Thomas' final novel, VOODOO LTD is a wonderful, satisfying
story with a bittersweet ending made more so by the author's
death not long after the book's publication. His was a great
loss, still felt.
On another note, I'm of an age where I don't particularly
relate to the music of "kids nowadays". I think hip hop
sounds like a fight breaking out; I don't know Eminem from an
enema. However, the L.A. Times today published the words to
his song "Stan" which the controversial rapper will perform
on the Grammies tonight with Elton John. The song is written
as a series of letters in the first person from the point of
view of an increasingly troubled fan of the artist, leading
up to a murder suicide. I'm impressed. Whatever the
criticisms of Mr. Mathers (mysoginy, homophobia, criticisms
similarly leveled at Rara Avis darling J. Ellroy) the boy has
talent. And he is hardboiled with a capital H.
And finally last night I read CIELO AZUL, the short story
Michael Connelly wrote on a weekend and is available free to
his e-mail list. Cielo Azul is a Harry Bosch story, tied in
to his recent novel A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT. Story however
is written in the first person, rather than the third as is
common in the Bosch series. Connelly has said he now intends
to alternate between first and third person in the series to
keep himself interested, and does so effortlessly here.
Connelly also demonstrates that his particular bleak
sensibility works well in short form as well as long.
John Lau
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