This is not the most convincing Hammett story, the plot structure is not what you expect of him but The Continental Op's thoughts, mindset, the way heThis is not the most convincing Hammett story, the plot structure is not what you expect of him but The Continental Op's thoughts, mindset, the way he works more like a police detective chasing information, doing mostly legwork is Hammett at his most natural style of writing PI stories. The character is a gem more fascinating than masterwork novels.
I enjoyed this very much, its real flaw is that it's not The Red Harvest, not that great, brilliance of prose style, story but most crime novels are weak in comparison to The Red Harvest too....more
I read this for the first time which dosent have the rep of Red Harvest, The Maltese Falcon but i found it to be almost his best, great lead characterI read this for the first time which dosent have the rep of Red Harvest, The Maltese Falcon but i found it to be almost his best, great lead character in Ned Beaumont. It is really a companion piece to Red Harvest because its also set in a small town ruled by corruption and political corruption instead of outright criminal gangs. I like how matter factly Hammett explores a social ill like that one. This time there is no tough PI looking to bring down the ciminals that own the city, the local law. Ned Beaumont is an political henchman, part of the corruption that own the city and he works for a man The Op would bring down in Red Harvest for his crimes.
In a way its even more bleak worldview than in Red Harvest and darker story because the world in the book is full of crooks, political and less political regular crooks. I like that in a way because in the real world often they dont pay for their crimes. Im not talking about the actual plot of the book but the theme and characters so dont worry about Spoilers.
Naturally i prefer The Glass Key over The Maltese Falcon because its more essential Hammett story, themes. ...more
Not a collection of his best The Contintenal OP stories but they still range from very good to great stories in this collection. The Gutting of CouffigNot a collection of his best The Contintenal OP stories but they still range from very good to great stories in this collection. The Gutting of Couffignal,The Big Knockover,CorkscrewThe Yellow Dead Women was the best stories in the collection.
The OP style,lines,his cold-blooded professionalism, drive is a blessing,a save from romantic PI heroes that think they are good guys in a play. The OP will let criminals die if it takes to do the job. He is so refreshingly ruthless,real....more
My second time reading this and i saw things i missed the first time. Some nuances of the characters,dialouge,the authors world view. I dont re-read eMy second time reading this and i saw things i missed the first time. Some nuances of the characters,dialouge,the authors world view. I dont re-read ever but i should re-read this every two years when i forgot little of the mystery,the work The OP is doing in Posionville.
This novel is a true literary Masterwork that makes you understand why Hammett has the reputation he has in mainstream American Literature let alone in crime,noir fiction. It is a great,fun,bleak hardboiled PI story. Also Hammett's unpretentious,spare prose flows so amazingly well.
It was fun read like the other Continental OP stories I have read because of the wit and a lot of the times I smiled, almost laughing because of how well The OP put the words in a dialogue or inner monologue.
I have not read anyone who comes near Hammett when its about writing dialogue, tough,wiscracking lines to qoute. Also its a shame the ultra detailed way he described every character in the novel is a thing of the past. He wrote very precisely what people was wearing,what their eyes was doing, how their noses,mouth made all clear pictures of who they are. Its a lost art from most contemporary fiction, let alone crime fiction. If it was a new novel, it would have described once what the characters looked and thats enough for the whole novel. You wouldnt see every few pages how the corrupt Chief of Police eyes was glinting,doing something all the time showing his emotions,naunces. How messy Dinah Brand looked for a femme fatale in every scene she was in.
Its a real shame that Hammett never captured the magic of this novel again in his other novels. The other novels are written with same literary quality. But Maltese Falcon, others are not as hardboiled,as bleak world view, characters wise The OP stands out with this novel. Only the short stories of The Continetal OP look like its the same author as this novel. ...more
For a 1920s collection from the early days of hardboiled PI stories this collection has several brilliant stories. Also a main character in the OP whoFor a 1920s collection from the early days of hardboiled PI stories this collection has several brilliant stories. Also a main character in the OP whose narrative is so interesting that he could carry many collections/books more on his own.
The OP is so different from other hardboiled PI's and not only in his looks. He is much more in control of his emotions,actions and only cares about doing his job. The stories are darker, more corrupt world than the latter more traditional detective stories that Marlowe and co is involved in.
Hammett is also after more than just writing entertaining detective stories, his world view at the time he wrote the stories is presented in the stories. A moral detective who cant be bought working in a corrupt society full of white collar crime,organized crime. The stories are more literary than usual detective stories because he tried to portray his world view through The OP and not only because his prose style is very literary strong. The stories in this collection like most of his other writing show clearly he was a detective who wrote what he knew about in his fiction. Other than his writing ability, that his stories feel more real than any other PI stories is what i rate highly.
The OP is really more like a cop or hardboiled FBI agent than what PI heroes became later. He likes working with cops unlike Spade,Marlowe. He is friends with them, he has a big detective agency at his disposal he can call for other operators to shadow people for him. He works in a mundane chase the evidence, look past lies kind of way. His character is very hardboiled PI pioneer but his methods is very different from other famous PI's. Maybe because Hammett Pinkerton, real world crime experience. His stories are not as often clever PI games....more
Loading...
