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The Gentlemen's Hour (2010)

by Don Winslow(Favorite Author)

4 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0099527561 (ISBN13: 9780099527565)

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

Arrow

series

Boone Daniels

review 1: If he only would have kept it 20 pages shorter, leaving out the over the top cliché end and keeping it a bit open, it would have been nearly perfect. It starts slow, Winslow being busy to briefly recreate the universe of "the Dawn Patrol", then step by step builds up the new characters, creating a network of substories, subplots, hidden connections, even adding the ultra brutal psychopath without embarassing the reader because everything makes sense and there is a mean and pure logic undermining everything. Once again, it's more about the chracters than the plot. Although there is a strong crime story ( almost a classical page-turner) for all the ones who like to take Winslow more superficial. But the real quality of the novel is hidden and it requires to slow down, stop,... more think and rethink. If you don't want that you can read the book like spending a perfect sun and beach vacation in SoCal. Just take everything in and enjoy it! You won't be disappointed! But it really means to get only 50 % of the message. To get 100% you need to get away from the Beach and all the pretty, pretty guys and explore the darker alleys! It's all here! A Masterpiece!
review 2: This sequel to "The Dawn Patrol," the first book featuring surfing California PI Boone Daniels, is OK but not great. It shows author Don Winslow honing his writing style, trying a few tricks that he'd later use to far better effect in his masterpiece "Savages." The A, B and C plots are all tied together by a pretty large coincidence, and the villain isn't shown quite enough to register properly as an antagonist for Boone. Also, it seems as if everyone Boone knows is a computer savant, from the teenager who runs the surf shop where his office is located to the British attorney he's dating. At one point Winslow -- a former PI -- takes pains to mock some of the conventions of the genre, showing that a lot of PI work involves dull digging through paper records and noting that he hasn't heard a single saxophone riff. Yet every single woman who shows up in this book is supposed to be the hottest thing on two legs -- a major detective novel cliche right there. Winslow went on to far bigger and better books after this one, and so far has resisted the temptation to pen a third Boone Daniels book, which is probably for the best. All in all, a book mainly for Winslow fans and not necessarily for everyone -- although if you like surfing, you may enjoy how big a role that plays in both this and its predecessor. less

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