Thursday, May 26, 2011

SPINETINGLER

Well, there's a big ol' internet debate going on at Spinetingler over a review by Ben Whitmer. I don't know if I have much to say about this. It was an overtly aggressive review (although Whitmer has backtracked some in the comments), and I'd be interested to hear a response from Reasoner.

I also have a review of a Jon Breen story  from the same collection (On Dangerous Ground, a collection of Western noir). For many years, Breen wrote The Jury Box column for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and I liked his reviews. Unfortunately, I didn't like this story.

Anyways, I am planning on reading the rest of On Dangerous Ground. A lot of authors whose work I really enjoy in there--Dave Zeltersman, Bill Crider, Gary Lovisi, Ken Bruen, etc.

4 comments:

  1. Safe to say that review stirred up a shitstorm. It's well worth the read as a political/historic statement (more than the review of a single story) and the comments that follow it are more than worth reading also.

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  2. it is often and very accurately stated that reviews say more about the reviewers than what it is they are reviewing - with that said it is all about opinion and why anyone need back track is lost on me..

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  3. Yeah, some good points. Ben back tracked because he made one rather inflammatory statement and got one fact wrong, which played a part in his argument for why the story is part of a racist tradition.

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  4. Incidentally, thanks for the heads up Chris. This is a good old style bar brawl, I'm hiding under the table (solid oak) and watching the whiskey bottles fly.

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