James Lee Burke Alert

[BOSSHOG]

My favorite fiction author has a new book out "Swan Peak." His lead character, former New Orleans Cop Dave Robicheaux and his buddy Cletus head to Montana for some peace and quiet after Katrina. But anyone familiar with Dave and Clete know that peace and quiet ain't there forte.

http://blog.nola.com/susanlarson/2008/07/james_lee_burkes_detective_dav.html

Enjoy!

[MaineDem]

1. Hoorray!

Thanks for the heads up.

[fadedrose]

2. Starting this series now....

Just finished NEON RAIN, and have HEAVENS PRISONERS and BLACK CHERRY BLUES ready to start in a week. I've wanted to get started with Robicheaux for a quite a while, but I like to read the oldest series book first...then, if I like that one, I work up to the newest....

[BOSSHOG]

3. I'll go out on a limb

and suggest that you'll read em all. Rather violent but definitely engaging. You'll soon meet Dave's adopted daughter and she grows up throughout the books. I don't care too much for Burke's books about the lawyer up in Montana; but Robicheaux and Clete make up for that.

[Paladin]

4. You'll End Up Reading Them All; They're Addictive

I may like "In The Electric Mist With Confederate Dead" just a fraction more than the others in Burke's Robicheaux/New Iberia series, but I love them all....

[pscot]

5. On your say-so, Boss

I just put the first two on hold at my local library. I hope they measure up. I haven't found a series I really liked since Travis McGee went out of business.

[BOSSHOG]

6. Hello My Friend

I think you will find Dave and Clete very engaging. Dave is a rather pathetic figure (alcohlic, hard times with women, Vietnam Vet) and there is lots and lots of violence. He and Clete spend their lives covering each others asses. The New Orleans scenery is beautiful if only in words. And the philosophy is far from subtle. I hope you enjoy.

[nosmokes]

7. you'll end up reading them all, for sure. Burke is a very engaging writer.

and his characters grow on you, as does his bayou and new orleans settings.

[nosmokes]

8. His daughter Alafair's (yeah like in the books) books aren't bad either.

[BOSSHOG]

9. A few years back

I went out of my way to visit New Iberia and went to the old Motel on Bayou Teche described in some books. He's got the description down pat. Dave and Clete are so freaking pitiful ya gotta love em.

[MaineDem]

12. I wanted to go to New Iberia when I was in NO a year or so ago

It'd be cool to see the Bayou Teche. New Iberia has a web site that's pretty interesting. It mentions the books.

[BOSSHOG]

13. Also

in that area is Avery Island, the home of Tabasco Sauce. I call it DisneyWorld for Hot Sauce Lovers. When I visited The weather was hot but calm with no inclement weather. Teche seemed so serene almost otherworldy but that was just my hero worship (for Burke) working.

[Sequoia]

10. I was thinking about going to the library to get his Tinroof book.

I haven't read any of his stuff. Mainly because I have a problem with continuing people in a book series.

[BOSSHOG]

11. I agree with the aversion to "series" books

but you can pick up any one of the Robicheaux series and it is a self contained work. Burke's works are heavy on character development and a whole lot of violence. The bad guy always gets his ass kicked severely and the good guys usually end up with heavy hearts and more spiders in their brains. His lead characters are very complex and eventually sympathetic. He also paints a great scene of whatever geography happens to be involved.

I do enjoy WEB Griffin "series" books but he doesn't make each book necessarily self contained. Not near as good as Burke does.

[pscot]

14. I've read the first two now

and your review is pretty much right on. Burke tends to run on at times. He must have learned his trade writing 3 cents a word pulps, but when he finds his groove he's pretty good. I don't think I could read a dozen of 'em in three weeks, but I'll probably keep coming back.

[BOSSHOG]

15. I don't

care too much for his books about a lawyer Billy Bob something or other. He ain't scuzzy enough or complex enough of a protagonist for me. I've thought that Burke's meandering wanderings in prose are some sort of psychotherapy for some problem he has. He does get carried away but he usually gets carried away better then most writers. It has been nice reading how his daughter has grown up and tragic to read about Dave's dealings with women and what becomes of them. Not to blow a plot or anything but he eventually marries a Nun.

[fadedrose]

17. Just finished the 3rd book

NEON RAIN was pretty good...HEAVEN'S PRISONERS, the 2nd book, well, that's another story. Burke writes like a frustrated meteorologist, him, in the 2nd book and in the 3rd book, he seems more inclined toward horticulture, him. I mean, like, how many of you guys ever heard of lupine, it?

Anyway, the 2nd book was important and I'm glad I *suffered* through it, me, because it's paramount to understanding Dave Robicheaux, him. It also points out the need for the return of Clete from his absence in HEAVEN'S. I like the main characters like Batist, Alifair, etc.

Book 3, BLACK CHERRY BLUES, started out with great similarity to a garden catalog, but once Burke got rolling, it got to be a page turner. Was glad to meet Dixie and hope he's a regular, as well as some of the Montana cops, and it was good to see Clete again, him.

I'm going to order the next 2 or 3, but now I'm heading, me, back to Minnesota with Cork O'Connor in William Kent Krueger's MERCY FALLS.

[BOSSHOG]

18. I mix up my readings

Every other book I read is a non-fiction work about WWII, mostly Navy. I slip in some military non-fiction (Patrick Robinson does a nice job at that.) Burke's lates, Swan Peak is on the shelf awaiting rotation.

[fadedrose]

19. More enjoyment

When I see a new book out whose author I am not familiar with, I like to get the first book in the series and work up to the new book.

I really enjoy the books more that way and the characters seem more real. It also takes less concentration because I don't have to keep going back to see who or what someone is because I know them so well already. The plot is more defined and much easier to follow.

I won't be ready for his new one for weeks, me......

I am starting to talk like a Cajun... :)

[fadedrose]

20. I love series books

Of course, once in a while a sequel will let you down, but by and large the series as a whole is a wonderful reading experience and a bad sequel will not prevent me from continuing with the series.

I've read many stand-alones that I wish were continued, THE TWO MINUTE RULE, for instance.

I am becoming very fond of Burke.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. If you ever get a chance to hear Burke read his own work, take it!

He's hilarious

[bikebloke]

21. Reading Swan Peak now.

Real good, so far. I guess he wanted to write about Montana without his lawyer character. Or at the suggestion of his publisher. It's nice to see Dave and Clete in another environment.

I started James Lee Burke with Dixie City Jam. Then I reached back for his earlier works. But not quite in order. It depended on which ones were available at the library. They're all self-contained, so ordered isn't an issue. Copacetic, mon.

[MaineDem]

22. Me too

Actually I'm listening to the audiobook. Love the accents.

Great so far.

[BOSSHOG]

23. That book

is in my on deck circle. Currently reading yet another WWII submarine book.

Clete in Montana????

[fadedrose]

24. Clete in Montana in BLACK CHERRY BLUES

He's working for the bad guys but ends up with Dave.....(this is 3rd book in series).

Dave goes to Montana in this book to kill whoever killed Annie....

[BOSSHOG]

25. Black Cherry Blues

is that the one where Clete had a hand in a plane wreck?? I've been lazy this week, so it will be a while before I get to Swan Peak, I've already started another book but haven't gotten far with it.

[fadedrose]

26. Not exactly a plane wreck SPOILER

but clete did put sand in a plane's gas tank....

[Paladin]

27. Just Finished "Swan Peak." I Think It's One Of Burke's Best

Took me forever to get a copy of it at the local library here in the Denver suburbs; they had 33 copies circulating, but I was still about number 150 on the waiting list. Definitely worth the wait, though. Clete Purcell is one the great characters of modern-day fiction.....

[fadedrose]

28. I just finished IN THE ELECTRIC MIST OF CONFEDERATE DEAD

I'm going in the order of the written series - am enjoying each one more and more..... it'll be a while before I get to the newest one. I have BURNING ANGEL and DIXIE CITY JAM on the shelf....

Am finishing up the two I have of Krueger's novels first....and that'll complete his entire series for me....