“My debut novel has a very meagre origin story. After years of messing around with writing — of trying epic novels, experimental flash fiction, literary shorts — I finally wrote what I thought someone else might read and enjoy. The manuscript I put together as an ‘entertainment’ (to borrow from Graham Greene) turned out to be a draft of Four Days and, to be honest, I was a little disturbed by it. I tried to do something accessible and trashy and melodramatic but turned out a densely plotted book about inherited corruption, sexual dysfunction and ultra-violence. Nevertheless, as I edited the manuscript I started to place it in a small, personal canon of books I loved. These were authors I knew full well I’d borrowed from. Sitting alongside these greasy crime novels below, I felt a little better about myself."
When is a book not a book?
Well I've read these two shorties - one a 20-odd page fiction piece and the other probably a similar length non-fiction piece, outlining the authors that influenced this Australian debut novel Four Days.
They don't have an ISBN number, you can't find them at Amazon or any detail on them at Goodreads, but if you visit the author's website - here. You can get them.
Do they count as books then? Who cares and as I'm still in charge of the scoreboard they count in my world., As you can't really get one without the other, I'll just give myself one notch on the scoreboard.
Two Days - fast-paced action, not short of a bit of sex and violence either, but more than that.
John Dannen is hired by Senator Bachelard to deliver a message to his errant son on Tunnel Island. Plenty of obstacles and interference to overcome, before our message gets delivered.
Four Days: Behind the Scenes is Iain riffing on the books and authors that have inspired his writing.
They are in no particular order...... Larry McMurtry, James Sallis, James Ellroy, Jedediah Ayres, David Peace and Derek Raymond. If I'm not actually reading fiction, there's nothing I like more than reading about authors writing about other authors - particularly if we've got common ground.Sallis - tick, Ellroy - tick, Peace - tick, Raymond - on the pile, Ayres - on the pile, McMurtry - cross.
Well 5 out of 6 ain't bad.
4 from 5
Iain Ryan's novel Four Days sits on the pile - for sometime whenever.....
BRISBANE, 1984. Jim Harris is a hard-drinking Australian detective on his way to a nervous breakdown. Every day, he works alongside corrupt cops and dangerous crooks. That is, until a brutal murder case unravels his career, bringing past indiscretions to light. Alone, afraid, and out of control, Harris makes a pact with himself: Four days to locate the killer. Four days to take revenge. Four days to find redemption.
I completely agree with you, Col. You're in charge of the scorecard, so you decide what counts :-) - Glad you enjoyed these, and it's really interesting to learn which authors inspire others.
ReplyDeleteMargot thanks. Fortunately crossing paths with Iain's favourites hasn't expanded my own TBR pile!
DeleteIt's a great book Col, I thoroughly recommend it
ReplyDeleteDave, thanks for the endorsement, I'll move it further up the pile and closer to the top!
DeleteI think the novel looks very interesting -- I'm surprised you've been able to leave it on the TBR pile. On the other hand, I could say as much about dozens of books on my own TBR shelves . . .
ReplyDeleteI'll have to have a word with myself! I do have a sidebar challenge going for "DOWN UNDER" reading that this could help me progress on, plus it weighs in at under 200 pages. TIME TO PULL PROVERBIAL FINGER OUT, maybe...
DeleteCol, you have convinced me about these two novels. Now the question is when do I read them.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you can make short work of these two little chaps. FOUR DAYS might require more of a commitment, but at least you can try Iain's writing first.
DeleteThe full length one does sound right up your street - get on with it!
ReplyDeleteComment noted....
DeleteI will be interested to see your take on the novel. It does sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteCheers Tracy - I'll have to read it sooner rather than later!
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