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Title: Smoke by Donald E. Westlake ISBN: 0-446-40344-X Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 1996 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.76 (17 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: An Invisible Burglar
Comment: When Freddie Noon is caught in the act of burgling a research laboratory by a couple of the doctors who work there, he is persuaded to act as guinea pig to test the experimental drug they are working on, rather than get sent to prison. The drug was supposed to help combat skin cancer by eliminating skin pigment, unfortunately when given to Freddie it not only eliminated Freddie's skin, but also the rest of him, rendering him invisible. An invisible burglar, the possibilities are endless. But so are the problems. Freddie and his girlfriend, Peg, are chased by various people who all have the same idea, harnessing his invisibility for their own evil plans.
Thanks to Westlake's great ability with putting together great caper stories, the subplots are amusing and quite entertaining, but when you get to the end you get the feeling that the potential has not been reached. Although not an uproariously funny book, its tone is light and the humour is constant, at times subtle and usually quite clever.
If it's light reading you're after and prefer entertainment over finding a deeper meaning of life, I think you'll enjoy this book. A good example of the humour of Donald Westlake can be found in a surgeon general's warning on the inside front flap stating that "Reading Donald E. Westlake may lead to shortness of breath, prolonged chortles, outbreaks of hysterical laughter, and sudden, drop-dead surprises."
Rating: 3
Summary: I never thought I'd put down a Westlake book
Comment: I have loved every other book of his that I have read. Smoke, however, is a pretty apt analogy for the substance of this one. Sure there are a few chuckles, but frankly I didn't care enough about any of the people in this story to find out how it turns out. The tobacco industry machinations get pretty boring. Great potential, but a dud.
Rating: 3
Summary: The Joys of Being Invisible
Comment: Freddie Urban Noone, contrary to his initials, is not having fun. During a normal business day, which for Freddie is robbery/burglary, he runs afoul of two young research doctors. They capture Freddie, and decide he will be their human volunteer for an experiment they are conducting for a tobacco research institute. The experiment inadvertently succeeds beyond any expectation, and Freddie is invisible-and escapes. Everyone: doctors, tobacco industry, and crooked cops want Freddie for all the wrong reasons.
The author has given careful thought to all aspects of being invisible and uses them well. In a nutshell, invisibility has few advantages and many woes for the hapless victim. Freddie must either be naked (including shoeless) or done up like a scarecrow with a fright mask, gloves, and every inch of him covered. He must modestly distance himself from the public for at least two hours after dining while his food travels down his intestinal track. Freddy fortunately has a sunny disposition and a great deal of patience. He also is blessed with a cheery, beautiful, slightly skewed girlfriend who reminded me of Elaine in Seinfeld without the neuroses.
The book has many humorous moments and some excellent insights, but it seems erratically paced. There are slow moments and repetitious action. I felt the author got a little weary of his own edifice. The ending was so abrupt; I actually looked for a few more pages. I don't know if it was Mr. Westlake's intent, but the last scene seems melancholy and wistful. The farce turned into a melodrama without a connecting passage. I was left vaguely unsatisfied.
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Title: Put a Lid On it by Donald E. Westlake ISBN: 0446612057 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Hook, The by Donald E. Westlake ISBN: 0446609560 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Don't Ask by Donald E. Westlake ISBN: 0446400955 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 July, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Ax, The by Donald E. Westlake ISBN: 0446606081 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 May, 1998 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: What's the Worst That Could Happen? by Donald E. Westlake ISBN: 0446604712 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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