| Hard Revolution (Sister Mary Helen Mysteries) |  | Author: George P. Pelecanos
Creator: Charles Canada
Publisher: Sound Library
Category: Book
Buy New: $79.95
New (1) Used (2) from $30.77
Avg. Customer Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 2463267
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Items: 8
ISBN: 0792731859
EAN: 9780792731856
ASIN: 0792731859
Publication Date: March 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1 to 4 weeks
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
HARD REVOLUTION is a rich, dramatic, totally engrossing story of two brothers-one a rookie police officer, one a recently returned Vietnam veteran-caught up in the chaos that engulfed D.C. in 1968, when riots followed the assassination of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Derek Strange is his family's straight arrow, but his older brother Dennis has always had a harder time.Home from the war and in several varieties of trouble, Dennis is in danger of making one bad decision too many.While Derek tries to be there for Dennis, no amount of brotherly love can save Dennis from Alvin Jones, a local drug dealer who draws him into his web. An apocalyptic gun battle and an impossible decision collide in the electrifying climax of the most powerful book yet from George Pelecanos, a novelist who 'writes with intelligence and complexity, as well as with a sober recognition of the evil at large in the world.' (Washington Post)
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 Loved it June 4, 2008
Brought back vivid memories of a time and place I remember as if yesterday. You will enjoy this book. Character development is great. Pelecanous uses longer stentences than I do. He does it well.
 Good book. April 20, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
My son lives in Italy and wanted this. Thanks for the speedy delivery of it so I could send it to him.
 A Crime Novel from Late Sixties Washington, D.C. January 30, 2008
In this, Pelecanos last novel staring the Washingtonian Derek Strange, Pelecanos takes Strange back in time to the Washington, D.C. of the late sixties when racial tensions and small time crime were plaguing the city. Pelecanos is among the best writers working in crime fiction and he handles this story, and especially the events happening in Washington on the night of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assasination masterfully.
Like Pelecanos's other works, Hard Revolution makes the district come alive and exposes a world of hard working blue collar families and young kids caught up in trouble that has little to do with the halls of power that occupy the same city. If you like your crime novels hard boiled, brilliantly written and historically accurate, then Pelecanos and Hard Revolution is for you.
An acquired taste...... May 25, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Pelecanos' books are an acquired taste. I read his first book because it was a murder mystery but because of his easy writing style, I decided to read more of his books. I'm now into my 3rd and 4th Pelcanos books.
Hard Revolution was the 2nd Pelecanos book I read. For sure HR is not a murder mystery. It isn't even a mystery book, more like crime drama. Pelacanos specializes in Washington DC. More than, that he specializes in "the life" for American blacks in Washington DC. I have no idea how accurate his portrayal is. (My ironic feeling was, do American blacks view his writing the same as Althea Strange (sp?) or the shoeshine man view Olga or the white man respectively?) What is Pelecanos' street cred?
Still, the portrayal of "the life" seems accurate to me. I suppose it's something every American should read, and it makes me never want to visit DC, at least, never want to wander into the wrong neighborhood by mistake.
To me, HR was part historical. It opened a window for me back to the Spring of 1968, civil rights, the death of MLK and the riots in DC (ironically again, appears no different from the Rodney King riots). I didn't get the book to read about no history, but this part of the book was a real eye opener for me, I read about things which I would normally never have thought about.
If you're looking for a pure murder mystery, this book is not for you. If you're looking for some crime drama, plus a window back in time to DC in 1968, then this book is definitely for you.
And as always, Pelecanos is a good writer and his books are always easy to read.
How does he know this stuff? September 26, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The best writer of black crime fiction is white. Pelecanos knows stuff that no other white person knows and stuff that no black would ever tell a white. How does he know this stuff? While other writers may have black characters they do not have the right voice so most don't even try. Pelecanos is different. Not only does his voice ring true, it is true. This novel introduces us to the young Derek Strange. Although technically a crime novel, there is precious little sleuthing here. Rather, Pelecanos wants us to know and feel how close this nation came to being ripped apart by Viet Nam and civil rights. This is strong stuff. Highly recommended.
|
|
|
Copyright 2008 - RailroadBookstore.com
| |
