Hard Case Crime, Part 2
11-28-07, 02:40 PM
#80
DVD Talk Reviewer Emeritus
Thread Starter
You got me curious about the "Ms. Tree" comic angle, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. Interesting.
Hard Case Crime will publish Deadly Beloved, the first novel about Ms. Tree. The book will appear by December 2007, is written by Max Allan Collins, and will be Ms. Tree's first appearance in 14 years. On his web site, www.maxallancollins.com, Collins has said of Deadly Beloved, "MS. TREE co-creator Terry Beatty has done a lovely cover - among the best Hard Case has done, and that's saying something - and I spent a lot of time revising and polishing, trying to make DEADLY BELOVED a novel that would work equally well for longtime fans of the graphic novel series and readers unfamiliar with the character/series."
Hard Case Crime will publish Deadly Beloved, the first novel about Ms. Tree. The book will appear by December 2007, is written by Max Allan Collins, and will be Ms. Tree's first appearance in 14 years. On his web site, www.maxallancollins.com, Collins has said of Deadly Beloved, "MS. TREE co-creator Terry Beatty has done a lovely cover - among the best Hard Case has done, and that's saying something - and I spent a lot of time revising and polishing, trying to make DEADLY BELOVED a novel that would work equally well for longtime fans of the graphic novel series and readers unfamiliar with the character/series."
Last edited by Jason Bovberg; 11-29-07 at 09:56 AM.
11-29-07, 07:43 AM
#81
Just finished Slide and didn't like it much. None of the characters were appealing in any way, there was no one to identify or even sympathize with (maybe the sushi chef? But who cares about him!). Unfortunately the ending leaves open the possibility of yet another sequel. I hope not.
Just started Dead Street.
Just started Dead Street.
11-29-07, 09:52 AM
#82
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In noir fiction it is often the case that the characters are unsympathetic. That's usually part of the point. That can be a turn off, though, if readers are looking for likable characters and happy endings. (Probably part of the reason noir fiction isn't more popular.)
And yes, there will be another sequel.
And yes, there will be another sequel.
12-05-07, 07:15 AM
#83
I'm half way through Dearly Beloved and it's obvious that M.A.C. is struggling to write a book that'll satisfy both long time fans and new readers. I don't have a problem him doing that, it's just that his execution is lacking. I'm not liking the pretense of Ms. Tree talking to a psychiatrist to tell the story. This requires the psychiatrist to ask obvious set up questions that Max put in there to introduce elements of Ms. Tree's past. Block, in his Scudder novels for example, will have his detective telling a story in the first person. Block never sets up who Scudder is telling the story to, it's just classic first person Noir storytelling. The result is that the reader feels like the story is being told to him/her. In Dearly Beloved we get the jarring questions & comments and filtering from the story to the dr.'s office throughout the book. The story isn't bad but the device is. Hopefully it is successful enough to warrant a follow up (and if Bust & Slide set the example, Ms. Tree has to be a success!) 'cause I'd like a regular dose of Ms.Tree.
12-05-07, 07:19 AM
#84
Originally Posted by djmont
In noir fiction it is often the case that the characters are unsympathetic. That's usually part of the point. That can be a turn off, though, if readers are looking for likable characters and happy endings. (Probably part of the reason noir fiction isn't more popular.)
And yes, there will be another sequel.
And yes, there will be another sequel.
12-06-07, 07:28 AM
#85
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by ytrez
Maybe sympathetic was the wrong word. I've read enough noir fiction to understand the frequency of unsympathetic characters, though frequently the victim of the heist, con, murder, whatever, is at least a somewhat sympathetic character. The characters of Slide were; however, neither sympathetic or compelling, and therein lies my problem. The most compelling character was The M.A.X. but he was only compelling for 5 minutes before he was just an annoying asshole. This, for me, didn't make for interesting reading.
12-19-07, 02:10 PM
#89
DVD Talk Reviewer Emeritus
Thread Starter
The latest from Charles Ardai...
*******************************
Happy holidays, everyone. For a quick blast of winter heat, you might want to visit www.HardCaseCrime.com and check out Glen Orbik's stunning new cover for THE MAX, Ken Bruen and Jason Starr's upcoming third book in the series that began with BUST and SLIDE. There's also a meaty sample chapter on the site that introduces you to the book's premise: Max Fisher, the self-deluded protagonist of the previous books, is finally headed for jail. Meanwhile, halfway around the world, Angela Petrakos is having problems of her own with the law...
In bookstores now you'll find two very well-reviewed titles, Mickey Spillane's DEAD STREET (which Entertainment Weekly gave their highest rating and chose for their "Must List") and Max Allan Collins' DEADLY BELOVED (which continues in prose form the adventures of his groundbreaking comic book heroine, "Ms. Tree"). Coming up in two weeks: Lawrence Block's tale of drug dealers in 1960s Greenwich Village, A DIET OF TREACLE.
And then...
MONEY SHOT by Christa Faust.
This one is getting so much serious advance buzz I think it may well be one of the biggest books we've ever done. Everyone who reads it loves it, and even though it's more than a month till it hits stores, people are already raving about it online and in print. (And more is coming. If you're comfortable with the magazine, pick up a copy of Penthouse the month MONEY SHOT comes out for a profile of Christa in their "Sirens" section.) Fair warning to anyone who might be offended by such things: Some of the content of the novel is pretty raw, in terms of sex and violence. But what would someone easily offended by sex and violence be doing reading our books? If you're not squeamish about the emergence, one way or another, of the occasional bodily fluid, you should definitely treat yourself to this great read.
And if you're going to be in New York City on either Sunday, January 27th or Tuesday, January 29th, you should take the opportunity to meet Christa (and me, and some other friends of the Hard Case Crime family such as the insanely gifted Megan Abbott) at one of the launch events we're holding. On the 27th, at 7PM, we'll be doing a reading at KGB Bar (85 East 4th Street); on the 29th, also at 7PM, we'll be holding a publication party at one of the city's last remaining mystery bookstores (and one of its finest bookstores of any sort), Partners & Crime (44 Greenwich Avenue). Which event you should come to depends on your schedule (weekend or weeknight, you decide) and also whether you prefer hearing Christa, Megan, and me read from upcoming works or just stand around chatting. And whether you prefer to spend an evening in a very cool bar or a very cool bookstore. But if you can make it, please do come to one -- or both. We love meeting our readers, and I know you'll enjoy meeting Christa (who doesn't make it back east from L.A. very often...so grab the chance while she's here!).
One last piece of news, and then I'll head off to wrap Christmas presents (funny how all my packages seem to wind up pistol-shaped): We've begun planning for our 2009 list, and continuing a great tradition of kicking off each year with a book by Lawrence Block, we've got a doozy for you. So much of a doozy that we can't even tell you what it is yet. But to tease you and tempt you and leave you with visions of poisoned sugarplums dancing in your head, I'll say this: It's a book he wrote nearly 50 years ago and has never permitted to be reprinted since; he wrote it under a pseudonym he'd never used before and never used again; no one, not even seriously dedicated Block fanatics, know about this book; and it is quite possibly the single most audacious book we'll ever publish. I can't even tell you the title, because that'd give it all away. Nor can I show you the cover art. All I'll say is: be prepared to do a double-take when you see it.
Which will be soon. But for now, let me leave you with all the best holiday wishes. And one last blast of holiday heat: check out http://www.hardcasecrime.com/events.shtml for a taste of Christa in full-on femme fatale mode...
Best,
Charles
-------------
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime
*******************************
Happy holidays, everyone. For a quick blast of winter heat, you might want to visit www.HardCaseCrime.com and check out Glen Orbik's stunning new cover for THE MAX, Ken Bruen and Jason Starr's upcoming third book in the series that began with BUST and SLIDE. There's also a meaty sample chapter on the site that introduces you to the book's premise: Max Fisher, the self-deluded protagonist of the previous books, is finally headed for jail. Meanwhile, halfway around the world, Angela Petrakos is having problems of her own with the law...
In bookstores now you'll find two very well-reviewed titles, Mickey Spillane's DEAD STREET (which Entertainment Weekly gave their highest rating and chose for their "Must List") and Max Allan Collins' DEADLY BELOVED (which continues in prose form the adventures of his groundbreaking comic book heroine, "Ms. Tree"). Coming up in two weeks: Lawrence Block's tale of drug dealers in 1960s Greenwich Village, A DIET OF TREACLE.
And then...
MONEY SHOT by Christa Faust.
This one is getting so much serious advance buzz I think it may well be one of the biggest books we've ever done. Everyone who reads it loves it, and even though it's more than a month till it hits stores, people are already raving about it online and in print. (And more is coming. If you're comfortable with the magazine, pick up a copy of Penthouse the month MONEY SHOT comes out for a profile of Christa in their "Sirens" section.) Fair warning to anyone who might be offended by such things: Some of the content of the novel is pretty raw, in terms of sex and violence. But what would someone easily offended by sex and violence be doing reading our books? If you're not squeamish about the emergence, one way or another, of the occasional bodily fluid, you should definitely treat yourself to this great read.
And if you're going to be in New York City on either Sunday, January 27th or Tuesday, January 29th, you should take the opportunity to meet Christa (and me, and some other friends of the Hard Case Crime family such as the insanely gifted Megan Abbott) at one of the launch events we're holding. On the 27th, at 7PM, we'll be doing a reading at KGB Bar (85 East 4th Street); on the 29th, also at 7PM, we'll be holding a publication party at one of the city's last remaining mystery bookstores (and one of its finest bookstores of any sort), Partners & Crime (44 Greenwich Avenue). Which event you should come to depends on your schedule (weekend or weeknight, you decide) and also whether you prefer hearing Christa, Megan, and me read from upcoming works or just stand around chatting. And whether you prefer to spend an evening in a very cool bar or a very cool bookstore. But if you can make it, please do come to one -- or both. We love meeting our readers, and I know you'll enjoy meeting Christa (who doesn't make it back east from L.A. very often...so grab the chance while she's here!).
One last piece of news, and then I'll head off to wrap Christmas presents (funny how all my packages seem to wind up pistol-shaped): We've begun planning for our 2009 list, and continuing a great tradition of kicking off each year with a book by Lawrence Block, we've got a doozy for you. So much of a doozy that we can't even tell you what it is yet. But to tease you and tempt you and leave you with visions of poisoned sugarplums dancing in your head, I'll say this: It's a book he wrote nearly 50 years ago and has never permitted to be reprinted since; he wrote it under a pseudonym he'd never used before and never used again; no one, not even seriously dedicated Block fanatics, know about this book; and it is quite possibly the single most audacious book we'll ever publish. I can't even tell you the title, because that'd give it all away. Nor can I show you the cover art. All I'll say is: be prepared to do a double-take when you see it.
Which will be soon. But for now, let me leave you with all the best holiday wishes. And one last blast of holiday heat: check out http://www.hardcasecrime.com/events.shtml for a taste of Christa in full-on femme fatale mode...
Best,
Charles
-------------
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime
01-01-08, 09:15 PM
#91
DVD Talk Reviewer Emeritus
Thread Starter
I must admit I haven't read a Hard Case book in a few months, but I thought I'd bump this thread with the latest title, available now. I plan on grabbing this one in the next few days and devouring it.
01-02-08, 09:11 AM
#92
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't know anything about the Block surprise. I did try reading Treacle, though, and was very disappointed. This is one of only maybe 3 of Block's books (out of dozens and dozens) that I didn't care for.
01-02-08, 10:24 AM
#93
DVD Talk Reviewer Emeritus
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by djmont
I did try reading Treacle, though, and was very disappointed. This is one of only maybe 3 of Block's books (out of dozens and dozens) that I didn't care for.
01-08-08, 10:43 AM
#95
I just got Treacle last night and will read it when I finish the Block short story collection I'm reading right now.
Nice cover for the The Max, but I hope it is the last in the series.
Nice cover for the The Max, but I hope it is the last in the series.
01-11-08, 08:05 AM
#96
Originally Posted by djmont
Don't know anything about the Block surprise. I did try reading Treacle, though, and was very disappointed. This is one of only maybe 3 of Block's books (out of dozens and dozens) that I didn't care for.
I love Block, but this is my least favorite of the many works I've read. I'm hoping it ends with a bang.
01-13-08, 11:35 AM
#97
DVD Talk Reviewer Emeritus
Thread Starter
Latest news from Hard Case Crime from Charles Ardai...
Those of you who enjoyed Max Allan Collins' THE LAST QUARRY back in 2006 will have reason to cheer later this year when the venerable hit man returns for a prequel we're calling THE FIRST QUARRY. This book will tell the story of Quarry's first assignment, when he was just a young pup entering the killing-for-hire game -- sort of the way "Casino Royale" re-started the story of James Bond or the upcoming new "Star Trek" movie will re-launch that series with a new tale of Kirk and Spock at the start of their careers. Max is still finishing the book as we speak, so there's no sample chapter up on our Web site yet (there should be one soon)...but we have put up the book's cover, a stunner by one of our newest artists, Ken Laager, who also painted the mouth-watering cover for THE MURDERER VINE. You can find it at www.HardCaseCrime.com.
In bookstores now you'll find Lawrence Block's rediscovered novel A DIET OF TREACLE, about the travails of drug dealers and users in 1960s Greenwich Village. In a few weeks, MONEY SHOT will show up. Then comes ZERO COOL by the elusive John Lange, author of GRAVE DESCEND -- though there hasn't been a new John Lange novel for many, many years, long-time fans of his work will get a kick out of seeing the new opening and closing chapters he's written for this new edition of one of his old titles. And then, in April, it's our special, classic-format double edition of Robert Bloch's SHOOTING STAR and SPIDERWEB, printed back to back in one volume. Quite a lineup! And that's not even counting the books by Donald Westlake, John Farris, Ken Bruen and Jason Starr, and David J. Schow that we've got coming up later in the year -- or the long-lost, never-before-published thriller by award-winning fantasy and science fiction author Roger Zelazny that we'll be bringing you at the start of 2009.
Best,
Charles
-----------
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime
Those of you who enjoyed Max Allan Collins' THE LAST QUARRY back in 2006 will have reason to cheer later this year when the venerable hit man returns for a prequel we're calling THE FIRST QUARRY. This book will tell the story of Quarry's first assignment, when he was just a young pup entering the killing-for-hire game -- sort of the way "Casino Royale" re-started the story of James Bond or the upcoming new "Star Trek" movie will re-launch that series with a new tale of Kirk and Spock at the start of their careers. Max is still finishing the book as we speak, so there's no sample chapter up on our Web site yet (there should be one soon)...but we have put up the book's cover, a stunner by one of our newest artists, Ken Laager, who also painted the mouth-watering cover for THE MURDERER VINE. You can find it at www.HardCaseCrime.com.
In bookstores now you'll find Lawrence Block's rediscovered novel A DIET OF TREACLE, about the travails of drug dealers and users in 1960s Greenwich Village. In a few weeks, MONEY SHOT will show up. Then comes ZERO COOL by the elusive John Lange, author of GRAVE DESCEND -- though there hasn't been a new John Lange novel for many, many years, long-time fans of his work will get a kick out of seeing the new opening and closing chapters he's written for this new edition of one of his old titles. And then, in April, it's our special, classic-format double edition of Robert Bloch's SHOOTING STAR and SPIDERWEB, printed back to back in one volume. Quite a lineup! And that's not even counting the books by Donald Westlake, John Farris, Ken Bruen and Jason Starr, and David J. Schow that we've got coming up later in the year -- or the long-lost, never-before-published thriller by award-winning fantasy and science fiction author Roger Zelazny that we'll be bringing you at the start of 2009.
Best,
Charles
-----------
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime
01-14-08, 08:01 AM
#98
I'm up for another Quarry novel.
I'd also like to see more Donald Lam novels by Stanley Gardner. Top of the Heap was fun and was something like the 13th novel in the series. I'd much rather see more of these than another "Max" novel. (sorry to Bruen, Starr, and fans of the series).
Also, I miss John Blake (Little Girl Lost & Songs of Innocence). A revisit/flashback novel to one of his cases when he was still a detective would be nice.
I'd also like to see more Donald Lam novels by Stanley Gardner. Top of the Heap was fun and was something like the 13th novel in the series. I'd much rather see more of these than another "Max" novel. (sorry to Bruen, Starr, and fans of the series).
Also, I miss John Blake (Little Girl Lost & Songs of Innocence). A revisit/flashback novel to one of his cases when he was still a detective would be nice.
01-22-08, 02:22 PM
#99
DVD Talk Reviewer Emeritus
Thread Starter
Just unearthed this interesting interview with Charles Ardai, published middle of last year.