in a dress). Out of this simple premise follows a rollickingly good story about a flaky Hollywood starlet and her level-headed but put upon assistant, a hectoring old harridan of a widow clutching for control of her husbands memory, a drunken screenwriter being held against his will, a shady off-shore money man living in exile, a possible illegitimate child, a senile old crooner and his mountain of a chauffeur, a directionless great-great-grand-nephew from MN, and a mad dash to claim the copyright to the long forgotten, but now much in demand, writings of Valerian Ricardo. It all leads to a bevy of twists and turns, a few good laughs, and a very satisfying ending. This humorous, light-hearted send-up of Hollywood and the self-absorbed characters that live their may not be Shakespeare (or Hammett or Chandler for that matter), but if you're looking for a well told story and a memorable cast of characters, I can sincerely recommend this book.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book, though mystery plays second fiddle to comedy,
This review is from: The Revenge of Kali-Ra (Hardcover)
This is not a mystery in the traditional sense. In fact, the crime is committed surprisingly close to the end of the book (and don't be let down by the solution). The real focus here is the wild sendup of trashy pulp novels from the '20s-'40s, vulturous heirs, crazed cults, and modern-day Hollywood and the idiots and sleazeballs that surround it.Every character is memorable, as well as a loving parody of some cliche, celebrity, or character type. In disagreement with one of the below reviews, the fun of the book is that all the characters are one-dimensional types. The best mysteries are usually written that way (even Agatha Christie did it with "And Then There Were None!"), so that their one domating personality trait (often the one that makes them look guilty for one reason or another) can be emphasized and the story, which surrounds the murder, is not clogged up by character development. Sure, we all love books rich in character, but mysteries often shouldn't be that way. Some writers (like Sue Grafton) can pull it off, but for most of us, it's just fine. The one side of the characters we see are always uproarious, and the characters are very well-drawn: SSelf-absorbed, dumb Nadia; resourceful, studious Melanie; eager, giddy Nick; mysterious, sexual Callie; bitter, drunken Duncan; abrasive, demanding washed-up crooner Vince; hapless, loveless Quentin; sneaky, calculating Lila; and the list rolls on..... It's the most humorously well-written book I've read, too. The prose is laced with sour humor, even in simple descriptions of characters and items, and the dialogue is witty and vital. (And the pulp novel segments are great!) The pacing is fast and interesting, never slowing too much to lose interest. All the plots weave together quite nicely, and there's even an all-around happy ending that could only happen in Hollywood. By no means your conventional murder-mystery, and more resembling some wild satire along the lines of "Soap," this book just screams "MOVIE!" This could easily be done with an obvious all-star cast; one's brain automatically fits celebrities into the roles with no trouble. A fun, light summer read, I picked it up one Sunday in July and had devoured it by Friday night. Tuck your cares away and read this book. you won't be disappointed.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm glad I discovered k.k.beck,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Revenge of Kali-Ra (Hardcover)
I came accross my first k.k.beck book in a used book store. I have started collecting them. The Revenge of Kali-Ra is a well crafted tale, a very enjoyable read. Slightly different in style than her books set in the 1920's, Kali-Ra grabs you at the very beginning and I couldn't put it down.
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