Sunday, April 4, 2010
Slammer, by Allan Guthrie
There aren't too many things better than discovering a writer who blows you away, and then finding out said writer has several books available to keep you hooked. Over the last few months, I've been reading a lot of modern noir writers, and while many of them have impressed me only two or three have absolutely thrown me for a loop and made me re-think my game. Allan Guthrie is one of those writers.
The book is Slammer, which is appropriate considering what the book does to your brain.
The story:
Glass is a deeply disturbed young prison guard, harassed by inmates and fellow guards alike. When he agrees under duress to do a favor for a con, he quickly falls under the con’s control and his life begins an ugly downward spiral; his deep-seated psychosis rages to life and it isn’t long before the boundaries between reality and fantasy become hopelessly lost.
Slammer is an intense novel, not so much the story of Glass’ slow descent into madness as his sudden, breathtaking plummet into insanity. The stakes get continually higher and higher, and all the while the reader is sickeningly aware that Glass is doomed—not just by external forces but by the twisted thing inside him. Superior psycho-noir.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find more Guthrie. I think I could become addicted to being slammed like that...
good call. i love slammer . i also recommend savage night. not as intense as slammer but a hell of a ride.
ReplyDeletei'd recommend them all. take your pick and you'll come out with something outstanding. i'd give my loudest shout for hard man, but i'd already be hoarse from heralding the rest.
ReplyDeleteand just look at that cover. you can vote on that (amongst others) over at spinetingler.
ReplyDeletePaul, Savage Night is the next Guthrie I'll pick up, for sure.
ReplyDeleteNige, I rocked my vote a couple days ago! That cover really is one of the best I've seen...
I also recently read Slammer and loved it. You used the word 'intense' and I think that's the perfect description.
ReplyDeleteHeath - great review of SLAMMER. I look forward to seeing your comments on the others. I think I'm torn between SLAMMER and HARD MAN for my favourite, but they're all great. Excellent blog, by the way, I'm going to have fun looking through all your old posts. And THE BASTARD HAND looks right up my dark, warped alley.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna, I appreciate it. Guthrie is great, I'm reading Savage Night now and really enjoying it. You asked me on your blog which writer turned me on to Scottish noir, and the answer is Ken Bruen... I started with The Dramatist, and everything I've read by him has blown me away and made me re-think my game. I'm glad you feature Scottish crime writers so well on Big Beat, keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tania! I love what you're doing at I Love a Mystery!
ReplyDelete