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Lawrence Block

Random Walk: A Novel For The New Age Mass Market Paperback – April 15, 1990

by Lawrence Block (Author)

31 ratings

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Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Tor Books
Publication date

April 15, 1990
Dimensions

4.2 x 0.9 x 6.75 inches
ISBN-10

0812515803
ISBN-13

978-0812515800
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books; Reprint edition (April 15, 1990)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0812515803
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0812515800
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,793,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #253,918 in Mysteries (Books)
- #298,332 in American Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
31 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		49%
4 star		22%
3 star		8%
2 star		5%
1 star		15%

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Top reviews from the United States

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PeopleInSorrow

weakest of all LB books

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2020

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The book was a total disappointment for a Lawrence Block fan. The plot was not compelling, if not poor. Too many characters appear in the book, and I had a very difficult time in remembering who is who.

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J. Butler

Great and Distrubing

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2020

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I don't know how I missed this one the first time around. I couldn't put it down. It's good. And fairly bothersome. But in a good way.

One person found this helpful

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Donna

Another (you should excuse the expression) Blockbuster!

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2018

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I am a great fan of Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder series, as well as the Bernie Rhodenbarr books. Random Walk is as far from those as possible. At times it almost felt like Stephen King was doing the writing; at others I knew it was Lawrence Block.
Fascinating premise. Well-written as one can always expect.

One person found this helpful

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Damien M.

Random Walk stands alone among Block's works.

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2014

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I've read almost all of his books, and Lawrence Block has never written a story like this. The juxtaposition of Good and Evil--and the challenge to my notions and values--left me at times breathless and at times terribly disturbed. The world and characters portrayed left me wondering: why it is I could so easily believe people could be that evil, yet I had such difficulty believing people could be so good. Why is it easy to accept life would be that cruel, yet so hard to accept that life could be so miraculous? Which body of attitudes would it be more advantageous for me to embrace? Block got me to thinking....

4 people found this helpful

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Da Bean

Quick read - OK

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2018

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I was hoping for a little more substance. Quick read. Starts out interesting but then it loses me.

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Reitman Rhyasen

I knew he had it in him

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2014

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How can an author who so thoroughly explores the good in his villains, as well as the villainy of his leading characters; who swims through the murky waters of motive and choice, grinning all the while, not give in and present us with a parable of our own absurdity - and salvation?

Thank you very much, Mr. Block, for making this gem available as an e-book, and for bringing it to my attention in your book, Afterwords.

One person found this helpful

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Chris

Powerful

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2018

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Not your typical Lawrence Block. Amazing storyteller...

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Fred Zimmerman

one of Block's worst

Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2010

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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.

5 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Ben

Amazing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2015

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Have been reading Lawrence Block for years, this is a total departure from his other work. I bought it without reading a review, and so was surprised and enthralled. I read it in a day and a half, haven't enjoyed a book so much in a very long time.

On consideration this book conceptualizes Block's world view that plays out and develops over the years in his earlier novels.

Highly recommend this book.

Greggorio!

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING!!!!!!!!

Reviewed in Australia on June 17, 2015

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This novel is easily the most unique reading experience Lawrence Block has ever penned. It is immediately fascinating in an alternative story telling kind of way. The book opens with local man Guthrie assisting life long friend Kit to have an abortion, of all things, and this forms the book’s first irony when you learn later on what the book is principally about.

Our man Guthrie decides to “pack it all in” and undertake the life changing adventure of walking for the sake of walking. He does not plan a destination (well, not one that he cares to admit to, anyway), but the honesty of his personality draws friends (read as ’followers’) like bees to fresh honey. And so it goes. Guthrie walks, and walks, and walks, he befriends, befriends, befriends, and they walk, and walk, walk. That is not to say book is flawed, or boring. It is anything but. The story is fascinating, emotional, and life changing not just for the characters that brighten up your kindle screen, but potentially life changing for anyone lucky enough to read the book, as well.

There is evil on the horizon, however, in the form of a quintessential serial killer who takes a while to get started, but when his modus operandi becomes clear to the reader, will turn out to be one of the most heinous, uber-sick men whovever walked the face of the earth. And of Planet Fiction, even. Naturally you wonder how the two plot strands will be linked, but the immediate afterthought, of course, is that you hope they don’t.

It turns out this book is essentially about salvation. And it is not until you reach the 3rd quarter of the tale that you learn what, precisely, is about to be saved. Parts of the book are beautifully written, and at times can be quite emotional. Topics such as redemption, life changing miracles and self healing are not something you would expect to find in a release from the established world wide master of the crime novel, but there you go. It works so well, and is written in such a way that you find yourself why the great man has not written more like it.

An easy four stars from me.

More please, Mr Block!

BFN Greggorio!

Amazon Customer

An awful book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

when i was at Primary School and had to write an essay, the easiest format was "A Day in the Life if A Penny". Well this book appears to be written in a similar style and seems to have been written by someone who (if I am being kind) had writers block, is hard up and is careless of their reputation. I just love Block's books, he is the best but this is a Turkey, you might start to read it but I dont think you will finish it.

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Random Walk: A Novel For The New Age Mass Market Paperback – April 15, 1990

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