Have my review posted. It's spoiler free-nothing that you couldn't read on the book jacket anyway. Mr. Mercedes Review: King Benz Us Over - Talkbacker
Mr. Mercedes Review
- Thread starter ScottColbert
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Just letting you know that I have moved your post into our Self Promotion area as this is better suited for your review.
I noticed in your review you used the word chaos; although it was used to explain that you got “chaos” instead of the horror you expected as Stephen Kings trademark stigma.
You also explain how you feel that the characters Detective Hodges and Criminal Brady are low wits for the standard police procedural story; suggestive that nether character has control of their situation.
For me the story’s personality expressed that there is no “control” just “chaos” and “darkness”.
You also explain how you feel that the characters Detective Hodges and Criminal Brady are low wits for the standard police procedural story; suggestive that nether character has control of their situation.
For me the story’s personality expressed that there is no “control” just “chaos” and “darkness”.
I do agree that Mr. Mercedes will rank as a 'minor' King work (on par with Rose Madder-no insult intended; I like both books), but can't agree that the characters are weak. Though the leads start genre specific, my take is that it was purposeful; Mr. King begins with a cliche and then shows us the man behind the costume. This is particularly true of Bill. He's a lovely character, IMHO.
I also disagree with your assessment of the stpry's opening. The point was not to wash the reader in gore; by exploring the background and motivations of the job seekers, Mr. King socks home the absolute tragedy of their loss. They are not simply a collection of body parts and spewing blood: THEY ARE PEOPLE. I found his depiction of the attack arresting in a way that a rote description of carnage couldn't have achieved.
I also disagree with your assessment of the stpry's opening. The point was not to wash the reader in gore; by exploring the background and motivations of the job seekers, Mr. King socks home the absolute tragedy of their loss. They are not simply a collection of body parts and spewing blood: THEY ARE PEOPLE. I found his depiction of the attack arresting in a way that a rote description of carnage couldn't have achieved.
I didn't expect horror, or gore actually. What I expected was for the scene to have more of an impact (no pun intended). For me, it didn't. King has an almost unnatural ability to create characters that you can care about in a matter of sentences. Here, he takes pages, and I think it's a detriment to the scene. Again, simply my take on it.
As for the Hodges and Brady, at least one of them has to have some form of control in order to create an effective cat and mouse feel.
I disagree; cat and mouse is two antagonist taunting each other, it doesn’t mean ether one of them has control.
Brady blundered with his attempt to goad Hodges into suicide and his attempt to poison Odel; and Hodges was not the hero or any of the thought on the good guy team: he was the detective in name and title sake, but his team mates solved most of the mysteries and saved the day.
Cat and mouse also denotes the upper hand changes, but when neither have it. Your spoiler was the other thing that annoyed me.
We get set for a confrontation between Hodges and Brady, and it never happens. That was ridiculous.
Good reply
Control may not be constantly maintained by cat or mouse , but one or the other will have the upper hand in their confrontations.
I can understand your disappointment with their being no direct confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist; but it has been announced Mr. Mercedes is part of a trilogy , so a big banging show down may just be yet to come.