Friday 27 February 2015

BOB FORWARD - THE OWL: JUSTICE NEVER SLEEPS (1984)


Synopsis/blurb……

It’s the mid-1980s. Crime in Los Angeles is running rampant. When the law can’t help you, there is one man who can: Alexander L’Hiboux, whose ability to sleep was destroyed in the ghastly tragedy that cost him his family. Now he’s justice-for-hire, prowling the streets and solving crimes with deadly finality. A desperate, grief-stricken shipping magnate hires The Owl to find the scum who brutalized his daughter…a quest that uncovers a shocking conspiracy that will rock the city.

New author – tick,

Brash Books offering – tick,

Los Angeles setting – tick,

80’s – time frame - tick

Action, gun-play, a kidnapping and vigilante pay-back in the form of the insomnolence-suffering, enigmatic Owl – 4 ticks.

Plot and main character were a wee bit OTT, but after chucking my plausibility-radar in the corner after a chapter or two, I kicked back and enjoyed the ride. Did I totally buy into The Owl as the equally feared and revered harbinger of doom to the lawless? Not totally, but I was convinced enough to finish this one in fairly short order. I used to love watching Arnie and Bruce busting a few heads on screen. I loved reading about The Owl busting a few heads here.

Credit to Bob Forward for introducing a unique protagonist with a condition that stops him sleeping…..ever. His back-story and the minimal amount of personal relationships or contact he allows himself, firmly cements him as one of society’s outsiders. Definitely a guy you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of. I was reminded me a little bit of Andrew Vachss’ Burke character, although Burke has a larger network of helpers.  

Great little diversionary scenes from the author which underline the lack of normality that The Owl enjoys in his everyday life. For example - the lengths he has to go to in order to get a shower in a motel had me chuckling.

Best book ever? No but more than enough to like and have me looking forward to Forward’s second Owl book – Scarlet Serenade.
 

Bob Forward’s website is here.


4 from 5 

Accessed through Net Galley, courtesy of Brash Books      




10 comments:

  1. I'm glad you enjoyed this one, Col. Must admit I'd prefer to have my disbelief right there with me when I read. Still, the time and context are really interesting, and it sounds as though Forward nailed those.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know what you mean, Margot. Sometimes though it's nice just to kick-back and go with the flow - this was one of those occasions!

      Delete
  2. The title sounds like a parody - I'm not sure The Owl has the right superhero ring to it, I keep thinking of Wol in Winnie the Pooh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never read Winnie the Pooh, not too familiar with anything other than the main cast.

      It does have a kind of tongue in cheek feel to it, but no underpants over the top of the trousers, or leaping tall building in a single bound, but hey...maybe that was the author's intention. Once I kind of accepted how it was, I went with the flow and enjoyed it,

      Delete
  3. This sounds similar to Cookie's Case that I reviewed recently. Over the top, straining my bounds of suspension of disbelief, but still enjoyable. This one may be grittier... although Cookie's Case was not cozy at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I think on occasions I can accept OTT but still enjoy the book, without being overly analytical.

      Delete
  4. Col, I agree with Moira. I was thinking of superhero too, but vigilante is more like it considering there is street justice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I think vigilante rather than superhero!

      Delete
  5. Sounds right up my street. I'm always fascinated by the thought of not having to sleep. It's a main reason why Michael Gilbert's Smallbone Deceased, whose protagonist needs just one or two hours' sleep a night, is such a perennial favourite of mine. I'll have to track down Forward's books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've seen a bit on the net this week regarding Michael Gilbert. I'll look up Smallbone Deceased (sighs heavily and shakes fist at screen)

      Delete