One good thing about a Robert B Parker novel; it's a quick read. Always heavy on dialogue his novels read like expanded screenplays, and I started this one in a doctor's waiting room yesterday, read a little before bed, and finished it today - despite it being 304 pages long.
Resolution is a western novel that is a continuation of the adventures of Everett Hitch and Virgil Cole, lawmen/gunmen who in this case hire on as bouncers in the town of Resolution. Hitch quickly runs afoul of the local gunman and kills him, the opening salvo in a war between competing economic interests in the town.
In recent years Parker has not only worked on improving his signature Spenser series, but has also branched off into several directions: young adult novels, the Sunny Randall series, the Jesse Stone series, and this western team.
The characters are familiar to any Parker reader. Men exceptionally skilled at violence, often acting in ways that are less than 'moral' by mainstream standards but fit within the rigid moral code they have adapted for themselves.
Another re-occurring facet of the Parker style is a dysfunctional romance. As if love and relationships weren't hard enough in real life, Parker makes sure his characters face life-wrenching decisions wherever their heart is concerned.
If you are looking for the next Hondo or Shane, or the complexity of a Lonesome Dove, look elsewhere. This is not a book that will be remembered in the genre when your grandchildren's grandchildren visit the library. It is however a quick and entertaining read with a small but real insight into the mentality of men like Hitch and Cole.
Recommended for western readers. 2.75 out of 4, 65 out of 100.
I'd like to have seen a little bit more about the book content...have read this yet, but I, too, am a RBP fan and have enjoyed all of his books. You are right they are always quick reads but I think his dialogue is among the best around. I'll probably get this one even though it may not be as good as others...it's nice to see his different characters...check out Double Play if you haven't read it, for an entirely different "type."
ReplyDeleteAgreed, too short on plot summary. But I admit to being worried that it would turn people off. Really the plot is the same as 1000 other westerns - greedy businessmen hiring gunhands to terrorize settlers and our Hero standing up to him. I worried that if I said that, people would automatically close the window. But (being a RBP fan) you know it's all about the characters, not the story, and I tried to stress that. Apparently I fell short. Thanks for the comment!
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