Deadman's Poker: A Novel
by James Swain
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Book Reviews of Deadman's Poker: A Novel
Book Review: My favorite Tony Valentine book so far
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to say that I enjoyed the book quite a lot. The plot involves the fixing of the World Poker Showdown, a fictionalized version of the WSOP, utilizing an unrevealed (in this book) cheating scam. A character reminiscent of Amarillo Slim makes the cheating accusation after busting out on Day 1 of the tournament, and Tony Valentine is called in to investigate. Along the way we're treated to a number of prop bet scams, the workings of which are revealed in due time during the story - great stuff for the degenerates among us, fascinating for those of us that enjoy figuring out how magicians and conmen do their tricks.
I enjoy poker and gambling narratives, and have an appreciation for authors that are able to build a series of books around a central character, and then mature that character and his supporting cast as they move through time. There is nothing worse than a main character who never progresses emotionally, morally, or physically, a sure sign of laziness in a writer. Fortunately, Swain keeps developing his characters further in each successive novel, making it infinitely more interesting to read.
Valentine's son is along for the ride, and Swain has continued to mature Gerry and the relationship between father and son. Of course, while Gerry shows more flashes of being able to think on his feet in dangerous situations, including a gritty, distasteful sequence of events leading up to the climax, it still takes Valentine riding to the rescue with the infantry in tow to save the day in the climax of this first-of-two-parts story.
Two parts? Yep. The story continues in the next novel, Deadman's Bluff, released only one-month after Deadman's Poker. Up next on my reading list, of course.
We're also provided with some Poker Protection Tips at the end of the book, the same tips that are available at his website. Swain knows his scams, and I've seen interviews on Tampa television where he displays impressive sleight-of-hand skills. I'm not sure I'd want him in my poker game, unless he was handcuffed, ear plugged, and blindfolded (but, as we find out, blindfolds and hoods can't stop a determined scammer in this story!).
Anyway, this is an action story that moves right along. Having read the previous books in the Tony Valentine series, I knew what to expect and was not disappointed. Great stuff!
Book Review: Swain is Back and as Good as Ever!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was introduced to James Swain's character, Tony Valentine in his book, Mr. Lucky. After finishing that book I immediately ordered all the previous ones and had a most enjoyable time as Mr.Valentine brought card cheats (and worse) to justice. The hook in his books is that someone is doing something which either no one has heard of before or if they have heard of it, they can't seem to find out how it is happeneing.
You expect to find certain types of characters in these books and you are not disappointed. While I am not one who has been to professional gambling locations very much and have never been to Las Vegas, I am fascinated with such settings and the opportunities for story lines that can be found there.
This novel deals with the World Poker Showdown which is being held in a new casino in Las Vegas. An amateur by the name of Skip DeMarco is leading the tournament. An old timer, Rufus Steele has been busted out of the game by DeMarco and has accused him of being a cheater. That accusation causes the head of the Nevada Gaming Control Board to ask Valentine to get involved and like a fly being drawn to a wet sugar cube, it isn't long before he is on the way.
Previously in the novel, Tony's son Gerry a former bookmaker and now an associate with his father in the business of sniffing out casino crime has had a friend murdered. The friend claimed to be onto a scam that was unbeatable. His last words to Gerry are that he has been killed by a hitman who was hired by guys that he taught the scam to because they were afraid he would squeal. He holds out a card to Gerry. It is the ace of spades from the Celebrity Hotel in Vegas where the tournament is being played. He dies.
Acting out a sense of vengence Gerry and four of his pals from his former life head to Vegas to get to the bottom of who is responsible for his friend's death.
Needless to say it is not very long before both Valentines are in all kinds of hot water and as the twists and turns of the story play out, the reader is treated to a variety of interesting and sometimes hilarious antics.
James Swain is a clearly gifted writer who is extremely knowledgeable about his subject matter. If you already know that, get this book and the one that follows it, Deadman's Bluff.
If that is news to you, get all of his books. You will not regret it.
Book Review: You gotta know when to fold 'em
Summary: 2 Stars
Based on the first third of this book, I would give this 4 stars. The characters were interesting, and I was enjoying myself. Then the story really slowed down, with lots of side stuff. Then I figured out I would need to get the next book Deadman's Bluff to finish the story. So minus 1 star for taking a single 1 book story and splitting into 2 books to extort money. And clearly, it would have been 2 short books so filler was added. Another minus star for boring side stories; the Rufus scammer character is interesting in moderation, but after the fly, horserace, golf, ping pong, cat, x-ray vision, etc. scams, it was tiring. They didn't add anything, other than the mildly entertaining "how he tricked the Greek" variety. But they were too long as side stories, and it was ludicrous that the main character and his tacked-on "love" interest kept saying "there's no way he can do this" over and over again. Look, Rufus is a grifter, he will win not by playing by the rules. No reader was saying "yeah, there is no way" rather it was, "ok, what dumb trick will he use." So the dialog seemed contrived to try to make these side stories more dramatic. Didn't work. And in the end, the way that the tournament cheating was done, you probably will have figured out, and it isn't very "wow" to justify buying and reading 2 books. Even though my review sounds negative, I was impressed with the beginning of this book, and I assume that the rest of this book and the 2nd one were boring because the author (editor/publisher) were trying to stretch this out to sell twice as many books. If you just read this book and not the 2nd you really will be unhappy (1 star happy). However, given the good beginning of this book, I'm going to try Mr. Lucky and give this author 1 more chance. I think he is better than whomever told him to stretch this thin story to two volumes. The author seems to have a great sense of gambling, Atlantic City, and grifters. If these 2 books were 1, and tightened up by dropping a ton of Rufus stuff, this would be 4 stars!Book Review: Great Topic; fairly good book
Summary: 3 Stars
This is really just the first half of the two book set that ends with Deadman's Poker. I've never seen a novel serialized in this way -- but it didn't inhibit my reading at all. Consider it one 700 page novel split into two separate 350 page books.
As a poker player, it's always nice to see the stage set with my favorite game -- which Swain does well. Unfortunately, the character development and plot twists don't compare with truly excellent work in this mystery/detective genre -- the Michael Connelly's and Harlan Coban's for example. Even so, it surely is a servicable tale -- with a subject matter that is, for me, compelling.
Swain's chief character, Tony Valentine, is a former cop turned casino consultant specializing in ferreting out casino cheats. For this novel he is joined by his son -- a reformed cheater himself -- and his son's somewhat bland and superficially created posse of not-quite reformed cheaters. Valentine's mission is to find out who is scamming the world's biggest poker tournement and how they are doing it. In the process he uncovers other cheating in poker and blackjack, while solving a murder mystery as well.
Swain's at his best when he is describing the intricate ways that cheats pull off their scams. He also shines when he recreates some of the more famous proposition bets pulled off by thinly disguised Amarillo Slim Preston -- a legendary gambler and poker player.
He is less deft at accurately depicting poker tournament play. He has a number of errors that will be obvious to the serious poker player (for example, having his dealer burn a card before the first two cards in hold 'em are dealt, seating eight rather than the more typical nine or ten at a hold 'em table, and starting players off with only $200 in tournament chips in a major tournament). These are relatively minor bumps in the story -- but annoying ones nevertheless for readers who expect authors of one of few poker novels to get the details right.
Book Review: Swain delivers, again (and AGAIN, it seems!)
Summary: 5 Stars
James Swain's Tony Valentine series is one I wait for and leap on when a new one comes around, and I'm very pleased with Deadman's Poker. I got the same smooth, entertaining read with suspense and insights to the gambler's life I look for in this author's work. I was looking for entertainment and I got it.
I'm glad I read the book before seeing a couple of whining reviews about the ending of this book tying to the beginning of the other Tony Valentine book of the Summer -I'd call that a spoiler, and since it's already out there I'll talk about it...
It's good that there are two Tony Valentine books coming out so close together- this one and Deadman's Bluff. It puts me in the mind of the serialized adventure shorts before the main movie when I was a kid.
That one story can be dependent on the other is not a negative at all for me -Come On, I'd have read them both, anyway. As stated by the whiners in each of their reviews, I also have read and enjoyed all the author's books in this series.
Now I'm getting what amounts to a 700 page book for $14 (.vs. $25 to $30 for a hardback), in two handy instalments (without waiting a year in between) that fit in my pocket, and I can see .no. downside to that ...especially for a Summer read.
Maybe this is something more author/publishers should do to 'shake it up' and give us something a little different. Hah! After Deadman's Bluff, I'll have to wait the normal long publishing cycle for more Tony Valentine. I feel like I'm being spoiled this Summer.