Beat the Reaper: A Novel
by Josh Bazell
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Book Summary Information
Author: Josh BazellEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-01-07
ISBN: 0316032220
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Book Reviews of Beat the Reaper: A Novel
Book Review: A "Little: over the top? -- Really a "Little"?
Summary: 3 Stars
I wanted to like this book, and I could have if I'd only stopped at reading the overrated reviews. There was just too little "reality substance" in the book itself to sink my teeth into and make me think - other than I actually paid good money for this book - like substantial thoughts of life as it relates to me. But then maybe your expectations fall along the lines of bad breath attitude, worse language, retribution for the lack of interest your mother showed in your early development when you were five, and a strong desire to degenerate from that point forward. Like the comedian whose laugh getting punch line consists dredging his audience through his F'ing foul mouth - TeenyBoppers replacement for verbal substance (reference typical YouTube comments) - instead of delivering really clever, witty, irony. He keeps repeating this habitually as if trying to wear out his readers patience is a divine virtue. If you're the type who thinks green goo running out of the nose of your adolescent friends in the boys locker room, or better yet in the privacy of Grand Central Station during rush hour, then this is right up your over-ripe back alley banter for appropriate entertainment to fit your special needs of substandard suburbia blurbs. All that being said, I do commend the author for his yet untapped potential of good writing. He's forming skills in developing character and creating emotional and logistical atmosphere. However -- isn't there always a however? -- he'd rather appeal to the Captain Marvel comic book genre of readers. I mean really, if you want to sell the most books, what audience are you going to target? Exactly. You'll cater to the communal pitfalls and sexual innuendos atypical of Jackie Collins Hollywood style smut to sell millions of books by catering to the "base" interests of our prehistoric puritanical plebian rebellion paradigm. Moving on, the ending was the most disappointing part. Usually authors strive to create tension between characters and an imposing plot for the reader to anguish over. Then a release for the reader at the end to provide some sort of parable note of interest to rebuild the readers faith in human nature after tearing it to shreds. I'm not suggesting a gushy Hollywood happy ending, just some kind of glimmer of hope redemption rather than this distorted, tormented episodic finality. I know, color me old fashioned, but this book left me with a sour taste in my mouth. Was I glued to this page turner at the ending? A resounding yes, but only to finish this book and get on to something better, with hope against hope that I hadn't wasted my money. I was eventually left with the feeling I would have preferred to book just end with the universe being blown to bits and god would be free to start over from scratch with a warehouse of do's but mostly don'ts to build his next experiment on. That would have been preferable to the senselessness the reader is left to deal with. Am I saying don't buy this book. Absolutely not, but one needs to be aware of what it is and/or is not and if it meets your criteria for literature, language, or fulfillment of "Base" indulgence, by all means break open your kids piggy bank, (pun intended). If I had been aware this was more of a Stephen King tormented perversion than a serious mystery, suspense novel I might not have been so disappointed. You might consider waiting for a later printing, on the proper pulp. Cliff hanger car chase scenes (metaphorically) meets the convoluted humor (literally) of Stephen King gratuitous gore bloodletting, without medicinal objective. Undoubtedly this is movie material as suggested by others... fit for a YouTube extravaganza. I could easily see this as a primary deliberation topic on a Facebook forum for eternity.
I sincerely hope this review doesn't come across cynically excessive. Then again, maybe I did take away some compelling subculture agenda from the book? What taciturn blamelessness could that be? That you can write just about anything and find someone who will like it? Throw my F'ing pious pen away!
"Beat the Reaper" is actually not bad for a first attempt, but give Mr. Josh another twenty years to pay his penmanship dues and mature into a well seasoned Truman Capote? Until then the most we can expect is to let him practice and improve with age, no make that improve with experience. Judging from his inadequate "Scent of a Woman" instinct, this poor boy is obviously still a virgin; tsk, tsk. After all he is just fresh out of school. At least they're keeping him out of the ER for now. He seems rather harmless in the field of research. Out of reach of a bone handled scalpel. Davy Crocket collectors item, you know!
I know, a too long critique. Not as bad as wading through this book to such a flat, pointless ending, however!
Summary of Beat the Reaper: A Novel
Dr. Peter Brown is an intern at Manhattan's worst hospital, with a talent for medicine, a shift from hell, and a past he'd prefer to keep hidden. Whether it's a blocked circumflex artery or a plan to land a massive malpractice suit, he knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.Pietro "Bearclaw" Brnwna is a hitman for the mob, with a genius for violence, a well-earned fear of sharks, and an overly close relationship with the Federal Witness Relocation Program. More likely to leave a trail of dead gangsters than a molecule of evidence, he's the last person you want to see in your hospital room.
Nicholas LoBrutto, aka Eddy Squillante, is Dr. Brown's new patient, with three months to live and a very strange idea: that Peter Brown and Pietro Brnwa might-just might-be the same person ...
Now, with the mob, the government, and death itself descending on the hospital, Peter has to buy time and do whatever it takes to keep his patients, himself, and his last shot at redemption alive. To get through the next eight hours-and somehow beat the reaper.
Spattered in adrenaline-fueled action and bone-saw-sharp dialogue, BEAT THE REAPER is a debut thriller so utterly original you won't be able to guess what happens next, and so shockingly entertaining you won't be able to put it down.
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